------------------------------------------------------------------------ Conflict: Desert Storm Version Differences FAQ Version 1.0 A comparison of the different versions of Conflict: Desert Storm For PC/PS2/GCN/Xbox Started 1/12/07 by Eric Burkemper (General Eric) (ericburkemper@hotmail.com) copyright 2007 Eric Burkemper ------------------------------------------------------------------------ -------------------------------- - Table of Contents -------------------------------- 1.Introduction/Copyright 2.Versions Information 3.Differences 4.FAQ 5.Update Information/Contribution to FAQ 6.Ending/Credits -------------------------------- 1.Introduction/Copyright -------------------------------- My name is Eric Burkemper, General Eric on GameFAQs.com, and this is my first FAQ in a long time so ignore the generic FAQ design I have, since I don't expect me to be updating this much without someone sending me info. This guide is for EA/DICE PC game Conflict: Desert Storm, and it's purpose is to compare and contrast the many difference versions of the game. This may be not be reproduced under any circumstances except for personal, private use. It may not be placed on any web site or otherwise distributed publicly without advance written permission. Use of this guide on any other web site or as a part of any public display is strictly prohibited, and a violation of copyright. You may always find the latest version of this guide at www.gamefaqs.com -------------------------- 2.Versions Information -------------------------- In order of release PC/PS2/Xbox - Original - September 13th 2002 (Europe) PS2/Xbox - Original - September 30th 2002 (US) PC - Original - October 1st 2002 (US) GCN - Original - April 17th 2003 (Europe) GCN - Original - April 23th 2003 (US) Xbox - Platinum Hits - November 18th 2003 (US) PS2 - Greatest Hits - 2003 (US) PC - Greatest Hits - July 1st 2005 (Europe) PS2 - Original - December 18th 2003 (Japan) Original denotes the standard version, while Greatest Hits and Platinum Hits are versions released afterwards that signify that the original game sold over a million copies on that respective system and was given a bargain price to incite more people to purchase the game. The Greatest Hits version for the PS2 has replaced the standard black case color with a red color and has an half-oval at the top that says GREATEST HITS. The game disc itself is also changed with a red top instead of a black top. The Xbox Platinum Hits version has the entire front of the case in a platinum color with the label PLATINUM HITS at the top and the game disc itself has a platinum color at the top of the disc. The Hits versions can be usually purchased cheaper than the original versions. The game came out almost simultaneously for PC, PS2, and Xbox around the world. The GameCube version came out about seven months after everyone else but it includes some new features that resulted from player feedback and general fixes. The GameCube never had a Players Choice version however. The Greatest Hits and Platinum Hits versions do not include these new features added in the GameCube version, rather being straight ports. For those curious, the game sold four million total worldwide across all the systems. -------------------------- 3.Differences -------------------------- Here's I'll explain all of the many differences between the versions. All versions include the same base one player game with 15 missions and the three training missions. You can choose between American Delta Force and British SAS. ............... Microsoft Xbox ............... The Xbox version seems to be the base on which every version was ported from. It includes the original 2-4 four player co-op, and has eight different varied control schemes. However it also lacks features that all the other versions have. It lacks the GameCube improvements, the weapon sounds in this version are strange and sound bad compared to the other versions for unknown reasons (the M-16 sound strangely muted), and the loading screens for the game don't have the various level related picture backgrounds, instead every time you load up a level you get a bluish animated picture of a CH-47 Chinook with blades rotating while the mission objective text is displayed over it. This also means that once the load screen is done instead of going to a map and objective list like the other versions, you instead go straight into the green-screen projector footage. However the Xbox version also takes advantage of the systems abilities. The game loads extremely fast and saves instantly to the Xbox hard drive while it saves quickly to an Xbox memory card. Most of all it allows you to replace the ingame music with a custom soundtrack off your own Xbox, so if you want to blare Guns N' Roses while playing you can do that. It offers the ability to also play your custom soundtrack either track-by-track or in a shuffle mode. Overall this is the second best version of the game. + Two to Four player co-op + Eight different control schemes + Fastest Loading/Saving times + Custom soundtracks + Ability to save to both hard drive or memory card - Lacks level loading backgrounds - Has inferior sound quality - Lacks gameplay enhancements of GameCube version ................... Sony PlayStation 2 ................... Compared to both the Xbox and GameCube versions, the PS2 version of Conflict is the worst of the console trio. It lacks the four player co-op, instead limiting the person to only two player, it has the slowest loading times by far, lacks Xbox custom soundtrack and lacks the gameplay enhancements of the GameCube version. However it still has it's redeeming qualities. It doesn't have the crappy somewhat muted weapons sounds of the Xbox version, instead the weapons sounds are much better in quality. It has the same number of control schemes as the Xbox version while also allowing the player to use the PS2 keyboard if they so wish. It has the picture backgrounds that the Xbox lacked (For example the No Retreat background is a mosiac picture of a crashed Black Hawk helicopter, the Xbox version has the same helicopter background for every level), right after the game loads you go to a map screen with the objectives listed, and most of all it has the best controls. By that I mean the PS2 control pad's buttons seem to have been tailor made for this game, as control is a snap and there's no confusing button combinations to remember. Overall if this is the only version you can get, get it, but remember that there are better ones out there. + Eight different control schemes + Has level loading backgrounds + Over-all best controls + Can use PS2 keyboard to play + Better sounds - Only two player co-op - Slowest Loading times - No custom soundtrack - Lacks gameplay enhancements of GameCube version .................. Nintendo GameCube .................. The GameCube version steals the show with it's best of both worlds style while also adding many new features. It has the full two to four player co-op mode as the Xbox version, while still having the better sounds and level loading backgrounds of the PS2 version. It also has many new features exclusive to only the GameCube version. The varied weapon sights in the other versions have been replaced with a single dynamic aiming cross. The new aiming cross will move depening on your movement in relation to aiming, so staying still while prone will get a perfect tight + sign, while shooting while moving will have the + target expanding massively. This system replaces the static cursors the other versions had and allows players to guage how accurate their fire is and whether or not they need to adjust their position. The inventory system has also changed, instead of the entire inventory looping once you reach the top of your items, it instead has a determined top and bottom. (Night vision goggles and the knife are at the very top, med-kits are at the very bottom) and pressing the L trigger while in the inventory screen will automatically scroll down to the medkits, while another press of the L trigger will automatically scroll back to your last used weapon. This is extremely handy for healing quickly and returning to battle. There's now a RESTART LEVEL option in the start menu, which allows the player to restart the level instantly with no load time. The AI has been adjusted so that it's now generally "smarter". Enemy soldiers will now be more sensitive to sounds and will automatically go to the last place where they heard gunfire. They'll fall back if outgunned but will come back once heavy fire has ceased. The framerate has also been slightly improved for more stable play with three or four players. However the game itself could load faster, there's no custom soundtrack option, and since there was never a Players Choice version released, the game is double in price compared to the other versions. There's also a curious thing to note, some cut-scenes have been slightly altered, for unknown reasons. (It may have to do with space limitations) Overall the gameplay and storyline aren't effected, but some cut-scenes have a few seconds trimmed off. Most noticable is the Safe Passage level cut-scenes. Right before the Shieks limo is attacked, in the other versions there's a scene of an Iraqi officer with pistol standing by a corner motioning towards the limi with two other armed Iraqi soldiers by his side getting ready to aim. The scene then cuts to an Iraqi with an RPG firing at the limo. The GameCube version cuts the entire officer scene, so the scenes goes from the limo driving to it suddenly getting hit by an RPG. While it most likely won't effect you, it's something to note. Overall this is the best console version of the game, and the best version of the game period. + Two to Four player co-op + Medium load/save times + Instant Restart + Exclusive gameplay enhancements + Has level loading backgrounds + Better sounds - No custom soundtrack - Only four different control schemes - Some cut-scene differences - Somewhat expensive compared to other versions ..... PC ..... The PC version is noticable different in that it lacks a co-op mode. Instead it features a 16 player online multiplayer mode, with entirely different maps. The game has up to 16 players fighting in six different game modes, including standard deathmatch, and team based matchs where eight player are to a team, including team deathmatch, assault/defend, VIP assassination, and recovery. The team based missions have one team that consists of either American Delta Force or British SAS facing off against either Iraqi Replubican Guard, or new to the game Russian Spetsnaz. While the 16 player multiplayer mode may seem better than the four player co-op mode of the console cousins, you have to remember that you'll need four or more people for this mode to be fun, and you'll be hard pressed to find four or more people all with copies of the game ready to play. Unless you host some sort of LAN party, you'll have to make due with the single player only. On the gameplay side of things, the game loads fast, possibly even faster than the Xbox if you have a good computer. You use the mouse and keyboard to play the game which may be better to purists who believe mouse aiming is more accurate, it has the level loading backgrounds and better sounds of the PS2 version, and has the best graphics of them all, with a very fast fluid framerate and an extremely impressive draw distance, which means you'll be able to snipe better and farther. However it lacks the custom soundtrack option of the Xbox, and still doesn't have the GameCube gameplay enchancements. Ideally this should be the best version multiplayer wise, but lack of any worthwhile online play except with preparation means you'll most likely be stuck playing this by yourself. In that respect this version would be pretty much your best bet, but doing that means you miss out the best feature of this game, multiplayer co-op. + Exclusive 16 player online multiplayer mode + Fast load/save times depending on computer + Has mouse and keyboard control for precise aiming + Has level loading backgrounds + Better sounds + Best graphics - No co-op - No custom soundtrack - Lacks gameplay enhancements of GameCube version -------------------------- 4.FAQ -------------------------- Q. Overall which version is the best? A. In terms of gameplay, the GameCube version has a lot of improved content compared to the other consoles while also still having the importent four player co-op. The PC version has an exclusive team based mutliplayer mode but lacks true co-op and you would have to actively get people to participate since nobody plays online. I suggest getting the GameCube version overall. Q. Which version would be the cheapest right now? A. You can get every version but the GameCube version for under $5 used now on ebay or amazon.com, but the Xbox Platinum Hits version can be had for as little as 99 cents depending on the auction. The GameCube version is by far the most expensive going for $10 used but it makes up for the price in the fact it's the best version. ----------------------------------------- 5.Update Information/Contribution to FAQ ----------------------------------------- UPDATE INFORMATION Version 1.0 Created 1/12/07 Base FAQ, All versions listed CONTRIBUTION Contribute anything of interest that is related to the general topic at hand. Anything else deemed not related to the FAQ will be either ignored or replied to, but not posted in the FAQ Also remember to put something like CONFLICT DESERT STORM FAQ in your topic title, I don't want to go through e-mail's with blank or generic titles ericburkemper@hotmail.com is the address to send stuff to -------------------- 6.Ending/Credits -------------------- Thank you to those that helped out including but not limited too GameFAQs - For hosting the FAQ Pivotal Games/SCI - For creating and publishing this great game And most of all to Bradley, Foley, Connors, and Jones, for being the best damn Special Forces team period. . .0. t .6 EM @0 iE@7 .MMMv MCX :#AMM i01M@ tM@i .nM2.i. cbMMMM@MMMM cc0@MMM@M9 ,09Q90#09M@MM0AEEzUE@@27EMM. .. cbU:XIt6S.8MM@BC6 7Z,iWMbYUM6 :oWMM M#Ev: t@ ,0MMMMW.t87.9MMIzM; QCcWMM@: YMMMM@;:zMU.n6 MMM290Y nC.ACMQ bB8MMMM@ Qi@M@9#@MMiXM MM$#9 88v.zMM .1@MMb@EQB, n10@vvMMU.M; 7MW;1,Y#@B.bMM ,7#tI@$cQW:EM 2WZS@EM; nM:.Yi7#$St$0M8; Y.@Y.c,v700iM; .@1I@#n$Mn 7MC:Y,cM9:27nBMMW n8Z@$109CS@MtMM zZ@MM,6bBM IM@oic@M:cttz9@MM @MM.7@Q88@MM.MM.v:MM .c;@6 iM0t:ib#XCUE@#M@9@M@@##AE. v@M@$@BQb1B$MM .2AM7 i.7M .M7i22ibY. @MMM6QMb;;1#@E. .$EQM$S@M0Bv$$MM :XCMA M8,7#QBMM@#@MM ,.Y:1c0.,0MM@M@ @nE@ M$. .:16MME$@M, X ,I@Q.vi;IMW#M. iQM@ bMo7v cMM@Q$01Mz :.X@MM o6@W Mb .i:, SM: .#M0Q0,bM ,$$. Y@b .. I#MM,iQ#@CZMM2#$$WB2cWM@MMM@@M8M@;c@M;, .$M .,S2tbMM####MUbBbSCccvCo0b9M@6ZI0@MS@@QA#Q21iY@M7...... ..,,v1B@$EUA##MMMb1i,. ..:;CXAnYvvc12EMB;;i;76AQ#ZCtcvi:.... ......,.,,:iY7XYi.. ...........,, ..,,:,i::.... Copyright Eric Burkemper 2007