Daggerfall - Released for Free

Gah!
Anyway, err, ,nice of them to do that.
Though I must admit I'm not a fan. I preferred Morrowind

Originally Posted by Shagnak
No, you were not simply saying it was downloadable at some point, you were saying that you disagreed about it not being abandonware:

That is correct. You see, it's called an opinion…

Originally Posted by Shagnak
And you were wrong.

…and that is also an opinion.

Originally Posted by Shagnak
Those earlier periods when it was downloadable form certain abandonware sites, it was not abandonware.

Um…yes it was.

There is no specific legal definition of "abandonware" yet. Daggerfall met all of the common criteria for abandonware, which is why those sites carried it until Bethesda suddenly decided that it wasn't.

Originally Posted by JDR13
There is no specific legal definition of "abandonware" yet.

But there is one of piracy. Downloading a piece of software illegally that a developer asserts copyright on is one of them.

Originally Posted by JDR13
Daggerfall met all of the common criteria for abandonware…

No it didn't. The major criteria for something NOT being abandonware is when the owner of the product says it isn't. The 'codex was well aware it wasn't for years due to some Bethesda statement or other. And it's easy enough to search Beth forums for locked threads talking about Daggerfall and its abandonware status.
e.g.:
http://www.bethsoft.com/bgsforums/in…hl=abandonware
mdoerator quote in that thread:
"So while Bethesda has released Arena on to the web, they have not released Daggerfall and downloading a copy remains illegal."

Originally Posted by JDR13
which is why those sites carried it until Bethesda suddenly decided that it wasn't.

They didn't "suddenly decide it wasn't", Bethesda just asserted something that already existed!
Jeepers!

Originally Posted by Shagnak
No it didn't. The major criteria for something NOT being abandonware is when the owner of the product says it isn't. The 'codex was well aware it wasn't for years due to some Bethesda statement or other. And it's easy enough to search Beth forums for locked threads talking about Daggerfall and its abandonware status.

Good Lord! That's exactly my point, I'm talking about the time period *prior* to Bethesda claiming it wasn't abandonware.

Oh holy geebus, way to quote. The point was that they've always said it wasn't. Here's the context:

Originally Posted by Shagnak
They didn't "suddenly decide it wasn't", Bethesda just asserted something that already existed!

I don't think they've ever considered it abandonware. SO it never was. (Until now?)

If your definition of abandonware is something that you can get away with downloading as long as you're ignorant of a company's claim and they haven't rumbled your download source, well …

… that sounds GREAT!
The future is looking much brighter with my newly calibrated moral compass. Torrents ahoy!!

Originally Posted by Shagnak
I don't think they've ever considered it abandonware. SO it never was. (Until now?)

I see, so now you don't *think* they considered it abandonware. That's not the point though, as you yourself stated - "the major criteria for something not being abandonware is when the owner of the product says it isn't."

Originally Posted by Shagnak
If your definition of abandonware is something that you can get away with downloading as long as you're ignorant of a company's claim and they haven't rumbled your download source, well …… that sounds GREAT!
The future is looking much brighter with my newly calibrated moral compass. Torrents ahoy!!

So I guess none of us should ever download from HotU or Abandonia again because the original devs might suddenly step forward and proclaim it's not abandonware?

Thank you for the holier than thou lecture, I'm sure everyone here feels a great deal more educated about the dangers of piracy after reading that little gem…

Originally Posted by JDR13
If they really wanted to do something for the fans, they should have taken the time to release a version playable on modern systems, like the games on GoG.com.

Use this version

http://talon.punt.nl/#458865

Everything included (display changer, patch, modern controls patch…) packed in easy to use installer.

Originally Posted by JDR13
So I guess none of us sho Tuld ever download from HotU or Abandonia again because the original devs might suddenly step forward and proclaim it's not abandonware?

I don't know…but with Daggerfall it would have been pretty easy to find out it was.
Also, if one of those companys do step forth and say "look, we never abandoned this game, please remove it", then that means, yes, it never was abandoned.

Bethesda have always stated that Daggerfall is not abandonware. If you or the place you downloaded from didn't know it wasn't abandonware, that doesn't make it abandonware. That's all.

Originally Posted by JDR13
Thank you for the holier than thou lecture, I'm sure everyone here feels a great deal more educated about the dangers of piracy after reading that little gem…

No problem. Glad to be of service.

Originally Posted by Dark Savant
Use this version

http://talon.punt.nl/#458865

Everything included (display changer, patch, modern controls patch…) packed in easy to use installer.

Cool, thanks for the link Dark Savant. I'm gonna give this a try.

Are you sure it's legal? I don't want Shagnak to get upset about this…

Arena used to be available as a free download from the Bethsoft site for a few years, up to recently. They even had a guide on the forum somewhere on how to set it up with Dosbox. Sadly, I see that they've completely changed the look of their website now. They seem to be moving away from The Elder Scrolls that had put them on the map in the first place. *sigh*

Unfortunately I'm spoilt. I find Arena's old age rather hard to handle. Currently I'm having some fun by trying out some Morrowind mods. Yeah - even Mwind was starting looking a bit old to me in it's maidenly vanilla form…

Good news about the Daggerfall download though.

What are you talking about. Arena download is still there next to Daggerfall

http://www.elderscrolls.com/download…oads_games.htm

Originally Posted by RivianWitch
Arena used to be available as a free download from the Bethsoft site for a few years, up to recently. They even had a guide on the forum somewhere on how to set it up with Dosbox. Sadly, I see that they've completely changed the look of their website now. They seem to be moving away from The Elder Scrolls that had put them on the map in the first place. *sigh*

What? The website has not changed design for many, many years (It's pre-Oblivion and pre-10th Anniversary). Arena is still available for download on the same page as Daggerfall.

EDIT: I guess you confused the Bethesda Blog with the Elder Scrolls website?

Though i played Daggerfall for three years solid, i never completed the game due to the dreaded save game errors.

Can anyone confirm that the DAG231.EXE fix can lead to a succesfull completion of the game as i am tempted to give it one more try?

http://www.uesp.net/wiki/Daggerfall:Files

In celebration of the 15th Anniversary of The Elder Scrolls series, Bethesda has chosen to make the second iteration, Daggerfall, available for free download on their website. The game is released "as is", meaning no technical support will be given by Bethesda.
- Here's the announcement on the BethBlog.
- Here's the direct download link from elderscrolls.com.
Dark Savant on the forums has made us aware of an alternative version of Daggerfall including patch, display changer and a modern control patch.
More information.

abandonware for years, now finaly legal.

but dont forget.

OLD GAMES ARE OLD!

Thanks for the link … I'm going to see if I can get this going on DOSBox under OS X

PLEASE let's not start another 'abandonware or not' discussion here …

Originally Posted by Brother None
Don't forget that "abandonware" is not an official status unless the game developer declares it so.

I agree.

If the devs don't say so, it ain't so.

I bought the CompUSA version, which I guess had a few extra weapons or whatnot inside, but I never played it for more than a week. It was too sandboxy for me and had no idea what to do within the game.

Although, I did like the liberal use of nudity within the game .

Edit: Do we really need another piracy thread? Just food for thought there guys. It's going to go nowhere. It's like Pro Life vs Pro Choice debates. They always end badly with no one budging an inch from their stance.

it's really cool they're releasing old stuff for free.
after all, those things could not be sold anymore, and by sold i mean generate profit.

what's more, those games still rock.
how many modern games aren't half as entertaining as those oldies.
________
Uggs