How to Setup Command & Conquer 3: Kane’s Wrath Multiplayer in 2024 (Steam/EA App)

Setup multiplayer, download the most popular community patch and install the 4k remaster mod.

Setting Up Multiplayer and Applying 1.02+ & 4K Remaster Mod

---------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------

Hey everyone, Masterleaf here. With the release of the CnC Ultimate Collection on Steam we've seen a huge spike of new and returning players to Kane's Wrath. Many of these players are probably wondering how to play multiplayer if the official multiplayer servers are no more. Well, not only am I going to show you guys how to get Kane's Wrath online working but also how to download and install the community patched maps and optional 4k remaster mod.

So let's start off with registering and setting up an account for CNC-Online. It's a relatively straightforward process. What you're going to want to do is open your web browser and navigate to cnc-online.net. From there, click register and enter your desired username, the email address you'll be using with this account, and password. Then click register.

From here, the website will take you to another page prompting you to check your email inbox to activate your newly created account. Open the email and click the top link to complete the activation.

Now you can log in to your newly created account with the username and password you set before. From here, CNC-Online will prompt you to create a server login name and password. This is what you will use in-game to log in. This username and password are different from your CNC-Online password, and I recommend noting it down somewhere for reference later.

Now we will want to download the CNC-Online launcher from the download button located here. Click download then run the setup and follow the prompts. Upon finalizing the installation, you will want to run the C&C Online application and from the toolbar select the hook option and click "Kane's Wrath". This will ensure that every time the game is opened via Steam, it will launch with CNC-Online.

Now, from the CNC-Online launcher click Kane's Wrath, and the game will open. Now that we're in the game, we will want to navigate to the multiplayer tab just as if it were EA's official server. From here, to log in you simply just need to enter the server login name and password you noted down prior. I recommend clicking on remember password for convenience.

And that's it. That's how you create a CNC-Online account and get it working with Steam or any platform for that matter.

This part of the video is for installing the most commonly used community-made patch, which as of the recording of this video is 1.02+ R21, but the steps will be no different for future versions.

1.02+ R21 fixes all the desyncs you encounter in the vanilla version, fixes a huge amount of bugs including the infamous harvester bug and also fixes several game-breaking exploits. It remains true to the original game and is faithful to the original source material only making necessary balance adjustments and changes to make the whole unit roster viable in competitive PVP. It's highly encouraged to be used as you will also enjoy improved performance and experience the best-made maps the community has put out, the quality and detail exceeding that of the EA ones in many cases. There's also an 1.02+ R21 Arcade Map pack that you can download on kaneswrath.com, which is a fan site from YourHorse, a trusted community member. The arcade map pack contains many fan favorites including tower defense, mission maps, and more.

To download and install R21, you will want to download the map packs of your choice. I recommend downloading all of them but you don't have to if you only plan to play 2v2, or 1v1 for instance. Once the map packs are downloaded you'll want to extract the .zip and then run the executable, which will facilitate the installation of the map pack. Once the Installer prompts you click next, you'll encounter a few options like disabling the EA logo for instance. Select the options you desire and hit install and wait while the files are copied. Repeat this same process for other map packs. All the downloads are bundled with an installer to run. Once your desired R21 map packs are installed, open the game and host a skirmish lobby. You should see the R21 maps appear now in the map list. This is not a global patch but rather a map that is modded to contain a patch within. 1.02+ R21 maps work this way as to not break compatibility with 1.02 vanilla hosted lobbies online, it isolates the patch changes to the maps themselves while remaining on the official patch 1.02.

At this point you have done the essential things, but I have one huge recommendation for those with a decent computer and that is to get the 4K remaster add-on. This add-on hugely improves the texture quality in the game, makes the game graphics better, and is the best way to play R21 maps. This add-on does not break compatibility in the game with vanilla games and it's possible for someone online to not be using this while others are. I get asked a question a lot and that is if the 4k add-on can be used with other mods, and the answer is it can only be used with vanilla 1.02 and the 1.02+ R21 or newer map packs.

To download and install the 4K remaster add-on, you need to head on over to moddb or use my Google Drive/Mega link, which contains all my up to date downloads. Simply download the alternate or standard 4K add-on, I personally prefer the Alternate version as the MARV is more akin to the concept art, but the most commonly used version is the Standard one. After the download has completed simply extract the .zip folder much like the R21 installer. Then run the installer and follow the prompts, and select your desired options. After the installer has finished installing the 4K add-on you may verify if it's working by opening the game and seeing if the Kane's Wrath logo has changed. If it displays "4K add-on" underneath the Kane's Wrath logo itself, it installed successfully.

And that's everything. I hope this guide was useful and that it helped you! If you made it through the video this far I'd really do appreciate a thumbs up. Anyways this is from me, this is Masterleaf - and I'll see you all next time.

[The Super Grade]

Thanks so much! Used to play this on my xbox many years ago. So frikkin excited right now!

[BLITZNJAMAL]

cant find 4k mod

[Zerr der Härte 🌟]

sadly the network is still from 2010 - needing port forwarding, extra patches and still won't properly

[Zerr der Härte 🌟]

cnc.net couldn't be found

[Sákuyá]

tl;dr go to cnc dot net