GOG.com

[Naraya]

Wow, GOG spammed my RSS feed today, so many news!

This looks quite interesting (there is a free demo).

 

[ADL]

Highly recommend Gamedec. I've had access to a backer build for a while.

 

[Endemic]

Sid Meier games sale: https://af.gog.com/promo/20200908_sid_meier_sale?as=1649904300

 

[Catacombs]

Sid Meier games sale: https://af.gog.com/promo/20200908_sid_meier_sale?as=1649904300

Good time to pick up Alpha Centuari.

 

[rusty_shackleford]

ScummVM is released under GPLv2 which means the companies can use it as long as they release (or link) the source code as well. IIRC Nightdive used ScummVM only for Putt-Putt games re-releases. They can't use it for Blade Runner because GPLv2's "copyleft" policy is not compatible with console release.

I can't see why GPLv2 wouldn't be compatible with a console release, are you sure you're not confusing GPLv3 with GPLv2?

 

[Morpheus Kitami]

ScummVM is released under GPLv2 which means the companies can use it as long as they release (or link) the source code as well. IIRC Nightdive used ScummVM only for Putt-Putt games re-releases. They can't use it for Blade Runner because GPLv2's "copyleft" policy is not compatible with console release.

I can't see why GPLv2 wouldn't be compatible with a console release, are you sure you're not confusing GPLv3 with GPLv2?

I don't know about Sony and Microsoft, but Nintendo doesn't allow open-source software on their platform. Further, while I don't know for certain that MS and Sony don't care, that ScummVM doesn't support the PS4 or Xbone and how generally there's no open-source software there makes me think they're not fond of it either.

 

[Infinitron]

Bunch of old games released on GOG by Ziggurat: https://af.gog.com/news/relieve_unf..._newly_rereleased_classic_games?as=1649904300

https://af.gog.com/game/machiavelli_the_prince?as=1649904300
https://af.gog.com/game/les_manley_bundle?as=1649904300
https://af.gog.com/game/return_of_the_phantom?as=1649904300
https://af.gog.com/game/timequest?as=1649904300
https://af.gog.com/game/last_rites?as=1649904300
https://af.gog.com/game/battle_engine_aquila?as=1649904300

 

[Strange Fellow]

Timequest, noice

Although, I seem to remember that Ziggurat takes a somewhat liberal view of the concept of rights ownership? Oh well, hopefully more people will play it now that they can get it from a reputable site, at least.

 

[Sceptic]

Timequest!

It's one of the really good Legend text adventures. It's almost one of the most non-linear games I've played, and it has a truly fantastic sequence at the end that makes the text interface (ie having to type what you want to do) really shine.

Les Manley is a not-so-good take on Leisure Suit Larry. The first game's alright if I recall, the second one quite mediocre.

Return of the Phantom is not my favourite of the trio of Microprose adventure (I prefer Dragonsphere) but it's quite atmospheric. This seems to be the CD version, and the voices it adds were horrendous.

I never played Machiavelli The Prince, but it's a spiritual successor to Merchant Prince, and that was a fun and well done strategy game.

 

[Morpheus Kitami]

Ah, Les Manley, I had heard people describing the signs of its return. Rivers turning to blood. Mother birds killing their children. Trees shriveling up and dying randomly. I'm not sure if I buy stock in that, but the second one is some weird FMV thing, right? Looks ugly as hell.
The real interesting thing there is Last Rites. I'm surprised someone thought it was a good idea to sell it. I don't remember much about that game, but there were three key elements I do remember. All the levels I played had 30:00 par times, one level was set in a mall, and that level wanted you to kill some thousand enemies. Its like a Doom slaughterwad sold commercially.

 

[El Presidente]

Ah, Les Manley, I had heard people describing the signs of its return. Rivers turning to blood. Mother birds killing their children. Trees shriveling up and dying randomly.

Is it bad? Seemed fun when I checked it

 

[DalekFlay]

I remember really liking Return of the Phantom as a kid, but haven't touched it since then. Never played Les Manley stuff, will watch a video.

The FPS seems up my alley but never heard of it, will also watch a video.

 

[Humanity has risen!]

GOG has not been relevant for 7-8 years, when they ran out of good classic games to re-release.

 

[Ironmonk]

Well, they are still missing the original Legacy of Kain

 

[Semiurge]

Is there a possibility that they could release abandonware for other platforms other than DOS/current OS's ? Sure, it's not difficult to find those from abandonware sites but the same could be said for their other offerings. They could bundle the emulators with the game installers just the same.

 

[Humanity has risen!]

You know that this is true

Ten years ago, I was eagerly awaiting the two mornings every week when a full fledged classic PC game would be there for me to buy for $9.99.

Now I don't even ever check the site anymore. The few real classics that remain, they don't have them because the publisher or rights holder isn't interested.

Ziggurat, Tommo, are really scraping the bottom of the barrel with their "classic" PC games that nobody has ever heard of. Take 10000 PC gamers at random and ask them if they ever heard of the Phantom of the Opera PC point and click adventure game. You might not even get one.

GOG is basically a marketing platform for CD Projekt and nothing more.

 

[Dux]

What exactly do you want? What do you expect GOG to do? Coerce publishers and rights holders to release the classics still in limbo? Initially there was a cascade of good old games on the site and now there is a trickle. It is what it is.

As for me, I'm very grateful for companies like Ziggurat who make an effort to bring back games to the public that "nobody has ever heard of" - in their original, untampered form. These games are a part of PC gaming history and should not be forgotten. They might seem unassuming but they can still offer a lot to those with an open mind.

Frankly, it just sounds like you're bitching for no reason. Don't like the games don't fucking buy them.

 

[Black_Willow]

GOG has not been relevant for 7-8 years, when they ran out of good classic games to re-release.

Last year they released Warlords, and they still haven't released Myth games, so your argument sucks.

 

[oddech_wymarlych_swiatow]

Still no Dark Colony.

 

[El Presidente]

This store is not relevant to me anymore because I've already purchased the hundreds of quality products they have

And as other have pointed out they still have some stuff to release. Expected stuff, such as Myth, but also potentially some unexpected ones too. Who would've thought we'd have Diablo, Warcraft 1 and 2 on GOG?

 

[Silly Germans]

You know that this is true

Ten years ago, I was eagerly awaiting the two mornings every week when a full fledged classic PC game would be there for me to buy for $9.99.

Now I don't even ever check the site anymore. The few real classics that remain, they don't have them because the publisher or rights holder isn't interested.

Ziggurat, Tommo, are really scraping the bottom of the barrel with their "classic" PC games that nobody has ever heard of. Take 10000 PC gamers at random and ask them if they ever heard of the Phantom of the Opera PC point and click adventure game. You might not even get one.

GOG is basically a marketing platform for CD Projekt and nothing more.

You are missing the fact that they have released a ton of games drm free, which were only available on Steam for a long time. Just recently they brought Supreme Commander back, and many more. It is true that the release turnout of good old games has abated but with Gog we have at least a tiny chance that they might still come back. I don't like that they are pushing Gog Galaxy, but is there any better digital distribution platform at the moment for old and drm free games ?

 

[catfood]

This store is not relevant to me anymore because I've already purchased the hundreds of quality products they have

And as other have pointed out they still have some stuff to release. Expected stuff, such as Myth, but also potentially some unexpected ones too. Who would've thought we'd have Diablo, Warcraft 1 and 2 on GOG?

Myth was a Bungie production, which is now owned by M$oft, and they don't want to do business with GOG since none of their games are out there, either old or new. Close Combat is on GOG because it was bought by Slitherine. It pisses me off, because there are a lot of Good Old Games on which Microshit sits with their fat asses, unwilling to make them legally available for purchase for who knows what reasons.

 

[El Presidente]

Yeah, another one of those would be Freelancer, a game still maintained and played by fans to this day on fanmade servers while MS doesn't give a remote fuck. I don't get it, a imagine a rereleased Freelancer with a coat of paint and renewed multiplayer support would be extremely popular, but they don't seem to care.

 

[pOcHa]

pst, buddy - ever heard of xbox

 

[Neuromancer]

Take 10000 PC gamers at random and ask them if they ever heard of the Phantom of the Opera PC point and click adventure game. You might not even get one.

This is actually true for the majority of classic PC games with the PC audience today. Still there are many great classics under these "unknowns".

And Return of the Phantom was known by adventure game players at the time - at least in Europe.
Sure, it was no Monkey Island, but it was not totally obscure either.

I am glad that it got a release on GOG.