I bought them ages ago and let me tell you, crazy taxi without the offspring is just not the same. Borrowing the original versions for free from the internet is the only way to go.
wizardbeard@lemmy.dbzer0.com
on 08 Nov 11:45
nextcollapse
There are mods for it to restore the soundtrack and other little tweaks.
I am pretty sure I picked up the Android version for free a few years ago and it had The Offspring but I installed it just now and it’s gone. It’s also now talking about ads and data collection so I assume the original build has been unavailable for a while.
Which is a bit ironic, considering all of these are in two compilation packs.
They’re probably going to have a new compilation pack that costs about the same price and has a few additional games…but they didn’t want to just sell DLC/standalone games for the Collections that already exist.
And actually, a lot of these games that are getting delisted can be purchased separately. And maybe even have ROMs that are easily extracted. So maybe they just want to lock things down into an all-or-nothing ROMs-hidden collection or 10.
Exactly, they announced earlier this year that they were working on reviving a bunch of licences, including Crazy Taxi, Jet Set Radio, Shinobi, Golden Axe, Streets of Rage, and hinting at a longer list. We don’t know yet eactly how many titles that includes, and which of them will get remakes, remasters, or brand new games, but it was hinting brand new. Early dev footage was leaked at some point for Crazy Taxi and Shinobi.
They already did this with the classic Sonic games (Sonic Origins) and removed them from any new Steam copies of the Genesis/Mega Drive Classics collection. I doubt they’re working on all the games in their library, but it may be enough of them that they just decided to pull the whole collection rather than leave it so gutted out. Sucks, but yeah, that’s the way it goes. That said, Shining Force remaster please? That would be awesome.
I wonder if it's a licensing thing. I know a few of these games had heavy use of licensed music, like Jet Set Radio and Crazy Taxy. At least, the original versions did, I'm not sure if that's the case for the Steam ports.
It's likely just meaning new compilations coming down the line as there is zero cost and zero maintenance for them to keep the games up otherwise and is entirely passive income.
I'm talking purely about the work needed to be done on the Steam backend and such. Also in this case, most of these old games - minus Crazy Taxi and perhaps one or two other Dreamcast games - don't have licensed music.
Viking_Hippie@lemmy.world
on 08 Nov 10:21
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If by “grab”, you mean “pirate”. Don’t reward them for taking games away.
ya I do agree, we shouldn't reward them by taking games away. Let's just go to 1337x
AbsoluteChicagoDog@lemm.ee
on 08 Nov 18:01
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Plus Steam can change it’s mind at any point and take the game away
TheFrogThatFlies@lemmy.world
on 08 Nov 11:08
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I think I have a single Steam game from within which I can then run those games. How would I backup the delisted games?
aubertlone@lemmy.world
on 08 Nov 11:13
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I think if you own that you’re still able to download them afterwards
Cocodapuf@lemmy.world
on 08 Nov 12:04
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No, you need to install them as well. It’ll work as long as it’s installed, but after they’re delisted, I don’t think steam can even distribute them.
I know I have at least one game “grid: race driver” that was delisted from steam, at some point I must have uninstalled it, and now I can’t download it, it doesn’t even show up in my library. I’ve been trying like hell to find a way to play it, but even pirated versions are being difficult.
Edit: judging from comments and downvotes, apparently this is rare? But it does definitely happen, I’m not making this example up. And I don’t know how you could predict whether a game will just be unavailable for purchase or totally disappear…
ampersandrew@lemmy.world
on 08 Nov 12:28
nextcollapse
It’s extremely rare for a delisted game to be removed from your library, and they only do it in cases where, for instance, the game would literally be unplayable because the server isn’t there anymore. Often times they won’t remove the game from your library in that situation either. Having the game in your library is, in fact, enough.
This is not the case with the sega games we’re talking about. The announcement specifically mentions the games will still be available to download if you bought them before the delisting.
Removing games from player inventory is very rare; I’ve only seen it happen when malware is uploaded to Steam as a game.
I have a few games that can’t be played anymore, like Super Bomberman R Online and The Crew. I still can download their files from Steam; but I can’t play them.
But now I’m curious too, what could’ve happened that got that game removed from the people who bought the game
I’m a bit curious too. My theory is that it may have come down to licensing and trademark issue. Since the game used actual car brands and their logos and such, they may have had some agreement over their usage and perhaps the period of that agreement ended. It’s worth noting that the game was available from several different stores, and it became unavailable everywhere as far as I know.
Even when that agreement expires (see blur as a race game example), the game typically isn’t removed from libraries.
As for your game I think archive.org has a copy listed ( archive.org/details/race-driver-grid_202112 ), it says it’s a GOG copy so it shouldn’t give any issues, does it give any? (Do not click the spam comments, check the download options and pick either zip or torrent)
That’s the Sega Genesis/Mega Drive Classics collection. I have it myself (bought several years ago). It’s just an official emulator/GUI wrapper (styled like a bedroom with a CRT) that comes with the games. If you have the collection you can find all the ROMs in the collection’s folder and play them with whatever emulator you want. If Steam ever threatens to take them away I strongly recommend backing that folder up somewhere.
TheFrogThatFlies@lemmy.world
on 09 Nov 09:08
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Never bothered to look into what it contained, but using the ROM outside steam is a very interesting proposal, thanks!
melroy@kbin.melroy.org
on 08 Nov 12:34
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That’s games that you can and do buy of Steam. Delisting changes nothing except that you won’t be able to give them money in exchange for not owning the games.
CheeseNoodle@lemmy.world
on 08 Nov 13:42
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Echo the Dolphin being purged is worth the loss of the other 59.
cyberpunk007@lemmy.ca
on 08 Nov 15:23
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This is also why I often buy games on gog that I already “own” on steam.
Sometimes they’re not on gog and I want to play them. Other times it’s 4$ on steam and 50$ on gog. I’ll buy it for 4 on steam so I can play it, then wait for the sale on gog down the road. Sometimes it’s a convenience thing cause I have a steam deck and it’s just nice to deal with native compatibility.
ivanafterall@lemmy.world
on 08 Nov 15:26
nextcollapse
I hope this doesn’t affect my folders full of every Sega game rom ever.
whotookkarl@lemmy.world
on 08 Nov 18:17
nextcollapse
threaded - newest
OH no they don’t want my money? Now’s not the time, I won’t bother then
right? I already have the ones I give a shit about ... On my shelf where they can't de-list them.
If they don’t want me to buy them then why should I buy them now instead of borrowing them for free for unspecified amount of time from the Internet?
Get it before it’s gone! Go fast! Spend money! Don’t just pirate it when it becomes unavailable!!
I bought them ages ago and let me tell you, crazy taxi without the offspring is just not the same. Borrowing the original versions for free from the internet is the only way to go.
There are mods for it to restore the soundtrack and other little tweaks.
I am pretty sure I picked up the Android version for free a few years ago and it had The Offspring but I installed it just now and it’s gone. It’s also now talking about ads and data collection so I assume the original build has been unavailable for a while.
they are probably cooking something, maybe their own platform? who knows
Probably remasters or remakes. They don’t want to compete with themselves.
maybe, but for 60 games at once?
This generates “buzz” it’s free marketing
It’ll be in a compilation pack, I’d bet
Which is a bit ironic, considering all of these are in two compilation packs.
They’re probably going to have a new compilation pack that costs about the same price and has a few additional games…but they didn’t want to just sell DLC/standalone games for the Collections that already exist.
And actually, a lot of these games that are getting delisted can be purchased separately. And maybe even have ROMs that are easily extracted. So maybe they just want to lock things down into an all-or-nothing ROMs-hidden collection or 10.
Exactly, they announced earlier this year that they were working on reviving a bunch of licences, including Crazy Taxi, Jet Set Radio, Shinobi, Golden Axe, Streets of Rage, and hinting at a longer list. We don’t know yet eactly how many titles that includes, and which of them will get remakes, remasters, or brand new games, but it was hinting brand new. Early dev footage was leaked at some point for Crazy Taxi and Shinobi.
They already did this with the classic Sonic games (Sonic Origins) and removed them from any new Steam copies of the Genesis/Mega Drive Classics collection. I doubt they’re working on all the games in their library, but it may be enough of them that they just decided to pull the whole collection rather than leave it so gutted out. Sucks, but yeah, that’s the way it goes. That said, Shining Force remaster please? That would be awesome.
No 'probably' about it. Can't speak to all of the titles being removed, but they dropped this trailer almost a year ago.
I wonder if it's a licensing thing. I know a few of these games had heavy use of licensed music, like Jet Set Radio and Crazy Taxy. At least, the original versions did, I'm not sure if that's the case for the Steam ports.
Someone else here mentioned that Crazy Taxi doesn’t have the licensed music, but it can be modded back in.
…maybe they’re locking down mod support, too? Lol
It's likely just meaning new compilations coming down the line as there is zero cost and zero maintenance for them to keep the games up otherwise and is entirely passive income.
The cost isn’t necessarily zero. Old games are often removed due to music licenses that are about to expire.
I'm talking purely about the work needed to be done on the Steam backend and such. Also in this case, most of these old games - minus Crazy Taxi and perhaps one or two other Dreamcast games - don't have licensed music.
If by “grab”, you mean “pirate”. Don’t reward them for taking games away.
They mean grab by now buying it and you will keep it on Steam. But it will be unavailable for users after late December to buy it.
That’s just a longer way of saying “reward them for taking games away while you can”…
ya I do agree, we shouldn't reward them by taking games away. Let's just go to 1337x
Plus Steam can change it’s mind at any point and take the game away
I think I have a single Steam game from within which I can then run those games. How would I backup the delisted games?
I think if you own that you’re still able to download them afterwards
No, you need to install them as well. It’ll work as long as it’s installed, but after they’re delisted, I don’t think steam can even distribute them.
I know I have at least one game “grid: race driver” that was delisted from steam, at some point I must have uninstalled it, and now I can’t download it, it doesn’t even show up in my library. I’ve been trying like hell to find a way to play it, but even pirated versions are being difficult.
Edit: judging from comments and downvotes, apparently this is rare? But it does definitely happen, I’m not making this example up. And I don’t know how you could predict whether a game will just be unavailable for purchase or totally disappear…
It’s extremely rare for a delisted game to be removed from your library, and they only do it in cases where, for instance, the game would literally be unplayable because the server isn’t there anymore. Often times they won’t remove the game from your library in that situation either. Having the game in your library is, in fact, enough.
This is not the case with the sega games we’re talking about. The announcement specifically mentions the games will still be available to download if you bought them before the delisting.
Well that’s certainly good news! And I admit I wasn’t aware of that announcement.
Removing games from player inventory is very rare; I’ve only seen it happen when malware is uploaded to Steam as a game.
I have a few games that can’t be played anymore, like Super Bomberman R Online and The Crew. I still can download their files from Steam; but I can’t play them.
But now I’m curious too, what could’ve happened that got that game removed from the people who bought the game
I’m a bit curious too. My theory is that it may have come down to licensing and trademark issue. Since the game used actual car brands and their logos and such, they may have had some agreement over their usage and perhaps the period of that agreement ended. It’s worth noting that the game was available from several different stores, and it became unavailable everywhere as far as I know.
Even when that agreement expires (see blur as a race game example), the game typically isn’t removed from libraries.
As for your game I think archive.org has a copy listed ( archive.org/details/race-driver-grid_202112 ), it says it’s a GOG copy so it shouldn’t give any issues, does it give any? (Do not click the spam comments, check the download options and pick either zip or torrent)
You’re right, this is what they’ve been announcing. The games you’ve bought will still be available for download.
That’s the Sega Genesis/Mega Drive Classics collection. I have it myself (bought several years ago). It’s just an official emulator/GUI wrapper (styled like a bedroom with a CRT) that comes with the games. If you have the collection you can find all the ROMs in the collection’s folder and play them with whatever emulator you want. If Steam ever threatens to take them away I strongly recommend backing that folder up somewhere.
Never bothered to look into what it contained, but using the ROM outside steam is a very interesting proposal, thanks!
Nooooooooooo
"You own nothing and be happy", right?
That’s games that you can and do buy of Steam. Delisting changes nothing except that you won’t be able to give them money in exchange for not owning the games.
Echo the Dolphin being purged is worth the loss of the other 59.
This is also why I often buy games on gog that I already “own” on steam.
This is why I “acquire” games I already own on steam. Or buy first from GoG. I’m not paying twice for same game.
Sometimes they’re not on gog and I want to play them. Other times it’s 4$ on steam and 50$ on gog. I’ll buy it for 4 on steam so I can play it, then wait for the sale on gog down the road. Sometimes it’s a convenience thing cause I have a steam deck and it’s just nice to deal with native compatibility.
I hope this doesn’t affect my folders full of every Sega game rom ever.
www.raspberrypi.com + batocera.org + yarr + a USB controller
Rewarding bad behavior only encourages more
Im here just to flex I have a genesis with a everdrive and a Dreamcast with gdemu so it dont bothers me personally.
Still is a shit, thoug.
Ask your mom if you can have friends over to play this weekend.
My 4 dreamcast controllers are there, waiting for friends to come. That never happen.