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One I've been meaning to point out for a while now is Zoom Platform. A games store that tries to appeal to "Generation X" with both new and classic games, DRM-free and they're continuing to build up their Linux support.

They don't have a whole lot available for Linux Native fans right now, with 26 titles currently tagged as supported including Sensible World of Soccer 96-97, Duke Nukem 3D: Atomic Edition, Judge Dredd and more but they're continuing to build it up.

Recently they updated a bunch of Duke Nukem titles that use DOSBox, to work better with both the DOSBox and DOSBox-X flatpaks and over the last few months they've added more titles. Just recently, they also added Linux support for Oddworld: New 'n' Tasty, noting on Twitter a goal of theirs is to "support Linux as much as we can".

It's interesting to see a store that tries to appeal to the slightly older generation of gamers. As much as GOG tried to in the past, they've long since moved their focus much more onto modern releases. So perhaps some older readers might want to keep an eye on Zoom Platform.

Article taken from GamingOnLinux.com.
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54 comments
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mark348 Feb 6, 2023
Cool idea, but what's the point as there's GOG anyway?
Deleted_User Feb 6, 2023
The Shop itself is a little bit rough around the edges. I dont like that there is no way for user feedback, some games are listed that are "currently not available", which you only find out after clicking into the site of the game.
elmapul Feb 6, 2023
Quoting: whizse
Quoting: elmapuleven purchasing used games seems more usefull to me, at least you are giving money to an consumer that might use it to purchase another new game that is still being produced.
Too risky! They might use that money for drugs, or worse, mobile games with ads and micro-transactions!

i dont care if they use drugs, but please, dont spend on mobile games with ads/mtx! that is way to dangerous indeed, thanks for clarifing.

btw im not serious about the drug issue.
elmapul Feb 6, 2023
Quoting: Eike
Quoting: elmapulif we buy those games, those companies will make more games like those? no? so what is the point?

Well...
* owning the games you love(d)?
i understand this feeling of ownership, but this is just that a feeling, having an drm-free/pirated copy is a better feeling.
Quoting: Eike* maybe - depending on what they agreed upon decades ago - sending some money to the people having made these games? (This might be unlikely.)
the companies will, the developers? very unlikely.
i rather not fund companies who sold their soul, if the company still make similiar games, then its worth supporting. (as long as its not predatory)


Quoting: Eike* making those who sell it dig up more treasures from the past? (People keep talking about "abondonware" and how they totally unselfishly rescue these games from vanishing - how about doing the same in a undoubtedly legal way?)

* playing the games?!?
in my experience with official emulators vs unoficial, the unoficial ones are better.
i mean, how many official emulator have shaders to simulate an CRT? and how many do it right?

even when they do, sometimes the emulating aspect is worse than free/free (price, freedom) emulators, and even when they are good companies keep recicling the same games again and again, seling the same old games as if they were the only ones instead of selling more stuff.
i rather support an "we sell the rom, bring your own emulator" model than an crap one, i have KOF from GOG but their emulator is so bad that i barely play it.
i wish companies started funding emulators and distribute their roms with then instead, at least it would give me more incentive to purchase.

as for pc games that no longer work, paying again for then may incentive companies to use tecnology that will be deprecated soon rather than later, so when the game stop working due to changes on how windows/consoles/hardware/drm/game engine work, people have to purchase their games again.
slaapliedje Feb 6, 2023
Quoting: elmapul
Quoting: whizse
Quoting: elmapuleven purchasing used games seems more usefull to me, at least you are giving money to an consumer that might use it to purchase another new game that is still being produced.
Too risky! They might use that money for drugs, or worse, mobile games with ads and micro-transactions!

i dont care if they use drugs, but please, dont spend on mobile games with ads/mtx! that is way to dangerous indeed, thanks for clarifing.

btw im not serious about the drug issue.
I'd say like 90% people on the planet use some drug or another at this point (sure I'm pulling that number out of thin air). Granted most are told to take the drugs by their doctors. But it's really crazy to think about how dependent we are on medications these days.
Hamish Feb 6, 2023
Considering the vast majority of the games with Linux wrappers also have native Linux source ports available, I think one of the biggest values to storefronts like this is just supplying you with a legal means of acquiring the data for use with them. No emulation strictly necessary.
slaapliedje Feb 7, 2023
Quoting: HamishConsidering the vast majority of the games with Linux wrappers also have native Linux source ports available, I think one of the biggest values to storefronts like this is just supplying you with a legal means of acquiring the data for use with them. No emulation strictly necessary.
Pretty much.

It's not talked about here often, but Debian has game-data-packager package, which is a set of scripts to pull out and compile .deb packages from official release media. Like you can put in a CD of Quake Wars and it'll build you quakewars-game-data.deb package and install the runtime for it as well.

It's quite nice, and I don't think it's ever been mentioned here as a way to play native games.
BlackBloodRum Feb 8, 2023
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Quoting: slaapliedjeI'd say like 90% people on the planet use some drug or another at this point (sure I'm pulling that number out of thin air). Granted most are told to take the drugs by their doctors. But it's really crazy to think about how dependent we are on medications these days.

Probably not far off that number to be fair. Let's not forget some people do drugs while not knowing and/or thinking of it as a drug. For example got one of those hip new Vapes with Nicotine? It's a drug. We're seeing kids as young as 8 or 9 with these in my area treating them almost as a fashion accessory!

Then there's easily mistaken ones like Alcohol, technically speaking also a drug. Again, people won't think of it as a drug.

That Steak and Ale Pie you're about to eat? Contains drugs (in a very low quantity ofc!)

Great.. now I am thinking of pie and rum...
Purple Library Guy Feb 8, 2023
Quoting: BlackBloodRumGreat.. now I am thinking of pie and rum...
One of the best desserts I ever had in my life was dark rum creme brulee. Ohhhh, it was fine!
Eike Feb 9, 2023
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Quoting: BlackBloodRumThen there's easily mistaken ones like Alcohol, technically speaking also a drug. Again, people won't think of it as a drug.

That's not "technically speaking", it has got literally everything a real drug needs.
(I don't know how to express it in English, in German, a drug/Droge is considered the stuff that's addictive, should for sure not be used before driving and might kill you, while in English, there's stores full of "drugs".)
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