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General discussion (archive)GoG.com general question / Outlaws: LucasArts(28 posts)(28 posts)
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Posted December 27, 2008
Hello! First time poster on the wonderfull gog.com!
Just a question that I was interested in. Where do gog.com get the permission to release these games? Does it cost them to buy, modify, optimise and eventually sell these games?
I was just wondering what the criteria is to host a game on gog.com and why the games that are availiable. Are availiable!
But more game orientated question is that I have been searching all over for a copy (UK) of LucasArts masterpiece that was "Outlaws".
If you haven't heard of it:
"Outlaws is a first-person shooter released by LucasArts in 1997 using an enhanced version of the Jedi game engine, first seen in Star Wars: Dark Forces. It is one of the very few FPS games with a Wild West setting. CG animation sequences, with special filters to look hand drawn, play between each mission and set up the action in the next area."
[url=http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Outlaws_(computer_game]http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Outlaws_(computer_game[/url])
I loved this game so much when I was younger and wondered if it would ever make a triumphant return to a PC near you.
PS
Thanks gog.com and PC Gamer for my free games!!
Posted December 27, 2008
They get(buy) permission from whomever owns the rights to the game. There is certainly an expense involved in preparing the games for distribution and distributing them.
You should check the wishlist thread about Outlaws. It's stickied at the top of this forum.
They will not discuss the acquisition of a game before it has been acquired because doing so could negatively impact their chances of acquiring it.
Post edited December 27, 2008 by LordZ
Posted December 27, 2008
high rated
Welcome:)
Here are the answers:
To make games available on GOG.com we need to contact rights owners, usually publishers, but also quite often directly developers and persuade them to sell us their games. When it is done we sign a deal, guarantee minimal incomes (here comes our expenses, and our hope that enough people will buy prepaid games;). Of course our tech team has to make sure that games will work on modern OS, this take some additional efforts. Same arranging additional materials like guides, wallpapers, soundtracks. And here new title come;)
The most difficult task is to persuade different companies to take money from us (usually developers are more keen to get additional revenues), especially that the bigger company is, the more frightened is that due to lack of DRM somebody will stole their 5-10 bucks, 5-15 years old games and distribute it freely in the internet (somehow they don't realize that they are already available in the net from the date of the release;)
But we constantly and stubbornly knock to different doors asking for content and step by step we manage to build our catalog.
Regarding games we add. We basically using our knowledge and we browse our wishlist. Basically we look for titles which were remembered.
And regarding Outlaws from Lucasarts. That’s though one. I mean Lucas;) We, of course, knocked those doors too, but I wouldn’t expect to have Lucas games soon.
I the meantime;) enjoy our current selection. More games are coming every week. Nearest are not FPS, but pretty nice adventures, but then, who knows;)
Post edited December 27, 2008 by Mikee
Posted December 27, 2008
:)) One post, two answers, same time. Thanks LordZ:)
Posted December 27, 2008
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ShowMeTheMonkey: But more game orientated question is that I have been searching all over for a copy (UK) of LucasArts masterpiece that was "Outlaws".

I could have sworn I saw it in a store the other day. Lucasarts actually does keep many of their old titles alive themselves.
Posted December 27, 2008
Mikee, is it seeming to get easier to acquire games from developers as more and more people make accounts/buy games at GOG.com?
I mean, if games are selling well, then you have the data to make your case for the viability of the service, yeah?
Posted December 27, 2008
This question could probably use its own thread but as we are asking questions anyway I shall post it here. Games that Gog.com acquire and then sell, are they always going to be avalible or can developers/publishers still pull games out even after you sell them? I'm talking maybe 2-5 years into the future.
Posted December 28, 2008
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Ralackk: This question could probably use its own thread but as we are asking questions anyway I shall post it here. Games that Gog.com acquire and then sell, are they always going to be avalible or can developers/publishers still pull games out even after you sell them? I'm talking maybe 2-5 years into the future.

According to GOG's "About Us" page:
"...Once you download a game, you can install it on any PC and re-download it whenever you want, as many times as you need..."
It doesn't specifically say that the games can't be pulled by the publishers, but it does seem to imply that.
Posted December 28, 2008
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cogadh: It doesn't specifically say that the games can't be pulled by the publishers, but it does seem to imply that.

I'm sure gog takes measures to prevent that. There must be some kind of clause in the contract :O
Posted December 28, 2008
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Ralackk: This question could probably use its own thread but as we are asking questions anyway I shall post it here. Games that Gog.com acquire and then sell, are they always going to be avalible or can developers/publishers still pull games out even after you sell them? I'm talking maybe 2-5 years into the future.

I don't know how we exactly protect ourselves in contracts. But I just assume that, as usually, all contracts can be terminated on certain conditions. So I think that it is theoretically possible.
Actually beside kind of "political" or some totally unpredictable reasons I don't see why anybody would terminate contracts with us. We provide absolutely additional stream of revenue without additional work/efforts from suppliers.
Of course in this hypothetical situation our duty would be to protect rights of our customers. Meaning either money back or/and earlier notice that the game won't be backuped by gog.com anymore and if you wish to have it please make back up copy by yourself. Or something similar (I just inventing right now;)
Posted December 28, 2008
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TheKreep: Mikee, is it seeming to get easier to acquire games from developers as more and more people make accounts/buy games at GOG.com?
I mean, if games are selling well, then you have the data to make your case for the viability of the service, yeah?

Sure, sure. It is already happening. The more site is known, the more we sell, the easier is to attract new suppliers. First companies had to rely solely on our word and reputation as a company (known from other gaming businesses), now we have certain data, and stats to show how many units we can sold, what kind of revenue we can bring.
Also, the more we know about ourselves the easier is to negotiate. When we were buying first games we were proposing minimal guarantees basing on totally science fiction scenarios invented by us:) Now we can be bit more brave in proposing numbers cause we have much better ways to estimate their potential.
So yes, yes, yes:)
Hopefully it will be visible in our catalog next year:)
Posted December 28, 2008
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Mikee: Of course in this hypothetical situation our duty would be to protect rights of our customers. Meaning either money back or/and earlier notice that the game won't be backuped by gog.com anymore and if you wish to have it please make back up copy by yourself. Or something similar (I just inventing right now;)

And thank you for doing so. Most game companies refuse to make any sort of statement to their customers, unless it's been ratified by a horde of lawyers and scrutinized by the PR department. The fact that you are willing to comment, openly stating that you do not know the exact details, but assume so-and-so, goes to prove that you, as a company, actually care about your customers, and not just about covering your own ass.
Posted December 28, 2008
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TheKreep: Mikee, is it seeming to get easier to acquire games from developers as more and more people make accounts/buy games at GOG.com?
I mean, if games are selling well, then you have the data to make your case for the viability of the service, yeah?
avatar
Mikee: Sure, sure. It is already happening. The more site is known, the more we sell, the easier is to attract new suppliers. First companies had to rely solely on our word and reputation as a company (known from other gaming businesses), now we have certain data, and stats to show how many units we can sold, what kind of revenue we can bring.
Also, the more we know about ourselves the easier is to negotiate. When we were buying first games we were proposing minimal guarantees basing on totally science fiction scenarios invented by us:) Now we can be bit more brave in proposing numbers cause we have much better ways to estimate their potential.
So yes, yes, yes:)
Hopefully it will be visible in our catalog next year:)

sounds like some big releases are coming next week.
a hurr hurr hurr
Posted December 28, 2008
You know, even CDProjekt is 15 years old now we preserve small business culture and we still kind of bunch young guys, more gamers than business folks, so we just behave the way we wanted other companies to behave towards us as customers. No big magic;) And we don't have any corporate policies to hide behind them we just have our common sense which drive us, hopefully in right direction, actually I strongly believe that it driving us in the very right direction;)
Posted December 28, 2008
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Weclock: sounds like some big releases are coming next week.
a hurr hurr hurr

hehee:) I didn't meant necessarily next week;) ..but yeah some nice
adventure games should show up soon (not LA though;)
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General discussion (archive)GoG.com general question / Outlaws: LucasArts(28 posts)(28 posts)
(28 posts)