# Command & Conquer Ultimate Edition: How Does It Work? **URL:** \ **Category:** The Game Room\ **Created:** [January 12, 2014, 8:13pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/command-conquer-ultimate-edition-how-does-it-work/678603 "2014-01-12T20:13:09Z")\ **Posts on this page:** 5\ **Page:** 1
**Author:** ![ricksummon](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/ricksummon/32/3333_2.png) [@ricksummon](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/ricksummon)\ **Post date:** [January 12, 2014, 8:13pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/command-conquer-ultimate-edition-how-does-it-work/678603/1 "2014-01-12T20:13:09Z")
I have a copy of **Command & Conquer: The First Decade** , which contains all the old Windows 95 C&C games. Those games _could_ be made to run on Windows 7, but only with considerable tweaking and the addition of an old DLL file. I could not, however, get them to run on Windows 8.1. Then, they came out with **Command & Conquer: Ultimate Edition** , which says it’s been reworked to be compatible with modern operating systems. Sure enough, I can play even the original **Command & Conquer** on Windows 8.1 with no tweaking required. What I’d like to know is, how did they do it? As far as I can tell, the games themselves are exactly the same. What modifications were made that allowed them to run on Windows 7 and 8? ---
**Author:** ![DWMarch](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/dwmarch/32/1010_2.png) [@DWMarch](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/DWMarch)\ **Post date:** [January 13, 2014, 3:09am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/command-conquer-ultimate-edition-how-does-it-work/678603/2 "2014-01-13T03:09:37Z")
They all run through Origin, EA’s version of Steam. Origin automatically downloads and installs all the dependencies required (.NET frameworks, etc). However, I found I had to rely on an unofficial patch for the original C&C because when it was originally made no one dreamed there would be monitors with such high resolutions. ---
**Author:** ![CandidGamera](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/candidgamera/32/2878_2.png) [@CandidGamera](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/CandidGamera)\ **Post date:** [January 13, 2014, 2:15pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/command-conquer-ultimate-edition-how-does-it-work/678603/3 "2014-01-13T14:15:15Z")
I didn’t realize they’d released a version of C&C that would actually work on modern computers. Maybe I’ll have to buy the latest - seems a shame I wasted my money on the last ultimate collection, though. ---
**Author:** ![FightMyIgnorance](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/f/71e660/32.png) [@FightMyIgnorance](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/FightMyIgnorance)\ **Post date:** [January 16, 2014, 2:50pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/command-conquer-ultimate-edition-how-does-it-work/678603/4 "2014-01-16T14:50:56Z")
Gosh, I haven’t played a C&C game in a few years. Maybe I should pick it up. ETA: Origin, ewwwwwww… ---
**Author:** ![Chronos](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/chronos/32/134_2.png) [@Chronos](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Chronos)\ **Post date:** [January 16, 2014, 3:49pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/command-conquer-ultimate-edition-how-does-it-work/678603/5 "2014-01-16T15:49:51Z")
A couple of years ago, they had a special where you could download a few of them for free, and I snatched up Red Alert. Ah, the memories of a bunch of astronomy majors taking over one of the computer labs late at night for LAN parties…