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General discussionRelease: Quake II + III, Wolfenstein 3D, Return to Castle Wolfenstein(806 posts)(806 posts)
(806 posts)
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This is my favourite topic
Posted October 01, 2015
FPS Immortals are here.

Quake II: Quad Damage, Quake III: Gold, Return to Castle Wolfenstein, Wolfenstein 3D and Spear of Destiny - are available now, DRM-free on GOG.com. You can pick them up at 33% off in two bundles:
<span class="bold">Quake Damage</span> & <span class="bold">Return to Wolfenstein</span>.





Wolfenstein 3D (with Spear of Destiny) is widely considered to be the first true 3D FPS ever. It single handedly kickstarted a generation of id Software greats, and thus influenced just about every FPS we've played ever since. Its mazes, shades of gray, and blue hues are burned into the collective gaming memory - plus you get to kill a mechanized Hitler. Classic.
In the early days of FPS gaming, Quake II: Quad Damage was the milestone. In a spot-on review from 1997, GameSpot calls it "the only first-person shooter to render the original Quake entirely obsolete." It was bigger, better, prettier, and smoother than any clone or predecessor - it also offered one of the most playable, and by far most popular multiplayer experiences of its day.
Quake III: Gold, aka. multiplayer revolution. Despite a controversial removal of the lauded single-player experience the series was known for, Quake III: Arena became a smash-hit and (together with Unreal Tournament) essentially defined arena-style, movement-based competitive gaming for years. The shooter spawned a community that's been living and breathing to this day.
In B.J. Blazkowicz's Return to Castle Wolfenstein, another legend is born. A unique, objective-based multiplayer mode saw immense popularity back in the day - and it was actually pretty okay if you're into that sort of thing. The single-player campaign is a dark, somewhat ridiculous freak show of morbid, scientific fantasy. An ever present sense of dread emanates from the disturbing experiments and cult-like universe, just waiting to be set afire - by you.


As with any Bethesda purchase, you'll also get The Elder Scrolls: Arena & Daggerfall for free!


Prepare to fight in Quake II: Quad Damage, Quake III: Gold, Return to Castle Wolfenstein, Wolfenstein 3D and Spear of Destiny - now DRM-free on GOG.com. Return to the FPS immortals at 33% off in two bundles: <span class="bold">Quake Damage</span> & <span class="bold">Return to Wolfenstein</span>. The promo will last for one week, until October 8, 12:59 PM GMT.



The four titles released today are not available for purchase in Germany. These are legal restrictions that are beyond our control, and we're very sorry for the inconvenience.
Posted October 03, 2015
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InfraSuperman: No, but then again, the unedited version of it was also never officially banned or blacklisted in Germany...
Just an additon to clarify:
If a game gets no USK rating you can't sell it in Germany in a public way like a store. Even if it's rated by PEGI. This fits to nearly all non GER versions like UK versions. In other words: 98% of all games here at GOG.

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InfraSuperman: something ridiculous like "Hundsfelsen 4D" for "Wolfenstein 3D".
Wolkenstein 4D *laugh*

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Fredo137: I further assume that the game publisher has much bigger market power than GOG, so they would not argue with the publisher about clarifying or settling some potential legal issues in Germany.
And regional locks seem to be the easier (and quicker) solution than to start some legal efforts.
Bethesda ist the worldwide only publisher that uses region locks for Germany!!!
Post edited October 03, 2015 by classic-gamer
Posted October 03, 2015
If a game gets no USK rating you can't sell it in Germany in a public way like a store. Even if it's rated by PEGI. This fits to nearly all non GER versions like UK versions. In other words: 98% of all games here at GOG.
No. As long as it is "functionally identical" they are covered by the German USK rating. This covers 99,5% of the games on here.
Bethesda ist the worldwide only publisher that uses region locks for Germany!!!
No. The Dead Island games for example are all region locked on Steam.
Posted October 04, 2015
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E_A: No. As long as it is "functionally identical" they are covered by the German USK rating. This covers 99,5% of the games on here.
What is "functionally identical" and who decides it? A translation can be "not funcionally identical". Many german games are cut.
When you see what Bethesda is doing with games like Q3A, GOG can't sell any not USK rated version, just to be sure it's not against German Law.
So, where is the legal certainty? This is the question. There is a big legal limbo.

BTW: GOG is selling a lot of games to german customers which they may not sell without age verification. GOG definitely is breaking German Laws.

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E_A: No. The Dead Island games for example are all region locked on Steam.
Ok, it's the one with most region locked games.
Can you play and install Dead Island with german IP? Wolfenstein TNO uncut definetly not.
Posted October 04, 2015
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InfraSuperman: No, but then again, the unedited version of it was also never officially banned or blacklisted in Germany...
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classic-gamer: Just an additon to clarify:
If a game gets no USK rating you can't sell it in Germany in a public way like a store.
You can, but then it's automatically only for adults and some stores might refuse to sell it. However, the key element here is that any game or movie that doesn't have a USK or an FSK rating is "free" to be blacklisted by the BPJM. This regulation is in effect since they changed the laws in 2003.
Before then, anything could be pulled off the shelves by them, whether it had a rating or not, as FSK/USK assessments were merely considered to be "suggestions". Now they're legally binding.

It doesn't happen often anymore nowadays, probably due to cowardly publishers and distributors, but there have been cases of games simply being sold "unrated" by major stores until they got put on the index, such as Total Overdose. Similarly, this also happened to movies like Planet Terror or Crank 2 (although they weren't entirely unrated due to the SPIO/JK being involved, but that's just an insurance against possible legal repercussions, if I'm not mistaken).

There's also the curious case of Clive Barker's Jericho. The USK originally refused to rate it, so Codemasters simply went and sold it without a "seal of approval". A few months later, the game got submitted to the BPJM, who, in a surprising move, decided that its content was not actually harmful to minors and so didn't blacklist it. As a result, the USK pretty much had to give it their official "18" rating in a second examination process.
Posted October 04, 2015
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InfraSuperman: You can, but then it's automatically only for adults and some stores might refuse to sell it.
In a store like Media Markt where Kids can see them?
Posted October 04, 2015
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InfraSuperman: You can, but then it's automatically only for adults and some stores might refuse to sell it.
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classic-gamer: In a store like Media Markt where Kids can see them?
Yes, that's where I bought my copy of Total Overdose back then. They sold it right along the regular USK 18 titles.
Posted October 04, 2015

If a game gets no USK rating you can't sell it in Germany in a public way like a store. Even if it's rated by PEGI. This fits to nearly all non GER versions like UK versions. In other words: 98% of all games here at GOG.
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E_A: No. As long as it is "functionally identical" they are covered by the German USK rating. This covers 99,5% of the games on here.

Bethesda ist the worldwide only publisher that uses region locks for Germany!!!
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E_A: No. The Dead Island games for example are all region locked on Steam.
Unrated games aren't covered by a USK rating they are simple rated 18 without any restrictions but can get indexed this also counts for different plattforms. A game which got rated USK 18 for PC is not automatically rated USK 18 for XBox One.
Official source because on the internet people always try to argue http://www.usk.de/extramenue/login/publisher/start/faqs-fuer-publisher/

What is your definition of a regionlock? Not available in the german Steamstore? Then yes it is regionlocked for you. But regarding Steam most people define a regionlock with the block of a activation for keys which is definitly not the case when it comes to Dead Island, Dead Island Riptide or Dying Light.
Posted October 04, 2015
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Glamdring7: I'm sure the restriction for German customers must be very annoying to them, but you must understand GOG's position here, caught between the game makers having included certain content within the game and the German Law having banned such content and anything else containing such content. So unless the game makers offer a "German Law compatible" version of the game, GOG's hands are pretty much tied.
Then again there's always VPNs ;)
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classic-gamer: What will you say when you'll have to activate your next game, need to install Galaxy for SP, must be online while playing or get a region lock in your next installer?
There are more and more principles that don't exist anymore for GOG. All these mentioned things WILL come in future if you support such things. Especially Bethesda is a company that likes to treat adults like a child. E.g. Wolfenstein TNO has a region lock for Germany although there is no need and no conflict with German Law. EVERY other game with Hankenkreuzen (swastika) hasn't such restrictions. You as a gamer should say "NO" to something like this and don't don't support it.

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Shambhala: Second, the region locking and the removal of files aren't good, I agree, but it's still way better than not having the game.
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classic-gamer: See above. Would you say this would be better than nothing?
Other example: What would be better: 20 new games with activation, region lock, Galaxy for SP and/or to be online for playing or 10 new games with nothing of this -> classic GOG?
You have the power shape the future here on GOG. Don't buy such games and GOG will become more "GOG classic" like, buy it and GOG will become another Steam clone.

BTW: the retails of all id/Bethesda games released here are more DRM free than here, e.g. you can buy or sell them used.
Your argument falls apart once you realize GOG doesn't ever really have a reason to add DRM except for company suicide. There are still hundreds of titles out there they can sell without breaking that 'holy principle', the one they started and based their whole store on. They have ZERO reason to add it, and they know this.

If they wanted to do that, they would have done it already. Having these games here at all IS better than not having them. Regional locking is an unfortunate reality that apparently GOG can only do so much about. DRM is something they CAN continue to say no to.

Another reason GOG will always stand out is the manner in which they release their games, rarely do we get absolute shovelware here, and more often than not even really good indies seem to have trouble getting on GOG. Older games are usually tweaked and ready to play on modern computers. Games are also released in smaller doses here, allowing the releases to 'have their turn in the spotlight', Steam does none of this. The only games Valve personally manages are their own.

Stop being dramatic. All German users bothered by this should really e-mail GOG AND Bethesda.
Posted October 04, 2015
Awesome that Quake II and the other id-games are released. Yeah, it's disappointed that german users like me can't buying them. But we can happy that these games are on gog now! :-)

Has Quake II a soundtrack on gog?

(sorry for my english ;-))
Posted October 04, 2015
cant wait for quake 4 that was the game with a decent story to play sadly it lacked the multiplayer side that quake 3 had and fell apart like its cousin unreal 2 both are excellent games to play
Posted October 04, 2015
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JKHSawyer: Stop being dramatic. All German users bothered by this should really e-mail GOG AND Bethesda.
And you really think this helps? You don't think it would not really interest the companies if some customers write a nice mail, even if their number is a little bit higher? The only thing matters is the customer reaction, so this is the right place.
Posted October 04, 2015
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JKHSawyer: Stop being dramatic. All German users bothered by this should really e-mail GOG AND Bethesda.
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throgh: And you really think this helps? You don't think it would not really interest the companies if some customers write a nice mail, even if their number is a little bit higher? The only thing matters is the customer reaction, so this is the right place.
This does jack shit.
Posted October 04, 2015
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throgh: And you really think this helps? You don't think it would not really interest the companies if some customers write a nice mail, even if their number is a little bit higher? The only thing matters is the customer reaction, so this is the right place.
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JKHSawyer: This does jack shit.
To be right clear: From my experience it does exactly notthing convincing companies. It is more helpful having the customers equipped with information so they can act. Calling for a higher instance - nothing more would be GOG or Bethesda here - doesn't really change anything. But if the products are not bought at all, what then? But if you made other experience, good for you. No reason to be unfriendly!: Perhabs you recognized the question marks? :-)
Post edited October 04, 2015 by throgh
Posted October 04, 2015
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DanielRuf: Normally GOG has to verify the age. So they are already breaking the laws (Jugendschutz or protection of minors).
Uh yeah, no. § 14 JuSchG *only* applies to Trägermedien. This does not apply to GOG's offers.

I would like to point out that the JuSchG is not the primary concern here, actually. Most of what the law says would have limited applicability to GOG offering the content of a Trägermedium online. However, the specific paragraphs in the StGB, in this case, § 131 StGB and § 86a StGB remain untouched.
Posted October 04, 2015
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Nergal01: No. Probably because EA doesn't really care. >_>
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Elmofongo: Oh sell a game in Germany where it shows ACTUAL Nazis in the most realistic and historical context imaginable and no one bats and eye.

But sell a game with a very fictionilzed portrayal of Nazis (Nazi Zombies with Chain Guns in their belly) and all hell breaks loose in Germany :P

If I was living in Germany I move somewhere else. France, UK, whatever.
Hey, it's not all bad in Germany. Yes, the censorship because of the fact that Germany will alwayws be nazi land (even though I was not even born then) sucks big but at least we can enjoy alcohol in public and we also can enjoy nude women even on free TV without being censored :) Every country has its on restrictions. Yes, ours are ridiculous but others (as the mentioned forbidden nude people) imo are too. And we have great beer, cars and after all we are world champion (at least in the moment). No, not all is bad :)

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Elmofongo: Oh sell a game in Germany where it shows ACTUAL Nazis in the most realistic and historical context imaginable and no one bats and eye.

But sell a game with a very fictionilzed portrayal of Nazis (Nazi Zombies with Chain Guns in their belly) and all hell breaks loose in Germany :P

If I was living in Germany I move somewhere else. France, UK, whatever.
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Nergal01: To be honest, I'm surprised that nobody at EA either noticed the potential legal trouble or they simply don't care enough to do anything about it. Warner Bros. is a similar case. They have Mortal Kombat 1-3 and the uncut versions of the first 2 F.E.A.R. games here, which, under normal circumstances, wouldn't be available to German customers, either. Heck, Mortal Kombat 1-3 even vanished from the catalogue for German users for a few hours, until they returned. Probably because GOG asked Warner Bros. what to do about it and WB simply told them to keep the games available to German customers.

Warner Bros. in general seem to be pretty chill about this kind of thing lately. When Mortal Kombat X was released, nobody in Germany doubted that the game would be indexed like its predecessor. The level of violence certainly hasn't gone down between installments. Warner Bros. was like: "Look, we can't offer it on the German Steam store for legal reasons...but we aren't gonna region lock the game either. So if you can get hold of a code, use it and have fun."

Since then, the BPjM (the agency in charge of indexing media that are considered harmful to minors) has decided not to index Mortal Kombat X, and Warner Bros. made the game officially available on Steam for German users. Happy ending. :)
To sell a game that is on the index is absolutely not the same as to sell a game which contains unconstitutional symbols and therefore is against German law in the sense of it being listed in the StGB. This will be the problem in Germany as long as games are not considered to be art as well. The fun thing is that EVRERY German can watch let's plays of Wolfenstein on youtube and I am quite sure that every German would be able to get this old game for free in mere seconds so this restriction does not work at all - it's simply there because it has to be according to German law. It's just ridiculous!
Post edited October 04, 2015 by MarkoH01
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This is my favourite topic
Community
General discussionRelease: Quake II + III, Wolfenstein 3D, Return to Castle Wolfenstein(806 posts)(806 posts)
(806 posts)