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GOG News and Updates 2011

Stumpokapow said:
if we're starting a round of Westwood title begging, I vote for the supremely underrated Dune 2000.
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That was underrated? Everyone I heard about it from in its heyday told me that is was pretty much Jesus on PC. I resisted and played my copy of Dune 1 on CD. Harrumph!
 
Minsc said:
It's Westwood Studios, that's reason enough right there! :) But I guess it's just one of those games I remember seeming pretty interesting at the time and never got around to, but can't place why anymore, possibly I only had the demo from a PC magazine or something, searching says you had some LAN and one of the campaigns in the demo. So, maybe less get back and more play through for the first time. From the description it's a more linear Diablo (no backtracking) with fog-of-war, and three separate campaigns. That and it's just one of those games you see people write somewhat frequently when talking about what game's you'd like to see on GOG. I do like the look of it from the screenshots as well.
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As much as a PC RPG fan that I used to be I don't hae Nox and don't recall ever being interested in it back in the day either. I'm not sure why other than possibly it was marketed as more of an action game than an arpg. Looking forward to some impressions.
 
Sunflower said:
That was underrated? Everyone I heard about it from in its heyday told me that is was pretty much Jesus on PC. I resisted and played my copy of Dune 1 on CD. Harrumph!
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The one everyone calls Jesus on PC is Dune 2. They later on released another Dune RTS called Dune 2000 which unfortunately didn't get much love at all. A lot of people complained about the graphics but actually I think Tiberian Sun is the only Westwood game that seemed like it had good graphics for the time to me, and Tiberian Sun wasn't really any good!
 
larvi said:
As much as a PC RPG fan that I used to be I don't hae Nox and don't recall ever being interested in it back in the day either. I'm not sure why other than possibly it was marketed as more of an action game than an arpg. Looking forward to some impressions.
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Looks like the MP service is dead (obviously) but the MP was probably a big component because it was more of what you would find in FPS fare rather than Diablo's coop with some PVP on the side. There literally were DM, CTF, KOTH games (IIRC, CTF defense with a wizard was pretty fun). I think for SP YMMV, but at least each class had it's own campaign.

Stumpokapow said:
if we're starting a round of Westwood title begging, I vote for the supremely underrated Dune 2000.
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Isn't that really just Dune 2 but updated mechanics to match I think TibSun?

If anything, I want to see Emperor on GOG. That was probably the only good RTS to come from EA at the time along with RA2.
 
Sober said:
Looks like the MP service is dead (obviously) but the MP was probably a big component because it was more of what you would find in FPS fare rather than Diablo's coop with some PVP on the side. There literally were DM, CTF, KOTH games (IIRC, CTF defense with a wizard was pretty fun). I think for SP YMMV, but at least each class had it's own campaign.
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The MP is, however, mentioned in GoG's blurb for the title. I assume it's still *theoretically* viable.


Edit: Ah, they've since changed the blurb. Unfortunate. Mind you, I wonder if funky tunnelling stuff could work.
 
Dune 2000 was awesome. The only RTS where I played through the whole campaign.

It maybe not much more than a reskinned C&C, but I loved Dune and I never liked C&C. Maybe it's the straight forward gameplay of Dune 2000.
 
They have to put every westwood game in gog:

- BattleTech: The Crescent Hawk's Inception (1988)
- BattleTech: The Crescent Hawk's Revenge (1990)
- Blade Runner (1997, computer game film adaptation)
- Circuit's Edge (1990, adaptation of George Alec Effinger's novel When Gravity Fails)
- Command & Conquer series (1995–2002, up to Command & Conquer: Yuri's Revenge and Command & Conquer: Renegade)
- DragonStrike (1990)
- Dune series (1992, 1998, 2001, based on David Lynch's 1984 movie Dune)
- Earth & Beyond (2002)
- Eye of the Beholder series (1990, 1991, minus Assault on Myth Drannor)
- Lands of Lore series (1993–1999)
- Mars Saga (1988)
- The Legend of Kyrandia series (1992, 1993, 1994)
- The Lion King (1994)
- Monopoly (1995)
- Nox (2000)
- Resident Evil (1996, Windows port, uncredited)

So awesome.

Longer list: http://www.mobygames.com/browse/games/westwood-studios-inc/
 
NOX seems to be working perfectly for me on win7 64 bit. I ran into no problems in a quick 10 min play session.

Can't wait to fully dive in, I bought it back in the day but my comp was too slow to run it.
 
Blade Runner would be nice, never played that and everyone says it's awesome :)
 
Nox is probably the best non-diablo diabloish game. Even ignoring all other considerations, the game just feels good to play. Extremely well designed mechanics and fun action to be had. I'm not entirely sure what kind of engine it runs on either, but still aesthetically pleasing to this day as well. Played the hell out of multiplayer back in the day.

Basically what I'm saying is that I still have a massive erection for Nox to this day.
 
JoeMartin said:
Nox is probably the best non-diablo diabloish game. Even ignoring all other considerations, the game just feels good to play. Extremely well designed mechanics and fun action to be had. I'm not entirely sure what kind of engine it runs on either, but still aesthetically pleasing to this day as well. Played the hell out of multiplayer back in the day.

Basically what I'm saying is that I still have a massive erection for Nox to this day.
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The controls and mechanics are terrible and it doesn't feel like or play like Diablo at all.

Kind of disappointed with it, since evryone was talking it up. I think nostalgia is getting the best of people.
 
JoeMartin said:
Even ignoring all other considerations, the game just feels good to play. Extremely well designed mechanics and fun action to be had.
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LocoMrPollock said:
The controls and mechanics are terrible and it doesn't feel like or play like Diablo at all.
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Oh man, so how we gonna settle this one? Fight to the death?
 
LocoMrPollock said:
The controls and mechanics are terrible and it doesn't feel like or play like Diablo at all.
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It plays roughly like diablo, though definitely far more fast paced with a lot more active abilities to manage.

And nostalgia is definitely not getting the best of me here. The balance is good and the action is fast even today. Official EA servers no longer exist, but they handed over the server stuff to the fan run Nox forums a while ago and people still play (a lot of Koreans, mostly).

But sure, if you were expecting 100% diablo and didn't get just that I'd be disappointed too. But the game is more active than diablo was and that takes an adjustment.
 
Sunflower said:
That was underrated? Everyone I heard about it from in its heyday told me that is was pretty much Jesus on PC. I resisted and played my copy of Dune 1 on CD. Harrumph!
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Dune 2000 got absolutely destroyed in the press. The fan reaction wasnt much better. Personally, even though the game was Dune 2 updated, i enjoyed it. i didnt pay full price for it though but that was through circumstance and not because i awaited a price drop.
 
water_wendi said:
Dune 2000 got absolutely destroyed in the press. The fan reaction wasnt much better. Personally, even though the game was Dune 2 updated, i enjoyed it.
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Likewise. It had a nice soundtrack and John Rhys-Davies as the Atreides mentat, there was only a certain amount I could really hate it.

Gameplay was also solid (though, 'oldschool' even for the time) but more importantly introduced me to the universe itself. Man I loved those first three books.
 
Catshade said:
Ultima 4+5+6 is up now for $5.99

Yes, they repackaged it with the free Ultima 4.
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I guess it's not so bad if you look at their reasoning, and it turns out to be true that they're doing 7+8+9 in a single trilogy release:

Ultima 4: Quest of the Avatar is already released and available for free on GOG.com. You can read the description of the game in the previous news post. Why is it included in this game pack? Well, the Ultima series breaks down into three trilogies, and it seemed a shame to break up the lovely symmetry.

...

Play the full “second” trilogy of Ultima 4+5+6! Now available DRM-free on GOG.com for $5.99.
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It doesn't flat out say the third trilogy will be a single release as well, but they do seem to be grouping them together that way.
 
The third trilogy being a single release would be wonderful, but I doubt it. There's just too much game in Ultima 7 ( & part 2 ) for me to see it as anything other than a standalone title. If they did do the third trilogy as a single release, I *really* doubt they'll go with the $6 pricepoint they've done with all other EA games. Still, GoG have surprised me in the past.


I'd personally suggest that while this trilogy only effectively contains two games, it's still a better deal than the 1-2-3 trilogy. 5's a good expansion from 4 (and an excellent continuation of the underlying themes in that title), and 6 is a massive leap ahead.
 
mclem said:
The third trilogy being a single release would be wonderful, but I doubt it. There's just too much game in Ultima 7 ( & part 2 ) for me to see it as anything other than a standalone title.
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Moreover, there has never been a boxed edition of the third trilogy, whereas there was one for the first and second one (and a I-VI collection too). This is not a rule GOG has to follow, but I don't think they'll go the bundle route for the last three games.

For those who have Dungeon Siege in their collection, they should try out the total conversions that recreate Ultima V & Ultima VI using DS engine. I think some of the charm of the originals gets lost in translation, but it's a good way to get into Ultima's universe without having to fight with clunky interfaces (and since Ultima V and VI are clearly ahead of their time in regards of gameplay mechanics, their original interfaces aren't on par with what the games offer).
 
Oh. I came in here to blather about really, really needing them to release The Legend of Kyrandia and Hand of Fate, but I see that's already been taken care of.
 
They could treat Ultima 7 as a trilogy in and of itself with the black gate, serpent isle and the forge of virtue. I could seem them skipping 8 & 9 all together.
 
Hey guys what is Ultima 4-6 like? Are the games so archaic they are hard to play? Would quite like someones perspective as I have never played any of them.
 
Haden said:
Hey guys what is Ultima 4-6 like? Are the games so archaic they are hard to play? Would quite like someones perspective as I have never played any of them.
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They probably are too old for you, unfortunately. They are amazing, AMAZING games however.

You might want to check out the sega master system version of Ultima 4 since it places it into more comfortable jrpg trappings

For Ultima 5 check out the Ultima V: Lazarus mod for dungeon siege

I can't wait for Gog to have to try to sell Ultima 9 with a straight face. And claim that it "works" on Windows 7 with a big asterisk next to it "*relatively speaking"
 
Will definitely buy Ultima 7-9 if they release it as a pack. Awesome, awesome games.

Building a stairway with boxes to the smiths chimney in 7 and finding out what lies behind too good.
 
Haden said:
Hey guys what is Ultima 4-6 like? Are the games so archaic they are hard to play? Would quite like someones perspective as I have never played any of them.
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FWIW 4 is still free so you can try that one out easily. Yes, it's archaic: There are like twenty different commands with seperate keys to perform them. To talk to people you type keywords and hope you get a response. On the other hand, it's quite forgiving since you can't die, if you're killed you just return to Lord British. Maybe you lose a level or some money or something, I don't remember. Just walking around and trying stuff out until you get the hang of it works well if you have the patience.

I approach it almost like a puzzle game, trying to figure out who holds the clue to where the shrines lie and what their mantra are is fun. In a simple but tricky sort of way.


I still need to try 5 and 6, will do that when I get some more free time.
 
Why would anyone care about the early Ultimas when GOG has Baldur's Gate 2 complete for 10 bucks, including the fantastic soundtrack? Seriously?
 
Sinatar said:
They could treat Ultima 7 as a trilogy in and of itself with the black gate, serpent isle and the forge of virtue. I could seem them skipping 8 & 9 all together.
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And man oh man, what a trilogy it was - truly the best RPG in terms of depth, scale and just everything about it.

What an amazing time Ultima 7 was.
 
Bufbaf said:
Why would anyone care about the early Ultimas when GOG has Baldur's Gate 2 complete for 10 bucks, including the fantastic soundtrack? Seriously?
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Because Ultima's a slightly different experience. More puzzly.
 
Popstar said:
Ultima 7 and Ultima 7:Part 2 are separate games (each with an expansion pack, Forge of Virtue / The Silver Seed) so they have a third trilogy if they just add Ultima 8.

I believe Ultima 7: Part 2 was only called that instead of being Ultima 8 because Richard Garriot had promised every Ultima would have a new game engine.
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GoG is referring to the fact that each triptych of games forms a separate set of stories with recurring themes; the Age of Darkness, the Age of Enlightenment and Age of Armageddon. You couldn't really leave out 9 without breaking the trilogy.

Besides, selling 7 with 9 sweetens the pill a lot.
 
I've never bought anything from GOG before, but I saw that they added the Ultima games recently. I'm curious, with these older games on GOG, are they pretty easy to set up? Have the basically modernized them to run on current PC without hassle? Main reason I haven't just found a way to play them on my own before, is I don't wanna fuck around with DOSBox, and try to figure out settings.
 
My only complaint with VII would be that forge of virtue (and the black sword) turn you into an unstoppable killing machine which lops off heads before you even realize you're in combat,
and can even kill lord british.
 
Yuripaw said:
I've never bought anything from GOG before, but I saw that they added the Ultima games recently. I'm curious, with these older games on GOG, are they pretty easy to set up? Have the basically modernized them to run on current PC without hassle? Main reason I haven't just found a way to play them on my own before, is I don't wanna fuck around with DOSBox, and try to figure out settings.
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They ship preconfigured DOSBox configurations (and the program itself) in the installers, just install and play. Very neat :) I suppose that some PC's might require changing some setting if there's a problem but I don't think I've had to do that myself yet.
 
GOG Apogee software 50% off

Ends on Monday, September 12 at 11:59 p.m. EDT

Blake Stone: Aliens of Gold $2.99
Blake Stone: Planet Strike $2.99
Duke Nukem 3D: Atomic Edition $2.99
Duke Nukem: Manhattan Project $2.99
Rise of the Triad: Dark War $2.99

I've been wanting to play RoTT for a long time, so it's on.
 
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