Command & Conquer: The First Decade
Encyclopedia
Command & Conquer: The First Decade is a compilation of the Command & Conquer
series' games published from 1995 to 2003, all bundled into one DVD
and updated to run optimally on Windows XP
. It was released on February 7, 2006 and sold for the price of one retail game. Also included in the compilation was a bonus DVD which took a look behind the scenes of the successful franchise, including interviews with producers, old concept art
, various soundbites, as well as a montage of the winning fan videos of the "Are You The Biggest C&C Fan?" competition held prior to the compilation's release.
Other items included in the compilation was an A3 (A4 in newer boxes) poster with high-quality C&C renders on both sides, one of which has been confirmed to be a teaser image for EA's Command & Conquer 3: Tiberium Wars
, as well as a 65-page manual that only includes unit descriptions and hotkeys for each of the included games.
The Command & Conquer title Command & Conquer: Sole Survivor was not included with The First Decade.
which wasn't delivered at the latest version due to the latest patch being a beta version), all of which are bundled into a single installer. Many fans were disappointed that the original installers for the games, which were known to be very immersive and graphically pleasing, were not included. They were replaced by a single standard InstallShield
wizard installer. The installer does enable the player to pick and choose what to install, but assuming that all the games are selected, a total of 7 separate serial keys need to be entered.
The compilation comes as its own program, with a launcher which allows to choose between the installed games. A third-party shortcut installer has been made to create shortcuts for each of the individual games..jpg)
s have been reported to be present in Electronic Arts
' The First Decade pack, including some that didn't affect the original releases of the games. EA responded by releasing two patches: 1.01 and 1.02. Furthermore, an unofficial patch 1.03 has since been released by enthusiasts. It does not require the 1.01 or 1.02 patch from EA, as it includes all of the fixes from them plus more and negates the need for the DVD to be in the drive while playing. It is for the English version of TFD only; it will not work on the German version. It can be downloaded from Command & Patch.
The Bonus DVD included in the compilation pack is a video DVD
including the following video items:
As the bonus DVD is a video DVD, it can be played on any conventional video DVD player.
. One side is a highly upgraded version of the new GDI Ion Cannon, the other render is an image of the GDI's new Predator tank.
Command & Conquer
Command & Conquer, abbreviated to C&C and also known as Tiberian Dawn, is a 1995 real-time strategy computer game developed by Westwood Studios for MS-DOS and published by Virgin Interactive. It was the first of twelve games to date to be released under the Command & Conquer label, including a...
series' games published from 1995 to 2003, all bundled into one DVD
DVD
A DVD is an optical disc storage media format, invented and developed by Philips, Sony, Toshiba, and Panasonic in 1995. DVDs offer higher storage capacity than Compact Discs while having the same dimensions....
and updated to run optimally on Windows XP
Windows XP
Windows XP is an operating system produced by Microsoft for use on personal computers, including home and business desktops, laptops and media centers. First released to computer manufacturers on August 24, 2001, it is the second most popular version of Windows, based on installed user base...
. It was released on February 7, 2006 and sold for the price of one retail game. Also included in the compilation was a bonus DVD which took a look behind the scenes of the successful franchise, including interviews with producers, old concept art
Concept art
Concept art is a form of illustration where the main goal is to convey a visual representation of a design, idea, and/or mood for use in films, video games, animation, or comic books before it is put into the final product. Concept art is also referred to as visual development and/or concept design...
, various soundbites, as well as a montage of the winning fan videos of the "Are You The Biggest C&C Fan?" competition held prior to the compilation's release.
Other items included in the compilation was an A3 (A4 in newer boxes) poster with high-quality C&C renders on both sides, one of which has been confirmed to be a teaser image for EA's Command & Conquer 3: Tiberium Wars
Command & Conquer 3: Tiberium Wars
Command & Conquer 3: Tiberium Wars is a military science fiction real-time strategy video game developed and published by Electronic Arts for the Windows, Mac OS X and Xbox 360 platforms, and released internationally in March 2007...
, as well as a 65-page manual that only includes unit descriptions and hotkeys for each of the included games.
Included games and expansions
- Command & Conquer–August 1995
- Command & Conquer–The Covert Operations–April 1996
- Command & Conquer: Red AlertCommand & Conquer: Red AlertCommand & Conquer: Red Alert is a real-time strategy computer game of the Command & Conquer franchise, produced by Westwood Studios and released by Virgin Interactive in...
–October 1996- Command & Conquer: Red Alert–Counterstrike–March 1997
- Command & Conquer: Red Alert–The Aftermath–September 1997
- Command & Conquer: Tiberian SunCommand & Conquer: Tiberian SunCommand & Conquer: Tiberian Sun is a real-time strategy video game developed by Westwood Studios and released in . The main storyline follows the second major war between the Global Defense Initiative of the United Nations, and the global terrorist organization known as the Brotherhood of Nod who...
–August 1999- Command & Conquer: Tiberian Sun–Firestorm–February 2000
- Command & Conquer: Red Alert 2Command & Conquer: Red Alert 2Command & Conquer: Red Alert 2 is a 2.5D real-time strategy computer game by Westwood Studios, which was released for Microsoft Windows on October 23, 2000 as the follow-up to Command & Conquer: Red Alert. Set in the early 1970s, Red Alert 2 supposedly picks up at the conclusion of the Allied...
–October 2000- Command & Conquer: Red Alert 2–Yuri's RevengeCommand & Conquer: Yuri's RevengeIn Command and Conquer: Yuri's Revenge, the true story starts off assuming the Allies won in Red Alert 2. The plot is based around Yuri, the former head of the Soviet Psychic Corps, coming out of hiding to take over the world by using his Psychic Dominators...
–October 2001
- Command & Conquer: Red Alert 2–Yuri's Revenge
- Command & Conquer: RenegadeCommand & Conquer: RenegadeCommand & Conquer: Renegade is a first and third person shooter video game developed by Westwood Studios and is part of the Command & Conquer series. It is the only C&C game that uses the first person view...
–February 2002 - Command & Conquer: GeneralsCommand & Conquer: GeneralsCommand & Conquer: Generals is a real-time strategy game in the Command & Conquer series. Generals utilizes SAGE...
–February 2003- Command & Conquer: Generals – Zero Hour–September 2003
The Command & Conquer title Command & Conquer: Sole Survivor was not included with The First Decade.
New game content
The first DVD delivers each of the games with their most recent patches applied (except Command & Conquer: Red AlertCommand & Conquer: Red Alert
Command & Conquer: Red Alert is a real-time strategy computer game of the Command & Conquer franchise, produced by Westwood Studios and released by Virgin Interactive in...
which wasn't delivered at the latest version due to the latest patch being a beta version), all of which are bundled into a single installer. Many fans were disappointed that the original installers for the games, which were known to be very immersive and graphically pleasing, were not included. They were replaced by a single standard InstallShield
InstallShield
InstallShield is a software tool for creating installers or software packages. InstallShield is primarily used for installing software for Microsoft Windows desktop and server platforms, but it can also be used to manage software applications and packages on a variety of handheld and mobile devices...
wizard installer. The installer does enable the player to pick and choose what to install, but assuming that all the games are selected, a total of 7 separate serial keys need to be entered.
The compilation comes as its own program, with a launcher which allows to choose between the installed games. A third-party shortcut installer has been made to create shortcuts for each of the individual games.
Bugs and Patches
Many bugSoftware bug
A software bug is the common term used to describe an error, flaw, mistake, failure, or fault in a computer program or system that produces an incorrect or unexpected result, or causes it to behave in unintended ways. Most bugs arise from mistakes and errors made by people in either a program's...
s have been reported to be present in Electronic Arts
Electronic Arts
Electronic Arts, Inc. is a major American developer, marketer, publisher and distributor of video games. Founded and incorporated on May 28, 1982 by Trip Hawkins, the company was a pioneer of the early home computer games industry and was notable for promoting the designers and programmers...
' The First Decade pack, including some that didn't affect the original releases of the games. EA responded by releasing two patches: 1.01 and 1.02. Furthermore, an unofficial patch 1.03 has since been released by enthusiasts. It does not require the 1.01 or 1.02 patch from EA, as it includes all of the fixes from them plus more and negates the need for the DVD to be in the drive while playing. It is for the English version of TFD only; it will not work on the German version. It can be downloaded from Command & Patch.
Bonus DVD
DVD-Video
DVD-Video is a consumer video format used to store digital video on DVD discs, and is currently the dominant consumer video format in Asia, North America, Europe, and Australia. Discs using the DVD-Video specification require a DVD drive and a MPEG-2 decoder...
including the following video items:
- The First Decade
- Louis Castle Interview
- 10 Years of Command & Conquer(TM)
- The Future
- The Community
- A Tribute to Command & Conquer(TM)
- Bonus Features:
- The First Decade Trailer
- Concept Artwork
- The First Decade Credits
As the bonus DVD is a video DVD, it can be played on any conventional video DVD player.
Bonus poster
Also included in the compilation is a single A3 double-sided poster, showing teaser high-resolution renders for the then upcoming Command & Conquer 3: Tiberium WarsCommand & Conquer 3: Tiberium Wars
Command & Conquer 3: Tiberium Wars is a military science fiction real-time strategy video game developed and published by Electronic Arts for the Windows, Mac OS X and Xbox 360 platforms, and released internationally in March 2007...
. One side is a highly upgraded version of the new GDI Ion Cannon, the other render is an image of the GDI's new Predator tank.
External links
- Official Command & Conquer: The First Decade website
- C&C EVA database A Command and Conquer Wiki