VOGONS


First post, by Malik

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Was just browsing the adventure games and saw the system requirements mentioned in grey at the bottom of the description, say, for games like Tex Murphy : Under A Killing Moon, Waxworks,etc.

It mentions Win XP, with 1GHz required.

My question is, has anyone bought old dos based games from this site? And for games like the above, how is it the download file packaged? Do they come with windows executable? Or are the mentioned requirements for playing them under Dosbox? If yes, does it come with Dosbox? Does it come with installation instructions?

The only reason which is keeping me from getting Dos based games from this site, is the missing Original Box; with additional contents, original paper manuals and extras.

It makes no difference downloading these dos based games from this site from downloading from "other" sites. Except for the price. You pay GOG. The money doesn't go to the original creators,designers,musicians and so on. Goes to GOG and part of the commission goes to whatever "big" company is holding the copyright.

Logically, if GOG is not paying commission (or royalty) to bigger publishing companies who are holding the copyrights, then, does that mean that GOG got the copyright to these games? If so, how does GOG differ from other abandonware sites, with the only difference of making money from this?

If GOG is able to attain the copyrights to the games, does that mean that other companies or individuals will be able to get hold of these copyrights too, in a similar way?

Please don't get me wrong. I'm neither for nor against GOG. Just wanted to know more.

In fact, I'm interested in the later windows games like Descent Freespace, Broken Sword 2, (which didn't come with good enough extras in the boxes anyway), from GOG. If a game comes in a dvd case with very little (or no manual) at all, I feel better to get it from GOG with a cheaper price.

But for DOS classics, ebay still remains the best choice for a collector.

I guess I deviated from the main topic... about the system requirements for dos games...any info?

Thanks!

5476332566_7480a12517_t.jpgSB Dos Drivers

Reply 2 of 15, by Malik

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Thanks for the link. So I guess the generic system requirements for dos games mentioned at GOG refer to the requirements to play smoothly the said games in dosbox. And not a repackaged windows executable like that available for Descent 1.

5476332566_7480a12517_t.jpgSB Dos Drivers

Reply 3 of 15, by DosFreak

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Any discussion comparing GOG to abandonware sites or how GOG is in the wrong will immediately result in this thread being locked.

This isn't rpgcodex (thank god)

Thank you and have a nice day.

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Reply 4 of 15, by keropi

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I have bought several games. Almost all DOS based ones work via DOSBOX. GOG.COM has created a nice installer , u just get the game, install, and double-click on it's icon. Everything is pre-configured and you don't have to type a single command to get it going...

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Reply 5 of 15, by Dominus

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Any discussion comparing GOG to abandonware sites or how GOG is in the wrong will immediately result in this thread being locked.

but... but... but..., ok, I'll shut up 😀 Seriously, I think GOG is a good service and whenever I'll feel like one of the games they are selling, I'll bite!

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Reply 6 of 15, by Malik

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keropi wrote:

I have bought several games. Almost all DOS based ones work via DOSBOX. GOG.COM has created a nice installer , u just get the game, install, and double-click on it's icon. Everything is pre-configured and you don't have to type a single command to get it going...

That's good news! Thanks!

5476332566_7480a12517_t.jpgSB Dos Drivers

Reply 7 of 15, by Jorpho

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I thought GOG did clear everything with the developers/publishers/copyright holders of the games they offer, and consequently pay some kind of fee. Don't they?

Certainly I appreciate that everything they offer is properly tested and supported.

Reply 9 of 15, by retro games 100

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Malik, the games on Gog.com are designed to be unpacked and then run on XP/Vista. DOSBox is included in the installation package. Gog are also selling old win9x games that run on XP/Vista. Eg: Might and Magic VI: the mandate of heaven. If you put these specific MM6 files on to a CD-R for instance, and transfer them to a win9x PC and try to run the game, it won't work. But, if you do this for an older DOS title, the chances are it will work. I'm not sure about a game as "complex" as UAKM, with its 4 CDs, but certainly for a simpler floppy disk based game, it should be OK.

I'm going to buy Tex Murphy 1 & 2 (MM and MS), because they were originally sold on floppy disk, and should work fine on a "real DOS PC" if copied over to one. But these old DOS games look great on DOSBox anyhow, so it's just a bit of fun to see them running on both an old PC and a new one. The prices are very good, $6 for example, and you've got a good active community on that website too.

Reply 10 of 15, by Malik

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retro games 100 wrote:

Malik, the games on Gog.com are designed to be unpacked and then run on XP/Vista. DOSBox is included in the installation package. Gog are also selling old win9x games that run on XP/Vista. Eg: Might and Magic VI: the mandate of heaven. If you put these specific MM6 files on to a CD-R for instance, and transfer them to a win9x PC and try to run the game, it won't work. But, if you do this for an older DOS title, the chances are it will work. I'm not sure about a game as "complex" as UAKM, with its 4 CDs, but certainly for a simpler floppy disk based game, it should be OK.

I'm going to buy Tex Murphy 1 & 2 (MM and MS), because they were originally sold on floppy disk, and should work fine on a "real DOS PC" if copied over to one. But these old DOS games look great on DOSBox anyhow, so it's just a bit of fun to see them running on both an old PC and a new one. The prices are very good, $6 for example, and you've got a good active community on that website too.

Thanks for the info! I wonder how they are preparing the installation and play for Under A Killing Moon since it came on 4 CDs and how it'll be run, using virtual drive, perhaps?

5476332566_7480a12517_t.jpgSB Dos Drivers

Reply 11 of 15, by retro games 100

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Malik wrote:

I wonder how they are preparing the installation and play for Under A Killing Moon since it came on 4 CDs and how it'll be run, using virtual drive, perhaps?

I think you can set up multiple CD-ROM disc access inside DOSBox's config file. I think there's a thread about it either on Vogons, or on DOSBox's website help section. (I know I've seen it somewhere on usenet.)

Reply 12 of 15, by rcblanke

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maybe something like

Reply 13 of 15, by retro games 100

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Nice. 😁

Reply 14 of 15, by Malik

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rcblanke wrote:

maybe something like

Thanks! That's very informative! I never had the need to use multiple cds in dosbox so far. (Hence my ignorance.)

5476332566_7480a12517_t.jpgSB Dos Drivers

Reply 15 of 15, by rcblanke

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Usually you can just mount multiple CD images on the same virtual drive using a single imgmount command and cycle through the ISOs using ctrl-F4, but UAKM supports the individual game CDs to be in different (virtual) drives. So, once the game is properly configured you don't even have to cycle the CDs anymore.