Are PC games regionalised?

dceire

Is there any region differences between PC games? I dont play many pc games mainly down to a crap PC but I want to buy the Sims 2 here in toronto and bring it home will it work on my pc?

Goodshape

dceire wrote:

Is there any region differences between PC games?

no.

I want to buy the Sims 2 here in toronto and bring it home will it work on my pc?

yes.

Stephen

They may be localized (i.e. have different languages etc) but there's no stopping anyone playing games bought in any one region in any other.
I think need for speed underground 2 had different versions for the US and UK markets, with a few different cars, in-game ads (blech) etc.

dceire

Cheers

-oRnein9-

Goodshape wrote:

no.


yes.

If your PC meets the required system specification.

Maximilian

Not regionalised like console games but I think they are regionalised to a certian extent, in that you might have US & European versions but I presume these just relate to languages etc. Just make sure if you download patches they are for the region you bought the game from or you might encounter problems.

dceire

Maximilian wrote:

Just make sure if you download patches they are for the region you bought the game from or you might encounter problems.

What about expansion packs like the university one out? If say I bought that in Ireland and the sims two in the us, that probably would be a problem

Maximilian

Who knows. I say you're likely to be fine. I've done stuff like that in the past and nothing has ever gone explodey on me.

Ri_Nollaig

i doubt there wud b any problem they say us uk version as sometimes they may have released in the us first and then patched the uk version or visa versa

secret_squirrel

Actually I remember seeing a few games marked as US only games a coupla years ago. Blurb to the effect of only working on a US registered copy of XP on the box. Dont think it caught on though.

KdjaCL

Some games are but only language violence or humour content changed or Nazi symbols in germany.

kdjac

cregser

AFAIK we all get the same game, but if you set your language to German then blood&gore is turned off. Strange when the craziest murders lately are from Germany, like that cannibal guy.

shabbyroad

Blood and Gore is ok in German games, it's a myth that it is "turned off" for Germany.
The frequency of violence in the game determines the age rating of the game in Germany. If it gets an 18 age rating then it's near impossible to sell it there as most retailers won't carry it.
There's another myth that the colour of the blood in German versions of games has to be changed. It doesn't.

To answer the original question - there is little that can be done to 'regionalise' games. Be aware though when buying a game abroad that you're not buying the localized version of the game as it will probably have no English content.
Another possible problem you'll encounter is when you try to register the game - the company will be well within their rights not to accept your registration if the packaging calls out that the product is only for sale in certain markets. Can't say I've heard of it happening though.

hamster

The other thing I notice is that the advert packaging may be slightly different and that some versions of a game may not be sold here. ie example, I was looking for the Ultimate CD collection of Baldur's Gate 2. I can't find that in Europe but is available in the US. As for compatibility - no difference.

jaggeh

all my american bought games have better looking cd's than euro versions
the original tribes disc had a combat scene in color from the boxart versus the black and silver plain on the euro version. american botf > all other versions

Ri_Nollaig

they used cds in the us release of ut2k4 and dvd here (and wit some other games) but its the samething just think that someppl dont have dvd drives i guess

pausenclown

[PHP] Blood and Gore is ok in German games, it's a myth that it is "turned off" for Germany.[/PHP]

Isnt true.

A small list of censored games (no blood etc.)

Blair Witch 1 Bathscene censored, no blood
C&C Tiberian Sun no screaming, no blood
Daikatana Robots for humans, no blood
Darkstone green blood
Doom 2 Level 31 cant be played
Dungeon Keeper no more tortune scenes
Ed Hunter 3 some level cant be played
GTA No female as AlterEgo
Half - Life (all) some modification
Indiana Jones 3 no more Hakenkreuze
Jedi Knight no Blood
No one lives forever no screaming, dead enemys disapears
Soldier of Fortune no blood, no wounds
Turok I + II Robots, no Blood



There is a gouverment organisation called "BPS" which is resposible for the censorship in germany. Gamepublisher of actiongames (meanwhile of every game) dont risk to get censored or "indiziert" (which means you cant buy the game only over the age of 18) ore totaly forbidden (includes calling the game on his real Name (Wolfenstein 3D, the early famous Shooter from the RTCW guys is totaly forbidden in germany, Mortal Combat and i guess Carmageddon too) so they are try to make the game less more "brutal". For example: no Childs in games (The Fallout Games), change human npcs into robots, you cant kill friendly nps, no nacism or racism (Hakenkreuze ), no blood, no gore, enemys disapears after you shoot them etcetera.

Balfa

Thanks for clearing that up, pausenclown. It must really suck for realism

Are movies affected?

shabbyroad

So I guess my dealings with the USK in Germany in order to get games rated is all fiction. :cool:
Ok I'll leave it to the experts....

pausenclown

So I guess my dealings with the USK in Germany in order to get games rated is all fiction.

The "USK" was founded by the gaming industrie. Together with members of the "BPS" they preview their own games and rate it. But this is not a official rate, its some kind of "pre-censorship" mostly before they release a game in germany.
So the games comes with green blood and robots.

If you are over the Age of 18 u can buy any game u wont. If you are a foreigner, u dont fall under german laws.

Movies. Another special Story and here comes the BPS again.
Uncut in germany isnt uncut in germany. Uncut means probably u get 3 different
versions of the same movie. For example my favorite, From dusk till dawn.
There is a version, rated for the age of 16 and available everywhere. 20 Minutes cut. A version for the Age of 18, available in videshops (movieleasing)
but cut. Why. The BPS is a gouverment organisation. And of course, we lost the war. So everything must be political correct. Blood, flying arms or Heads are not politcal correct. So they cut.
So we buy our movies in Austria

rainbow kirby

wow...Worms 2 is on that list. :rolleyes:

pausenclown

Worms have human rights too

monument

shabbyroad wrote:

So I guess my dealings with the USK in Germany in order to get games rated is all fiction. :cool:
Ok I'll leave it to the experts....

Germany in particular insists that all death in games must be non-human. While that should significantly reduce the number of titles on the shelves, a minor graphical tweak - changing the colour of blood from red to green - means that entertainment such as Manhunt and GTA continue to earn a roaring trade. They have, however, banned Medal of Honor and the Wolfenstein series because of political content that has been deemed inappropriate. Even more extreme, in Greece, playing a game in public is liable to land you a hefty fine or even a jail sentence.

http://blogs.guardian.co.uk/games/archives/2004/10/25/a_brief_look_at_censorship_in_games.html

hmm...

The problem with the index is that games cannot be examined by BPjM (Bundesprüfstelle für jugendgefährdende Medien) prior to their release, even if requested by the manufacturers, as that would be considered censorship by German standards, which is clearly illegal by the German constitution. However, this has lead to many publishers thinking with "scissors in their heads" and removing more content than would have been necessary.

http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Video_game_controversy#Germany

pausenclown wrote:

The "USK" was founded by the gaming industrie. Together with members of the "BPS" they preview their own games and rate it. But this is not a official rate, its some kind of "pre-censorship" mostly before they release a game in germany.

Recently, the index has become a little redundant regarding video games, as the USK's (Unterhaltungs Software Kontrolle = Entertainment Software Control) ratings have been made obligatory. Before 1.4.2003 these ratings had been merely suggestions for gamers.

http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Video_game_controversy#Germany

pausenclown

Before 1.4.2003 these ratings had been merely suggestions for gamers.

Right.
http://dorm.tunkeymicket.com/spcom111/controversy/safe_haven.html
The police told the media that they have found Counterstrike on Steinhausers Computer. In a Blink, everyone start blaming so called "Killergames" and the politicans start blaming games in accused of "aiding and abetting". So they turned the suggestion into a law.