I put my Rome : Total War disc in my laptop the other night. It installed okay but when I tried to start the game (with a RTW disc in the drive) ... nothing happened. It worked fine the previous time I tried it, but that was a couple of years ago. Having googled the issue it has something to do with a recent Windows update which renders older disc copies of the game useless. I didn't understand it and I didn't try to, something to do with copy protection. But will the Total War series ever come to GoG ?

That doesn't seem probable at the moment. They are on Steam though if you are so inclined, and had been in some Humble Bundles pretty cheaply IIRC (Steam keys).

Which Windows version do you use (7 / 8.1 /10)? At least in 7 you should be able to let the failing SecuROM etc. games to work with certain commands (sorry I don't recall right now), and I also understood you could validate some needed driver manually even in 10 (JMich might remember).

Or is this some separate issue? Damn Microsoft messing with my old games...

Thanks for replying. I use Windows 7.

I think it's a separate issue to do with recent Windows updates and applies even to Windows 7 users who have kept their machines up to date. I don't understand all this stuff so don't waste your time blinding me with computer science :) As I say, I successfully installed the game the other night but when I tried to play it, my computer wouldn't even recognise the disc. I have the oldest version (the original release) and this requires a copy protection check which newer versions don't require. The latest Windows updates have got rid of a program which the old RTW discs need to run, or something like that. Anyway, it's a known issue. Godforsaken DRM strikes again !

I do not want to buy the game from Steam if I can help it. Apparently I can edit my Windows registry (each time I play the game) to get round the problem, but I'm not prepared to risk that.

Download SECDRV.sys from the net, and then self-sign it?
It should work in theory on Win10

http://www.opendll.com/index.php?file-download=secdrv.sys&arch=64bit&version=4.3.86.0&dsc=Macrovision-SECURITY-Driver

http://www.ngohq.com/?page=dseo

Yeah it was like that for the copy protection problem too. That is even why the GOG version of Flatout stopped working in Windows 7, the game still somehow relied on that copy protection driver even if it was inert (GOG fixed that later) because MS blocked it with some update. It was possible to get the game to run with certain commands though. You might have to reboot Windows 7 afterwards though.

And then for Windows 8.1 and 10, maybe it was that driver signing thingie that dewtech mentioned that may work. I haven't tried it because I am still on Windows 7 too.

However, I asked if this is some separate issue because I recall someone recently reporting that some retail game stopped working for him in Windows 7, due to some recent MS update (or then it was you in some other thread :)). I got the impression it was not related to the aforementioned driver thingie, but was something else. That guy fixed it by uninstalling the clashing MS updates, I think, but that sounds like a dirty workaround that may have downsides too.

Sorry I am so vague with this all, I don't recall all the details... Hopefully someone will fill in the remaining blanks like dewtech did, or if I find those earlier threads in this forum...

This reminds me when games used to come on discs. The whole game on a disc. I know, shocking.

Young people must have no idea what I'm talking about.

Don't you need steam to play games?

It's okay, thanks very much for the feedback :) I'm not even confident that the Steam versions of RTW and MTW2 will run properly tbh, otherwise I would probably buy them there. When I read the forums there I hear all sorts of complaints about various things, e.g. very low frame rates on new machines, but lots of different issues too, so I have no confidence in buying these games from Steam, and I would rather buy from GoG anyway. It would be great if GoG could get these games at some time in the future, but I'm guessing that the general silence implies that it won't happen ? Another great game (which I paid good money for) goes down the drain then :(

Maybe.

They belong to SEGA.

I'm still staring at my Empire Total War download code. Wtf is this!?

The way of the future. That code is your money condensed into a tiny stream of characters, and if your lucky a possibility of being allowed to play a game. To be honest in this situation, assuming you legally purchase it, would not a patch work on it to remove that. I myself actually brought the games up to and including M2, and have the Eras boxset. After that they went all steam, so dropped the series, but, if I wanted to play it now I don't see any reason not to apply patches, some companies even release patches themselves to remove it, although with these I think you need to find an alternative one. Its not like your going to get any support for the maker on this, and unlikely to see them appear on DRM sites.

Everyone in the world without a fast internet connection can piss off, you should be at Gog right now. Okay, deal. :)

You forgot the codes for:
- elite units of the east
- elite units of the west
- elite units of america
- warpath campaign
- special forces units & bonus content

Welcome to the future :)

I applaud your solution to your problem. Bringing the Total War series to GoG makes total sense and would resolve your problem.
I already voted for them, and have been waiting patiently for that joyful day. I am still waiting. And waiting...

Also it would be very grand if gog would bring Linux versions of Medieval 2: Total War and Empire: Total War (from Feral). Heck even Atila with its native Linux version would be grand although its just a shade of a Total War game.