System Shock/Version Differences

This page details things that were changed in the playable demo and the enhanced CD-ROM version of System Shock. The following three versions are covered:

Demo
The playable demo version of System Shock was released in late September 1994. In order to keep the file size down, several graphic assets were removed from the first level of the game, resulting in some noticeable cosmetic (and in one case, structural) differences.

Level differences
Many variations of the first level's standard textures were removed. This included the "damaged" versions seen at various points, giving some parts of the level a much "cleaner" appearance, particularly the ruined area connecting Gamma and Beta.

The "organic" graphics (grass, plants) were also removed, and as a result, the "mini-grove" in Gamma quadrant has been completely removed in the demo.

Non-essential enemy sprites were also removed. In the demo, the cyborg warrior guarding the computer room has been replaced with a less threatening Hopper.

Item differences
Some minor item-related changes were made between the demo and the release as well.

For whatever reason, the displayed name of the Magnum's heavy slug ammo was changed. This is a somewhat obscure change, since the Magnum on the first level is relatively well hidden, and you don't get very much ammo for it anyway (until later in the game.)

The fire extinguisher and (still unused) "warecasing" items switched names, and had their names slightly adjusted in the process. This results in fire extinguishers showing the somewhat ambiguous name of "equipment" when picked up in the demo.

CD-ROM version
The original floppy disk release of the game contains a few things that were improved or reworked in the enhanced CD-ROM release, some more noticeably than others. Apart from the minor engine tweaks, higher resolution support, and voice acting, the cutscenes were also upgraded and some minor tweaks were made to the levels.

Cutscenes
The files START1.RES, DEATH.RES, and WIN1.RES contain the original versions of the intro, ending, and death cutscenes. They are in a different format than the CD-ROM version's cutscenes, being animated bitmaps (like the Trioptimum V-mail sequences) rather than actual video files. DEATH.RES contains the most noticeable changes: the initial shot of the hacker's body being pulled into the Cortex Reaver looks completely different; the rest is more or less the same visually, but with fewer frames. The entire animation contains only about a third as many frames as the "enhanced" version.

WIN1.RES is the same as the final ending, but the animation ends at the shot of the TetraCorp battle armor and is missing the final zooming-out shot with the "System Shock" logo at the end. START1.RES is almost identical to the final opening cutscene, but lacks the first two seconds or so of the door being blown open by Triop security. Both of these cutscenes also have lower framerates compared to the CD-ROM versions.

All three of the files are still referenced by name in the CD-ROM version's executable, and are still present on the disc, though they are no longer used in any way.

Level differences: Medical
Near the beginning of the medical level, there is a room with two hospital beds and a Serv-Bot. The CD-ROM version added a small illuminated compartment near the ceiling with Mira Stackhouse's severed head inside.

Level differences: Research
The piece of paper with the "engineer's report" about the alpha quadrant circuit breakers was added in the CD-ROM version.

Level differences: Reactor
The camera immediately across from the elevator has been slightly repositioned. In the floppy version, it's slightly higher up and pointing downward at the corpse on the ground, while in the CD version it's close to the ground and angled upwards.

Level differences: Flight
The title of the "we have a serious emergency..." log was tweaked to fix the date stamp.

Level differences: Executive
The log about Beta Grove being closed off was recorded by a different person in the CD version. It's possible that Looking Glass wanted this one to be voiced by someone else, and so they changed the speaker from one minor character to another.

Level differences: Security
The detention cells near the end of the Security level are impossible to open in the floppy version, because they're under a cyberspace lock that can never be opened. In the CD version, a switch was added in cyberspace to unlock the cells.

Strings
Some more minor tweaks were made to CYBSTRNG.RES.

The message you get when you double-click on a climbable surface has been changed to something a bit more comprehensible (although the actual climbing mechanics are the same.)

OMEGA This was added in the CD version, near the strings used for text on walls. It doesn't seem to be used anywhere.