Index ⇒ Site Suggestions ⇒ Use of the word "demo"

[plank]

According the the FAQ, you use the word demo to describe downloads so that people will treat it as a demo, and then hopefully buy the full game if they like it to support the developer.

I can fully understand how this applies to recent games (>2000) as almost all are still sold, infact I loathe people who pirate new games, but it doesn't suit older abandonware titles. Most of them aren't sold anymore, and are only available on eBay, so no money goes to the developers of the game, if they even still exist. I don't think games that aren't sold anymore should be called demos, a tiny description of the file would be better, like "Full Archive", "Rip Archive" or "Full CD-image", and whether or not any modifications have been made to the original files.

I absolutely LOVE your site though, you have practically every FPS, and it's a real plus that many of the archives aren't rips, even if they're not CD-images (although it kinda sucks that CD audio is ripped out most of the time )

[ruiya75]

"Full Demo" is a unique term & should not be changed, I suppose.

[InsaneFury]

Actually, to the untrained eye, the site offers mostly demo's, thereby not specifically attracting any unwanted attention from both warez leechers and the authorities. The term 'Full Demo' is basically kept to make the site look less of a 'warez site', to help it stay alive.

[hfric]

ZZZZZZZOOOOOOOOOMMMMMMMMAAAAAAAAAAGGGGGGGGG

this is a w.are.z ( We are ZOMG ) site i thought this a demo site o my

[I_AM]

can we spell euphemism together everyone

[InsaneFury]

IMO, plank raised a valid question, which has been responded to with care. I would have expected more constructive replies on this thread, rather than offtopic chattering, closely related to spamming...

[Sandon]

Hello!

Thanks plank.
I think you are right: It should not called demo if it is abandonware. But the main problem is (I think) still, that the site is not updated by many (3DSM and Scaryfun, who does Adventure Legends also, are the only ones afaik). Some abandonware sites had problems, because not all games, that are official not sold anymore, are abandonware. So this is maybe a problem. I don't know if there is a list, what games really abandonware. Think many here know that better than i do.
If Scaryfun or 3DSM have the time to do it, I can't say. But InsaneFury is right: It's also good, that many, that look not so close, didn't see, whats behind. To buy a game, that you have completly played is important i think, because you than really know how much you want to pay. You can't "lose" your money, many games i bought, i not played again but i never did a bad deal.

Sandon

[hfric]

ok ok we like to spam a little but abadonware is a trickie land and the definition well its hard to manage , for example larrys games some where abadonware but when vivendi bought sierra they are NOW not abadonware , the same with all sierra titles like Kings Quest . So its beter to say its a demo and place it on the site then change the state from its abadon to not abadon becoz when you look at the definition of abadon they say its WAREZ but a legal one but when some other company buys the name its turns from abadon to warez .
SO this "Level Demo" "Full Demo" "Iso Demo" is for me the best way .

"level demo" = demo from the makers - one level like it then download the full demo or buy the game

"Full demo" = rip (with out [some times] speech , movies , music , manual ) didn`t what to play a demo that some times is a beta so check this one and play it liked it then buy the game

"Iso Demo" = image of the cd from this game, its full with all specials but some times with out :
*CD - audio ,
* drivers
*or specials on it ,
* o and don`t forget manual and the plastic or paper box
(thats why its ISO DEMO ) want the rest of the cd buy this game

[SeriousSam]

I don't know if many of the games at 3DSL are abandonware or just warez, but what I know is that almost all games stored here are rather unknown and difficult to buy. Yes, perhaps you can buy it somewhere at EEUU, but for example here in Spain most of them aren't in stores now. I can't find them anywhere. I think the same happens with other 3DSL members. Thanks to this site we can play possibly the most underrated shooters ever. Ok, here are listed games like GTA, Counter Strike, Castle of Wolfenstein, Call of Duty, etc. etc., many best-seller games, but the other ones (perhaps 70-80% of games listed) comes from not so famous studios and developers, so 3DSL also makes publicity of their past work making them knowed between players community. Just remember 3DSL lema, "keeping old games alive".

And about recent and famous games, well, personally I don't care about them. If you want them from warez you'll download their ISOS from p2p. Here we have 'lost jewels'

[germo]

warez, abandonware -nah! We're just a bunch of hardcore gamers which loves to remember good old times and good old games. We're paying a tribute to game creators who won't get profits from their games anymore.
We are reminding to others (and ourselfs) that game industry has it's own history and we won't allow it to be forget.
Maybe it's not always "full legal", but it's right for sure. I have clear conscience
"demo" should stay. It's the term that differs us from Abandonware(we're not that old )/Warez(bad word ) sites.

[plank]

It's not the term that differs 3dsl from abandonware sites. Things should have a clear description, even if it's only 1 or two words. Most of these games ARE abandonware, and an abandonware site doesn't have to be "old" :/

I think a far better argument for keeping the word demo is to protect 3dsl from companies like Bethesda, who would instantly demand that their games be removed.

[germo]

OK it is ONLY my personal opinion(maybe I got too excited).
3dsl is not a warez/abandonware site. It's site about FPS games. Here
you can find "full demo" version of almost every old/rare shooter. It's no difference if it's abandonware or not. Demo means demo. End of story

[plank]

So after playing these demos, where am I supposed to buy the full-game if it's out of print?. They aren't warez if the games are no longer sold, and no money goes to the developers if you buy them secondhand on eBay.

This is partly an abandonware site because IT HAS ABANDONWARE!. It's an FPS site that, besides listing supported and in-stock FPS', includes downloads for abandonware FPS'!

[InsaneFury]

'Abandonware' is a loose definition, not officially agreed upon.
To some, Abandonware has to be at least 5 years old, others think 3 years is acceptable. Some think something is Abandonware if the original publisher/developer doesn't offer (support for) the game anymore, others think that having sites like CDAccess still selling them does not deem those titles Abandonware.

Either way, whenever the term 'abandonware' is involved, one atributes status to a game, rather than a download. The Legend sites will be offering downloads for games, and those downloads are classified in the sense of their contents, rather than in the sense of their parent games.

So basically because:
1) There is no one uniform definition of Abandonware to apply.
and
2) A game being 'Abandonware' might cease to be abandoned at any point in time.
...keeping the site up-to-date would be too much hassle, hence we keep it as-is.

[plank]

Abandonware means any game which is no longer sold commercially or supported by it's developers. Simple as that. There's no reason too accept other peoples stupid definitions, because they're wrong. A 3 year old game that's still being sold is not abandonware. It might fall under the category of old warez, but that's stretching it, it'd be much closer to warez.

I think some people get the wrong idea when they see a listing for a recent FPS, and, given that older FPS titles are up for download, wonder why there's no (warez) download for the new games.

What i'm trying to say is, 3DSL is great for old FPS games, while also keeping with tradition (ie. being an FPS fansite, not just an FPS downloads site) when it comes too new games. Maybe you guys feel pressure from people who want warez, but i'd just ignore them because they've completely got the wrong idea