OpenRA Knowledge Base Manual v.5

This repository contains the OpenRA Knowledge Base Manual, version v.5.

Main manual

• OpenRA_Knowledge_Base_Manual.md — the complete, combined manual in a single file. This is the version to read, print, or feed to an AI for review.
• README.md — this file.

Source files

The individual source files that are assembled into the combined manual live in the build files/ subdirectory:

• build files/MASTER_INDEX.md — single-page navigation for all parts and chapters.
• build files/chapters/Part_00_Foundations.md — how to use the manual, learning paths, and key concepts.
• build files/chapters/Part_01_Chapter_01_ECS.md through build files/chapters/Part_10_Chapter_03_Port_And_Modding.md — all 49 chapters (including the extra Pathfinding/Movement and Combat/Damage chapters in Part 1, and the SDK Bootstrap chapter in Part 3).
• build files/appendices/Appendix_A_Glossary.md through build files/appendices/Appendix_I_Actor_Reference.md — supporting reference material.
• build files/assemble_manual.py — script that regenerates OpenRA_Knowledge_Base_Manual.md from the source files.
• build files/verify_paths.py — script that checks every referenced file path in the combined manual against the cloned OpenRA source.

Planning and research files

The planning, research, and project tracking documents are archived in Archive/OpenRA Manual Build Files/:

• Archive/OpenRA Manual Build Files/README.md — chapter index and project README.
• Archive/OpenRA Manual Build Files/FILE_INDEX.md — listing of C# source files in the OpenRA engine.
• Archive/OpenRA Manual Build Files/COVERAGE_MATRIX.md — source-to-chapter coverage mapping.
• Archive/OpenRA Manual Build Files/TEMPLATE.md — chapter template.
• Archive/OpenRA Manual Build Files/DEVELOPMENT_LOG.md — development history.
• Archive/OpenRA Manual Build Files/BUILD_PLAN.md — original build plan.
• Archive/OpenRA Manual Build Files/Module 1_*.md through Module 7_*.md — research modules.
• Archive/OpenRA Manual Build Files/OpenRA Knowledge Base Compilation ....docx.md — compiled research review.
• Archive/OpenRA Manual Build Files/OpenRA Knowledgebase Scoping Plan ....docx.md — initial scoping document.

How to use this

• To read cover-to-cover: open OpenRA_Knowledge_Base_Manual.md.
• To navigate: open build files/MASTER_INDEX.md.
• To review the manual as an AI: read OpenRA_Knowledge_Base_Manual.md from top to bottom.
• To rebuild the combined manual after editing a source file: run build files/assemble_manual.py.
• To verify file paths after editing: run build files/verify_paths.py.
• To run all verification and export steps in one command: run build files/build_manual.ps1 (PowerShell) or build files/build_manual.bat (Windows batch wrapper). See build files/EXPORT_PIPELINE.md for Pandoc / DOCX / PDF export details.

License and attribution

The text, scripts, and original diagrams in this manual are released into the public domain under the UNLICENSE (UNLICENSE in the project root).

This project references and renders game assets (e.g., sprites, cameos, sounds) that belong to their respective owners (Westwood/EA for Command & Conquer, Red Alert, and Dune 2000). Those assets are used as fair-use educational reference material and are not covered by the UNLICENSE. We claim no ownership and yield all rights to their respective owners.

GitHub and transparency

Authors and credits

• Renegade1993 — project author, curator, and primary researcher: https://github.com/Renegade1993
• Devin — AI engineering assistant by Cognition (https://devin.ai) — helped assemble, verify, and export the manual.
• OpenRA contributors — the engine, documentation, and modding community that produced the source material this manual synthesizes.
• Game asset owners — all rendered game assets (sprites, cameos, sounds, terrain tiles, etc.) belong to their respective owners (Westwood/EA for Command & Conquer, Red Alert, and Dune 2000). They are included as fair-use educational reference material; we claim no ownership and will remove or replace them if a rights holder requests it.

Contributions welcome

Feedback, suggestions, corrections, and contributions are more than welcome. The best way to help is to open a GitHub issue or submit a pull request. The entire workflow is documented here and in build files/EXPORT_PIPELINE.md so that anyone can:

• Read the combined manual: OpenRA_Knowledge_Base_Manual.md.
• Edit the source chapters in build files/chapters/ and build files/appendices/.
• Regenerate the manual and verify it with build files/build_manual.ps1 or build files/build_manual.bat.
• Export to DOCX or PDF with Pandoc (see EXPORT_PIPELINE.md).
• Propose changes via GitHub issues and pull requests.

The repository includes the rendered game-asset images (images/actors/) so that the manual is complete out-of-the-box. These assets are clearly attributed as fair-use educational reference material and remain the property of their respective owners. If a rights holder ever requests their removal, we will comply and document an alternative way to render the images locally from an installed OpenRA copy.

Internal documentation

• build files/EXPORT_PIPELINE.md — how the manual is assembled, verified, and exported.
• DEVELOPMENT_LOG.md — session-by-session development history.
• PRODUCTION_HANDOFF.md — current status and remaining blockers.
• Archive/OpenRA Manual Build Files/BUILD_PLAN.md — original plan and current completion status.
• UNLICENSE — public domain dedication for original work, with third-party asset disclaimer.