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Post by Gendo Ikari on Nov 23, 2009 16:53:52 GMT -5
Sincerely, it's the first time I ever heard of RotD and HoC released as freeware. While some releases of formerly commercial games are "quiet" (last year I found out that some old shareware games released by Epic Megagames are now free), I never saw them in freeware gaming sites and, when Home of the Underdogs was still alive, they would have surely known immediately, if it happened in the early 2000s. I tend to believe it is a mistake on Mikrobitti's part.
Wikipedia reports that at the Pleasure Dome in the Sega CD version, one of the dancers was removed - is that one of the "background animations" mentioned? Or is it a censorship? And, oddly, you can't talk to a punk there...
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Post by Deleted on Nov 23, 2009 17:38:26 GMT -5
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Post by Discoalucard on Nov 23, 2009 17:52:31 GMT -5
Wikipedia reports that at the Pleasure Dome in the Sega CD version, one of the dancers was removed - is that one of the "background animations" mentioned? Or is it a censorship? And, oddly, you can't talk to a punk there... Yeah, check out the comparison pics at the bottom. One dancer was removed in the Sega CD one. I'm not entirely sure if that's censorship, though.
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Post by Gendo Ikari on Nov 23, 2009 17:52:45 GMT -5
How come only on Finnish game sites? Could it be some limited license of free distribution, a bit like the first two GTA obtainable only from Rockstar's site? I do not want to sound stingy, just curious - and not that Activision Blizzard (current holder of what was once Sierra right?) would care and probably even remember them About the dancers, they removed the most scantily-clad, so I wondered. I also notice now that the man on the right is missing on the Sega CD, maybe it's that aforementioned punk.
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Post by TheChosen on Nov 23, 2009 18:39:11 GMT -5
Both Rise of the Dragon and Heart of China were released freeware in 2000, at least according to MikroBitti magazine. My source exactly. I have no idea why the freeware status suddenly seemed to disappear. Might be that the rights were repurchased by someone (Same happened with Red Baron. Originally freeware for years, then rights were brought back and game was put to sold on Gog. Shame is, no one really seemed to mind), but I doubt it since the games arent being re-sold anywhere (to my knowledge). It could have been that people just "forgot". I mean, how many of you know that Ultima 4 has been freeware since 1998? Or Beneath the Steel Sky, Lure of the Temptress or Teenagent have been that way looong before Gog started "giving them away"?
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Post by Discoalucard on Nov 23, 2009 18:46:35 GMT -5
Actually the dancers cycle in that scene. They just removed them altogether. You can't talk to that dude on the right side in the PC version either.
I guess the "punk" guy they're referring to is the one that just tells you to get lost...
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Post by roushimsx on Nov 23, 2009 21:00:22 GMT -5
How come only on Finnish game sites? Could it be some limited license of free distribution, a bit like the first two GTA obtainable only from Rockstar's site? I don't doubt it at all. It wouldn't be the first time it's happened. Sierra authorized free distribution of the Amiga versions of their adventure games on Back2Roots a while back. Likewise, a number of other games have been included for free on magazine CDs, but they were never actually freeware. Some notable titles: Deus Ex (June 2004 Computer Gaming World) Duke Nukem Duke Nukem 3D (May 2001 PC Gamer) Gabriel Knight: Sins of the Fathers King's Quest Need For Speed Secret of Monkey Island 1 & 2 (July 1997 PC Gamer) Wizardy VII (Computer Games Strategy Plus No.73) Most of the time, the free game is released to pump up interest in a pending sequel (like Hidden & Dangerous, Ultima IV, Betrayal at Krondor, Ground Control, etc) but sometimes it's just an awesome way to drive up interest in a magazine. Not really used all that often anymore, unfortunately. tl;dr - Wouldn't be surprised if the free release of RotD/HoC was really only applicable to either that region or a specific magazine from that region.
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Post by Discoalucard on Nov 23, 2009 21:20:24 GMT -5
That Monkey Island one was weird. They were included on the disk but were encrypted. You needed to pay some amount of money (I forget how much) and it would unlock.
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Post by roushimsx on Nov 23, 2009 21:25:44 GMT -5
That Monkey Island one was weird. They were included on the disk but were encrypted. You needed to pay some amount of money (I forget how much) and it would unlock. Depends on which release you got I can't remember which magazine came with the Monkey Island Madness disc (Monkey Island I and II + Curse of Monkey Island demo) offhand...I'm still trying to dig up my CGW that came with Duke Nukem / Need For Speed / King's Quest and some other stuff. Think it's out in a trunk in the garage but yea, i was wrong. the Jul '97 disc was $20 to unlock 'em both. Woops!
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Post by lionelritchie on Nov 28, 2009 12:32:08 GMT -5
"For example, it's entirely possible to forget your card key in your computer and leave, effectively locking you out of your apartment and forcing you to reload."
This is not entirely true. You can still enter your apartment solving a puzzle, I dont remember if it was in the control panel of the room or in the rooftop of the building. Dont remember also if this was only in the sega cd version (I am sure it was possible in the sega cd version at least).
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Post by Discoalucard on Nov 28, 2009 12:48:58 GMT -5
You know? I'll look around and see if that's possible. I don't ever remember getting on the roof, though...
EDIT:
OK I figured it out. You need to tinker with the steam valve in the hallway, which shorts out the door. It's weird, though, because the steam valve doesn't even show up as hotspot.
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Post by Deleted on Nov 28, 2009 15:00:23 GMT -5
Thanks, buddy! I never played the PC or Amiga versions, so I'm gonna check it out now. BTW, who is that in your avatar (off topic, sorry)?
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Post by Deleted on Nov 28, 2009 18:04:15 GMT -5
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Post by lionelritchie on Nov 29, 2009 10:27:46 GMT -5
OK I figured it out. You need to tinker with the steam valve in the hallway, which shorts out the door. It's weird, though, because the steam valve doesn't even show up as hotspot. Guess it becomes a hot spot only if you forget the keycard.
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Post by Discoalucard on Nov 29, 2009 11:03:42 GMT -5
Well, by hotspot, I mean that the cursor changes when you hover over it, and it shows up when you Tab through everything. You can click on it, but there's nothing to show you can interact with it.
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