What is GOG.com?
It was once "Good Old Games.com." No more. GOG.com is a digital PC game distribution service that sells mostly old games but also some new games. It is run by CD Projekt, the guys who made The Witcher and The Witcher 2. GOG.com's main draws:
Cheap prices, with parity for international customers so they don't pay more like they do on Steam
No DRM
Extras for each game, like manuals, wallpapers, soundtracks, maps, etc.
Generally comprehensive forums that tell you what fan patches and mods to download.
Classics from every generation of PC gaming: Wing Commander, Dungeon Keeper, Baldur's Gate, Planescape: Torment, Masters of Magic, Fallout, Heroes of Might and Magic, Sacrifice, Descent...
Download your games anywhere, any time, and install them as many times as you want
Horrific PR people that love teasing us with "guess what's coming in a week?" stuff
Sometimes they give away free games, like Fallout!
What are some of the games on GOG.com?
I'm glad you asked:
Check out GoG.com's booth babes at PAX!
Theme Hospital: great hospital game, or greatest hospital game? Discuss. Also answer the question @anoffday asked about Alpha Centauri: how does one know when to build new units at a city? IT IS A MYSTERY!
Theme Hospital: great hospital game, or greatest hospital game? Discuss. Also answer the question @anoffday asked about Alpha Centauri: how does one know when to build new units at a city? IT IS A MYSTERY!
Did you mean different types of units like rovers/cruisers/air units, or upgrades such as new weapons/armour types? Or just notifications of when a unit has been completed? There are a bunch of different alerts you can toggle in the options menu which would probably cover what you're looking for.
Though I'm not sure this is the question you're asking.
As for Theme Hospital? It's the best hospital game ever. I spent so much time playing a demo that came with an issue of PC Format back in '96 or '97, not exactly sure. Picked it up a couple of years later and played it to death.
Then I bought it again a few years back as I had no idea what happened to the original CD.
If the GOG version is trouble-free, I'll probably get that too.
So hey when I try to play both Syndicate and Theme Hospital they don't fit the screen. This means that I end up with menus and whatnot on the top and left-hand side of the screen being pretty much cut off and I don't know how to fix it. This happens in windowed and fullscreen mode. Halp.
Theme Hospital: great hospital game, or greatest hospital game? Discuss. Also answer the question @anoffday asked about Alpha Centauri: how does one know when to build new units at a city? IT IS A MYSTERY!
As for Theme Hospital? It's the best hospital game ever. I spent so much time playing a demo that came with an issue of PC Format back in '96 or '97, not exactly sure. Picked it up a couple of years later and played it to death.
Haha I had the same demo, played that thing to death and back again
Theme Hospital is awesome. It's the only game I bought through the PSN for my PSP when I had it because I was getting spoiled on cheap UMDs. Then I sold my PSP for a 3DS. I couldn't believe when I bought my PS3 that it was there waiting for me to play again on my new console...it was like a tiny free gift with my console purchase.
Theme Hospital: great hospital game, or greatest hospital game? Discuss. Also answer the question @anoffday asked about Alpha Centauri: how does one know when to build new units at a city? IT IS A MYSTERY!
As for Theme Hospital? It's the best hospital game ever. I spent so much time playing a demo that came with an issue of PC Format back in '96 or '97, not exactly sure. Picked it up a couple of years later and played it to death.
Haha I had the same demo, played that thing to death and back again
Add me to the list of people who played that demo to death. I've been wanting to see theme hospital for awhile, even laid for a $1 for a shitty game on iOS cause I hoped it might be like theme hospital. I'll be grabbing it from GoG.
0
anoffdayTo be changed whenever Anoffday gets around to it.Registered Userregular
Theme Hospital: great hospital game, or greatest hospital game? Discuss. Also answer the question @anoffday asked about Alpha Centauri: how does one know when to build new units at a city? IT IS A MYSTERY!
Did you mean different types of units like rovers/cruisers/air units, or upgrades such as new weapons/armour types? Or just notifications of when a unit has been completed? There are a bunch of different alerts you can toggle in the options menu which would probably cover what you're looking for.
Though I'm not sure this is the question you're asking.
As for Theme Hospital? It's the best hospital game ever. I spent so much time playing a demo that came with an issue of PC Format back in '96 or '97, not exactly sure. Picked it up a couple of years later and played it to death.
Then I bought it again a few years back as I had no idea what happened to the original CD.
If the GOG version is trouble-free, I'll probably get that too.
I think I figured it out. I found out you can queue up units at each base. But I have a new question. When looking at units to queue up I noticed some are green, yellow, and red. Does the coloring have to do with price or how long it'll take to produce the unit? I'm assuming how long it takes only because I queued up one those crazy planet buster missiles, which I've heard are awesome, and it was in the red and it says it'll take like 300 some turns.
anoffday on
Steam: offday
0
ShimshaiFlush with Success!Isle of EmeraldRegistered Userregular
Planet busters are indeed fantastic but they have a base cost of 320, so they do take a while to build unless you have your city specced for production. As for the colours, I never really paid much attention to it before, and I have no idea what they correspond to.
Ah, I remember Theme Hospital... Spent hours playing it. Not going to buy it, however - my gaming preferences have changed since. But GOG is as great place to get your fix for old classics.
So hey when I try to play both Syndicate and Theme Hospital they don't fit the screen. This means that I end up with menus and whatnot on the top and left-hand side of the screen being pretty much cut off and I don't know how to fix it. This happens in windowed and fullscreen mode. Halp.
\
I don't know about Theme Hospital, but Syndicate is a DOSbox game, so you can fix this with some editing of the games DOSbox config file. It's a well commented file, and a pretty simple thing to do in notepad. I've got my own DOSbox config for Syndicate, where I run it windowed in 800x600 with autolock turned off so I can easily mouse around outside the window.
anoffdayTo be changed whenever Anoffday gets around to it.Registered Userregular
Theme Hospital is run in DOSbox as well.
Steam: offday
0
ShimshaiFlush with Success!Isle of EmeraldRegistered Userregular
The version of Theme Hospital I have doesn't use DOS at all. Is the GOG version DOS?
Steam/Origin: Shimshai
0
anoffdayTo be changed whenever Anoffday gets around to it.Registered Userregular
edited April 2012
Yeah, it's a MS DOS game. It has to use it. The only exception would be the PS1 version.
anoffday on
Steam: offday
0
ShimshaiFlush with Success!Isle of EmeraldRegistered Userregular
That's news to me.. interesting.
Steam/Origin: Shimshai
0
Zxerolfor the smaller pieces, my shovel wouldn't doso i took off my boot and used my shoeRegistered Userregular
There was a Windows 95 version, which is why Shimshai asked.
In general though, given the choice between DOS and Windows versions of a game, DOS through an emulator would ensure a more even experience than trying to bludgeon something working on modern flavors of Windows and hardware.
DrakeEdgelord TrashBelow the ecliptic plane.Registered Userregular
I wouldn't be surprised if the Win95 version of Theme Hospital used that truncated DOS thing that came with a few EA games, like my copy of Syndicate Greatest Hits/Gold/Whatever they called that shit.
There was a Windows 95 version, which is why Shimshai asked.
In general though, given the choice between DOS and Windows versions of a game, DOS through an emulator would ensure a more even experience than trying to bludgeon something working on modern flavors of Windows and hardware.
Ah, I didn't know that. From Wikipedia:
Windows port
The Windows port of Theme Hospital was actually a Win32 version of the DOS version, but all display, mouse, keyboard and sound output and input was performed using DirectX. Because of this, it still had a Low Resolution mode, despite the fact that it could only simulate it. Also, some dos applications were still installed with it (including MIDIFORM.EXE for converting midi files, and the companion batch file).
What does that mean though? It sounds like instead of a windows version it was a "windows" version.
anoffday on
Steam: offday
0
Zxerolfor the smaller pieces, my shovel wouldn't doso i took off my boot and used my shoeRegistered Userregular
It just means that whoever edited that passage phrased, "Kinda weird, kinda janky port," in the most roundabout and indirect way possible. Because Wikipedia.
A Windows port of a DOS game is actually a Windows version of the DOS version??? Ya don't say!
It just means that whoever edited that passage phrased, "Kinda weird, kinda janky port," in the most roundabout and indirect way possible. Because Wikipedia.
A Windows port of a DOS game is actually a Windows version of the DOS version??? Ya don't say!
Ah. Either way I was wrong. I wonder why gog didn't put the windows version up instead. You'd think it'd be a more stable version. Even back then I remember having trouble with dos games working sometimes.
Ok I think I'm buying it. I'm kind of a sucker for building/management games.
anoffday on
Steam: offday
0
DrakeEdgelord TrashBelow the ecliptic plane.Registered Userregular
The Win versions of games that straddle the days of DOS and Windows are some of the worst to try and get working. If I was GoG I'd for sure go with "Package the DOS version with DOSbox and call it a day" since they don't have the rights to actually modify the game code.
This thread has forced me to buy Dungeon Keeper and HOMM3 in the last few days. I loved Bullfrog back in the day. Tell me about Theme Hospital dudes.
You have a hospital. Starts very small. If you've ever played Game Developer story on iOS, the graphics are kinda similar. You build up a hospital, hire staff, place medical equiment, radiators, trash cans, have to hire staff, etc.... patients die, they live, humor is involved. Probably my favorite sim game of all time http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=K_64DAOrSMM
I want to buy it and download it now, but I know I"d be up all night.
I loved Theme Hospital as a kid but never finished it. I think it was a combination of getting a little burned out on having to start all over again on a new level each time and my stupid young self having sense of budgets but just wanting to build my perfect hospital all in one fell swoop at the start of the level and then wondering where all the money went.
I loved Theme Hospital as a kid but never finished it. I think it was a combination of getting a little burned out on having to start all over again on a new level each time and my stupid young self having sense of budgets but just wanting to build my perfect hospital all in one fell swoop at the start of the level and then wondering where all the money went.
I'm probably mistaken, I was 13 and had the demo + pirated version (off topic but 13 year old me couldnt buy the game. I feel at least 50% of pirates couldn't/wouldn't buy the game and many of them also pirate games they never even really play) but I thought there was a never ending mode to the game?
Guess I'll find out soon. $6 for a game I feel holds up against sims today? Bought.
Theme Hospital just does everything right - the sense of humor is great, right down to the writeups of the staff you get while hiring them. Easily in my top 3 strategy/management style games with Rollercoaster Tycoon 2 and Monopoly Tycoon.
Lindsay Lohan on
0
anoffdayTo be changed whenever Anoffday gets around to it.Registered Userregular
edited April 2012
Man, so many good games on sale. Damn you Interplay!
Luckily I already have the FOs and MDK2. But I'm tempted by a few. Is Freespace 2 good? I've never really played any space sims so I'm not sure what to expect.
Posts
@anoffday
Did you mean different types of units like rovers/cruisers/air units, or upgrades such as new weapons/armour types? Or just notifications of when a unit has been completed? There are a bunch of different alerts you can toggle in the options menu which would probably cover what you're looking for.
Though I'm not sure this is the question you're asking.
As for Theme Hospital? It's the best hospital game ever. I spent so much time playing a demo that came with an issue of PC Format back in '96 or '97, not exactly sure. Picked it up a couple of years later and played it to death.
Then I bought it again a few years back as I had no idea what happened to the original CD.
If the GOG version is trouble-free, I'll probably get that too.
Steam profile.
Getting started with BATTLETECH: Part 1 / Part 2
Haha I had the same demo, played that thing to death and back again
All this hospital talk has me wanting to try playing the old cd version I have again. I'll probably try for a while until I get tired of the crashing.
Add me to the list of people who played that demo to death. I've been wanting to see theme hospital for awhile, even laid for a $1 for a shitty game on iOS cause I hoped it might be like theme hospital. I'll be grabbing it from GoG.
I think I figured it out. I found out you can queue up units at each base. But I have a new question. When looking at units to queue up I noticed some are green, yellow, and red. Does the coloring have to do with price or how long it'll take to produce the unit? I'm assuming how long it takes only because I queued up one those crazy planet buster missiles, which I've heard are awesome, and it was in the red and it says it'll take like 300 some turns.
Heyoooo!
I'll be here all week, be sure to tip your Slack Tongue clinic nurse.
http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=W-M3Bq71tyA&feature=relmfu
What is it about music that makes me almost insta buy games? I just bought Alpha Centauri and Might and Magic 2 this week. I have a problem.
I don't know about Theme Hospital, but Syndicate is a DOSbox game, so you can fix this with some editing of the games DOSbox config file. It's a well commented file, and a pretty simple thing to do in notepad. I've got my own DOSbox config for Syndicate, where I run it windowed in 800x600 with autolock turned off so I can easily mouse around outside the window.
In general though, given the choice between DOS and Windows versions of a game, DOS through an emulator would ensure a more even experience than trying to bludgeon something working on modern flavors of Windows and hardware.
Old PA forum lookalike style for the new forums | My ko-fi donation thing.
Ah, I didn't know that. From Wikipedia:
Windows port
The Windows port of Theme Hospital was actually a Win32 version of the DOS version, but all display, mouse, keyboard and sound output and input was performed using DirectX. Because of this, it still had a Low Resolution mode, despite the fact that it could only simulate it. Also, some dos applications were still installed with it (including MIDIFORM.EXE for converting midi files, and the companion batch file).
What does that mean though? It sounds like instead of a windows version it was a "windows" version.
A Windows port of a DOS game is actually a Windows version of the DOS version??? Ya don't say!
Handmade Jewelry by me on EtsyGames for sale
Me on Twitch!
Ah. Either way I was wrong. I wonder why gog didn't put the windows version up instead. You'd think it'd be a more stable version. Even back then I remember having trouble with dos games working sometimes.
Ok I think I'm buying it. I'm kind of a sucker for building/management games.
You have a hospital. Starts very small. If you've ever played Game Developer story on iOS, the graphics are kinda similar. You build up a hospital, hire staff, place medical equiment, radiators, trash cans, have to hire staff, etc.... patients die, they live, humor is involved. Probably my favorite sim game of all time http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=K_64DAOrSMM
I want to buy it and download it now, but I know I"d be up all night.
Didn't GoG's Dungeon Keeper have plenty of problems running on modern systems? Or was that Dungeon Keeper 2?
I did not know Die by the Sword was on GOG. Might have to snag it.
I am tempted by Freespace 2...
I'm probably mistaken, I was 13 and had the demo + pirated version (off topic but 13 year old me couldnt buy the game. I feel at least 50% of pirates couldn't/wouldn't buy the game and many of them also pirate games they never even really play) but I thought there was a never ending mode to the game?
Guess I'll find out soon. $6 for a game I feel holds up against sims today? Bought.
It's DK2. But I heard it's mostly fine as long as you: (1) didn't change the default resolution, and (2) use software rendering.
Luckily I already have the FOs and MDK2. But I'm tempted by a few. Is Freespace 2 good? I've never really played any space sims so I'm not sure what to expect.