Author Topic: GOG giving away Broken Sword-Shadow of the Templars thru 10/1/11 (Read 13823 times)

40hz · « **on:** September 30, 2011, 05:58 PM »

From the folks over at MarkeUseOf.com, this giveaway announcement:

GOG Gives Away Broken Sword: Shadow Of The Templars Until Tomorrow

posted on September 30, 2011 by Angela Alcorn

Good Old Games (GOG) are currently giving away copies of Broken Sword: Shadow of the Templars, which is the first installment of the Broken Sword Series. It’s only available free for a very limited time, so act fast.

After running a successful competition and reaching their desired download milestone, GOG decided to give away the first part of the Broken Sword series for free. It’s only available until October 1, at 7:59 a.m. EDT (11:59 a.m. GMT), so you need to act quickly to get your copy! If you’re not already a GOG user, you’ll need to create an account before downloading. However, this process is very quick.

The 1GB download contains both the original game and the "Director's Cut."

Direct link to GOG download page here.

From the GOG website:

What's cool about it:

The Director's Cut includes an additional chapter of the story, seen from Nico's perspective and exclusively on GOG, an original version of Broken Sword: Shadow of the Templars a.k.a. Broken Sword: Circle of Blood
Great hand-drawn graphics, now remade with new animated cinematics and HD resolutions
A timeless adventure game with a conspiracy atmosphere and a big underlying mystery

Overview:

Uncover the identity of a jester assassin. Unlock the legend of the Knights Templar. Unravel a plot as twisted as the catacombs you're about to prowl.

As George Stobbart, an American in Paris, you find it odd when an accordion-playing clown darts out of a cafe clutching a briefcase. Moments later, you're sent flying, violently thrown through the air by the force of a massive explosion, right into a sinister, global intrigue. The coveted contents of that briefcase? A fiercely guarded manuscript penned by a clandestine medieval order - the Knights Templar. Reveal the truth behind a secret conspiracy and save the world from the Templars' evil plan.

If this is the sort of game that appeals to you, you have less than 24 hours to get your copy for free - assuming their servers don't crash.

To my way of thinking, anything that makes the ultimate bad guy look like a street mime is OK by me.

Carol Haynes · « **Reply #1 on:** September 30, 2011, 07:36 PM »

Thanks for the heads up - servers currently working full steam ahead!

Looks like an interesting game.

Note the two sequels are also available on GOG for $6 each. Both are the remastered versions and the first sequel also includes the original version of that game.

oblivion · « **Reply #2 on:** October 01, 2011, 05:56 AM »

I've lost track of just how long I've owned this game -- on CD, no less -- but the Director's Cut version, an additional chapter and free too? Well, I never DID finish the game, maybe this will give me an excuse to have another go! Thanks!

40hz · « **Reply #3 on:** October 01, 2011, 08:03 AM »

I think I misspoke earlier.

The way GoG works is that the download authorization for a given game title is OK'd when you make your purchase. (Free is also treated as a purchase.) Like Steam, your games appear on your bookshelf and can be downloaded any time thereafter. Unlike Steam, you don't need to be connected to the web to play them. The games in GoG's catalog do not use DRM in any way, shape, or form. Amazing! They're legally cracked!

And they've also had requisite patches made to allow them to run on modern versions of Windows. (I understand DOSBox is incorporated into the download for some of the very old titles.) Major improvement all around. No more haunting forums at 2:00am, looking for a link to that elusive 100k patch that makes the difference between a splash screen and being asked if you want to send Microsoft an error report.

Interesting to note, GoG has a signing bonus of 4 free games (their selection) when you open an account with them. This is not a problem as all you'll need to open an account is:

a user name
an e-mail account they can contact you with
a password
a date of birth to comply with legal requirements for age-restricted titles

NO CREDIT CARD or other financial data is requested to open an account. And your DOB is strictly on the honor system. GoG also deserves props for not asking for CC info when 'purchasing' a free title. Last night, I signed up in about 15 seconds (got lucky and got the user name I wanted first try) and was merrily downloading about a minute after that.

But it gets better.

When I first set my account up, Teen Agent, Beneath a Steel Sky, Lure of the Temptress, and Tyrian 2000 were already on my game shelf and available for download. After "purchasing" Broken Swords (for $0

) I noticed Dragonsphere got magically added to my collection sometime last night. Gotta love people like this! The only comparable bargain out there is the Indie Humble Bundle which I also highly recommend.

Not being much of a computer gamer (and having an admitted preference for the gameplay style found in older titles such as AplhaCenturi or Elite) I think GoG will eventually end up being a place I wished I never got hooked up with. Especially since I bought an additional four titles I really don't need - and probably shouldn't be spending the time playing even if I did!

Oh well... Gotta take the grounds with your coffee sometimes.

I'll survive.

Carol Haynes · « **Reply #4 on:** October 01, 2011, 08:33 AM »

Dargonsphere is also available for free:

http://www.gog.com/e...amecard/dragonsphere

Deozaan · « **Reply #5 on:** October 01, 2011, 10:34 PM »

Here are all the free games on GoG:

http://www.gog.com/e...#all_genres/price/0/

(Only Ultima 4 hasn't been mentioned yet.)

Carol Haynes · « **Reply #6 on:** October 02, 2011, 04:31 AM »

Its great that old games are available but some are really painful to play these days! The biggest issue I have is that the graphics are so poor and the resolution so low. If you play on a large screen at the original resolution in a window you need binoculars and if there is an option to make a game bigger if often looks really fuzzy and blocky.

For me it is more sense of curiosity to see what I missed in the 80s!

Having said that GOG has some really good games on the cheap - and I am particularly enjoying Broken Sword!

40hz · « **Reply #7 on:** October 02, 2011, 07:42 AM »

The biggest issue I have is that the graphics are so poor and the resolution so low. If you play on a large screen at the original resolution in a window you need binoculars and if there is an option to make a game bigger if often looks really fuzzy and blocky.
-Carol Haynes (October 02, 2011, 04:31 AM)

Amen! That's the main (possibly only) reason why I've kept an old PII box with a stripped down copy of Win95 and a still lovely 15" multisync monitor lying around. Ultima and Zork are unbelievably painful (to me) on anything but. It's even got a combo 5.25/3.5 floppy drive for my old EA and Infocom collection!

About the only games I can say I've really enjoyed seem to be oldies. I even like those tinny 8-bit musical scores playing through the Soundblaster card. Keep a working C64 around for the same reason. That SID chip was...heck, it still is awesome!

Heaven help me,..

Shades · « **Reply #8 on:** October 02, 2011, 09:23 AM »

The demo scene on C64 always amazed me with their prowess, given that they had so little (in regard to computing resources) to work with.

About 10 years ago was the last time I saw a demo where the SID chip produced a female voice singing a catchy tune from those days for several minutes. And it sounded good.

I can only imagine how proud the original designers of that chip would have felt, if they had heard that demo.

[on-topic]
The deal had already expired before I saw it appearing here on DC...then again I don't refresh this page that much anymore as of late (meatspace doing some recalling of this body

).

40hz · « **Reply #9 on:** October 02, 2011, 10:02 AM »

The deal had already expired before I saw it appearing here on DC...then again I don't refresh this page that much anymore as of late (meatspace doing some recalling of this body ).
-Shades (October 02, 2011, 09:23 AM)

I'd be happy to gift you a copy if you like. I just started it and it's a very enjoyable game. Just PM me your username.

Shades · « **Reply #10 on:** October 03, 2011, 07:04 AM »

@40hz:
PM has been sent on his/her way to you.

Carol Haynes · « **Reply #11 on:** October 03, 2011, 09:34 AM »

I just started it and it's a very enjoyable game. Just PM me your username.
-40hz (October 02, 2011, 10:02 AM)

It is probably one of the more enjoyable point and click adventures I have tried. It does get a little slow in places - especially when you have to ask everyone you meet the same questions!

cranioscopical · « **Reply #12 on:** October 03, 2011, 10:40 AM »

especially when you have to ask everyone you meet the same questions!
-Carol Haynes (October 03, 2011, 09:34 AM)

That faithfully mimics real life in my case ... the first question being "Who am I?"
Drives my wife nuts, especially as the second question is "Who are you?"

40hz · « **Reply #13 on:** October 03, 2011, 10:59 AM »

especially when you have to ask everyone you meet the same questions!
-Carol Haynes (October 03, 2011, 09:34 AM)

That faithfully mimics real life in my case ... the first question being "Who am I?"
Drives my wife nuts, especially as the second question is "Who are you?"
-cranioscopical (October 03, 2011, 10:40 AM)

+1!

Sorta like getting on the phone with HP tech support? Each time the call gets transferred you have to start all over again with whoever you get 'escalated' to...

superboyac · « **Reply #14 on:** October 03, 2011, 11:40 AM »

About the only games I can say I've really enjoyed seem to be oldies. I even like those tinny 8-bit musical scores playing through the Soundblaster card. Keep a working C64 around for the same reason. That SID chip was...heck, it still is awesome!
-40hz (October 02, 2011, 07:42 AM)

You just got the old Bruce Lee game's soundtrack playing in my head.

Deozaan · « **Reply #15 on:** October 07, 2011, 05:22 AM »

If you missed it for free, it's on sale on Steam for only $2.50 for a few more hours:

http://store.steampowered.com/app/57640/

You can get the entire Trilogy on Steam for $5 (normally priced $10 which is cheaper than GOG.com):

http://store.steampowered.com/sub/6447/

Carol Haynes · « **Reply #16 on:** October 07, 2011, 07:42 AM »

Unless you live in the UK in which case $5 = £5 ... convenient exchange rate as usual.

Personally I have complete the first two adventures and enjoyed both (though some of the puzzles in the second were a bit obscure at times and I had to restore to cheats to make progress). The third game I can't get into. They removed mouse control and the keyboard controls are anything but intuitive.

The advantages of buying on GOG are:

1) You don't need to setam to be running
2) DRM free - so put it on any computer in the house
3) Lots of extras included including guides and soundtracks etc.
4) GOG deserve support more than Steam!

40hz · « **Reply #17 on:** October 07, 2011, 08:29 AM »

+1 w/Carol.

I have accounts with both. I much prefer the way GoG operates and does business.

Deozaan · « **Reply #18 on:** October 18, 2011, 10:31 AM »

Broken Sword Trilogy is 50% off on GoG until Friday.

Carol Haynes · « **Reply #19 on:** October 18, 2011, 10:47 AM »

Anyone else find the final part frustrating - you constantly have to do things in a particular sequence and it isn't terribly obvious at times what is required (totally random at times it seems to me).

The first game is fantastic and I didn't need to resort to cheats, the second game was also good but on one or two occasions the solution to a problem was just too obscure and I had to cheat. The third one I hate the keyboard only interface - the 3D graphics are not really very good (forgiveable given when it was written) but the solutions to problems are just too obscure and I find myself playing it with the GOG Guide open on my second screen!

Deozaan · « **Reply #20 on:** October 18, 2011, 11:05 AM »

Oh, I guess it's not a Trilogy. It's a Quadrology (?). GoG also has Broken Sword 4 as a new release.

Re: The difficulty of the 2nd and 3rd games. . . I haven't played them yet so I can't really comment on them.