I was about to buy Riven, but there seems to be no info on which version is being sold. Is it the DVD version?

Thanks in advance.

It's the CD-ROM version.

Damn. Thanks for clarifying though.

It is the CD-ROM version.

But if you are willing to buy a physical DVD version (which won't work on modern computers) and the gog-version (with gog downloader) you can get "the best of both worlds" by combining them. :-) You will still have a few issues from the gog-version like some missing button animations, though.

See here how to do it in my 2nd post: http://www.gog.com/forum/myst_series/riven_on_windows_7/page1

The still images in the gog/dvd rom version are exactly the same size, but the DVD version has some additional stills.
The videos are bigger in file size on the DVD version. However, in motion the difference is not visible.

Wow, thanks for that. My GOG copy of Riven was not beatable without cheating because none of the underwater colored lights display. It's possible that this could fix it for me, aside from the other benefits.

It's too bad that you paid a fortune for the DVD version. I feel like, thanks to GOG, the disc prices have really plummeted in the last year. I picked up the first 4 games on DVD via ebay for about $15 total.

Did you buy the standalone version of Riven or the compilation? If its the compilation with multiple Myst games, they are also based on the cd-rom versions if im not mistaken.

I think every version of the Riven DVD is actually the "real" DVD-version. I have both the original and the Myst 10th anniversary edition DVD of Riven and I'm pretty sure they are identical apart from the newer quick time version on the newer release. The other collections of Myst games do contain the CD version, but does not come on a DVD disc.

Edit: The last time I played Riven I used a non-official build of ScummVM and the original DVD version. Worked like a charm. Hopefully it will be included as an officially supported game eventually.

I have all 3 disc versions of Riven. The file sizes on the discs seem to concur with what you said.

The CD version shows smaller file sizes, which may result in poorer Quicktime video quality, although I think the difference is negligible:

Disc 3 of the CD version shows:
j_Data1.mhk 9/15/1997 2:20pm 305,478 KB
j_Data2.mhk 9/15/1997 5:02pm 305,478 KB

The two DVD versions are identical:

1998 DVD version shows:
j_Data1.mhk 6/13/1998 2:56pm 323,410 KB
j_Data2.mhk 6/13/1998 2:57pm 339,179 KB

2003 10th Anniversary DVD also shows:
j_Data1.mhk 6/13/1998 3:56pm 323,410 KB
j_Data2.mhk 6/13/1998 3:57pm 339,179 KB