System Shock Demo Shareware (Download)

[6667359380af9voodoo47]

This is the shareware demo version of System Shock, featuring a slightly earlier version of the first deck. Originally released by LGS in early 1995, now edited and patched with the SHLINK loader to run on modern computers - go to \bin and run shlink.exe, and don't forget to set the resolution in video/video mode menu to 640*480 and the messages in audio/audio options menu to "both" once you start a new game. Controls are standard WASD, and E toggles between the use mode and the shoot mode. Note that there is no music. A few binds and other options can be edited in XCYB.CFG and shlink.ini (fullscreen on/off, for example).

Update: the folder structure has been rearranged to allow the EE patch to work with the demo. Download shock-patch_rc1.7z from GOG and extract it to the SS1 Shareware folder, run sshock.exe and the game should start. The original shlink.exe in the \bin folder will still work even after applying the update.



Have fun,

systemshock.org

[6667359380d2dJosiahJack]

Any notable changes other than music and bugginesd?

[6667359381287dertseha]

Any notable changes other than music and bugginesd?

Do you mean technically, or content-wise?
Content-wise, the demos tried to remove assets as much as possible, so the small grass area is removed to save textures. And the cyborg near the CPU nodes has been replaced with a hopper.

[66673593813c8voodoo47]

yeah, the level is not final/is cut down a little. music is actually there, but as SHLINK 0.6 doesn't support it..

[666735938156aKolya]

Shouldn't it say "Demo" instead of "Shareware"?
"Shareware" denotes a distribution concept that isn't applicable anymore since LGS is gone. And it could encompass a whole game.

[6667359381673voodoo47]

technically, it's shareware, just like Doom shareware, but feel free to rename if you think demo would be more appropriate.

[666735938175bvoodoo47]

updated to 1.01, it's now possible to apply the latest EE patch to get all the extra functionality.

[66673593819c3JDoran]

Thanks for this, mate.

Regarding shareware, what with how easy it is to both distribute software nowadays (since most gamers either have broadband, or know someone who has), and how easy it is to pay money online, then you'd think shareware would make a comeback for PC games, but most paid-for games still seem to go down the Steam et all route, at least from what I can see.

[6667359381b2avoodoo47]

you mean like pay some money to get a fairly decent chunk of the game? with games being much cheaper than they used to be, there is probably little point. I wouldn't mind to see free demos return though, but nobody seems to bother nowadays.

The discussion about shareware on consoles was moved here.