Old games vs. old books and music in the digital realm

[ZodWallop]

Originally Posted by Katsunami

I have ToEE as well. I assume you played other RPG classics from the 1998 - 2006 era as well

Oh yeah. I have all of the Black Isle and Troika games. Just for whatever reason, ToEE is my favorite, especially with the Circle of Eight corrections restoring censored elements.

Originally Posted by Katsunami

While they may run, it's completely possible the graphics will become unusable. I'm now playing Sanitarium, but sometimes I have to refer to a walkthrough because I'm overlooking things on screen. Everything can be an object (possibly), and something that looks like an undefined blob of pixels on my 1920x1080 laptop screen sometimes is an object I require. IT's worse on my 1920x1200 24.1 desktop screen...

I guess. I have to say that I love the old 2.5D shooters (the BUILD games, Outlaws and System Shock) and prefer to play them without hardware acceleration, though I will play them in the highest resolution available to me. I prefer their artistry and hardware acceleration on those old games just makes them look blurry.

Also, I guess there's a difference between a first person shooter and a point-and-click adventure like Sanitarium.

[ZodWallop]

Originally Posted by Katsunami

...Beamdog ported te game to the BG2 engine before fixing that engine to run on newer systems without hacks. The original Baldur's Gate experience is gone. As your character now has capabilities provided by the BG2 engine, but the enemies don't, you're going to become overpowered very fast.

Why not just play the original Baldur's Gate then? Both are available through GOG (I only have the original, not the Beamdog update).

[Katsunami]

Originally Posted by ZodWallop

Why not just play the original Baldur's Gate then? Both are available through GOG (I only have the original, not the Beamdog update).

I play the original. The furthest I've gone is to install the Baldurdash fixes, BG1 Unfinished Business, the Widescreen Mod, and an alternative GUI, to make it run in 800x600, so it scales perfectly to 1600x1200 on my desktop screen.

I hope it keeps working; I've just arrived in Cloakwood. I've been trying to complete BG1 with mods installed for 10 years now, but I gave up. There was always something wrong somewhere, and I don't want to hit a snag (AGAIN) where I can't continue the game.

If I do, I'll give it one more go, and install only the Baldurdash fixes. I've completed the game with them before.

==========

Oh, and GOG and Beamdog have some sort of understanding.

BG1, BG2, and IWD1 originals have been removed from GOG.com for separate sale. You can now only buy them by getting Beamdog's Enhanced versions. They include the originals, but the Enhanced versions are twice as expensive as the originals were.

I find that a *very* sleazy move. This arrangement forces people to spend money on the Beamdog versions even if they don't want them.

Maybe GOG.com arranged it that way with Beamdog. Maybe Beamdog now holds all the rights, even those to the original versions, and they have summoned GOG.com to remove the old versions. I don't know. I just don't like these kinds of practices.

[ZodWallop]

Originally Posted by Katsunami

GOG and Beamdog have some sort of understanding.

BG1, BG2, and IWD1 originals have been removed from GOG.com for separate sale. You can now only buy them by getting Beamdog's Enhanced versions. They include the originals, but the Enhanced versions are twice as expensive as the originals were.

I find that a *very* sleazy move. This arrangement forces people to spend money on the Beamdog versions even if they don't want them.

Maybe GOG.com arranged it that way with Beamdog. Maybe Beamdog now holds all the rights, even those to the original versions, and they have summoned GOG.com to remove the old versions. I don't know. I just don't like these kinds of practices.

Beamdog was founded by one of the owners of BioWare, so I wouldn't be surprised if they had some sort of claim on the rights.

[Catlady]

Originally Posted by Katsunami

If you are somewhat technically inclined, or know someone who is, it's easy enough to setup a NES/SNES emulator, find some ROMs on the internet, and play the games using a €15 controller.

Not techically inclined enough to even understand what you said!

I know; using downloaded ROMs isn't really legal if you don't own the physical versions as well, but I doubt anyone will care. This would be a decision you'd have to make for yourself.

I actually have the games packed away; I kept them in case I ever came across a cheap NES at a yard sale.

[Cinisajoy]

Originally Posted by Catlady

I wish I could still play some of my old Nintendo games.

I forget who but there is a company that makes both a Nintendo and an Atari console with all the old games. Just don't expect great graphics.

[4691mls]

Originally Posted by Apache

Old games? Try Monopoly, Risk or Sorry. Even farther, try Poker, Chess or Go. Or even a long long time ago, try craps.
Apache

Ah! games I have heard of!

[davidfor]

Originally Posted by JSWolf

Risk is available on multiple platforms. There is even a version for the Xbox One.

If you're not playing on the floor in the middle of the a lounge room where the dog can run across the board, you're not playing Risk.

[JSWolf]

Originally Posted by davidfor

If you're not playing on the floor in the middle of the a lounge room where the dog can run across the board, you're not playing Risk.

I don't have a lounge room nor a dog. But I could play on the floor on my Xbox One S.

[Freeshadow]

Originally Posted by Catlady

Not techically inclined enough to even understand what you said!

As simplified as possible basic explanation:
Emulator:
A piece of software "rebuilding" the console in your computers' memory

ROMs: 1:1 copies of cartridges to a file so it can be accessed by the emulator

I actually have the games packed away; I kept them in case I ever came across a cheap NES at a yard sale.

Great, this way having the matching ROM means having a backup file as opposed to a pirated copy

[Katsunami]

Originally Posted by Freeshadow

Great, this way having the matching ROM means having a backup file as opposed to a pirated copy

In the Netherlands, you're allowed/have the right to extract the contents of a data carrier (CD, DVD, Blu-Ray... and probably also a game ROM) for personal use. How you do this doesn't matter. You could 'extract' the contents by downloading the ROM from the internet. We pay for this by paying extra taxes on data carriers.

This right is complicated by the fact that 'downloading from an evidently illegal source' is now prohibited in the Netherlands, complying with EU guide rules.

So, there's a problem with regard to the law. If you download a ROM from the internet, if it's an 'illegal source', are you providing your own copy/extraction of the physical ROM according to the law that you are allowed to have one, or are you breaking the law that says you can't download from an illegal source?

Hmmm...

[Freeshadow]

You have two concurring laws.
In dubio pro reo

[Catlady]

Originally Posted by Freeshadow

As simplified as possible basic explanation:
Emulator:
A piece of software "rebuilding" the console in your computers' memory

ROMs: 1:1 copies of cartridges to a file so it can be accessed by the emulator

Thanks. I may try this. I'd be happier if Nintendo would simply sell downloads of some of the old games for PC.

[Freeshadow]

Originally Posted by Catlady

Thanks. I may try this. I'd be happier if Nintendo would simply sell downloads of some of the old games for PC.

They do, but only for the follow up consoles.

[JuliusBorisov]

Originally Posted by Katsunami

Oh, and GOG and Beamdog have some sort of understanding.

BG1, BG2, and IWD1 originals have been removed from GOG.com for separate sale. You can now only buy them by getting Beamdog's Enhanced versions. They include the originals, but the Enhanced versions are twice as expensive as the originals were.

I find that a *very* sleazy move. This arrangement forces people to spend money on the Beamdog versions even if they don't want them.

Maybe GOG.com arranged it that way with Beamdog. Maybe Beamdog now holds all the rights, even those to the original versions, and they have summoned GOG.com to remove the old versions. I don't know. I just don't like these kinds of practices.

This was the decision made by the rightholder, Wizards of the Coast.

Greg Tito, Communications Director for Dungeons & Dragons, said at that time: "We're proud to recognize their (Beamdog's) excellent work in offering the best possible experience and support for these legendary titles. We want these to become the definitive editions – featuring both the enhanced and classic versions of the games."

https://www.gog.com/news/definitive_...164c1295401b71