Command line options

Options accepted on the command line.

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Option	Syntax	Description	Debug only
480-pixel width	`-480`	Sets the initial screen width to 480 pixels and leaves the height alone; the resolution branch claims the argument before the case named after it is reached.
Accelerated timers	`-XH`	Enables accelerated recharge and construction timers.	Yes
Attract mode	`-ATTRACT`	Enables attract mode.
Client launch	`-SPAWN`	Launches the game SPAWN.INI describes, in place of the startup movies and the menu.
Command-line help	`-?`	Prints the built-in command-line summary and exits startup.
Console debug output	`-XC`	Opens the debug output console. Debug builds always open it; this option opens it in release builds.
Event and packet debug	`-XP`	Enables event and packet debug output.	Yes
Exception reporting test	`-EXCEPTIONTEST=<fault>`	Raises a chosen fault on purpose so that crash reporting can be checked without waiting for a real crash. Accepts av-read, av-write, stack, purecall, terminate, invalidparam, fatal, worker, sectionfault, wndproc, and timer.
Game data directory	`-DATADIR=<path>`	Reads the game's data from the directory named, which the game never writes to.
Inert weapons	`-XI`	Enables inert weapons so units take no damage.	Yes
Installer launch	`FROMINSTALL`	Marks startup as launched by the installer.
Internet debug display	`-MPDEBUG`	Enables the Internet debug display.
Map checking	`-CHECKMAP`	Runs the map check every frame; the routine it calls has no body and always reports success, so no map is examined.	Yes
Monochrome debug display	`-XM`	Enables the monochrome debug display.	Yes
Multiplayer recording	`-XX`	Enables multiplayer recording.	Yes
Multiple copies	`-MULTIINSTANCE`	Lets this copy start while another copy of the game is running. Without it, a second copy brings the running copy's window to the front and exits.
Network stealth mode	`-STEALTH`	Enables network stealth mode.
Out-of-sync test	`-DESYNCTEST=<frame>`	Corrupts this machine's own game checksum once, on the first frame at or after the one given, so that the out-of-sync report can be checked without waiting for a real divergence. The corruption waits for the checksum comparison to start, so a frame inside the first 256 fires as soon as it does.
Playtest mode	`PLAYTEST`	Enables the debug playtest flag.	Yes
Quiet mode	`-XQ`	Enables quiet mode.
Random seed	`-SEED<number>`	Seeds the random number generator with the number given, for a campaign mission or skirmish started from the menu, so it repeats the same random draws each time. 0 draws a new seed.	Yes
Recording playback	`-XY`	Enables multiplayer recording playback.	Yes
Resolution	`-<width>X<height>`	Sets the initial screen width and height.
Tournament time limit	`-TIME=<minutes>`	Sets the tournament time limit.
User data directory	`-USERDIR=<path>`	Keeps the settings, saved games and other files the game writes in the directory named, creating it when it is not there.
Windowed mode	`-WIN`	Enables windowed mode.