It seems that you're using an outdated browser. Some things may not work as they should (or don't work at all).
We suggest you upgrade newer and better browser like: Chrome, Firefox, Internet Explorer or Opera

×
Community
General discussion (archive)OLD GOGs(34 posts)(34 posts)
(34 posts)
Pages:
1
2
3
This is my favourite topic
Posted July 13, 2011
avatar
Magnitus: Apparently, games have been dropped for licensing reasons, but people who bought them still had access to them from their account.

Licensing disagreements are always a potential source of problems it seems.

Beyond that, I'll be curious to see how they handle the transition to Windows 7 (Vista has 10 good years left of support, less than that as a mainstream OS).

The DOSbox games were trivial (keep DOSBox compatible, that's it).

Games from the Windows 98 era might be something else entirely. I don't know much about state of the art Windows Retro emulators, but I'd say they might have to get their hands dirty and tweak the source code.
GOG doesn't actually get access to the source code of the games and they don't need a "Windows Emulator" (not that one even exists). All compatibility with modern OSes (including Win 7) is accomplished through the OS's own compatibility features and sometimes the use of "wrappers" created by the GOG code monkeys.
Posted July 13, 2011
avatar
Magnitus: Apparently, games have been dropped for licensing reasons, but people who bought them still had access to them from their account.

Licensing disagreements are always a potential source of problems it seems.

Beyond that, I'll be curious to see how they handle the transition to Windows 7 (Vista has 10 good years left of support, less than that as a mainstream OS).

The DOSbox games were trivial (keep DOSBox compatible, that's it).

Games from the Windows 98 era might be something else entirely. I don't know much about state of the art Windows Retro emulators, but I'd say they might have to get their hands dirty and tweak the source code.
avatar
cogadh: GOG doesn't actually get access to the source code of the games and they don't need a "Windows Emulator" (not that one even exists). All compatibility with modern OSes (including Win 7) is accomplished through the OS's own compatibility features and sometimes the use of "wrappers" created by the GOG code monkeys.
Yeah, that is what I suspected, but unless Windows does the heck of a job with the compatibility features or they come up with a emulator for old Windows, I can't help but think that they will hit a wall at some point, especially with the way older games were optimized to run well on particular OSes rather than be as compatible as possible with future changes.
Post edited July 13, 2011 by Magnitus
Posted July 13, 2011
avatar
Magnitus: Yeah, that is what I suspected, but unless Windows does the heck of a job with the compatibility features or they come up with a emulator for old Windows, I can't help but think that they will hit a wall at some point, especially with the way older games were optimized to run well on particular OSes rather than be as compatible as possible with future changes.
It can be challenging, yes. But our code monkeyrobotpirateninjas have mighty code fu. Very few games have defeated them so far.
Posted July 13, 2011
avatar
Magnitus: Yeah, that is what I suspected, but unless Windows does the heck of a job with the compatibility features or they come up with a emulator for old Windows, I can't help but think that they will hit a wall at some point, especially with the way older games were optimized to run well on particular OSes rather than be as compatible as possible with future changes.
avatar
TheEnigmaticT: It can be challenging, yes. But our code monkeyrobotpirateninjas have mighty code fu. Very few games have defeated them so far.
Out of curiosity, and I'm not certain if this has been answered before, but do you have the, well, rights, I guess, to release some games, but you haven't because you can't get them to work satisfactorily enough?
Posted July 13, 2011
avatar
doccarnby: Out of curiosity, and I'm not certain if this has been answered before, but do you have the, well, rights, I guess, to release some games, but you haven't because you can't get them to work satisfactorily enough?
I think so, but since we keep finding new ways to fix problems, we frequently discover a problem that seemed unsolvable actually works when we apply a fix that we discovered for a completely different title. We never give up on a game, just some times it takes us longer to get it where it runs on a modern OS.
Posted July 13, 2011
avatar
doccarnby: Out of curiosity, and I'm not certain if this has been answered before, but do you have the, well, rights, I guess, to release some games, but you haven't because you can't get them to work satisfactorily enough?
avatar
TheEnigmaticT: I think so, but since we keep finding new ways to fix problems, we frequently discover a problem that seemed unsolvable actually works when we apply a fix that we discovered for a completely different title. We never give up on a game, just some times it takes us longer to get it where it runs on a modern OS.
Hmm, interesting. Thanks!
Posted July 13, 2011
avatar
doccarnby: Out of curiosity, and I'm not certain if this has been answered before, but do you have the, well, rights, I guess, to release some games, but you haven't because you can't get them to work satisfactorily enough?
avatar
TheEnigmaticT: I think so, but since we keep finding new ways to fix problems, we frequently discover a problem that seemed unsolvable actually works when we apply a fix that we discovered for a completely different title. We never give up on a game, just some times it takes us longer to get it where it runs on a modern OS.
This is awesome FAQ or IFAQ material. :)
Posted July 13, 2011
avatar
doccarnby: Out of curiosity, and I'm not certain if this has been answered before, but do you have the, well, rights, I guess, to release some games, but you haven't because you can't get them to work satisfactorily enough?
avatar
TheEnigmaticT: I think so, but since we keep finding new ways to fix problems, we frequently discover a problem that seemed unsolvable actually works when we apply a fix that we discovered for a completely different title. We never give up on a game, just some times it takes us longer to get it where it runs on a modern OS.
Well, could be that you are well on your way to create an embedded emulator that is a subset of old versions of Windows.
Posted July 13, 2011
avatar
TheEnigmaticT: I think so, but since we keep finding new ways to fix problems, we frequently discover a problem that seemed unsolvable actually works when we apply a fix that we discovered for a completely different title. We never give up on a game, just some times it takes us longer to get it where it runs on a modern OS.
That's really really cool. :D EDIT: If you ever get some free time to tell us those "inspirational" stories, please do.
Post edited July 13, 2011 by tfishell
Posted July 19, 2011
Here's a related, but follow-up question:

How are new GOGs acquired (well, not the details, 'cause that's all trade secret-y) but does the crew at GOG come up with a wish list and pursue license acquisition?
Do publishers proffer up older titles?
Is there a furtive exchange in a dimly-lit underground garage replete with briefcases containing cash (in non-sequential, used bills) that are slid over to each other while two small armies of hired goons warily eye each other?
Posted July 19, 2011
avatar
VetMichael: Here's a related, but follow-up question:

How are new GOGs acquired (well, not the details, 'cause that's all trade secret-y) but does the crew at GOG come up with a wish list and pursue license acquisition?
Do publishers proffer up older titles?
Is there a furtive exchange in a dimly-lit underground garage replete with briefcases containing cash (in non-sequential, used bills) that are slid over to each other while two small armies of hired goons warily eye each other?
I believe GOG's acquisition process is as follows:

http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=yubMAxtcZHk
Posted July 19, 2011
avatar
VetMichael: Here's a related, but follow-up question:

How are new GOGs acquired (well, not the details, 'cause that's all trade secret-y) but does the crew at GOG come up with a wish list and pursue license acquisition?
Do publishers proffer up older titles?
Is there a furtive exchange in a dimly-lit underground garage replete with briefcases containing cash (in non-sequential, used bills) that are slid over to each other while two small armies of hired goons warily eye each other?
avatar
wpegg: I believe GOG's acquisition process is as follows:

http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=yubMAxtcZHk
Awwww.....that video has been removed because Lionsgate is a bunch of weenies. now I'll NEVER know!
Posted July 19, 2011
avatar
TheEnigmaticT: I think so, but since we keep finding new ways to fix problems, we frequently discover a problem that seemed unsolvable actually works when we apply a fix that we discovered for a completely different title. We never give up on a game, just some times it takes us longer to get it where it runs on a modern OS.
avatar
Magnitus: Well, could be that you are well on your way to create an embedded emulator that is a subset of old versions of Windows.
maybe one day they will have WINE for Windows :) and it will be like having DosBox for old DOS games
Posted July 20, 2011
avatar
crazy_dave: maybe one day they will have WINE for Windows :) and it will be like having DosBox for old DOS games
Such a thing will be very useful in the near future; Windows 8 adds support for ARM but it is incompatible with existing x86 software, and while DOSBox and ScummVM will be readily available those wanting to run native Windows games will need to stick to x86-based systems or else use some sort of emulation or virtualisation solution.
Posted July 20, 2011
avatar
Arkose: Such a thing will be very useful in the near future; Windows 8 adds support for ARM but it is incompatible with existing x86 software, and while DOSBox and ScummVM will be readily available those wanting to run native Windows games will need to stick to x86-based systems or else use some sort of emulation or virtualisation solution.
I think a WINE for Windows or something like it will be developed eventually. I hadn't thought about the ARM processors with old games when making my statement originally, but that is indeed another reason to have such a project beyond simply the march of time rendering old code incompatible. If there is a real need left unmet by for-pay companies, there will probably be an open source community to fill it. :) There is that "ReactOS" project, but that's a full OS and while an interesting project, it's not quite the solution to this problem.

Though I'm on a Mac myself, a Wine for Windows similar to DosBox is a nice idea anyway. While I might appreciate the irony, I'm not sure I'd like the future for old games and GOG if only Linux and OS X had compatibility with old Windows games.
Pages:
1
2
3
This is my favourite topic
Community
General discussion (archive)OLD GOGs(34 posts)(34 posts)
(34 posts)