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Don't get me wrong, SH4 always had many issues, not just story and pacing wise, even on PS2.

But just to re-release the terrible PC version with its plethora of issues, including missing content - when the Metal Gear releases have shown that you in fact CAN apply fixes to the games, is just lazy and disappointing.

At this point I'm thinking if anything we get the equally terrible SH HD Collection next...
If we ever got the SH HD Collection, it would not have been released on GOG.
Lucky for us, the HD Collection never got a PC port. So, if SH 2 and 3 arrive at GOG, than the old PC ports. The Sh2 one is Modded to near perfection right now.
I agree, really big shame that these games are just being dumped as the are by GOG. I totally get that this is normally what they do but time has passed, people have become more aware and knowledgeable of re-releasing games. Displays and input options have changed and emulation has become more normalised more than ever before. Not sure how much longer they can keep relying on their niche of "We preserve games" when the preservation efforts aren't translating well to modern expectations. It's one thing to forgive a game for it's graphics and sound from time passed but to make something like Xinput that has become the default for so long now not get any support when fans have found ways to do the work for free, it really sucks not being able to enjoy the old games and makes their console counterparts the more appealing option instead.
high rated
The thing is, GOG can't just bundle these games with Fixes created by other Authors. or bundle it with other Software of which they are not the rights holder.
BUT making it easy for everyone to get your Hands on a legal Copy of the Game without paying a fortune on ebay, to which you can apply the fixes yourself is a pretty good deal in my book.
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LuckyTrixx: The thing is, GOG can't just bundle these games with Fixes created by other Authors. or bundle it with other Software of which they are not the rights holder.
BUT making it easy for everyone to get your Hands on a legal Copy of the Game without paying a fortune on ebay, to which you can apply the fixes yourself is a pretty good deal in my book.
I guess all I'm saying is, is it worth bringing games back when it asks so much out of the player to enjoy it? Having to find fan fixes and change config files to have a smoother experience I feel just deters customers from paying for the product especially when they are aware that other versions of this product offer a better experience. Of course it's cool to legally play these games again I just don't think you're sending the best message to future new customers on your service when the software doesn't meet basic expectations of gamers today.

For example newcomers to these franchises as well as being beginner PC gamers who don't want to put the effort to get software to run to their needs I cannot recommend these games and would feel like I'm asking them to throw money in the trash because the out of the box experience will just annoy them. I will admit I'm more speaking from the previous Metal Gear releases than this game alone so I apologise if it comes off a little hyperbolic.
They probably aren't allowed to fix the game up. Don't like it, don't buy it.
SH2 Enhancement mod creators have been stating that they will move to SH3 once they get things finished with SH2 and that it should be fairly easy to port the same fixes over to SH3, since it's using the same engine, maybe even to SH4 too. So, having these original PC versions available digitally is a good move from Konami, and even better if they allow and even support the mod creators, who basically just fix the game to work properly + carefully done restoration.
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Doze_D: SH2 Enhancement mod creators have been stating that they will move to SH3 once they get things finished with SH2 and that it should be fairly easy to port the same fixes over to SH3, since it's using the same engine, maybe even to SH4 too. So, having these original PC versions available digitally is a good move from Konami, and even better if they allow and even support the mod creators, who basically just fix the game to work properly + carefully done restoration.
Absolutely - while I would prefer having new ports that are 100% faithful to the PS2 versions, given their poor treatment of the Silent Hill HD Collection, I'll take the original PC versions with minor adjustments that are compatible with fan fixes than nothing at all.

Really hope to see Silent Hill 2 & 3 come here soon with at least a little bit of extra care - it'd be nice to play them on a modern platform and in good shape this time.
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LuckyTrixx: The thing is, GOG can't just bundle these games with Fixes created by other Authors. or bundle it with other Software of which they are not the rights holder.
BUT making it easy for everyone to get your Hands on a legal Copy of the Game without paying a fortune on ebay, to which you can apply the fixes yourself is a pretty good deal in my book.
This, pretty much. I clearly remember the day Re-Volt was removed from GOG because the fan community got mad at the publisher for selling the game on GOG with a fan patch (even though the modder WAS credited; I guess they wanted monetary compensation, or some such?).

As for "modern gamers' expectations", I honestly have no clue of what you mean by that. Modern gamers want to pirate and/or emulate PS2 software to get the "best experience they can", is that your point? People can keep emulating games all they want (and, let's cut the crap, shall we?, we all know most folk doing emulation don't even own the original game/s they're emulating; sure, *some* do, but the vast majority emulates illegally), no one's forcing them to stop pirating and/or emulating, this is just a legal workaround that some of us do, in fact, appreciate. I, for one, have been pirating Sient Hill 4 on PC for YEARS. Seriously, the disc version was near impossible to find, in my country, when it came out, and I honestly don't feel like being scalped by some "collector" on eBay, asking absurd amounts of money for an old game. I bought this version, like I bought both Metal Gear Solid games, last week. I haven't installed or played SH4 yet, so I can't vouch for the state it's in, but as for the MGS titles, I don't see what's so "wrong" or "inferior" about them. They're the same great games I remember. Are there better versions around? Probably, yeah, but not on PC, especially not via legal means. What does the "modern gamer" want, really? State-of-the-art graphic bullcrap? The ability to play each and every game on their overrated current-gen controller? I finished both MGS titles unmodded, using just keyboard and mouse, and they play great. I never felt the need for 8K or some Xbox One X Pro Ultra MegaInput NoScope Re-edition Cubed Street Fighter F40-i controller. Then again, sure, that's me. I'm easily pleased, I'm just glad to be able to legally purchase these games again.

As for SH4 not being as good as SH2 and SH3, yes, that's true. Honestly, I think it's one of those cases where they would've benefited greatly from doing a standalone thing, separate from the Silent Hill franchise, because The Room is a good, interesting game in its own right, and carrying the Silent Hill name definitely does it more harm than good, since people will obviously compare it to other games in the series. Still, while not as great as the three installments that came before, it's also not as awful as everyone makes it out to be.

At the end of the day, no one's making you buy this, no one's "cheating" you. You can keep pirating and emulating these games, or you can purchase these versions legally and mod them so they suit your "modern gamer" sensibilities more. Everything's good.
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Einhaender: But just to re-release the terrible PC version with its plethora of issues, including missing content - when the Metal Gear releases have shown that you in fact CAN apply fixes to the games, is just lazy and disappointing.
What are these "plethora of issues"?
And is this missing content important? Is there a lot missing?

As far as I can tell, the only thing that would improve this version is out-of-the-box Xinput support (but it's easy to fix yourself).

So, please elaborate, because this looks like a lazy opening post.
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Einhaender: But just to re-release the terrible PC version with its plethora of issues, including missing content - when the Metal Gear releases have shown that you in fact CAN apply fixes to the games, is just lazy and disappointing.
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teceem: What are these "plethora of issues"?
And is this missing content important? Is there a lot missing?

As far as I can tell, the only thing that would improve this version is out-of-the-box Xinput support (but it's easy to fix yourself).

So, please elaborate, because this looks like a lazy opening post.
That 's because it is a lazy opening post. As far as issues a few hauntings are missing, we do not have confirmations that they are still missing. The original PC port had 15 FPS which this one corrected from what I see on the reviews. So, yeah, it's just complaint for the sake of complaint.
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LuckyTrixx: The thing is, GOG can't just bundle these games with Fixes created by other Authors. or bundle it with other Software of which they are not the rights holder.
BUT making it easy for everyone to get your Hands on a legal Copy of the Game without paying a fortune on ebay, to which you can apply the fixes yourself is a pretty good deal in my book.
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gheyvulture: I guess all I'm saying is, is it worth bringing games back when it asks so much out of the player to enjoy it? Having to find fan fixes and change config files to have a smoother experience I feel just deters customers from paying for the product especially when they are aware that other versions of this product offer a better experience. Of course it's cool to legally play these games again I just don't think you're sending the best message to future new customers on your service when the software doesn't meet basic expectations of gamers today.

For example newcomers to these franchises as well as being beginner PC gamers who don't want to put the effort to get software to run to their needs I cannot recommend these games and would feel like I'm asking them to throw money in the trash because the out of the box experience will just annoy them. I will admit I'm more speaking from the previous Metal Gear releases than this game alone so I apologise if it comes off a little hyperbolic.
I think that it is a better deal having to invest 10 minutes on fixing a buggy version of a game in order to be able to properly play it, than not being able to play it at all.
As for newcomers to the franchise... Why should anyone give a flying fuck about a franchise that has been dead for years? There have not been any new game releases to this ip since 2012, the last two of which have been the dreaded HD Collection and a dungeon crawler. Even the magnificent P.T. Demo that led to nothing has been out for more than 5 years. My point is, that there is no use in catering to newcomers if there is no active ip. Now if they were to release a new game, then we could talk about bringing new blood into the franchise.
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Einhaender: Don't get me wrong, SH4 always had many issues, not just story and pacing wise, even on PS2.

But just to re-release the terrible PC version with its plethora of issues, including missing content - when the Metal Gear releases have shown that you in fact CAN apply fixes to the games, is just lazy and disappointing.

At this point I'm thinking if anything we get the equally terrible SH HD Collection next...
What is wrong with this version? I've been playing it in 4K with no issues at all yet.
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nicotetheranger: What is wrong with this version? I've been playing it in 4K with no issues at all yet.
I think that he's referring to certain minor issues wihch are not game breaking, but rather visual glitches/missing stuff that is only noticeable if you play both, PS2 and PC versions. SH2 PC port was known from this, as was the Xbox port, which is the reason why SH2 has that enhancement mod project. It intends to restore a lot of the aspects of PS2 version, as it was designed to into that console specifically (effects etc etc, which were not working on PC's at the time).
Post edited October 02, 2020 by Doze_D