Cinemaware coming to GOG.Com + Amiga games

[Neil79]

We've just been informed by Cinemaware that they have announced a digital distribution agreement with GOG.com, the leading source of DRM-free games. Through this agreement GOG.com will be providing a selection of incredible classics that many of us grew up with; one such game being Defender of the Crown. What's more Cinemaware has mentioned that not only will the DOS version be sold, but also the very first Amiga games will also be sold with the DOS versions through GOG.

http://www.indieretronews.com/2014/0...-classics.html

[TCD]

Yay, take away the free downloads and sell them on GOG.com instead That's the way to go Cinemaware

[ADz]

Originally Posted by TCD

Yay, take away the free downloads and sell them on GOG.com instead That's the way to go Cinemaware

I see your point but can't really blame them though. If they have a product and a viable way to sell/distribute it why wouldn't they?

[Neil79]

Originally Posted by TCD

Yay, take away the free downloads and sell them on GOG.com instead That's the way to go Cinemaware

Isn't that basically what Apogee did or are going to anyway? Don't see a problem with it tbh, if it keeps Cinemaware going so be it

[TCD]

For years those games were available free of charge on their own website. Cinemaware was one of a few companies that did that. Now they removed those downloads and offer basically the same thing as a paid download on GOG. I'm not blaming them, but I don't support that decision. They could have left those free downloads untouched and offered the GOG downloads as a convenient alternative. The announcement sounds like the games weren't available until now (on GOG) which is simply not true.

[Neil79]

I kinda agree with you there TCD

[ADz]

They weren't available because they were in talks with distributors. I 100% support what they're doing. Who knows it may even lead to other companies to follow and distribute their old titles and maybe even dev new games?

remember that the company doing this isn't Cinemaware anymore than today's Activision is the company that made River Raid.

If GOG can package an amiga/emu installer like they do for the DOS games on Mac, I am happy as they will reach a lot more people. The average netizen is emulation clueless.. So more exposure to Amiga games is good.

[Neil79]

Cinemaware
Hello all! The Amiga version will run from a self-executable launch menu along with the MS-DOS versions! Easy to run & play, enjoy!

http://www.indieretronews.com/2014/0...ent-1575906523

[BarryB]

Originally Posted by TCD

Yay, take away the free downloads and sell them on GOG.com instead That's the way to go Cinemaware

No, let's blame GOG

Are we still allowed to upload these to The Zone? I, and probably many others, still have the original ZIPS downloaded from their site.

You can still get them from a Machine that goes Wayback as well

[TCD]

We'll see about that part... Basically the 'available for purchase = don't upload it' rule applies here too, but we have to see how the games are actually distributed via GOG.

[BarryB]

They're not actually for sale yet though are they so does that apply yet? At least there is another way to obtain them!

[Neil79]

Defender of the Crown, Amiga & DOS verson is now on GOG.. Apparently uses an emulator called "Rocklobster" ? http://www.indieretronews.com/2014/0...nemawares.html

[gimbal]

I think the choice of words is really poor here; it sounds to me like the Amiga versions are bundled with the Dos version for free, much like you get the Amiga ADF version of Another World for free if you buy the game on Steam.

I'd be highly surprised if they have the nerve to actually sell the Amiga version, emulator included. On the other hand its kind of intriguing that they don't use WinUAE but rather something they cooked up themselves... possibly an interpreter much like ScummVM rather than an actual emulator.

[TCD]

http://www.gog.com/game/defender_of_the_crown

I can only see one product there and it doesn't say if it's the emulated/interpreted Amiga version or the DOS version or both... Only mentions "with glorious Amiga sounds and graphics!".

If somebody buys it please do let us know in which form the game is downloadable and especially if you can access an Amiga disk image.

[Neil79]

It has both Amiga emulated version using their emulator called "Rocklobster" and the PC version, we did confirm the emulator part in article thanks to Cinemaware letting us know

Amiga emulation
- Slow and choppy, especially sound-wise.
- There does not appear to be any way to change any settings.
- Mouse sensitivity is uncomfortably high.

Soundtrack
- The soundtrack is from the Amiga version.
- It was converted to MP3 by a deaf monkey with no sense of rythm. It plays much too slowly.

DOS version
- Runs windowed initially, but can be made fullscreen with alt+enter.
- The sound is painful to listen to (but that is probably 100% accurate).

Overall
- Two versions of a true classic made awful by incompetent developers.
- Seems like a quick cash-grab, not a labour of love.
- Would not recommend.

From the forums

[BarryB]

The comparison to the DOS version is a bit ropey showing mostly CGA stills! There's also a version on BigFishGames that has better PC Graphics: http://www.bigfishgames.com/download...derofthecrown/ and there was the Digitally Remastered PC version of this with far better graphics/sound, and didn't this include the battlefield from the C64 version that never made it into the Amiga version?: [ Show youtube player ]

[Neil79]

"RockLobster is an emulator developed internally, some of our programmers are really experienced Amiga/Motorola 68000 engineers. It was the only way we could find to launch our classic games within a self-contained environment. This emulator keeps getting improved and we will of course release updates to our emulated games being sold as we improve on it!"

[FOL]

Hmmmm, so they plan to re-release the emulated Defender of the crown?
As that uses iAmiga.

[modrobert]

I noticed that Cinemaware has thegamearchives.com listed under "RECOMMENDED LINKS" here:

https://web.archive.org/web/20130609...inemaware.com/

Also, the game zip archives seem to be available from archive.org, which makes it legal, right?

https://web.archive.org/web/20130524...-of-the-crown/

TIP: You can't change history on internet.