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Theoclymenus: I would rather not criticise the gamer, I would rather criticise the industry. I don't think there's anything wrong with what you did, but you shouldn't have HAD to do it .There is also nothing wrong with buying several copies of a game if that's what you want to do, but again you shouldn't HAVE to. I myself just bought System Shock 2 in the GOG sale as "back up" for my disc version, but also partly because I like GOG and the way they do business. But frankly something like GOG was just NORMAL only a decade or so ago.
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JMich: Digital versions was the normal? Or a digital copy if you bought a retail one?
Again, in the cases of buying it multiple times, at no point was it because my license ran out or because I had trouble playing.
UFO:AL installs Starforce, latest official patch removes the disk check, so all that remains is to uninstall the drivers. I can do those things myself, but I bought a GOG copy to remove the hassle. The steam copy was bundled with other stuff, like the old CD compilations companies used to do.
So again, what part of what I did you find weird? What would the industry of your dreams have done differently from what the current industry does?
No, I mean that buying a copy of a game and OWNING it - just as you still (thus far) OWN a book when you have bought a copy - was normal. I think you know what I mean, there's no need to quibble or try to pull the wool over people's eyes.

This idea of a "licence" to play games - where exactly has it come from and what is it pointing towards ? I don't like it, I don't like it at all.

I don't know what the industry needs to do to combat piracy - which it claims is the reason for DRM in the first place, though I strongly doubt it, I think the real reason was more aggressive than that - but I think that the video games industry has a VERY poor reputation - and deservedly so - in terms of the way it treats its customers, most of whom are still youngsters who don't have much money.
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Theoclymenus: 36 times my arse ha ha ha ha ! Please tell me you're joking.
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SCPM: Not joking. :) All those codes (and then some) were just for RoC, mostly for one big giveaway. It sounds bad, but even at full price it only came out to less than 3 days salary.
All I can say is that that is IMPRESSIVE !
Post edited June 22, 2013 by Theoclymenus
GTA San Andreas about 4 or 5 times on ps2 and pc

first 2-3 was on ps2 and they just got stratched to shit then last 2 were on pc
I own approximately 150 disc versions of PC games. I have purchased just under 60 GOG games, of which about 12 are duplicates of disc versions I already own. I am trying not to increase this number on principle. It is one of the things which I hate about the gaming industry that you can buy a game and for one reason or another (DRM or some incompatibility issue or other) it is not yours to enjoy forever. Because it OUGHT to be.
Pirates! I think
Twice 2004 version (PSP and PC) and once original (GOG)
Also Half Life which I think was once disc and twice Steam (different accounts)
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Theoclymenus: No, I mean that buying a copy of a game and OWNING it - just as you still (thus far) OWN a book when you have bought a copy - was normal. I think you know what I mean, there's no need to quibble or try to pull the wool over people's eyes.
Sorry, you are mistaken.

If I have a copy of Foundation and Empire that doesn't mean I am allowed to get the local library's copy. Different publishers, so different books. Hell, it is possible that even with the same publisher but a different edition the book may be different. And I never said anything about licenses, did I?

What you are asking for is more or less what EA does (or tried to do) with Origin. You buy your game in one medium (steam, retail) and are able to activate it on more than one platform (retail + origin, steam + origin, retail + steam + origin).

You seem to think that people buy the games again because their previous license (or ownership) somehow ran out. People rebuy the game because the new version offers something more. Be it that it's lighter (paperback instead of hardcover), revised (second printing instead of first, with errata) or because their original copy got damaged (try taking a book to the beach, salty water isn't that good to its condition). So the only fault of the industry now is that they add stuff to what they sell instead of automatically upgrading everything. You mentioned Europa Universalis 3. I'll see that and raise you Test Drive 2, or if you prefer books, The Foundation Saga which started as a trilogy and is currently spanning 7 books. My book of "The Foundation Trilogy" can't be upgraded, so I'll have to buy a new version if I want them all in one book.
Yes; a game that shall stay unnamed so as not to trigger google alerts, when it used to be priced upwards of $15. I bought at least a copy per month. Then it went PWYW and I lost interest.
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Theoclymenus: It is one of the things which I hate about the gaming industry that you can buy a game and for one reason or another (DRM or some incompatibility issue or other) it is not yours to enjoy forever. Because it OUGHT to be.
Assuming you still have the hardware, your disc games should still work. Same as my fathers collection of LPs, my brother's collection of video tapes and my older collection of floppy disk games. But if you don't have the hardware, you can either try to get it, or buy a new version of the medium that works with current hardware. That is what GOG is doing after all, selling old games in a medium that works with current hardware.
Hmm, I don't think I have bought something more times than twice. All of them are thanks to GOG with the exception of Mass Effect 3.
For me its a tie between Unreal Tournament and Castlevania Symphony of the Night at 4 each

SOTN: Bought the Saturn version. Later on bought the PS1 version in a clearance bin. Bought it again with Konami Classics on 360. Got it the final time with Dracula X Chronicles on PSP.

UT: Bought it packaged with Unreal 1. Two Dreamcast copies out of a clearance bin. Then got it again with Unreal Anthology.
Psychonauts.

I have 2 PlayStation disks, 1 GoG, 1 Steam, 1 HiB... I think... may also have a PC disk somewhere still, at least I had one I think. So bought 5 or 6 times.
Never a game more than once but if we make a music thread similar to this let me know, I've got A LOT! :D
Blade Runner the game twice like Ray McCoy says give me a hard copy of that.
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Theoclymenus: No, I mean that buying a copy of a game and OWNING it - just as you still (thus far) OWN a book when you have bought a copy - was normal. I think you know what I mean, there's no need to quibble or try to pull the wool over people's eyes.
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JMich: Sorry, you are mistaken.

If I have a copy of Foundation and Empire that doesn't mean I am allowed to get the local library's copy. Different publishers, so different books. Hell, it is possible that even with the same publisher but a different edition the book may be different. And I never said anything about licenses, did I?

What you are asking for is more or less what EA does (or tried to do) with Origin. You buy your game in one medium (steam, retail) and are able to activate it on more than one platform (retail + origin, steam + origin, retail + steam + origin).

You seem to think that people buy the games again because their previous license (or ownership) somehow ran out. People rebuy the game because the new version offers something more. Be it that it's lighter (paperback instead of hardcover), revised (second printing instead of first, with errata) or because their original copy got damaged (try taking a book to the beach, salty water isn't that good to its condition). So the only fault of the industry now is that they add stuff to what they sell instead of automatically upgrading everything. You mentioned Europa Universalis 3. I'll see that and raise you Test Drive 2, or if you prefer books, The Foundation Saga which started as a trilogy and is currently spanning 7 books. My book of "The Foundation Trilogy" can't be upgraded, so I'll have to buy a new version if I want them all in one book.

Well I am in possession of a copy of The Silmarillion and as far as I know I OWN it.

The games industry is just taking the **** out of its customers. I am "grateful" to GOG for being so "old school" in their thinking but I don't think they are perfect and I don't expect them to remain the same.

I mentioned Europa Universalis 3 because of the "clever" (but utterly transparent) way in which they released this game. I own EU3 "Complete" and EU3 "Collections". EU3 Collections is more complete than EU3 "Complete" ! It's just such a swindle it's unreal !

They should have released EU3 Complete with the title EU3 Not-quite-complete-yet. I'm surprised that no-one has challenged them under the trade descriptions act. They should have been taken to court for this and found guilty, it's a no-brainer.
Post edited June 22, 2013 by Theoclymenus
I have bought Fallout 8 times over the years. I only have 3 hard copies and my GoG copy these days.
I first bought Gothic 2 on disc.
I later got a second disc copy of Gothic 2 as part of Gothic Universe.
I bought a third copy from GOG to give away via puzzle.