Someone should make a QFG4 remake

[Louisiana Night]

People that don't own the originals?

[Pwincess]

There's always eBay     *starts worshiping eBay*

[Striker]

And don't forget warez!!! Although, I'd personally consider QFG4 abandonware.

[Pwincess]

Striker, Hero6 does not support abandonware, and as you are fully aware (since this issue has popped up a number of times) copywrite lasts for at least 75 years and since QFG4 is not 75 years old it doesn't get classified as abandonware.

If any readers are considering obtaining a copy of QFG4 or any other QFG game, please visit eBay and bid in an appropriate auction.

[p]

they need to change the definition of abandonware to mean software that has been.. well, abandoned.  In that case, I'd consider QG4 abandonware too.

And as an ethical issue, I don't see how paying some chump trying to make money off ebay benefits the creators of QG4, or have any other positive benefit to classic gaming.  I don't know what the big deal about "copyright expiration" is either.  Yeh, it's technically illegal to distribute, but it's not like you're tampering with intellectual property...  all you're doing is playing a game that, if it were released today, wouldn't even have much success as freeware.  

Though, my personal opinion is that if you like a game, you ought to buy it simply for sentimental reasons.  Once I get a house, I'm gonna buy a nice bookshelf so I can put all my classic games on it.  You should see my Sierra collection.  It's quite big

/over 90% of the games I own are '94 or older  

[Striker]

Well Hero6 might not, but I do.  It's not like I'd ever point anyone to any place that has that might have that stuff  Besides, those ebay copies have been known to be damaged or in only half-working condition.  Take for example Brass's QFG anthology she bought off ebay, the QFG3 and 4 installs were corrupted.

[Pwincess]

I've purchased QFG 2-5, KQ 3-8, and quite a few other games from eBay and they've all arrived in perfect working condition.

[Jarrod]

I've purchased QFG 2-5, KQ 3-8, and quite a few other games from eBay and they've all arrived in perfect working condition.

Same here.  Purchased many other games as well in great condition.  

[lazygamer]

Totally agree with Phattie.

I am always shocked when I see people who treat abandonware like warez, I can never imagine how someone can hold such a belief.

I think alot of forums just discourage talk of abandonware to cover their asses. Since Pwincess is an admin, she must protect the forum by discouraging abandonware.

[Louisiana Night]

Besides, those ebay copies have been known to be damaged or in only half-working condition. Take for example Brass's QFG anthology she bought off ebay, the QFG3 and 4 installs were corrupted.

Ebay has those satisfaction ratings for a reason.

I am always shocked when I see people who treat abandonware like warez, I can never imagine how someone can hold such a belief.

If you made a game, and stopped supporting it after 5-10 years, and later decided to start selling it again... wouldn't you have a problem with the game(that you own) you're trying to sell, being owned by people that never payed for it(sounds like stolen property to me)?

but then again... I guess that those who don't care if the games start being sold/made again (by owners that find the game still has a market), won't buy their's legit.  

[Pwincess]

I think alot of forums just discourage talk of abandonware to cover their asses. Since Pwincess is an admin, she must protect the forum by discouraging abandonware.

All rank and privileges aside, there are still principles at stake.  I can't stand the idea of piracy.  I should clarify the difference between ?abandonware? and piracy.  My boyfriend bought the original copy and the expansion of Hidden and Dangerous approximately six years ago when it was released, however recently the company which produced the game have now made it publicly available for download.  In this situation, Hidden and Dangerous Deluxe (original game + expansion) is now classified as ?abandonware?.  This is not the case for QFG or KQ.  Since QFG and KQ have not been made publicly available by Sierra, they cannot be regarded as ?abandonware?, and thus anybody downloading these games from other sites are participating in the piracy process.  

If Sierra were to re-release the QFG or KQ series and charge double their original price (and I didn't own the games) I would immediately purchase them because I know that I am supporting the original creators, thus assisting Sierra/the original creators to make more sequels to these games.

In the case of games which are no longer supported by companies, people should still purchase these ?pre-loved? games through eBay, since just because the games are not new, it doesn?t mean that you shouldn?t pay for the goods.

Look at it this way:  we live on a pineapple farm and regularly have people stopping by and stealing one or two pineapples.  What people don't realise is that even though they are only taking one or two pineapples, in the over all scheme, hundreds of pineapples are being stolen from the farm each year.  It's exactly the same with computer games, music, etc.

Whether people are stealing one pineapple, two pineapples, or 2000 pineapples, theft is still theft.

[lazygamer]

If you made a game, and stopped supporting it after 5-10 years, and later decided to start selling it again... wouldn't you have a problem with the game(that you own) you're trying to sell, being owned by people that never payed for it(sounds like stolen property to me)?

I wouldn't be mad because those people who own it illegally didn't deprive me of any revenue during those 5-10 years. Now once the game was on the market again, I'd prefer people to buy it, but I kinda doubt whether people buy it or not would make a big impact on my finances. I couldn't charge alot for it, and there wouldn't be a big market for it. Also, many people would simply have no idea that this game was still available for sale.

Also, how often does this happen? It seems like most  abandonware games ARE abandonware, and their authors haven't bothered to start selling them again.

If Sierra were to re-release the QFG or KQ series and charge double their original price (and I didn't own the games) I would immediately purchase them because I know that I am supporting the original creators, thus assisting Sierra/the original creators to make more sequels to these games.

Are you absoloutely sure you are supporting the original creators? Just because Sierra owns the rights, doesn't mean they are paying the original creators(especially when alot of them probably don't even work there anymore).

All rank and privileges aside, there are still principles at stake. I can't stand the idea of piracy. I should clarify the difference between ?abandonware? and piracy. My boyfriend bought the original copy and the expansion of Hidden and Dangerous approximately six years ago when it was released, however recently the company which produced the game have now made it publicly available for download. In this situation, Hidden and Dangerous Deluxe (original game + expansion) is now classified as ?abandonware?. This is not the case for QFG or KQ. Since QFG and KQ have not been made publicly available by Sierra, they cannot be regarded as ?abandonware?, and thus anybody downloading these games from other sites are participating in the piracy process.

There is a difference between legal and moral definitions(to me at least). Even if Hidden and Dangerous wasn't made into abandonware, pirating it would be nothing like pirating it 6 years ago. Why do you think they made it abandonware? Not enough people were buying it.

In the case of games which are no longer supported by companies, people should still purchase these ?pre-loved? games through eBay, since just because the games are not new, it doesn?t mean that you shouldn?t pay for the goods.

Sorry Pwincess, this logic seriously baffles me. It's not about being old, it's about there being no original creators to give money to, or at least no company who owns the rights to give money to. Furthermore, there is only so many physical copies to go around. Many people probably wouldn't bother to put their unwanted ancient games on Ebay. If games are traded digitally, they can reach many more people, and they are far more likely to live on.

Look at it this way: we live on a pineapple farm and regularly have people stopping by and stealing one or two pineapples. What people don't realise is that even though they are only taking one or two pineapples, in the over all scheme, hundreds of pineapples are being stolen from the farm each year. It's exactly the same with computer games, music, etc.

Not exactly. See you probably live on a small pineapple farm, but the game, music, and movie makers operate these gigantic super pineapple farms.

Also, these gigantic farms don't sell every single pineapple they own, and end up throwing out some of their pineapples because of it. However, they will claim that every pineapple that was stolen was going to be sold at the market.

[Louisiana Night]

Also, how often does this happen?

Here's a starting list.

Return to Krondor=game makers made it freeware(minus the enhanced CD soundtrack)

Hidden and Dangerous: Deluxe(like Pwincess said)

Zork1-3(I believe they're freeware, but I'd have to check online to be sure)

Arena(the first game, in the Elder Scrolls/Morrowind series)

I won't start on all the freeware remakes/updates which are better than the originals(I consider Pingus better than Lemmings, as an example).

Then, while not freeware, these games were made for sell by PCgamer. These games are a package deal(and come with a magazine).

Kings Quest 1(original, not remake)
The Secret of Monkey Island(first in the series)
Need for Speed1(better than some/many of the sequels)
Ultima Underworld: The Stygian Abyss
X-com: UFO Defense
Ultima 1: The First Age of Darkness
Wing Commander(I consider it the prequel to Freelancer)
Alone in the Dark1
Duke Nukem II(the 2D game, kinda like Commander Keen)
Descent(one of the first internet games to catch on)
Links: The Challenge of Golf


I also THINK they are selling Monkey Island2, at great cost(almost $50 US)

Note
Since I don't subscribe to PCgamer anymore, their policy might have changed in the last few months(assuming it hasn't, these games and more, are available in a back issue of PCgamer, last time I checked $30 US).

P.S. If anyone wants links, or a larger list(in a new thread), just ask(assuming it's okay with Hero6).

[Pwincess]

Shread my post as much as you want Lazy, since legally, if you do obtain illegal copies of games, music, etc, and are busted, you will be slapped with a nice fine or time in prison.

Btw, there is a difference between morals and the law, however we need to abide by the law in this society.

And Lazy, we don't keep every pineapple, the rotten ones get thrown out.

[lazygamer]

Louisana Night it seems like you are listing games that were made freeware. I was wondering about games that haven't been sold for years being made for sale again.  

That PCgamer bundle list is a good example though. The point I'm trying to make is that even if there are incidents of games being sold again after many years, there is hundreds of games that are still not being resold.

Shread my post as much as you want Lazy, since legally, if you do obtain illegal copies of games, music, etc, and are busted, you will be slapped with a nice fine or time in prison.

I am well aware this stuff is not legal. Actually in Canada...

http://news.com.com/2100-1027_3-5182641.html


So if people are susposed to get busted and charged/fined for piracy, why did the RIAA launch all those lawsuits? Obviously the federal government of the US wasn't doing enough to catch those dastardly pirates...

Btw, there is a difference between morals and the law, however we need to abide by the law in this society.

The idea is that we never let law totally determine all of our morals.  Although I suppose laws are often formed due to morals, and morals are often formed due to laws.