Steam and GOG sales

[Collector]

Just an update. Apparently it includes images of the 6 CDs to use DOSBox's image swapping abilities and does not include the no-interlace patch. Andrea, like you, I already own the game several times over, but will probably not be getting it. Could you tell me the version number? And if you are up to it, could you try mounting the images in Windows to see if my installer works on this version?

[misslilo]

Listen - I'd love to Gift this game to you Collector, just let me know which email addy to use and you're good to go

It's no problem for me, since it was just my birthday and quite a huge amount of money found its way into my bank account

[Qbix]

Just an update. Apparently it includes images of the 6 CDs to use DOSBox's image swapping abilities and does not include the no-interlace patch. Andrea, like you, I already own the game several times over, but will probably not be getting it. Could you tell me the version number? And if you are up to it, could you try mounting the images in Windows to see if my installer works on this version?

as affiliate you can ask for review codes.
just check those press release emails from lukasz

[Collector]

I have received no press release emails from Lukasz. The last thing i got from him was when he sent me my affiliate login info. I guess I should shoot him an email to find out.

[Collector]

I installed the GOG version and made a few discoveries that show that they don't really understand the mechanics of the SCI games. They started with the Endroz installer to concatenate the CDs, but since that installs the Win version, they hacked in the DOS files. They also have the patches messed up, which is why the No-Interlace patch was not working . Several of the patches were dumped into the games base directory and some were in the PATCHES folder. The files in the root take precedence over the other files. This means that some of the older patch files are being used instead of the newer, updated patches. Both Endroz's installer and my installer places all of the patch files into the patches folder. (Endroz does place the No-Interlace patch in a separate folder to be able to turn the interlacing on or off, while my installer doesn't. I figure that no one would want to turn the interlacing back on). Probably, the older patch files files were dumped into the root of the game when they were adding the DOS files.

There were problems with the RESOURCE.CFG, though nothing show stopping, mostly entries for the CD drive. If you leave these in for some SCI CD game, the game will keep asking for the CD, even when the RESOURCE.CFG file is pointing to the install folder for all of the resources. In addition, paths were not specified. They were able to get away with it because GK2 seems to be more forgiving than some Sierra games. In other words, their approach will fail on some of the Sierra games.

I also found that they are using the config file from DOSBox 0.72 with DOSBox 0.73. This is causing some errors, notably with the sound. If they only included the customized changes in the config file, DOSBox would use the defaults for 0.73 instead of 0.72. To do what they are trying to do, the config file needs only:

Code: Select all

[sdl]
output= overlay
fullscreen= true
autolock= true

[cpu]
core= normal
cycles= 10000

[autoexec]
cls
@ECHO OFF
mount C "."
c:
cd \
SIERRA.EXE .\resource.cfg
exit

Users with widescreen monitors that don't want the distortion from the image being stretched may want to add fullresolution=0x0 to the [sdl] section. Note the exit command at the end of the [autoexec] section. The shortcut also has this. You only need to use it in one place. I prefer the config file, as if I am troubleshooting a game, I'll have the config file open anyway for tweaking. If the game exits with an error, you don't want DOSBox closing before you've had a chance to read the error, so I'll delete the exit command. This, of course is a very minor thing and won't lead to any significant problems. An easy enough oversight to make.

To make the subtitle patch work, move 36.HEP and 36.SCR to the PATCHES directory. Move or delete all of the remaining *.HEP and *.SCR files, BUT LEAVE INSTALL.SCR . Also move or delete 92.MSG, 13086.P56, 92.SHM, 122.V56, 20131.V56, 9944.V56. These are all older duplicates of what is in the PATCHES folder. Once you have done this, the game will start to look in the other folders specified in the RESOURCE.CFG. At this point, you can either edit the patch path in the RESOURCE.CFG to

Code: Select all

patchDir=.\Interlc;.\PATCHES

or just move the No-Interlace files to the Patches folder and the No-Interlace patch will work.

If the subtitle patch folder is in the game's folder, then there is just one last thing to make the subtitle patch work. You need to change one line in the RESOURCE.CFG. Change language to "language = 351".

[Rath Darkblade]

Gabriel Knight 1 in Retrospective. It offers a glowing review of GK1, as well as some interesting insights from Jane about the development of the game and the state of adventure gaming today. Enjoy!

http://www.gog.com/en/editorial/month_o ... ospective/

[Collector]

GOG now has King's Quest 4-6. I suspect that they didn't include 7 because they are using the VU collection, which only has the Win version of KQ7, a 16-bit game. Unlike Steam, GOG wants to support all modern Windows. I'm not sure why they are not including the earlier games.

[envisge0ne]

To bad they didn't include the earlier ones. But $9.99 isn't a bad price for 4-6. Maybe if they do well, they'll later release 1-3 for $9.99

[Collector]

I have made a patch to fix the GOG release

http://www.sierrahelp.com/Patches-Updat ... dates.html

[mendosa]

Yesterday they've released the second Phantasmagoria on GOG. Price is 5,99$.

Phantasmagoria 2: A Puzzle of Flesh

[Tawmis]

Not bad at all... Though I didn't like PH2... I'd be hard pressed to not purchase it... at that price... just to have it.

EDIT: Also moved it (left a shadow of it in PH forum) - but thought this also deserved to be in the announcements.

[mendosa]

Today GOG announced a new release of Return to Krondor, for 5,99$.

Return to Krondor on GOG

[Ryno]

Does anyone know if it uses Squirt the Cat's installer for Windows? Or is it the DOSBox version which only plays the movies in 256 color and runs choppy.

[Collector]

DOSBox

[Tawmis]

King's Quest IV + V + VI - $9.99

Space Quest IV + V + VI - $9.99

Gabriel Knight - Sins of the Fathers - $5.99

Gabriel Knight 2 - $5.99

Phantasmagoria - $9.99

Phantasmagoria 2 - $5.99

Return to Krondor - $5.99