ZylonBane on 22/12/2008 at 00:43
Quote Posted by Kolya
I hope you're kidding because that ain't the point.
Maybe it's just me but I don't see the "positive influence". Seriously, what is it?
Ummm... people get a convenient way to play games which are old and good, without resorting to piracy?
TF on 22/12/2008 at 00:47
It's someone official giving a shit about the problems old games have with new hardware, presumably.
doctorfrog on 22/12/2008 at 01:07
GOG is also kind of a rallying point. It's more fun to play a game when you know where you can gabble on about it with a bunch of other people who just discovered it as well. It's like going to a good movie on opening night, only you're by yourself, reading text on a screen written by other people by themselves. In the information age, this is called a "community."
Fuck yeah!
Kolya on 22/12/2008 at 01:30
Quote Posted by doctorfrog
In the information age, this is called a "community."
You mean like TTLG? Or are they just a bunch of excited customers?
And what does "official" mean in that context? Will this tag somehow allow them to reinvent the wheel regarding old games compatibility? Or will they sell the same old tricks handed down here and on other forums to people who never realize this information used to be free?
If they can get away with this, fine. But I'm not wetting myself because GOG has System Shock games on their wish list. Or anything else really.
Trance on 22/12/2008 at 02:48
I'm pretty damn elated about the other titles they have. Descent? UT2K4? Fallout? Yes please.
Now I can give my friends a holiday gift they can use.
ZylonBane on 22/12/2008 at 03:20
Quote Posted by Kolya
If they can get away with this, fine.
What exactly do you think they're getting away with?
Zygoptera on 22/12/2008 at 04:33
Presumably, 'getting away with' selling titles people would otherwise torrent for free. I'm not entirely sure how offering people a legal way to buy games which are otherwise either unavailable or difficult to obtain legally is 'getting away with' anything, as, of course, those downloading citing 'abandonware' or that the titles are otherwise difficult to obtain are actually the ones actually 'getting away with' something.
Kolya on 22/12/2008 at 10:49
I think the people on GOG know as well that they can download these games. It's "getting away with" selling
windows-compatibility, as that's what most people will be interested in and are eager to pay for. Even though that information is freely available, check (
http://vogons.zetafleet.com) vogons.zetafleet.com for example.
Now since you mention torrents, et al, consider the point of view of a game developer: If you download these old games for free, you still have money to buy a new game and might or might not do so. If you spend your Christmas money on GOG that money is gone and it's highly unlikely there's a flow back to the people who once created these games. But at least you have a legal game, alright.
I'm a bit undecided on the issue myself, and I certainly don't want to start yet another piracy discussion. The point is that I can't understand the hype around GOG, especially that supposed "positive influence" it should have on modern gaming. If anything it leads to less sold new PC games versus high sales on consoles, adding to the status quo.
kodan50 on 22/12/2008 at 18:14
I've always figured that a company is not allowed to distribute a commercial game without some kind of permission to do so, which means they might have had to purchase some kind of license to do so. I doubt they are given free reign over all of these games. Essentially, someone who owns the games set a price, and was comfortable with the games being sold as-is at that price. Maybe they pay some small price for each purchase. In either case, I personally don't see the problem here, because unless GOG.COM is screwing some game company out of money, the game comapnies (or, I guess whoever owns the IP rights and has the legal permission to offer the game to other companies, like in this particular case) are allowing them to do such a service.
*Well, as for new games, I might purchase them or I might not. While this is much more on a personal level, I'm sure the same would apply to many other people. The ability to purchase an older game won't sway my interest in newer games. If I don't purchase the newest and greatest, I probably won't later anyways. And it's not like money is a concern, cause I own like three copies of BioShock, even though I don't actually have any of them in my posession. Which sucks.
