bugfix(specialpower): Fix special powers never becoming ready on constructed structures by tintinhamans · Pull Request #3629 · TheSuperHackers/GeneralsGameCode

tintinhamans · 2026-10-29T01:58:36Z

With RETAIL_COMPATIBLE_CRC off, #1218 starts the special power timer at 0xFFFFFFFF so a structure cannot fire while under construction. Only SpecialPowerCreate resets it when construction completes. A dozer-built structure without that module never gets a timer.

Zero Hour: Strategy Center battle plans and Intelligence.
Generals: Strategy Center battle plans, Detention Camp Intelligence, and Spy Drone on a Command Center built after the science. Shared timers and the superweapons are fine.

The timer starts at 0 again, like retail, and a structure under construction reports its powers as not ready. The UI and ActionManager::canDoSpecialPower both check that, so the nuke exploit from #1218 stays closed.

coderabbitai · 2026-10-29T01:59:21Z

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Reviewing files that changed from the base of the PR and between 522bf93 and 4b714eb.

Files selected for processing: 2

Generals/Code/GameEngine/Source/GameLogic/Object/SpecialPower/SpecialPowerModule.cpp
GeneralsMD/Code/GameEngine/Source/GameLogic/Object/SpecialPower/SpecialPowerModule.cpp

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Walkthrough

Both game editions initialize m_availableOnFrame to zero and set the ready frame only when a pre-built, non-shared power does not start paused. In non-retail-compatible builds, readiness queries return false and zero percent while the object is under construction.

Changes

Special-power readiness

Layer / File(s)	Summary
Availability and construction readiness `Generals/Code/GameEngine/Source/GameLogic/Object/SpecialPower/SpecialPowerModule.cpp`, `GeneralsMD/Code/GameEngine/Source/GameLogic/Object/SpecialPower/SpecialPowerModule.cpp`	Both editions initialize `m_availableOnFrame` to zero and set the ready frame only when a pre-built, non-shared power does not start paused. In non-retail-compatible builds, `isReady()` returns false and `getPercentReady()` returns `0.0f` while the object is under construction. `isReady()` retrieves the controlling player through the validated local object pointer.

Priority: Normal

Estimated code review effort: 2 (Simple) | ~10 minutes

Change: Bug fix · Severity of issue fixed: Medium

Suggested labels: Fix

Suggested reviewers: stubbjax, xezon

Merge Risk: Minimal · up to 4b714

No concrete merge-blocking defect is established by the available evidence.

Pre-merge checks: 4

Check name	Status	Explanation
Title check		The title clearly and concisely identifies the fix for special powers that remain unready on constructed structures.
Linked Issues check		[`#3618`] requires USA Strategy Center battle plans to become available when `RETAIL_COMPATIBLE_CRC` is disabled. Both `Generals/.../SpecialPowerModule.cpp` and `GeneralsMD/.../SpecialPowerModule.cpp` n…
Out of Scope Changes check		The whole-PR diff is limited to `SpecialPowerModule.cpp` in the Generals and GeneralsMD trees. The timer initialization, construction readiness checks, paused-power handling, and validated-object play…
Description check		The description directly explains the special power readiness bug, the affected structures and powers, the timer behavior, and the construction-state checks addressed by the changes.

Full details: Linked Issues check

Explanation

[#3618] requires USA Strategy Center battle plans to become available when RETAIL_COMPATIBLE_CRC is disabled. Both Generals/.../SpecialPowerModule.cpp and GeneralsMD/.../SpecialPowerModule.cpp now initialize m_availableOnFrame to 0 instead of 0xFFFFFFFF. Both files also report powers as not ready during construction, so the construction safeguard remains active. The paused-power condition prevents paused powers from being marked ready before they are unpaused. No linked issue requires an automated test change.

Full details: Out of Scope Changes check

Explanation

The whole-PR diff is limited to SpecialPowerModule.cpp in the Generals and GeneralsMD trees. The timer initialization, construction readiness checks, paused-power handling, and validated-object player lookup directly support the special-power readiness fix and its safety behavior. No unrelated change is demonstrated.

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greptile-apps · 2026-10-29T02:00:48Z

Confidence Score: 5/5

[Medium impact] The PR appears safe to merge.

Summary

Fixes special powers that never become ready on newly built structures in Generals and Zero Hour.

Structure powers stay unavailable until construction ends, then can become ready.

Diagram

%%{init: {'theme': 'neutral'}}%%
flowchart TD
  A[Create special power module] --> B[Initialize timer to zero]
  B --> C{Structure under construction?}
  C -->|Yes| D[Report not ready]
  C -->|No| E[Check pause state and timer]
  D --> F[Construction finishes]
  F --> E

_{Reviews (5) · Last reviewed commit: "bugfix(specialpower): Fix paused special..." · Reviewed by Greptile}

coderabbitai

Caution

Some comments are outside the diff and can’t be posted inline due to GitHub limitations.

⚠️ Outside diff range comments (1)

Minor · Check construction status before the cheat bypass. · SpecialPowerModule.cpp:277-302

Generals/Code/GameEngine/Source/GameLogic/Object/SpecialPower/SpecialPowerModule.cpp:277-302
🎯 Functional Correctness | 🟡 Minor | ⚡ Quick win

Check construction status before the cheat bypass.

The special-power delay cheat can set m_specialPowerUsesDelay to FALSE. In non-retail builds, isReady() then returns TRUE before checking OBJECT_STATUS_UNDER_CONSTRUCTION. The same PR already makes getPercentReady() return 0.0f during construction before its cheat path, so construction is not intended to be a cheat exception. A direct script consumer can pass its isReady() gate while the object is still being built.

Apply the same ordering in both mirrored files.

Suggested fix

--- a/Generals/Code/GameEngine/Source/GameLogic/Object/SpecialPower/SpecialPowerModule.cpp
+++ b/Generals/Code/GameEngine/Source/GameLogic/Object/SpecialPower/SpecialPowerModule.cpp
@@ -274,6 +274,14 @@ Bool SpecialPowerModule::isReady() const
 //-------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------
 Bool SpecialPowerModule::isReady() const
 {
+	const Object* obj = getObject();
+
+#if !RETAIL_COMPATIBLE_CRC
+	if ( obj && obj->testStatus( OBJECT_STATUS_UNDER_CONSTRUCTION ) )
+		return FALSE;
+#endif
+
 #if defined(RTS_DEBUG) || defined(_ALLOW_DEBUG_CHEATS_IN_RELEASE)
 	// this is a cheat ... remove this for release!
 	if( TheGlobalData->m_specialPowerUsesDelay == FALSE )
@@ -281,15 +289,8 @@ Bool SpecialPowerModule::isReady() const
 #endif
 
-	const Object* obj = getObject();
 	const SpecialPowerModuleData *modData = getSpecialPowerModuleData();
 
 	if ( obj && modData )
 	{
-#if !RETAIL_COMPATIBLE_CRC
-		// TheSuperHackers @bugfix arcticdolphin 29/10/2026 Not ready while under construction.
-		if ( obj->testStatus( OBJECT_STATUS_UNDER_CONSTRUCTION ) )
-			return FALSE;
-#endif
-
 		Player *player = getObject()->getControllingPlayer();

--- a/GeneralsMD/Code/GameEngine/Source/GameLogic/Object/SpecialPower/SpecialPowerModule.cpp
+++ b/GeneralsMD/Code/GameEngine/Source/GameLogic/Object/SpecialPower/SpecialPowerModule.cpp
@@ -290,6 +290,14 @@ Bool SpecialPowerModule::isReady() const
 //-------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------
 Bool SpecialPowerModule::isReady() const
 {
+	const Object* obj = getObject();
+
+#if !RETAIL_COMPATIBLE_CRC
+	if ( obj && obj->testStatus( OBJECT_STATUS_UNDER_CONSTRUCTION ) )
+		return FALSE;
+#endif
+
 #if defined(RTS_DEBUG) || defined(_ALLOW_DEBUG_CHEATS_IN_RELEASE)
 	// this is a cheat ... remove this for release!
 	if( TheGlobalData->m_specialPowerUsesDelay == FALSE )
@@ -297,15 +305,8 @@ Bool SpecialPowerModule::isReady() const
 #endif
 
-	const Object* obj = getObject();
 	const SpecialPowerModuleData *modData = getSpecialPowerModuleData();
 
 	if ( obj && modData )
 	{
-#if !RETAIL_COMPATIBLE_CRC
-		// TheSuperHackers @bugfix arcticdolphin 29/10/2026 Not ready while under construction.
-		if ( obj->testStatus( OBJECT_STATUS_UNDER_CONSTRUCTION ) )
-			return FALSE;
-#endif
-
 		Player *player = getObject()->getControllingPlayer();

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Commits

Reviewing files that changed from the base of the PR and between 68d1668 and 41e618d.

Files selected for processing: 2

Generals/Code/GameEngine/Source/GameLogic/Object/SpecialPower/SpecialPowerModule.cpp
GeneralsMD/Code/GameEngine/Source/GameLogic/Object/SpecialPower/SpecialPowerModule.cpp

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Stubbjax · 2026-10-29T06:05:03Z

While you're at it, would you mind adding !md->m_startsPaused to the startsReady condition in the SpecialPowerModule's constructor? This fixes a visual glitch on upgrade-dependent abilities with no initial cooldown. I missed it after the refactor in #3054.

tintinhamans · 2026-10-29T07:33:08Z

While you're at it, would you mind adding !md->m_startsPaused to the startsReady condition in the SpecialPowerModule's constructor? This fixes a visual glitch on upgrade-dependent abilities with no initial cooldown. I missed it after the refactor in #3054.

Done.

Mauller · 2026-10-29T08:03:42Z

I was going to have a look at this later, i can check if i can still launch nuke scaffolds with this implementation.

…tructed structures

Mauller · 2026-10-30T08:03:38Z

So i tested this last night and it appears to prevent the exploit i was using from occuring due to the under construction check in the isReady() function.

Powers that are meant to be instantly available are also working as expected.

You might also want to put

Closes: #1444
Closed: #1461

with the Fixes in the original comment.

tintinhamans · 2026-10-30T08:21:51Z

So i tested this last night and it appears to prevent the exploit i was using from occuring due to the under construction check in the isReady() function.

Powers that are meant to be instantly available are also working as expected.

You might also want to put

Closes: #1444 Closed: #1461

with the Fixes in the original comment.

Thanks for testing, will drop comments in those other PRs.

tintinhamans force-pushed the arctic/fix/special-power-under-construction branch from c5e2c9c to 41e618d Compare October 29, 2026 02:01

tintinhamans changed the title ~~bugfix(specialpower): Fix special powers that never become ready on newly built structures when retail compatibility is disabled~~ bugfix(specialpower): Fix special powers never becoming ready on constructed structures Oct 29, 2026

coderabbitai Bot reviewed Oct 29, 2026

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Caball009 requested a review from Mauller October 29, 2026 02:21

Caball009 reviewed Oct 29, 2026

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Comment thread Generals/Code/GameEngine/Source/GameLogic/Object/SpecialPower/SpecialPowerModule.cpp Outdated

tintinhamans force-pushed the arctic/fix/special-power-under-construction branch from 41e618d to 522bf93 Compare October 29, 2026 02:38

tintinhamans requested a review from Stubbjax October 29, 2026 07:33

Mauller reviewed Oct 29, 2026

View reviewed changes

Comment thread Generals/Code/GameEngine/Source/GameLogic/Object/SpecialPower/SpecialPowerModule.cpp Outdated

Mauller reviewed Oct 29, 2026

View reviewed changes

Comment thread Generals/Code/GameEngine/Source/GameLogic/Object/SpecialPower/SpecialPowerModule.cpp Outdated

tintinhamans and others added 2 commits October 29, 2026 11:17

bugfix(specialpower): Fix special powers never becoming ready on cons…

1f33f99

…tructed structures

bugfix(specialpower): Fix paused special powers showing as almost ready

607b4a6

tintinhamans force-pushed the arctic/fix/special-power-under-construction branch from 4b714eb to 607b4a6 Compare October 29, 2026 10:17

This was referenced Oct 30, 2026

bugfix(specialpower): Fix availability of building based special powers #1444

Draft

bugfix(specialpower): Fix Special Power ready state during construction #1461

Draft

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bugfix(specialpower): Fix special powers never becoming ready on constructed structures - #3629

bugfix(specialpower): Fix special powers never becoming ready on constructed structures#3629
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