Different Game Versions?

[AlphaLion]

I have been playing the vanilla game again for a while and i have noticed some odd differences in the game between different game releases. As seen in the pictures below there are a few differences in the 'buy sell' portion of the store screen.

So my questions are:
1. Are there indeed different versions of Pirates of the Caribbean?
2. How far do these differences go in these versions?
3. Which version would be the superior one?

 

[Cerez]

1. There are different versions for every game in the series -- they've all received updates. You should find the version number either on the pause screen or in the about section of the settings/menu.

2. Check the game installation directory for documentation. Finding a changelog or checking the description in the released official updates (either in the game files or online) will help you with noting the differences. I am not sure what the exact changes are, but I know there have been UI updates as well as game fixes done in the official updates to the game by Akella (then known as Sea Dog).

3. As for which is the "superior" version, UI changes like these are always a matter or personal taste (what do you prefer), though updates to the game usually help to fix game-breaking and experience-disrupting bugs -- so the later version is usually more useful.

 

[AlphaLion]

Thanks for the reply.
I assume all these versions will work just fine with the New Horizons mod?

 

[Cerez]

You may find the New Horizons FAQ of interest (particularly the link in the answer to the first question). I'm not an expert on this, but I'm quite certain that New Horizons patches any PC version of the game to the community maintained latest build. @Pieter Boelen?

 

[AlphaLion]

Ah that explains alot. So i have both the american version(digital) and european version(disc)... Also explains why i can't make an .iso out of my european disc copy, there is a copy protection on it
Anyway thanks for the info, i must find a way to get the european version working again as it seems to have far less problems...

 

[Cerez]

i must find a way to get the european version working again as it seems to have far less problems...

If you're planning to upgrade the game to New Horizons, it shouldn't matter which version you have installed now, as I'm pretty certain when you patch it to the community build, your game will be the same level of up-to-date -- whether you started with the American or European version of the game. The community build will update your game's code.

 

[AlphaLion]

I know but i like the vanilla game for nostalgia purposes.

 

[Hylie Pistof]

The European version is far superior to the American version. That would be the 2nd screenie. The POTC install is self contained so if you can get it running properly, then you can save it to another medium or location.

 

[AlphaLion]

Yeah i tried that multiple times but nothing happens once i start the ENGINE.exe. I do not seem to have this issue with the US version...

EDIT:
I managed to get it working by using the .exe from the New Horizons mod. It all works fine now

 

[Cerez]

Yeah i tried that multiple times but nothing happens once i start the ENGINE.exe. I do not seem to have this issue with the US version...

This will likely have been because of the copy protection. The US version you have is likely DRM-free (or equivalent).

Glad to hear you got it working.

 

[Pieter Boelen]

1. Are there indeed different versions of Pirates of the Caribbean?
2. How far do these differences go in these versions?

Our old forum member @Baste once made an overview of the differences:
Guide - Information about the game

I'm not an expert on this, but I'm quite certain that New Horizons patches any PC version of the game to the community maintained latest build.

Yep; exactly true.

 

[Cerez]

Our old forum member @Baste once made an overview of the differences:
Guide - Information about the game

Thanks Pieter. I must be crazy, but I actually prefer the UI design of the American version -- cleaner, and easier to read at a glance/distance.

Then again, I usually take things quite differently...

 

[Pieter Boelen]

I must be crazy, but I actually prefer the UI design of the American version -- cleaner, and easier to read at a glance/distance.

Personal preferences are personal preferences.
Some might objectively be crazy, but since we're just talking about PC game interfaces here, I don't think that applies.
And AT LEAST ONE person must've agreed with you, or that American version never would've existed in the first place.

Then again, I usually take things quite differently...

Nothing wrong with that either.
If everybody always agreed, then it'd be a boring 'ol world and we wouldn't ever get anywhere!
But when we respect (and maybe even admire) each other's differences and are civil about it, great things can happen.

(It seems I am quite the philosopher today. )

 

[Cerez]

And AT LEAST ONE person must've agreed with you, or that American version never would've existed in the first place.

Hahhaha! That totally puts my mind at ease -- two monkeys in a sea of people:

 

[Hylie Pistof]

Thanks Pieter. I must be crazy, but I actually prefer the UI design of the American version -- cleaner, and easier to read at a glance/distance.

Then again, I usually take things quite differently...

Little things like the UI pale into insignificance when things like this happen when you try to mod it.

 

[Pieter Boelen]

Little things like the UI pale into insignificance when things like this happen when you try to mod it.

Indeed I remember people complaining like mad about the original game stability, but never having such problems myself.
Seems the European version is somehow more stable than the US one. Haven't the foggiest why.

 

[The Nameless Pirate]

My question is, if the American version is less stable why not just release the same European version in America, or why even bother to make a different worse version just for America?

 

[Cerez]

Little things like the UI pale into insignificance when things like this happen when you try to mod it.
View attachment 34967

My question is, if the American version is less stable why not just release the same European version in America, or why even bother to make a different worse version just for America?

My guess is that the American version has the earlier code -- perhaps a business contract that intended to see to having the game released early in the US.

 

[The Nameless Pirate]

My guess is that the American version has the earlier code -- perhaps a business contract that intended to see to having the game released early in the US.

Could be, lots of games have been buggy or sometimes even unfinished when released, maybe Disney wanted the game to release early on America so as to maybe make more money?

But Wikipedia says that both PC versions were released the same day.

Pirates of the Caribbean (video game) - Wikipedia

 

[Cerez]

But Wikipedia says that both PC versions were released the same day.

The key word here is intended. It doesn't mean they actually succeeded in organising the business aspects and establishing the distribution channels for the game in time. The point is that when they did launch (on the same date as the Euro release), they launched with the earlier version of the code they had been working with.

This is still just my speculation, but an educated guess (based on the UI development/changes, general Euro-US business relations, and video game industry knowledge).