Editing Command & Conquer (section)

==Gameplay==
The ''Command & Conquer'' titles are [[real-time strategy]] games, with the exception of the [[first-person shooter]] ''[[Command & Conquer: Renegade]]''. A staple of the series is the parallel campaigns of various different factions to one central storyline. Games in the series also offered [[Multiplayer video game|multiplayer]] game options, via [[LAN]] and [[modem]] connection. All games in the series have also offered online play, as well as "skirmish" matches in which players can face AI enemies.

All ''Command & Conquer'' real-time strategy games except ''Command & Conquer: Generals'' and its expansions have featured the "side bar" for navigation and control as opposed to many other similar games where the control bar is located on the bottom of the screen.

''Command & Conquer'' gameplay typically requires the player to construct a base and acquire resources, in order to fund the ongoing production of various types of forces with which to assault and conquer the opponent's base. All available structures of the faction chosen by the player are constructed on-site at so-called "construction yard" - which typically begin as large-sized vehicles capable of deploying themselves into the aforementioned construction yards, called MCVs or Mobile Construction Vehicle. When a construction yard has finished building a new structure, the player can select a spot near to a preexisting structure in order to place it, where the [[prefabricated]] building will rapidly unfold in a distinctive manner.

In all games in the series except ''Command & Conquer: Generals'' and its expansion ''Zero Hour'', funds are acquired by specialised "harvester" units which bring their cargo (Tiberium for the ''Tiberian'' series of games or ore or the more valuable gems for the ''Red Alert'' series) to a "refinery" structure. This in turn will convert the raw material into usable resources, expressed as credits. The raw materials themselves, in games released before ''Red Alert 2'' as well as ''Command & Conquer 3'' require storage space in the form of refineries and, in the case of excess, "storage silo" structures.  In ''Generals'' and ''Zero Hour'', funds are collected by two methods: collection of supplies by specialised units and converted to money in "supply centers" or directly produced by specialised units, buildings, or tech buildings at a set interval of time.

All factions have structures and units with similar functions at their disposal. However, they are adjusted to fit each faction's theme and have somewhat varying properties. Units can be classified into infantry, vehicles, and aircraft, each with their own subdivisions (note: in the ''Red Alert'' series there is also naval craft available). Unit effectiveness against opponents follows the [[rock-paper-scissors]] ([[intransitivity]]) principle found in most [[real-time strategy]] games, and units' attack characteristics can vary according to faction.

Virtually every type of structure in the series acts as a [[tech tree]] node, and additional units, structures and faction-specific abilities will become available as new structures are built and placed. Access to advanced units and abilities may be temporarily blocked if the required structures are destroyed or if they are not being provided with adequate power by the supporting "power plant" structures.

===Multiplayer===
Each ''Command & Conquer'' game has included the ability to play multiplayer games against other players. Each box of ''Command & Conquer'' contained two CD copies of the game, making [[multiplayer|multiplayer gaming]] possible with a single purchase of the game. Westwood Studios advertised this on the packaging with the slogan "A second copy, so you and your friend can destroy each other." This resulted in ''Command & Conquer'' becoming the first RTS game title to feature competitive online play,<ref name="C&CRTSInfluence" /> and this is considered the most pertinent outside factor in the success of ''Command & Conquer''.<ref name="ccorigins" /> All games in the series up to ''Command & Conquer: Red Alert 2'' featured two CDs that could be used for this reason. Later games did not.

''Command & Conquer: Red Alert 3'' was noted for being the first RTS game to enable the campaigns to be played cooperatively online; others had only supported single player campaigns. However, it was only possible to connect to other computers through EA's servers and not with [[LAN]] play.

Games produced by Westwood use the proprietary Westwood Online system to facilitate multiplayer games over the Internet; ''Renegade'' also supported [[GameSpy]]. Games under EA's development continued to use GameSpy, but dropped support for Westwood Online in favor of using EA's own servers. The GameSpy master servers have shut down in 2013,<ref>Dan Stapleton [http://au.pc.gamespy.com/articles/122/1227460p1.html Goodbye, And Thank You From The GameSpy Team] {{webarchive |url=https://web.archive.org/web/20130222133146/http://au.pc.gamespy.com/articles/122/1227460p1.html |date=February 22, 2013 }} February 21, 2013</ref> but some game titles can be played via [[Gameranger]].