How GOG.com Save And Restore Classic Videogames
September 17, 2015 6:22 AM Subscribe
"Preservation of old games involves more than just an extra patch. The journey from dusty unplayable relic to polished, cross-platform installer is a minefield of technical and legal obstacles. The team at Good Old Games remain the industry leaders in the restoration of classic PC games, tasked with reverse engineering code written more than 20 years ago, unraveling knotty licensing issues left behind by defunct development studios, and battling lethargy on the part of skeptical publishers. It’s a thrilling and, at times, gruelling process, but – as the GOG team will testify – it never fails to surprise."
For research, of course: gog.com. Lots and lots of research.
For research, of course: gog.com. Lots and lots of research.
I love these guys! They do such great work. The only issue I have with GOG is that their version of Alone in the Dark uses the inferior CD symphonic audio instead of the outstanding FM synth score.
Everything else is cream. Delicious cream.
posted by Pope Guilty at 6:44 AM on September 17, 2015 [3 favorites]
Everything else is cream. Delicious cream.
posted by Pope Guilty at 6:44 AM on September 17, 2015 [3 favorites]
As the article alludes to, GOG just released a rich trove of SSI Gold Box goodness. They are truly doing Tymora's work.
posted by zamboni at 6:49 AM on September 17, 2015 [4 favorites]
posted by zamboni at 6:49 AM on September 17, 2015 [4 favorites]
When they managed to pull System Shock 2 up from the depths of licensing hell - with code improvements to boot! - I was shocked and awed. I should have more than enough games to play when I retire in twenty years...
posted by charred husk at 6:56 AM on September 17, 2015 [3 favorites]
posted by charred husk at 6:56 AM on September 17, 2015 [3 favorites]
Yes, their work on System Shock was amazing. I'd tried for ages to get an old version of SS2 running on a modern system and had given up ever getting through the game but theirs ran beautifully.
posted by octothorpe at 7:20 AM on September 17, 2015 [1 favorite]
posted by octothorpe at 7:20 AM on September 17, 2015 [1 favorite]
The only issue I have with GOG is that their version of Alone in the Dark uses the inferior CD symphonic audio instead of the outstanding FM synth score.
Not to worry; given that we now have labels dedicated to rereleasing video game music on vinyl, perhaps the soundtrack will reemerge on vinyl first?
posted by acb at 7:26 AM on September 17, 2015 [1 favorite]
Not to worry; given that we now have labels dedicated to rereleasing video game music on vinyl, perhaps the soundtrack will reemerge on vinyl first?
posted by acb at 7:26 AM on September 17, 2015 [1 favorite]
As the article alludes to, GOG just released a rich trove of SSI Gold Box goodness.
...and here I thought I had until Fallout Day to get work done.
posted by ROU_Xenophobe at 7:33 AM on September 17, 2015 [4 favorites]
...and here I thought I had until Fallout Day to get work done.
posted by ROU_Xenophobe at 7:33 AM on September 17, 2015 [4 favorites]
When Grim Fandango and System Shock 2 were both re-released in the last couple of years (with a lot of similar hoops to jump through to make it happen), it renewed my sense of hope that we would be able to play some of the best old games again.
One old game that is driving me nuts to play again on a modern machine is Diablo 1. It used to come with the Battlechest, but no longer, and Blizzard doesn't support it, even under their classic games section. It was insanely fun, it stands the test of time on its own merits, and there's even a high-rez mod for it now. I suspect some of the problem is trying to make the multi-player component run on old technology, but I'd be very happy just to have the single player campaign back again.
posted by SpacemanStix at 7:35 AM on September 17, 2015
One old game that is driving me nuts to play again on a modern machine is Diablo 1. It used to come with the Battlechest, but no longer, and Blizzard doesn't support it, even under their classic games section. It was insanely fun, it stands the test of time on its own merits, and there's even a high-rez mod for it now. I suspect some of the problem is trying to make the multi-player component run on old technology, but I'd be very happy just to have the single player campaign back again.
posted by SpacemanStix at 7:35 AM on September 17, 2015
I'm as impressed by the legal hacking they mush have to do as the technical. Just finding a game owner in the mess of failed companies, mergers and even estate transfers must be hell, then they have to convince those folks to licence the game for redistribution.
posted by bonehead at 7:38 AM on September 17, 2015 [15 favorites]
posted by bonehead at 7:38 AM on September 17, 2015 [15 favorites]
Much love for GOG here as well, also for not skipping us gaming-challenged Linux users.
posted by Dr Dracator at 7:49 AM on September 17, 2015 [2 favorites]
posted by Dr Dracator at 7:49 AM on September 17, 2015 [2 favorites]
Now they just need to begin porting old console games over. Starting with Gladius. Now. Before my copy stops working altogether.
posted by charred husk at 8:00 AM on September 17, 2015 [1 favorite]
posted by charred husk at 8:00 AM on September 17, 2015 [1 favorite]
Sadly, a change in OS X 10.11 has broken all of GOG's Mac versions of classic Windows games. This is REALLY FRUSTRATING as I'm getting my regular jonesing for some Sid Meier's Alpha Centauri.
Also, it's a travesty that GOG's versions of RollerCoaster Tycoon and its sequel don't have Mac versions. Not like I can play them anyway, right now.
posted by SansPoint at 8:10 AM on September 17, 2015
Also, it's a travesty that GOG's versions of RollerCoaster Tycoon and its sequel don't have Mac versions. Not like I can play them anyway, right now.
posted by SansPoint at 8:10 AM on September 17, 2015
THEY HAVE PERILS OF ROSELLA AVAILABLE FOR MY VERSION OF WINDOWS! THANK YOU THANK YOU THANK YOU! I have the CD version which worked on my last computer but not this one and I literally teared up one day when I was feeling depressed and couldn't play it and now I can and I am so happy! Thank you! One rainy autumn afternoon I will curl up with some gin and Rosella and once again we shall traverse Tamir together.
posted by Mrs. Pterodactyl at 8:12 AM on September 17, 2015 [5 favorites]
posted by Mrs. Pterodactyl at 8:12 AM on September 17, 2015 [5 favorites]
The voting for what to get next page is a treasure trove of nostalgia.
I can relate, JohnFromGR, I have lots of bought/downloaded games that I haven't cracked open yet.
posted by k5.user at 8:21 AM on September 17, 2015
I can relate, JohnFromGR, I have lots of bought/downloaded games that I haven't cracked open yet.
posted by k5.user at 8:21 AM on September 17, 2015
I've stopped doing business with Steam and bought exclusively from GOG for a while, in part because CDPR sounded more enthusiastic and honest about the whole thing, while Steam client got more and more bloated and Gabe's cynic bullshit surrounding Windows 8 was a complete abuse of good trust. I'm one of the ones that submitted stuff to them (the english Making of MDK booklet is mine, I think), in part because of that enthusiasm and I've considering submitting my design portfolio there, as I think my skills in bootlegging/spoofing old adverts would fit their restoration efforts.
But one thing I think the article shouldn't have skimmed was the importance of abandonware sites that emerged 10-15 years ago. A number of games would have been lost to time if there weren't those dozens of small site operating from free hosts that proved that CGA/EGA/QVGA games still had some value, and if people were willing to play them, then maybe they were also willing to pay for them, either to finally have an original copy, or simply because of the convenience - quite a few games on my collection I own boxed, but getting the to run is not worth the $2 I'd spend purchasing them again on a promo. That GOG does it successfully feels vindication for what we used to say back then.
Of course, not all games have market worth. I'd pay $5 for a Premier Manager 1+2+3 bundle or USM 98-99, or even $9 for a translated Anstoss 3 Gold. I wouldn't for, dunno, Graeme Souness Soccer Manager.
posted by lmfsilva at 8:48 AM on September 17, 2015 [6 favorites]
But one thing I think the article shouldn't have skimmed was the importance of abandonware sites that emerged 10-15 years ago. A number of games would have been lost to time if there weren't those dozens of small site operating from free hosts that proved that CGA/EGA/QVGA games still had some value, and if people were willing to play them, then maybe they were also willing to pay for them, either to finally have an original copy, or simply because of the convenience - quite a few games on my collection I own boxed, but getting the to run is not worth the $2 I'd spend purchasing them again on a promo. That GOG does it successfully feels vindication for what we used to say back then.
Of course, not all games have market worth. I'd pay $5 for a Premier Manager 1+2+3 bundle or USM 98-99, or even $9 for a translated Anstoss 3 Gold. I wouldn't for, dunno, Graeme Souness Soccer Manager.
posted by lmfsilva at 8:48 AM on September 17, 2015 [6 favorites]
"I'm as impressed by the legal hacking they mush have to do as the technical. Just finding a game owner in the mess of failed companies, mergers and even estate transfers must be hell, then they have to convince those folks to licence the game for redistribution."
You have no idea. I used to work for a company with a similar business model, and we spent tons of time tracking these things down. In one case, a very important historical title turned out to be owned by a Japanese property management company because the IP had gone to them in lieu of back rent once the studio went belly-up. We reached out to them about it, but they told us that this really wasn't their business and it wasn't worth the trouble unless we paid them about 10x what we were offering and jumped through a bunch of weird legal hurdles related to Japanese contract law. We passed. That was 8 or so years ago, and as far as I know, the game still isn't available anywhere (legally).
posted by tau_ceti at 8:48 AM on September 17, 2015 [4 favorites]
You have no idea. I used to work for a company with a similar business model, and we spent tons of time tracking these things down. In one case, a very important historical title turned out to be owned by a Japanese property management company because the IP had gone to them in lieu of back rent once the studio went belly-up. We reached out to them about it, but they told us that this really wasn't their business and it wasn't worth the trouble unless we paid them about 10x what we were offering and jumped through a bunch of weird legal hurdles related to Japanese contract law. We passed. That was 8 or so years ago, and as far as I know, the game still isn't available anywhere (legally).
posted by tau_ceti at 8:48 AM on September 17, 2015 [4 favorites]
Paczyński recalls the German release of KKND, which used an encrypted executable beyond a simple CD check; the team believe this form of copy protection will be impossible to work around.
Copy protection is the scourge of preservationists. @a2_4am is *still* cracking copy-protection on old Apple ][ educational titles. Those floppies are lucky to have made it this far.
Already there are some seminal iOS titles like Flight Control that have fallen out of the App Store. Who knows how many of them will be playable in 30 years.
posted by RobotVoodooPower at 8:58 AM on September 17, 2015 [1 favorite]
Copy protection is the scourge of preservationists. @a2_4am is *still* cracking copy-protection on old Apple ][ educational titles. Those floppies are lucky to have made it this far.
Already there are some seminal iOS titles like Flight Control that have fallen out of the App Store. Who knows how many of them will be playable in 30 years.
posted by RobotVoodooPower at 8:58 AM on September 17, 2015 [1 favorite]
Bless them. DRC-free downloads, no Steam connection required, great selection, great prices.
Admission: I have purchased more movies from GOG.com than games, and spent more money on video there than via any other service, save my cumulative Netflix bill over the years.
HD DMC-free videos in AVI format that I can keep? Yes.
posted by Theta States at 9:00 AM on September 17, 2015 [1 favorite]
Admission: I have purchased more movies from GOG.com than games, and spent more money on video there than via any other service, save my cumulative Netflix bill over the years.
HD DMC-free videos in AVI format that I can keep? Yes.
posted by Theta States at 9:00 AM on September 17, 2015 [1 favorite]
As the article alludes to, GOG just released a rich trove of SSI Gold Box goodness. They are truly doing Tymora's work
HOLY SHIT!
posted by Theta States at 9:00 AM on September 17, 2015 [1 favorite]
HOLY SHIT!
posted by Theta States at 9:00 AM on September 17, 2015 [1 favorite]
Nthing the love! I picked up a Mac Mini a few months ago and on a whim went to GOG to see what they had -- and discovered that my PC purchases had come bundled with Mac versions! Which of course I hadn't paid attention to when I was a PC gamer. I immediately dl'ed Lords of the Realm II from my account and spent many happy hours. GOG is amazing.
posted by Mogur at 9:31 AM on September 17, 2015 [3 favorites]
posted by Mogur at 9:31 AM on September 17, 2015 [3 favorites]
I read an old copy with the cover missing. Now I'm kind of glad I did.
posted by The Underpants Monster at 9:59 AM on September 17, 2015 [1 favorite]
posted by The Underpants Monster at 9:59 AM on September 17, 2015 [1 favorite]
Bless them. DRC-free downloads, no Steam connection required, great selection, great prices.
They even have a generous and helpful guarantee/return policy.
GOG has proved that you can build an entirely successful business where others fail on nostalgia and the good will of your customers. I find myself spending money at GOG because I like them about as much as I want to play a game again.
posted by SpacemanStix at 10:04 AM on September 17, 2015 [2 favorites]
They even have a generous and helpful guarantee/return policy.
GOG has proved that you can build an entirely successful business where others fail on nostalgia and the good will of your customers. I find myself spending money at GOG because I like them about as much as I want to play a game again.
posted by SpacemanStix at 10:04 AM on September 17, 2015 [2 favorites]
inferior CD symphonic audio instead of the outstanding FM synth score.
I hear the same thing about Normality - I just happen to have the American CD one with Corey Feldman (SYTL). Which, I think, may be the only thing I really enjoyed him in.
But I am not a Giant Recognizer of Actors and Things, so I could be entirely incorrect.
posted by LD Feral at 10:52 AM on September 17, 2015
I hear the same thing about Normality - I just happen to have the American CD one with Corey Feldman (SYTL). Which, I think, may be the only thing I really enjoyed him in.
But I am not a Giant Recognizer of Actors and Things, so I could be entirely incorrect.
posted by LD Feral at 10:52 AM on September 17, 2015
OMGOMGOMG they have Syndicate and Sanitarium! I thought both had been lost in the memory hole and I was the only one missing those.
Got a laptop with my cable subscription recently and finally have a non-Apple platform to play all kinds of games on. They laughed when I bought PC-only titles like Skyrim and Saints Row 3 for $5 at the Steam sale, but who's laughing now? It's me. I'm laughing now. And probably playing Syndicate and Sanitarium this weekend.
posted by Hoopo at 12:00 PM on September 17, 2015 [1 favorite]
Got a laptop with my cable subscription recently and finally have a non-Apple platform to play all kinds of games on. They laughed when I bought PC-only titles like Skyrim and Saints Row 3 for $5 at the Steam sale, but who's laughing now? It's me. I'm laughing now. And probably playing Syndicate and Sanitarium this weekend.
posted by Hoopo at 12:00 PM on September 17, 2015 [1 favorite]
They had me at Starship Titanic.
posted by oneswellfoop at 12:25 PM on September 17, 2015 [1 favorite]
posted by oneswellfoop at 12:25 PM on September 17, 2015 [1 favorite]
As the article alludes to, GOG just released a rich trove of SSI Gold Box goodness.
Did they actually release this? I can't find it anywhere.
posted by SpacemanStix at 1:53 PM on September 17, 2015
Did they actually release this? I can't find it anywhere.
posted by SpacemanStix at 1:53 PM on September 17, 2015
And then there's their insane 'hey, have a free game!' events.
It's a really clever way to draw people in. I didn't have a GoG account, but they were running a 'Fallout 1 for free!' event. Having played the crap out of F2, back in the day, I had to get this. So I finally went through the 'hassle' (less than a minutes work ... internet time works different!) of creating an account. And of course bought Alpha Centauri* (which I have the cd for!) and many other games. And they still give me free games which I actually really want (Beneath a Steel Sky, which I boght back in the day but lost)!
I recently had some financial good fortune and bought an insane laptop. GTA V, which it runs perfectly in 4k, wouldn't run without an internet connection. The Witcher 2 and 3? Like a dream. CRPR/GoG are awesome and get my money as often as possible, i.e. if it's available on Steam and GoG, the latter wins hands and feet down.
*Alpha Centauri works great on a laptop and even better with a touchscreen. BUT my laptop doesn't have a numpad, just 4 arrow keys. Does anyone have a tip or program to get me easy access to diagonal movement (numpad 1,3,7,9)? Best case would be a program where I could hold ctrl and then two arrow keys to get diagonal movement ...
posted by MacD at 2:24 PM on September 17, 2015
It's a really clever way to draw people in. I didn't have a GoG account, but they were running a 'Fallout 1 for free!' event. Having played the crap out of F2, back in the day, I had to get this. So I finally went through the 'hassle' (less than a minutes work ... internet time works different!) of creating an account. And of course bought Alpha Centauri* (which I have the cd for!) and many other games. And they still give me free games which I actually really want (Beneath a Steel Sky, which I boght back in the day but lost)!
I recently had some financial good fortune and bought an insane laptop. GTA V, which it runs perfectly in 4k, wouldn't run without an internet connection. The Witcher 2 and 3? Like a dream. CRPR/GoG are awesome and get my money as often as possible, i.e. if it's available on Steam and GoG, the latter wins hands and feet down.
*Alpha Centauri works great on a laptop and even better with a touchscreen. BUT my laptop doesn't have a numpad, just 4 arrow keys. Does anyone have a tip or program to get me easy access to diagonal movement (numpad 1,3,7,9)? Best case would be a program where I could hold ctrl and then two arrow keys to get diagonal movement ...
posted by MacD at 2:24 PM on September 17, 2015
I read an old copy with the cover missing. Now I'm kind of glad I did.
I can't wait to see what you posted in the Lolita thread
posted by Ray Walston, Luck Dragon at 3:11 PM on September 17, 2015 [1 favorite]
I can't wait to see what you posted in the Lolita thread
posted by Ray Walston, Luck Dragon at 3:11 PM on September 17, 2015 [1 favorite]
Did they actually release this? I can't find it anywhere.
Forgotten Realms: The Archives 1-3.
posted by zamboni at 3:31 PM on September 17, 2015
Forgotten Realms: The Archives 1-3.
posted by zamboni at 3:31 PM on September 17, 2015
They rereleased X-Wing, so as far as I'm concerned they're the absolute greatest company in the world.
posted by gerryblog at 5:53 PM on September 17, 2015 [2 favorites]
posted by gerryblog at 5:53 PM on September 17, 2015 [2 favorites]
Oh nice, thanks.
posted by SpacemanStix at 5:53 PM on September 17, 2015
posted by SpacemanStix at 5:53 PM on September 17, 2015
GoG are stars. Back before they existed, if you wanted to play older games you had to rely on the underdogs, a repository for many forgotten titles. Having a nice working copy of games is great (especially as sometimes my actual CD copies no longer work).
posted by Cannon Fodder at 12:15 AM on September 18, 2015 [1 favorite]
posted by Cannon Fodder at 12:15 AM on September 18, 2015 [1 favorite]
I remember visiting the the underdogs a few times and then always having my eyes glaze over trying to get everything installed right, and mostly just giving up. Ease of access is such a huge part of gog's success.
posted by SpacemanStix at 9:31 AM on September 18, 2015
posted by SpacemanStix at 9:31 AM on September 18, 2015
DOSBox has a lot to do with it. I was part of the HOTU community (I even have some reviews on the site), and plenty of times trying to help people I thought I lucked out on not having a good computer, and holding on to a "legacy" computer (my 1997 Pentium MMX) that could run almost everything without having to hack at the config.sys and autoexec.bat files. Most times at worst I had to boot into DOS mode and load a low-footprint mouse driver (CuteMouse?).
Safe to say GOG wouldn't exist as it is now without it.
posted by lmfsilva at 10:35 AM on September 18, 2015 [2 favorites]
Safe to say GOG wouldn't exist as it is now without it.
posted by lmfsilva at 10:35 AM on September 18, 2015 [2 favorites]
Anyone know what games the screenshots are from? Kind of annoying they don't have a caption, or even hint it in the filename.
posted by lkc at 11:40 AM on September 18, 2015
posted by lkc at 11:40 AM on September 18, 2015
GoG are using DOSBox and some of the WINE stuff as well, are they not? Or have I misunderstood? They can fully emulate up to pentium-class now, I thought.
Is there a direct link from HOTU to GoG? Would make a lot of sense if so. That was a fantastic resource.
posted by bonehead at 11:44 AM on September 18, 2015
Is there a direct link from HOTU to GoG? Would make a lot of sense if so. That was a fantastic resource.
posted by bonehead at 11:44 AM on September 18, 2015
lkc: "Anyone know what games the screenshots are from? Kind of annoying they don't have a caption, or even hint it in the filename."
The tags at the end of the article give some of them. I'm pretty sure the first one is Airline Tycoon and the last two are S.T.A.L.K.E.R.: Shadow of Chernobyl and Theme Park.
Google Image Search works on the at least a couple of the others (the one with the JetSki seems to be Saint's Row 2 and the one with the guy in the plaid shirt talking to the wizard type seems to be Harvester). But yeah, it'd be nice if they'd labeled them.
posted by exogenous at 11:50 AM on September 18, 2015
The tags at the end of the article give some of them. I'm pretty sure the first one is Airline Tycoon and the last two are S.T.A.L.K.E.R.: Shadow of Chernobyl and Theme Park.
Google Image Search works on the at least a couple of the others (the one with the JetSki seems to be Saint's Row 2 and the one with the guy in the plaid shirt talking to the wizard type seems to be Harvester). But yeah, it'd be nice if they'd labeled them.
posted by exogenous at 11:50 AM on September 18, 2015
Just spent the last week or so replaying Deus Ex for the first time in however long. Had an absolute blast. Reckon I'll power up SS2 next (though I actually prefer the first one). GOG is the best. Thanks GOG!
posted by turbid dahlia at 3:43 PM on September 20, 2015 [1 favorite]
posted by turbid dahlia at 3:43 PM on September 20, 2015 [1 favorite]
Nice. I could never actually get SS1 to run back in the day, it was so crashy on contemporary systems.
posted by octothorpe at 4:30 AM on September 22, 2015
posted by octothorpe at 4:30 AM on September 22, 2015
Knocking an extra $2/20% off for owners of SS2 on GOG is a pretty nice deal. Bet that'll sell a bunch of copies all its own.
posted by Pope Guilty at 4:34 AM on September 22, 2015
posted by Pope Guilty at 4:34 AM on September 22, 2015
20% off ? Man, is GoG running A/B testing ? My email today said I get 40% off the enhanced edition because I own SS 2 already ..
posted by k5.user at 7:11 AM on September 22, 2015
posted by k5.user at 7:11 AM on September 22, 2015
Everybody gets 20% for the first week, SS2 owners get an extra 20%.
posted by Pope Guilty at 8:01 AM on September 22, 2015
posted by Pope Guilty at 8:01 AM on September 22, 2015
I think it is 40% as a new release special for owners of SS2, and it will be 20% off once the new release offer expires.
GOG has a standing discount when completing some old game series - I have $1 off permanently on Interstate 82, Imperialism, and Dungeon Keeper 2, and an offer for $4.62 on Empire Earth II and III (individually, they're still $9.99)
posted by lmfsilva at 8:02 AM on September 22, 2015 [1 favorite]
GOG has a standing discount when completing some old game series - I have $1 off permanently on Interstate 82, Imperialism, and Dungeon Keeper 2, and an offer for $4.62 on Empire Earth II and III (individually, they're still $9.99)
posted by lmfsilva at 8:02 AM on September 22, 2015 [1 favorite]
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posted by JohnFromGR at 6:39 AM on September 17, 2015 [26 favorites]