Stargunner for free at GOG.com

Post by **emmzee** » Tue Sep 17, 2013 9:58 am

Not sure if it's a permanent thing or limited time, but classic Apogee Software shmup Stargunner is available for free from GOG.com right now:

http://www.gog.com/game/stargunner

Enjoy

Post by **dosraider** » Tue Sep 17, 2013 5:37 pm

Action time !!!!!!

Post by **MrFlibble** » Wed Sep 18, 2013 9:42 am

The full version of Stargunner has been available for free from Apogee's website for ages (I think since 2004 or something [Edit] Liberated Games suggests it was made freeware in 2005.). I wonder why GOG.com didn't add it earlier.

Quadko · Post by **Quadko** » Thu Sep 19, 2013 9:50 am

I wonder if it was just a testing resource issue, or if they needed to get distribution rights. Or is it pure marketing?

They have enough other Apogee up there that I'd guess it would have been a deal already made in the past, but I guess business isn't always that smooth.

I've wondered about their similar delays between releases of games in a series where they probably made the deal all at once.

Ah, well! The more the merrier, however long it takes them to get there.

Post by **MrFlibble** » Thu Sep 19, 2013 12:08 pm

The delay is certainly not related to licensing issues. The full version can be found on RGB Classic Games (although I can't find the info about when it was added in the site's news archive). However, usually if a game is released as freeware but the owners wish to limit distribution to their own website (and/or select affiliates), it is explicitly stated both in the license and on the downloads page.

Quadko · Post by **Quadko** » Thu Sep 19, 2013 1:04 pm

I hear you. I just think GOG holds themselves to a different standard than our favorite free-d game distribution sites. They legally might need to as well, since they are a commercial site and repackage games in their own installer and dosbox. (I assume they've done so with Stargunner as well.) And they seem to have a good relationship with Apogee for non-free games, so probably would ask before acting - at least if they are thinking.

But, IANAL, just cautious about such licensing issues! There be dragons to eat the unwary.

Post by **Wally** » Fri Sep 20, 2013 1:07 am

Grabbed it

Post by **MrFlibble** » Fri Sep 20, 2013 8:32 am

Quadko wrote:I hear you. I just think GOG holds themselves to a different standard than our favorite free-d game distribution sites. They legally might need to as well, since they are a commercial site and repackage games in their own installer and dosbox. (I assume they've done so with Stargunner as well.) And they seem to have a good relationship with Apogee for non-free games, so probably would ask before acting - at least if they are thinking.

Oh yes, they've added quite a few commercial Apogee games lately. Perhaps they are just expanding their product line, and have included free Apogee titles as well (I don't think they've had any Apogee freewares - like Bio Menace or Alien Carnage - before).

As for licensing, I have no idea what standards GOG.com follows but at least some of the freeware licenses do allow distribution even by a commercial website/online game vendor.

It's probably more about repackaging and adding extra content (like the CD soundtrack and the manual in case of Tyrian for example), and also freeware games probably aren't the topmost priority of the site in the first place.

At any rate, it's nice that the guys add more old games to their database