What's the difference with US & UK versions?

[antmanbrooks]

I simply don't want to wait until Feb for HoI, If I buy a US version over the net will I have any problems playing it. What type of problems am I likely to have if any?

Plus has anyone else bought a US version for their UK system and if so where from?

Thanks.

[Dinner]

I doubt there's much difference other then one box has dollars on it and the other has pounds. They might have changed the name of a provience or two but if there is a difference you could always download the U.S. patches and keep playing.

[Heresson]

I don't know. I thought that those would be the same.

[antmanbrooks]

hmmm.... if there is very little difference, why do they do two versions in the first place?

Maybe I'm just being paranoid but does it have anything to do with slightly different operating sytems between the continents?

[Nikolai]

We in Scandinavia got the game only a week or two after the US release! And it's not the US version, but an scandinavian version with English language. Go figure...

It helps to be the neighbour of the home country to Paradox!

[Dauphin]

Originally posted by antmanbrooks
hmmm.... if there is very little difference, why do they do two versions in the first place?

Maybe I'm just being paranoid but does it have anything to do with slightly different operating sytems between the continents?

To my knowledge the difference in versions is more to do with marketing, production and distribution rights than it is to do with software or OS mechanics. Although this can mean incompatability (such as with DVD regions) this is almost certainly not the case here as:

a) I've never had, or heard anyone else, have such trouble.
b) Given Windows 9X, 2000, ME & XP (UK version) use American English I wonder if there is even any difference in the two OS's at all.
c) I see no reason why companies would want to ditch the whole concept of compatability in hardware, OS and software. Why build unneccessary barriers?

Anyway, you may want to ask Grumbold, according to this post he bought the US version and it seems all is OK.

[St Leo]

This has to do with different publishers publishing on different continents.

[Dauphin]

Is there a reason why a publisher would choose to delay release a couple of months, compared to publishers in other countries?

[Dinner]

The only thing I can think of is translation related delays in countries like Germany or Italy. That of course wouldn't apply to the U.K..

[Dinner]

The only thing I can think of is translation related delays in countries like Germany or Italy. That of course wouldn't apply to the U.K..

[Dauphin]

Great old (spamming) chestnut

A double post eh?

[Dinner]

Yep, I like to think of it as moving that much closer to emperor.

[Grumbold]

There are no in-game differences between the versions so the US version will install and run. There may well be differences in the copy protection used and the quality/quantity of additional material in the box.

Paradox had to strike a deal with Strategy First to afford to make the game at all, so naturally that is the one that is released first. All the other deals are bonuses so its up to each publisher how fast they can gear up to distribution. Koch Media are to be thanked for backing Paradox when presumably other publishers wouldn't but I have to say they're one of the slowest I know. The only up side is that the UK version will ship with the most recent patches incorporated. In this case I would expect that to be 1.02 or maybe even 1.03 if they are sticking to the February date. Personally I bought the US edition via www.strategic-plus.co.uk as I always do when there is a long delay or where I'm not conviced that all the patches will be produced simultaneously (or ever) for all versions of a game.

[Dinner]

Speaking of patches isn't version 1.06 supposed to be coming out soon?

[St Leo]

Speaking of patches isn't version 1.06 supposed to be coming out soon?

It is.

Oerdin, don't make me PCR you.