• Could you legally upload an old PC game that you can't buy anywhere anymore?
    10 replies, posted
The game [URL="http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Freelancer_(video_game)"]Freelancer[/URL] hasn't been on sale (new) anywhere for about 8 years now, and the master server was shut off in 2009. Question is, could I legally host the game's ISO/EXE anywhere? Its pretty much abandonware. I only ask this since the community died, well, the non-RP community died, and would be great if the game got some people. I already have an installer with some community patches added in it, and another with the mod Discovery Freelancer preinstaller, which is still updated, and has its own updater built in. I have found the game on ROM sites that have old DOS/Windows games too. [IMG]http://i.imgur.com/BjfdjaQ.png[/IMG] and as you see, its been there for 3 years without a problem.
Freelancer is a damn good game, shame that second one never came out. Anyways I might be wrong but I think I remember the game being free near the end of it's life, if that's the case then there shouldn't be any problem.
Usually when a game is no longer being made or supported, and it's developer is no longer getting money from it. It's considered to be [url=http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Abandonware]abandonware[/url].
this game looks a LOT like galaxy on fire 2
Me and my granddad played the shit out of this back in the day. He would REALLY get into the few games that he played, I remember he drew a map of the galaxy out as he explored it including all the hidden worlds and he'd found the most profitable trade routes and made millions and had the best ship with the best stuff and everything like that. He didn't have the reflexes for the big missions though so I used to do the fighting and he'd do everything else. The idea of this being multiplayer is great, I'll have to try and dig the box out sometime if people do actually play it still!
[QUOTE=Lurklet;45464851]this game looks a LOT like galaxy on fire 2[/QUOTE] It's the other way around. Compared to GoF2, Freelancer has much more robust space combat and travelling systems. Larger space areas and generally just better in every aspect but the graphics. Still, the particle effects in Freelancer beats GoF2 anytime. If there's anything that GoF2 does better than Freelancer, it's the more diverse weapon types and their behaviors. Lasers, Thermos, Beams, and so on.. Oh, and you can encounter Battleships in freeplay.
"Abandonware games" is placed in a shady area, and could imply some legal issues. Although most games are not supported, especially mp games missing servers, etc.
Well, if the devs and/or the publisher no longer exist, I guess there shouldn't be a problem.
[QUOTE=Mike16112;45464801]Usually when a game is no longer being made or supported, and it's developer is no longer getting money from it. It's considered to be [url=http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Abandonware]abandonware[/url].[/QUOTE] Yeah but that doesn't make it legal, it's just that no one really gives enough of a shit to bother taking any legal action.
Blade Runner the game may be old, but it can still be pirated and it works fairly well. The company that made it have went out of business for a very long time. So... Yeah, heavily suggest giving it a try!
[QUOTE=T553412;45468505]Well, if the devs and/or the publisher no longer exist, I guess there shouldn't be a problem.[/QUOTE] The copyrights don't go poof into smoke you know, often somebody else ends up with them. Though the owners probably won't even bother trying to fight piracy.
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