nicodoggie

Those damn companies are already so very rich because of their old games and I'd like to play it for free. They aren't even being distributed anymore so why sue if the younger generation download these old games for free!?

Heck, in the Philippines (where I live) selling fake software is as legit as selling marijuana in Amsterdam. well... not really, but nobody apprehends the dealers who sell in most malls popular nationwide. And they're new!

My point is, and the point of the creator of the GNU Public License, is why NOT distribute software to the community for free?

sethsez

Not all companies are rich.

I'd like to get everything for free. Unfortunately, I also like getting paid for my job. That's where the whole thing falls apart.

Sometimes it's a matter of protecting the integrity of an old IP for future releases (like LucasArts planned with Sam & Max before it was cnacelled). Other times they're just sitting on the games until they feel like releasing a compilation.

Because you're not entitled to them if you haven't paid for them.

artwking4

That doesn't even make any sense... Refusing to sell a classic game (even by online distribution) has very little to do with protecting IPs. If it did, companies would be shooting themselves in the foot by offering free demo downloads.

Quote:

Other times they're just sitting on the games until they feel like releasing a compilation.

But put it that way, and yes, it does make sense. Much like all those Atari and Naamco game museum compilations that come out every year.

It's 2005. I don't think there is any excuse for a publisher to ignore the internet and not offer classic games for sale by download (at a significantly reduced price). Well, except for technical support like patches and making sure it works on modern systems. But publishers aren't exactly on top of things like that with newly released games, either.

Anyway, they probably wouldn't get rich off of it, but it's a legal option that would solve the problem of customers wanting "out of print" games but don't want to give in to the little devil on their shoulder.

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Tramboi

This is absolutely not the point of the GPL

http://www.gnu.org/philosophy/free-sw.html

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100ja a.k.a. mr_mitja

Well, I'll have to disagree here. When we're clearly talking about old games, intellectual property should have much bigger value than the games themselves (especially when some are 10+ years old). Just look at MCL . Trademarks will definitely sell new games. They don't have to give up their rights to their trademarkd characters if they make the games available for download.

On the other hand, how hard is it really for Sierra, LA, Infocom, EA or any other company to make an online store and sell the downloads (like Napster or ITunes)? Are they afraid of piracy? That way they would be getting their money, and the gaming community would be pleased as well. I know there's still lots of people who just have to have some packaging or whatever, but then again, you would still have e-bay.

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by_100ja

Kolorabi

Hey, cool, I didn't know that. I remember wondering whatever happened to that game. I was looking forward to it at the time, even though it didn't look particularily great (as LucasArts and Sierra had pretty much stopped supporting the Amiga (not a console, btw) at that point, I was eager to get any adventure I could get my hands on).

As for abandonware, I think it's great. I seldom use it myself these days, but I love the fact that the games I grew up with are available for younger generations and old gamers like me who've sold off their old systems & games a long time ago and wish to relive their younger days.

pinkgothic

Whoah, this has gone into a direction that... well... yuck.

As an artist and a programmer, who'll later hopefully make games either past or full-time, I'm appalled that anyone would suggest relaxing copyright laws further. The law is fine as it is. If I make something, I don't want to wake up one morning only to find everyone and their dog has a copy, and I didn't get a penny for my effort, and probably not even a nice eMail. It's respectless and apparently, going by many some of the posts in this thread, many people either don't want to have that respect, or lost it along the way.

In many, many cases, companies who abandon developement and sales on games will never pick them up again. In that case, no harm is done if you download it. They'd not be getting any more cash in if you weren't.

In the few cases that it does pick up again, you have done them harm, you've taken their ability to profit from their product away from them, you've essentially gone and spat in their faces and laughed and said "Hey you idiots, you made something, but know what, I don't care, I just want it for free, so nyah, can't catch me".

It's perfectly fine that it's illegal.

Right, now that that part of my rant is done, some more thoughts on the matter: Break the law. I won't get specific here, but I do it every day. Yet I never deliberately do so to harm someone or to bereave them off profits. Let's just say I'm probably a reason those who one might get angry at me are better off, actually.

As it has been said before, it's a moral question. Why should anyone make this decision easier for you? Morals and the laws of a country are interlaced, they affect each other. The more relaxed laws become, the more relaxed are the morals of the people, more or less. Take the law away as it is now and NO ONE will have second thoughts about copying work. I'd rather that law stay in place and people were forced to think and make a proper decision, rather than sit back and download 128 Gigs worth of games, mp3s and movies and laughing at the person who gets upset they are doing it, telling them to get lost because the law allows it.

Exaggerating intended.

Seriously, though, I think the psychological value of this law shouldn't be underestimated, paticularily given the posts some of the posts in this thread.

Rant end.

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pinkgothic

That's a wonderful line, sethsez, can I quote it (as in, in my signature or another board perhaps)?

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Fairygdmther

Time Warner with Turner will be making some of these games available for d'load later this year by subscription - ie, making money off them for the original companies. This is only for the US right now. And I understand that getting games in some countries can be difficult, but legal is legal, and illegal is illegal. Looking here for support is not going to make it any more legal.

FGM-Lyn

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crabapple

Which games?
Did they say they'd be releasing adventure games like Heart of China or Space Quest?

hengst2404

Ultimately as I have said previously in this issue, this deals with the issue of entitlement. Sadly many gamers feel that because they want something and don't feel that they will be harming anybody, they are entitled to what they want. Convinving yourself that you are some type of Robin Hood of the cyber era or that this is some type of civil disobedience, that you are sticking it to the man somehow makes your actions right is still wrong. When its all said and sone, this deals with people deciding on their own, regardless of the law, that they are entitled to something, something which in most cases they didn't pay for nor truly have any right to.

fov

I don't think any announcements have been made about specific titles. But that would be awesome.

wassup

Abandonware is legal. Abandonwarez is not. End of story.

wassup

Sierra and Vivendi do not support this game and thus do not sell it. I suggest you go to "spacequest.net" for more details.

AFGNCAAP

Have you cared to read this thread at least?

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SamNMax

Here's a little something from SpaceQuest.net, your source for everything in the world of Space Quest, about the site letting you download the games.

fov

Again, moral issue vs. legal issue. Just because SpaceQuest.net provides the game for download, and Frans explains his reasons for doing so, does not make it legal.

SamNMax

It's illeagal to peel an orange in a hotel in California. Does that mean it's hurting anyone?

AFGNCAAP

Don't say I didn't warn ya:



SamNMax

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SamNMax

But you didn't...