Game Uploads in ISO Format Should Be Redumped

[wergeond]

I also found out that many game uploads here are just in plain ISO format.
Some are even home-made and not dumped fromm original.

ISO can neither hold multiple tracks nor multi-sessions. And ISO can't cope with various copy protections typically incorporated in commercial games either. It's best we should re-dump these discs in CloneCD CCD/CUE/IMG/SUB format or for TAGES in Alcohol's MDF/MDS.
ISOs are just Not suitable for collection/archiving/perservation purpose.

Expected to see these games in ISO be redumped properly from original source. PROPER it.

[Meddle]

Probably not going to happen for a lot of them. That being said, the major contributors to this site already know about the limitations of ISO.

A good many of these have been gathered from the internet and as such we have no access to the original media in which to make a proper dump. However if you happen to have proper dumps of some of these they will be gladly accepted.

[Smiling Spectre]

In most cases ISO is quite enough for proper copy. And most (not all, I fear, but most) ISO on site are like that. If you haven't special protection or audiotracks, CUE/BIN will be identical to ISO anyway. Of course, any disc with non-ISO info must be redumped if possible... but you need to found it before that.

[TigerTheGreat]

Also protections question doesn't matter. Unless you're a blindsided fool so keen on "preservation" that you're forgetting the PURPOSE of preservation itself. Games are supposed to be PLAYABLE first and foremost. And given the lack of compatibility of most protections with nowadays OSes, preserving an ISO + crack trumps preserving an MDF/MDS with protection intact BECAUSE THE FORMER CAN ACTUALLY BE RUN. Let's keep Bin/Cue or CCD or MDF or MDX for games that actually need it. Ones with audiotracks, ones with dual-system hybrid content (Mac & Windows on one disc comes to mind) and so on, in other words, what's truly needed for the game to actually RUN and be PLAYABLE in their original glory. I won't have a single-digit fresh off the bus poster lecture anyone here on how to dump games in order for them to be "proper".

[annoyment]

Games are supposed to be PLAYABLE first and foremost.

Agreed with that sentiment, but only within the scope of LegendsWorld (and related abandonware groups) - as in, the goal of them Demos should be to somewhat ensure full (nothing ripped of actual game content whenever possible) + best playability of its entries (plus whatever historic miscellanea 'cause why not), be it RAR'd or scene ISO'd or custom'd or whatever IMO

in other words, what's truly needed for the game to actually RUN and be PLAYABLE in their original glory

I'd replace "original" with "game content complete", as the former is too vague, and could extend to medium/container originality, among other things...

Also protections question doesn't matter.

ONLY in case of wanting to spend effort in defeating & unwrapping said protection (and/or fixing other sceners' incomplete work)

Unless you're a blindsided fool so keen on "preservation" that you're forgetting the PURPOSE of preservation itself.

A bit harsh, but understandable. You know the usual "physical media / distribution service / other doesn't last forever" argument; and the answer can be that it is worth retaining 1:1 accuracy to the source medium for the sake of future archival - so whoever wishing to do that here is Pristine transfers, as well as "second-hand" patchworks and whatnot, are accepted, for the sake of preserving the overall AVAILABILITY of abandonware - think of it like a humble man-cave hangout with shelves for chills, rather than the almighty Library Of Congress (TM) employing grumpy curators and missionaries
Windows is shutting down

[hfric]

You know my standpoint on this ... games should work , and be 100% complete ...that's why
Dos needs only ISO, Bin\Cue if its CDA , or IMA for floppy discs
Windows the same (for tages you need .VCD aka "Virtual CD V10" since its the only program on the market that can force your drive to read CD\DVD media backward and forwards to do a proper dump if no crack is found)... since now even those hard core snow flake puritans or raw dump 1:1 bit correct only popper Discjuggler images haha... rebuy games on gog , just to be able to play those games ... then teach themselves how to run Vms or Emulation ... (there was even the Puritan Cult of BlindWrite, since it Clones bit correct all ,no matter the file system )

Since in WIn10 no CP from the old days works ... the only last , proper, NT core supported OS, was Win7 , but even it had problems with Starforce\Tages\Safedisc\Securom 5 games so you where forced to crack those games

[myloch]

Sometimes I had to specifically buy and redump some original discs into a proper file image format in order to create working fixed exe (or to send new dump to some expert to create working version ). Today with new Windows versions, you cannot even do this because 99% of copy protections are supported no more. You have to use a specific machine with older OS or a virtual machine before to start using a debugger, but if you manage to make fixed exe, you can usually still play the shit on 10. There are usually other problems too like shitty ddraw and d3d retro-compatibility and sometimes even dgvoodoo2 is not enough but that's another story...

[Smiling Spectre]

Sometimes I had to specifically buy and redump some original discs into a proper file image format in order to create working fixed exe

Do you aware of eXoDOS/eXoWin3X project, myloch? As one of very rare people who actually can crack the games and willing to buy them, you would be the great member of the project. I am scanning now AL exactly for Win3x additions to it.

P.S. Discord of the project: https://discord.gg/4YKm7m

[Scaryfun]

exoscoriae is a member here in forum. He's used some of our uploads and I've posted some of his releases on here as well.
He's only doing DOS and Windows 3.x releases. Anything we post here, he's welcome to archive.