Speaking of a one time use that reminds me of Spore, and how you could only download it a few times.

I should get Spore, any digital platforms I can buy it?

 

It looks to be still available on Origin.

On the physical media front - I like to get collector sets, but even without those, I like physical media as decent broadband speeds haven’t reached my village, yet, so I need to get as much off disc as possible before the second half (or more) of the installation is done via download  

 

Spore, while it’s something I enjoyed playing for awhile, it’s ultimately well known as one of gamings biggest disappointments. But that’s not to say you can still enjoy it.

 

I had Spore... it was a great idea, let down by a couple of bad decisions  

It would have been much better if they’d actually made the evolution important age-to-age. You could basically redesign your alien at every stage, meaning evolutionary ideas were moot   Great from a “be imaginative” perspective, but not so great from a “earlier decisions are important” perspective  

Also, the late stage of the game was far too long in comparison to the other stages - it was like a film skipping all the setup to get to the big CGI fight scene  

 

No no, you can download your games unlimited times, and make backup copies of most of the games you download from steam/origin, and other platforms. I do it all the time. But, all these games require your account. And, with steam, your account is locked to one computer. At least it used to be. If you want to move your account to a different machine, you will have to deactivate your account from a different machine. (Although, you can always transfer it back.) This is a thing they do (Or at least did) to keep people from pirating the games. Or selling access to accounts, and ect.

But, you can download them all you want, as many times as you want, even if the games are no longer available for purchase. At least that is how it works with all the games I have on steam. I assume it's the same with Origins, GOG, and Epic. Spore is on both steam and origins, no idea which one is the better version, but it's probably best to get it from origins, which is the publisher. It's probably on sale right now with the steam/origin sales going on.

 

Would today's PCs be able to play games made in the 90s?

 

No, I was referring to Spore having a DRM that limited how many times that it could be installed into computers. It became such a big deal, that Spore ended up becoming one of the most pirated video games.

 

Yes, Spore had a limit of 5 (I think) activations, much like iTunes. Once you’d activated it on 5 (again, I think) computers, you couldn’t activate it on any more until it was deactivated on a previous one. I think it may have originally been three, then increased to five. I’m not sure if that restriction still exists.

It was a really popular decision with people who bought it and didn’t at all cause any bad press or other negative responses.

 

Dos games? Easily with Dos Box, if you know what you're doing. Windows games? Not so easy. Some of those games rely on things from windows that no longer exits. And, can only be ran on a 90's era machine, or, possibly with a virtual operating system software, with a full legal copy of windows 95-Me on it. (Anything before Windows XP.)

Ah, I see, I was unaware of this DRM thing. But, I did a little research, and it appears that the one on GOG is DRM free. I'd pick it up there, if I were you.

 

I guess I got to get a PC that can play Fallout and Fallout 2

 

It depends on what you like. I recommend Mass Effect like others have said.

Witcher 3 is 14.99 on steam for the Game of the year edition.

Fallout games are all good.

If you like complex fun space games. Kebal Space Program.

If you like space sim games look into Elite Dangerous.

 

Well, some of them have been ported to current PC's. I know Steam/GOG has versions of Fallout 1 and 2, that play well on windows 10. You'll have to purchase them again, but you will still be able to play them there. But, your disc versions will be much more difficult to play on.

I recommend searching Steam and GOG, which both have a lot of old games listed which have been ported to modern operating systems. Larger known games are also likely to have player-created patches and what not, available online. They're quite good too. Old games that came out on CD are usually the hardest ones to run. Games on DVD are usually much easier. I am able to play Fallout 3, the DVD version after a few mods installed. Something which would be impossible to do without mods, since the DVD version requires Windows Live as DRM. Which no longer exists. Fortunately, one can now disable that with the DVD version. But, if you have the Steam/GOG version, I don't think you'll have to. As I am sure those work just fine without them. Even if they'll run better with them. Especially with mods like Tales of Two Wastelands, which combines Fallout 3 and New Vegas (Fallout 3, runs in New Vega's superior engine.).

Even the newer-older games do have trouble running though. Even the digital ones. Some have problems with screen tearing, as CRT and LED monitors work completely different from each other. While others have DRM features like Sims 2, which prevented me from playing Sims 2, the complete collection on EA Origin for a long period of time before EA finally released a patch earlier this year (Or perhaps last year, I forget.) that now allows one to play Sims 2 on windows 10.

But, it is possible to play them all. It's just difficult to do. In some cases expensive. But, there are plenty of other people wanting to play the more popular games, so others have found ways of running the games you want to play, especially Fallout 1 and 2. I know those games are still hugely popular, and I too have played Fallout 1 on windows 10. I got it free on Steam while back. So, I know Fallout 1 works on windows 10. At least, the steam version does.

 

they are on Steam? great!

one final question:

whats GOG?

 

Good Old Games, they are a game publisher owned by CD Projekt, the same publisher of games like the Witcher and the soon to be, Cyberpunk 2077 series. They specialize in games that are DRM free and classic games. There version of classic games are usually better up-to-date than the other versions. It's a distribution platform like Steam, Origin, or Epic.

 

Cool. GOG sounds like my kind of place. Thanks.

 

GoG probably has the better Fallout 1 and 2 versions too. They currently have them for $3 each. (They also have Tactics.) Which is more expensive than Fallout is on Steam. (For the collection.) Which is listed at around $6. So, GoG will probably get you the better version, but Steam you can buy all three for cheaper.

 

GoG is a great place.

 

A PC with no disc drive is just a toy for gaming. You work you need backups for your precious data.

 

USB

 

Not good enough. USB are good for projects you already work with and intend you to be changing or overwriting them. If you're going to archive finished data so you can backtrack, then you'd better have option of writing them down on discs. Otherwise this is going to fill your sticks really fast and blank discs are cheapest option for archives.