System Shock - Now available @gog.com!

Silver said:

What about the Underworld Ascendant people? A lot of those guys were Looking Glass Studios. Maybe with a kickstarter and some investor interest they can do System Shock 3 justice? If I was the rights holder I would want the original people doing it (or at least advising) to maximise the chances for its success.

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I've thought about them as well, but I'd have to see Underworld Ascendant first. They seem to have the heart in the right place - but I don't know if they still have the talent and hunger.

One thing I will say about the original System Shock, which is my favorite of the two, is that it was brilliant in its level design.

I think it's the only almost completely non-linear game that managed to tell a linear story to perfection - given the tools available at the time. To me, certainly, it felt like I could do everything I wanted to pretty much in the order I wanted to - and I could just ignore the entire story if I wanted to. But the story remained fascinating and something I wanted to invest in.

That's how you do non-linear level design, in my opinion.

I love System Shock 2 as well, mostly because of mechanics and the RPG enhancements, but I never liked how they moved to a more linear structure.

I'd love to see a return to System Shock level design - but with Bioshock Infinite/Last of Us story presentation.

JDR13 said:

Who's the rights holder, and do they own the rights to the name or simply the rights to SS 1?

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I wish I knew. Then we could petition them or something. Maybe that info will be on Night Dive studios website? Or I could ask the gog people in the release thread.

JDR13 said:

Who's the rights holder, and do they own the rights to the name or simply the rights to SS 1?

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I forget the details, because they're quite complex.

IIRC, EA own SOME of the rights and Looking Glass owned other rights - which they sold off to some non-gaming firm when they collapsed. Not sure what's happened after that.

Come to think of it, maybe the recent rumored EA visit to CDPR was about System Shock rights?

Hehe, ok speculative in the extreme.

Nice move, GOG, nice move indeed!

This one brings me fond memories. I played the CD-ROM Classics version of SS 1 (bought thru Ebay); in fact, I played SS 1 AFTER having played SS 2.

CDPR or other worthly company could make a direct sequel to System Shock 2. There is room for that (one who played SS 2 will know what I am talking about, I won't spoil the scene here). Of course, saying is easier than done: a direct sequel could and should be treated with respect and care because of the huge legion of SS 2's vocal fans.

Cool info all around ... and given what was released I have no issue with it being Windows-only (unlike, say, Dark Forces).

Okay I found out that Night Dive owns all the rights. From the ttlg.com website (through the looking glass)
http://www.ttlg.com/forums/showthread.php?t=145663

System Shock, Portable no more

after almost a decade of making lives easier for all the SS1 players everywhere, we will have to say goodbye to this great piece of software;

Update Regarding System Shock
xxxxxxx@gmail.com - 17.08.2015 23:25
To: xxxxxx@gmail.com

Hi, Nicolai. I believe that you have worked with Stephen Kick, CEO of Night Dive, in the past. Stephen said that you would be able to help me.

Night Dive Studios has acquired all rights to the System Shock franchise. We need to ask that you remove any links to the full games of either System Shock I or System Shock II, if you haven't already done so. I do understand that the version that is available for download from https://www.systemshock.org/ includes a number of mods. If you were to offer just a patch that installed those mods, I am sure that we could figure out a way to point back to you once System Shock is released.

If you have any questions, please feel free to let me know. Otherwise thank you for your cooperation.


Larry Kuperman
Director of Business Development Night Dive Studios
Cell Phone: xxxxxxxxxxx
xxxxx@nightdivestudios.com
Skype: larry.kuperman
the sort of good news is that this probably means SS1 GOG/Steam release is imminent.

Ah, a nice clarification

Also:

https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Night_Dive_Studios

It makes the whole thing much clearer.

But who the hell are they - and are they only going to re-release old games? That's such a waste.

Well they could license the series out to someone worthy. At least there's a possibility now for future games.

DArtagnan said:

But who the hell are they - and are they only going to re-release old games? That's such a waste.

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I think there is pretty big chance that sooner or late they will contact Otherside Entertainment and sell them a licence for new System Shock. Neurath said they may do other classics too in the future.

GoG is nerdish for faith. By god these people amaze me! AFK to buy some stuff.

Loved the second but never played the first. Actually, SS2 is one of my all time favorites. This one looks fun, I'll have to pick it up if for nothing else than to support GOG.

They should port it to iOS/Android so I can play it on my tablet.

Cthulhufan said:

Loved the second but never played the first. Actually, SS2 is one of my all time favorites. This one looks fun, I'll have to pick it up if for nothing else than to support GOG.

They should port it to iOS/Android so I can play it on my tablet.

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Playing System Shock on a tablet needs to be a deadly sin.

I'm aware there is a lot of hate for mobile here but I, personally, would enjoy it.

Cthulhufan said:

I'm aware there is a lot of hate for mobile here but I, personally, would enjoy it.

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So, if I hate mobile because I think System Shock is a very bad match for that platform, you're obviously such a huge fan of mobile that you have sex with your phone on a daily basis?

Cthulhufan said:

I'm aware there is a lot of hate for mobile here but I, personally, would enjoy it.

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I would say that there is a lot of frustration for the inadequate ports / control schemes we've had to deal with ... the original iPad is more than 5 years old and I have yet to play a truly 'great' original game (The Shadow Sun is probably the best), and the ports are all inferior to what you could get out of a cheap netbook experience.

... and I am one of the most pro-mobile gaming folks here

That's a nice little discount for owners of SS2. Never played the original, so it didn't take much for me to click the button.

DArtagnan said:

So, if I hate mobile because I think System Shock is a very bad match for that platform, you're obviously such a huge fan of mobile that you have sex with your phone on a daily basis?

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I said I think it would be great on my tablet (nice 9.7" display, can play at the hospital or wherever), I get that you hate the idea but I'm not sure what prompted the need for the vitriol.

Cthulhufan said:

I said I think it would be great on my tablet (nice 9.7" display, can play at the hospital or wherever), I get that you hate the idea but I'm not sure what prompted the need for the vitriol.

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I get that you love having sex with your tablet, but I'm not sure what prompted the need for vitriol.

See? You enjoy using the word hate - and I enjoy using the word love. Sex is also known as making love, so - it should all make sense now

But I'll make you a deal, if you stop calling me a hater - I'll stop calling you a lover.

txa1265 said:

I would say that there is a lot of frustration for the inadequate ports / control schemes we've had to deal with … the original iPad is more than 5 years old and I have yet to play a truly 'great' original game (The Shadow Sun is probably the best), and the ports are all inferior to what you could get out of a cheap netbook experience.

… and I am one of the most pro-mobile gaming folks here

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Oh, I totally get that. Shadow Run was great, I can play Doom, BG EE, IWD a few "phone games" and such and I know the trade off vs playing on my rig at home. The deal is it's awesome to pack around some really bad ass stuff on a sub 16 oz device with a nice display and 6 - 10 hours of battery life.

I'm a gamer. I like gaming on my rig at home, I like gaming on the go and I certainly would rather have a rough port of some really good game vs reading women's weekly in the waiting room...

I don't think I've ever played the SS games. If they are as great as people say I should remember right

I've always wondered what's in a name. When rebooting a series does it matter if it has the same name, or ip for that matter ?

It's not like they can patent the things which make it great. Like the linear story and non linear gameplay. Even the setting and atmosphere, except names, places etc. of course. Or are those truly memorable in SS ?