Good Old Games

[babaganoosh13]

They should have just done a survey beforehand like they've done before about DRM, MP keys, DLC and episodic games. Explain why they think that allowing regional pricing would have helped them bring more games on board then let the customers decide.

 

Yeah, I'd like to see them have some structural separation to ensure the slippery slope is not a problem that they slide down. If they have all these titles in one basket, new and old, restricted and fair price, then it's far too easy to hide one change amongst thousands. Create a new site, GoodNewGames or whatever, with its own address and front end for this kind of thing.

 

At the very least a commitment to put an obvious notice "Note that the price of this title has been set according to our regional pricing agreements" on affected titles should be the least they could do. Needing a third party site to track the differences would be another regrettable Steamism (steamprices.com) - bowing to contractual obligations is one thing, purposeful obfuscation with the intent to ensure the ongoing ignorance of the customer base is quite another.

I like that idea. It would be nice to get the Bethesda games DRM-free if it was regional pricing that's really what's holding back their decision to make them available in that manner.

 

Of course, would that then mean that when their contracts with Ubisoft, Activision, ect. come up, they'd rather have them there instead? Of course they could make the argument that people would be less likely to buy their games there. Oh well.

[Zoraptor]

Funny thing is that Bethesda games were DRM free up until they went steam with FONV- even with GFWL/ Fallout3 you could have an offline account/ direct click the exe- they've actually gone back and retroactively added DRM to digital editions.

 

Still, fair play overall by GOG. One or the other of DRM and regional pricing probably had to go, it's clear that the pressure has really come on in the last while with other non regional outlets shifting their stance. And they are one of the few companies that would actually make an official Untergang video in response to a fan one.

[samm]

Didn't expect them to give in, but all the better While I personally was hardly affected by the regional pricing, due to living in a surprisingly low price country in their scheme by chance, I'm glad they do that. I just wish that people would insist on staying true to original promises on many more occasions. Let's say politics, for example. Or "security vs liberty" issues, which overlaps with the previous example.

 

 

OT:

Funny thing is that Bethesda games were DRM free up until they went steam with FONV- even with GFWL/ Fallout3 you could have an offline account/ direct click the exe-

GFWL is still a DRM, no matter if you can then start the game by just executing the exe, and a horrible one at that.

[Zoraptor]

A horrible DRM that requires no internet connection, no activation and no online account? Wish more games had such a system.

 

A one time check that you have an actual DVD is about as soft a DRM as it is possible to have- indeed it's as integral as having to log on to/ create a GOG account to download games. Things like the save game encryption sucks, but that isn't a DRM issue.

[Humanoid]

I don't remember anything at all about Fallout 3's DRM, which is probably the kindest thing I can say about it. I mean I have the disc edition, but if not for people in recent times talking about how the shutdown of GFWL would affect the game, I wouldn't have even pegged it as having GFWL.

 

That said, it's partly because as a utterly terrible game, I may have only actually launched it a few times and absent-mindedly clicked whatever prompts it had away. The only game in my list I can say I know involved GFWL is Street Fighter 4, but I clicked away all the prompts there too - and again it's a game I've barely played.

[AwesomeOcelot]

Not all versions of Fallout 3 were GFWL, maybe the DLC required it, but yeah, terrible game, so I didn't play the DLC.

[samm]

A horrible DRM that requires no internet connection, no activation and no online account? Wish more games had such a system.

 

A one time check that you have an actual DVD is about as soft a DRM as it is possible to have- indeed it's as integral as having to log on to/ create a GOG account to download games. Things like the save game encryption sucks, but that isn't a DRM issue.

Of course there are horrible DRMs that do not require internet or activations like Starforce, the Sony rootkit etc. However, GFWL does need an internet connection, and an account to activate games. Otherwise it's not a GFWL title. A DVD check is not GFWL. Because I don't own FO3, I don't know where the disconnect is here.

Edited March 12, 2014 by samm

[Zoraptor]

Ah, you're just plain wrong.

 

F3 was GfWL and didn't need activation or an online account. It simply didn't. I know, as I actually played it, for my sins. You created an offline account for GfWL and that was that. Up until a year or so ago having to create an online account for a GfWL game was not even slightly necessary, you could play Bioshock 2 and even BatmanAA without being online or having created an online account. Both those games needed to be activated, but that was SecuROM requiring it.

 

I'm always amazed at the amount of FUD about GfWL. I was expecting red hot pokers up the posterior and Bill Gates and Steve Ballmer's mocking laughter from its reputation, what I got was... pretty much nothing bad at all. Much like Origin, its reality is so much better than its reputation- the diametric opposite of a certain other DRM product.

[alanschu]

My issue with GFWL was that it's actual online support features (for MP or whatever) typically gave me issues while Steam and Origin did not.

[marelooke]

Not all versions of Fallout 3 were GFWL, maybe the DLC required it, but yeah, terrible game, so I didn't play the DLC.

 

Only if you bought them through GFWL, if you got them on disc you didn't need GFWL for anything.

[AwesomeOcelot]

Ah, you're just plain wrong.

 

F3 was GfWL and didn't need activation or an online account. It simply didn't. I know, as I actually played it, for my sins. You created an offline account for GfWL and that was that. Up until a year or so ago having to create an online account for a GfWL game was not even slightly necessary, you could play Bioshock 2 and even BatmanAA without being online or having created an online account. Both those games needed to be activated, but that was SecuROM requiring it.

 

I'm always amazed at the amount of FUD about GfWL. I was expecting red hot pokers up the posterior and Bill Gates and Steve Ballmer's mocking laughter from its reputation, what I got was... pretty much nothing bad at all. Much like Origin, its reality is so much better than its reputation- the diametric opposite of a certain other DRM product.

 

I looked up the tutorial for activating Bioshock 2 offline, and the page and links that were in screenshots simply didn't exist. The version that came with Bioshock 2 didn't login or allow me to register, and it tried to update itself which crashed the game, GFWL relaunched the game, triggering the update, creating a crash cycle that had to be broken by ctrl+alt+del.

[babaganoosh13]

For Fallout 3:GOTY, I remember having to link GFWL to my Xbox account, then putting in my activation code from Steam. After that bit of a pain in the butt (I had to go out of my way to look for things. It wasn't all just one step and done) I put it in offline mode and that part of Fallout 3 was never an issue for me again.

 

I'm almost certain the activation code was for the base game itself, because isn't all the DLC handled the same way as mods?

[Zoraptor]

I looked up the tutorial for activating Bioshock 2 offline, and the page and links that were in screenshots simply didn't exist. The version that came with Bioshock 2 didn't login or allow me to register, and it tried to update itself which crashed the game, GFWL relaunched the game, triggering the update, creating a crash cycle that had to be broken by ctrl+alt+del.

 

The process was exactly the same as described here both under 7/64 and XP/32. I've now even gone back and checked- pulled network cord, installed F3, created offline profile, profit! Well, maybe not profit given I've just spent ten minutes installing a game I didn't like particularly, but at least I could minimise the installer and continue doing other stuff. But certainly no need to be online at any time, and no need for the DVD to be in drive either. Note also that my original point was that Bethesda actually went back and added DRM to DD copies, I was pointing out that DRM free copies existed prior to that.

 

Right, so now I've got Fallout 3 installed, so I should probably ask if there are any decent mods or if I should just apply the essential uninstall.esm one immediately. Except that would be even more off topic...

[Humanoid]

Uninstall then smash the disc to pieces.

[AwesomeOcelot]

 

I looked up the tutorial for activating Bioshock 2 offline, and the page and links that were in screenshots simply didn't exist. The version that came with Bioshock 2 didn't login or allow me to register, and it tried to update itself which crashed the game, GFWL relaunched the game, triggering the update, creating a crash cycle that had to be broken by ctrl+alt+del.

 

The process was exactly the same as described here both under 7/64 and XP/32. I've now even gone back and checked- pulled network cord, installed F3, created offline profile, profit! Well, maybe not profit given I've just spent ten minutes installing a game I didn't like particularly, but at least I could minimise the installer and continue doing other stuff. But certainly no need to be online at any time, and no need for the DVD to be in drive either. Note also that my original point was that Bethesda actually went back and added DRM to DD copies, I was pointing out that DRM free copies existed prior to that.

 

Right, so now I've got Fallout 3 installed, so I should probably ask if there are any decent mods or if I should just apply the essential uninstall.esm one immediately. Except that would be even more off topic...

 

Like I said, that did not work for Bioshock 2. Fallout 3 doesn't even have GFWL unless you bought it from there.

[Zoraptor]

Sheesh, steam even still notes the GfWL requirement for F3.

 

I'd put any sum down that if I install Bioshock 2 I'll be able to do it with an offline account. I've already done it twice (upgraded to 7 from xp half way through playing it).

[AwesomeOcelot]

Sheesh, steam even still notes the GfWL requirement for F3.

 

I'd put any sum down that if I install Bioshock 2 I'll be able to do it with an offline account. I've already done it twice (upgraded to 7 from xp half way through playing it).

I played Fallout 3 without having GFWL installed or an account, because Fallout 3 on Steam didn't require GFWL.

 

Also, I thought GFWL shut down a while ago and games like Bioshock 2 were patched to remove it. So as for you installing games now... I don't know what you're trying to prove.

Edited March 13, 2014 by AwesomeOcelot

[babaganoosh13]

So in other words, it would be great if Bethesda would add their catalog to GOG, so all of this garbage about DRM would be unnecessary.

 

 

In other GOG news, they've added Rex Nebular to their catalog. That's actually one I've missed back in the day. Was it any good?

[HoonDing]

No, but there are boobs very early in the game. So, yes.

[Humanoid]

Another one of those gimmick sales, this time it's that you can pick a set of up to five random games for $2 each. Decided to get into the spirit of the thing and rolled the dice. Results:

Avernum

I Have No Mouth And I Must Scream

When Blobs Attack

Ittle Dew

Aqua Kitty

 

Eh, probably won't play any of those. I'll wait until there's a better sense of what the pool of eligible games are and decide whether to go again later in the week.

[melkathi]

Aqua Kitty is awesome

[sesobebo]

aw yisss.

[BruceVC]

aw yisss.

 

I've never understood why people would want to play games on Linux when they can play on Windows, where is the real advantage with Linux?

[Keyrock]

 

aw yisss.

 

I've never understood why people would want to play games on Linux when they can play on Windows, where is the real advantage with Linux?

 

For some people (/points to self) it's their preferred operating system.  I've been using Linux for over 10 years now.  The only reason I even have a Windows partition is for gaming, it's the only thing I ever boot into Windows for.  I like being able to surf the web without a virus protection program and not have to worry (though that will change if Linux ever becomes popular in the mainstream).  I like having a plethora of choices on what desktop environment to use (currently XFCE).  I like being able to tinker with the operating system to my heart's content and instead of having roadblocks thrown up in my face, I have tools readily available.  I like knowing my operating system will never cost me a red cent.

 

When I build my new rig later this year, it won't even have a Windows partition.  If a game won't have native Linux support I'll either have to run it through wine or (far more likely) I won't buy it at all.

Edited March 18, 2014 by Keyrock

[sesobebo]

where is the real advantage with Linux?

specifically for playing games? probably nowhere.

 

but maybe You can help me, because

i've never understood why people would want to play games on windows when they can play on linux.

Edited March 18, 2014 by sesobebo