GOG used the Phantasmagoria installer?

[Collector]

I don't have the GOG version of Phantasmagoria, but someone on the GOG forums posted the RESOURCE.CFG used with the GOG version. It seems most likely that they either used the SHP installer to study how to make the game to play entirely from the hard drive or they used it to prepare the game for their package.

Here is the RESOURCE.CFG from the Sierra installer:

Code: Select all

videoDrv  = VESA.DRV
soundDrv  = ADL.DRV
audioDrv  = DACBLAST.DRV
joyDrv    = NO
directory = \sierra\scarydos
minCPU = 486
minDOS = 500
mode = protected
CD = yes
CPU=486
CPUSpeed=63
VideoSpeed=400
CDROM=2
mouseDrv  = NONE
memoryDrv = NONE
language  = 1
audioSize = 22k
cmd       = phcd.bat
cd        = yes
smartdrv  = yes

hires=630,450
midiBuffSize5=30000
midiBuffSize6=65000
vmdRgb=35

ÿÿÿÿÿÿ
 
resaud=D:\ 
resmap=D:\ 
ressfx=D:\ 
rescdisc=D:\ 
sync=D:\ 
movieDir=D:\vmd 
patchDir=C:\sierra\scarydos;D:\;D:\patches 
robot=C:\sierra\scarydos;D:\patches;D:\robot 
audiosize=63 

Note that the path statements are absolute paths, intended for the way a real DOS machine would see it, starting with the root directory. This is what you usually have to edit to get a Sierra CD game to play entirely from the hard drive. Also note the variation in the columns that the "=" signs are placed. This is the norm for the default Sierra RESOURCE.CFG files.

Here is how GOG alters the path statements as they used in their GK2 package before they adapted it to the one I posted on their forums:

Code: Select all

resAUD=
resSFX=
resMAP=
rescdisc=
patchDir=PATCHES
movieDir=movies
robot=robot
CD:=d:;

Note how they simply use nothing for the base folder and for the sub folders they use just the folder names without a ".\". The ".\" tells the SCI interpreter to start in the game's base folder. Not including this makes the path statements sometimes fail with certain games, but many times does work. Adding the ".\" is a more sure way to ensure that it will work.

Here is the RESOURCE.CFG from the SHP installer:

Code: Select all

videoDrv      = VESA.DRV
soundDrv      = GENMIDI.DRV
audioDrv      = DACBLAST.DRV
joyDrv        = NO
directory     = .\
minCPU        = 486
minDOS        = 500
mode          = protected
CD            = yes
CPU           = 486
CPUSpeed      = 63
VideoSpeed    = 400
CDROM         = 2
mouseDrv      = STD
memoryDrv     = ARM
language      = 1
audioSize     = 22k
cmd           = phcd.bat
cd            = no
smartdrv      = yes

hires         = 630,450
midiBuffSize5 = 30000
midiBuffSize6 = 65000
vmdRgb        = 35

ÿÿÿÿÿÿ
 
resaud        = .\ 
resmap        = .\ 
ressfx        = .\ 
sync          = .\ 
movieDir      = .\vmd 
patchDir      = .\;.:\patches 
robot         = .\;.\patches;.\robot 
audiosize     = 63 

Note that all of the "=" appear in the same column. Part of this is just me being anal and part is to visually clean up the file make it easier for my eye to quickly scan the values when troubleshooting an SCI game.

Here is the GOG Phantasmagoria RESOURCE.CFG:

Code: Select all

videoDrv      = VESA.DRV
soundDrv      = GENMIDI.DRV
audioDrv      = DACBLAST.DRV
joyDrv        = NO
directory     = .\
minCPU        = 486
minDOS        = 500
mode          = protected
CD            = yes
CPU           = 486
CPUSpeed      = 63
VideoSpeed    = 400
CDROM         = 2
mouseDrv      = STD
memoryDrv     = ARM
language      = 1
audioSize     = 22k
cmd           = phcd.bat
cd            = no
smartdrv      = yes

hires         = 630,450
midiBuffSize5 = 30000
midiBuffSize6 = 65000
vmdRgb        = 35

ÿÿÿÿÿÿ
 
resaud        = .\ 
resmap        = .\ 
ressfx        = .\ 
sync          = .\ 
movieDir      = .\vmd 
patchDir      = .\;.:\patches 
robot         = .\;.\patches;.\robot 
audiosize     = 63 

Identical to the SHP RESOURCE.CFG character by character, column by column, also using the ".\" in the path statements instead of the way that GOG does their path statements. I also had to experiment a little to get it to start looking solely to the install folder for its resources. One of the attempts was to change the "cd=yes" to "cd = no". This turned out to not be necessary, but I forgot and left it in.

Perhaps no one here really cares about it or might not even read this whole rant, but it seems fairly obvious that they are using my RESOURCE.CFG and again make no mention of me, let alone give me any credit. However, as I posted in another thread, though credit would have been nice, it is not what I am looking for. I do wish that they would contact me before they prepare a Sierra game for release on GOG so I can give them a heads up to the many pitfalls that they will surly stumble into. I mainly just don't want anymore botched releases like the 2006 VU collections that have been regurgitated by both Steam and GOG.

After all, so far this month alone, there has been almost 3500 downloads of the SHP installers, over 700 of them are first time users. Few people ever contact me with issues about those games, either here or on any of the other forums I post on. And nearly all of the issues that do get reported to me are because of user error, damaged media or different versions of the games than what the installers were based on. Of the problems that are because of game issues, it is mostly with the post SCI games.

[Jules]

Have you tried contacting one of the mods over there? Is there a phone number you can get ahold of? That's pretty low of them to take something you obviously created and didn't properly credit you for it. You put so much hard work into getting these games to run.

[AndreaDraco]

I agree. You should contact one of the mods or admnistrators over at GOG.com and ask for an explanation. What they are doing it's not fair. Not fair at all.

[Jules]

If you want, I'll be more than happy to reply in a thread (gog is blocked here at work) to support you in your efforts. Just to show them you have support and you're not some Joe Schmoe fiddling around with some files.

[Collector]

I have already mentioned it in the thread that the RESOURCE.CFG was posted.

[Maiandra]

I don't blame you for being annoyed that they didn't give you credit or at least have the courtesy to send you a note about it. After all, the installers take time and effort to make. The least they could have done is checked with you. For all they know there could be some other issues that they are unaware of related to the installers.

Maybe you can put Terms of Use or some kind of note about this on the downloads main page? There's no guarantee people would read it, but at least there's a chance. "If you would like to use one of these installers as part of a larger game package, please email me first to ensure that there are no outstanding issues that may affect your project." or something like that?

[DeadPoolX]

I agree with Maia. By phrasing your message like that, whoever takes it will believe that contacting you is in THEIR best interest (which may or may not be the case).

I'm not entirely sure, but you might be able to copyright your installers. The reason I'm unsure is because your installers affect intellectual property owned by another entity.

Regardless, you might want to look into it.