# Is there much potential in large-scale re-doing of old computer games from scratch? **URL:** \ **Category:** The Game Room\ **Created:** [August 16, 2008, 10:39pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/is-there-much-potential-in-large-scale-re-doing-of-old-computer-games-from-scratch/460271 "2008-08-16T22:39:37Z")\ **Posts on this page:** 11\ **Page:** 1
**Author:** ![Lobsang](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/lobsang/32/4067_2.png) [@Lobsang](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Lobsang)\ **Post date:** [August 16, 2008, 10:39pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/is-there-much-potential-in-large-scale-re-doing-of-old-computer-games-from-scratch/460271/1 "2008-08-16T22:39:37Z")
The Half Life franchise has a good example of a game I think would be worth completely re-making from scratch. I know they have Half Life Source which is the old game but with some easy tweaks/updates (mainly updated textures, water, alien models replaced with their modern counterparts (I could be wrong about that) But what if Half Life was completely re-done, so it looks very similar to HL2, but is still the HL1 story. Even though the Medal of Honour franchise stands up quite well to the test of time (I’m currently replaying it) there are some aspects of it that would benefit from some advancements in modern games. I find that the control of the character is a bit buggy and doesn’t feel natural (jumping onto and off things is particularly bad), and the already beautiful levels would look possitively Amazing if the textures and models could be re-done (with modern shaders, higher res textures, and Higher polygon-count models) Add Wargasm to the list: Now quite an old game, had superb playability and good (at the time) graphics. In fact, let’s make this a thread for suggesting games to be re-done with today’s technological advances in the field. ---
**Author:** ![Jragon](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/j/e19b73/32.png) [@Jragon](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Jragon)\ **Post date:** [August 16, 2008, 11:03pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/is-there-much-potential-in-large-scale-re-doing-of-old-computer-games-from-scratch/460271/2 "2008-08-16T23:03:49Z")
I’ve always wanted to see an experimental remake of the original Legend of Zelda in 3D, just to see what it would be like. I wouldn’t say it’s not profitable, there are plenty of rabid fanbois like me that would buy it, but I’m not sure I’d want Nintendo to spend time they could use doing other things (like a new Zelda game) to do that. At the very least though I could see them adding the first dungeon in that manner as an Easter Egg or bonus dungeon in a newer game (like they did with Green Hill on Sonic Adventure 2 after you got all the emblems). I’d love to see a remake of the old Bullfrog games (like Populace and Dungeon Keeper), but EA is sitting on the licenses. So I guess we have to settle for pretending Black and White is Populace and hope they come up with a Dungeon Keeper knockoff. Then again Microsoft has more money than God and they own Lionhead now so there may be a very remote chance they could acquire the license if there’s enough perceived demand. ---
**Author:** ![rayh](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/r/e79b87/32.png) [@rayh](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/rayh)\ **Post date:** [August 16, 2008, 11:08pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/is-there-much-potential-in-large-scale-re-doing-of-old-computer-games-from-scratch/460271/3 "2008-08-16T23:08:05Z")
[QUOTE=Lobsang] The Half Life franchise has a good example of a game I think would be worth completely re-making from scratch. I know they have Half Life Source which is the old game but with some easy tweaks/updates (mainly updated textures, water, alien models replaced with their modern counterparts (I could be wrong about that) But what if Half Life was completely re-done, so it looks very similar to HL2, but is still the HL1 story. [/QUOTE] [Black Mesa Source](http://www.blackmesasource.com/). I believe they are using the Episode 2 engine now. And they are improving the multiplayer aspects as well. ---
**Author:** ![Jonathan\_Chance](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/jonathan_chance/32/701_2.png) [@Jonathan\_Chance](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Jonathan_Chance)\ **Post date:** [August 16, 2008, 11:21pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/is-there-much-potential-in-large-scale-re-doing-of-old-computer-games-from-scratch/460271/4 "2008-08-16T23:21:55Z")
Half Life? Old? Or Medal of Honor? I came in here thinking, “I’d sure buy an update of M.U.L.E.” I, apparently, am the one who’s old. ---
**Author:** ![Lobsang](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/lobsang/32/4067_2.png) [@Lobsang](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Lobsang)\ **Post date:** [August 16, 2008, 11:36pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/is-there-much-potential-in-large-scale-re-doing-of-old-computer-games-from-scratch/460271/5 "2008-08-16T23:36:45Z")
[QUOTE=rayh] [Black Mesa Source](http://www.blackmesasource.com/). I believe they are using the Episode 2 engine now. And they are improving the multiplayer aspects as well. [/QUOTE] Sweet! Glad somebody out there knows how my mind works! ---
**Author:** ![rayh](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/r/e79b87/32.png) [@rayh](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/rayh)\ **Post date:** [August 17, 2008, 12:05am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/is-there-much-potential-in-large-scale-re-doing-of-old-computer-games-from-scratch/460271/6 "2008-08-17T00:05:07Z")
Not forgetting [Dark Forces](http://darkforces.jediknight.net/index2.shtml). [Colonization](http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Civilization_IV:_Colonization). [Colonization](http://www.freecol.org/news/). [Civilisation](http://freeciv.wikia.com/wiki/Main_Page). Not really remakes, but rather carrying on the point and click adventures. [Broken Sword](http://www.baphometsfluch25.de/cms/index.php?id=71,0,0,1,0,0). [Indiana Jones](http://www.barnettcollege.com/index2.htm). ---
**Author:** ![DSYoungEsq](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/d/c6cbf5/32.png) [@DSYoungEsq](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/DSYoungEsq)\ **Post date:** [August 17, 2008, 12:15am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/is-there-much-potential-in-large-scale-re-doing-of-old-computer-games-from-scratch/460271/7 "2008-08-17T00:15:38Z")
Imagine Lode Runner with modern graphics… [Apparently, someone already has…](http://www.joystiq.com/2008/01/07/ces-2008-lode-runner-coming-to-xbla/) ---
**Author:** ![tagos](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/t/bbe5ce/32.png) [@tagos](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/tagos)\ **Post date:** [August 18, 2008, 3:55pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/is-there-much-potential-in-large-scale-re-doing-of-old-computer-games-from-scratch/460271/8 "2008-08-18T15:55:33Z")
I’d pay full price for an unbugged Frontier or Frontier 2 (elite follow-ups) with half-way modern graphics. Classic gameplay. ---
**Author:** ![BooBoo316](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/b/e0b2c6/32.png) [@BooBoo316](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/BooBoo316)\ **Post date:** [August 18, 2008, 10:42pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/is-there-much-potential-in-large-scale-re-doing-of-old-computer-games-from-scratch/460271/9 "2008-08-18T22:42:35Z")
X-COM, please. I’m begging here. Just remake the game with modern graphics and physics, don’t try to improve it, just update it. Hell, I’d settle for an old version that runs on modern PCs. ---
**Author:** ![Miller](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/miller/32/481_2.png) [@Miller](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Miller)\ **Post date:** [August 18, 2008, 10:55pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/is-there-much-potential-in-large-scale-re-doing-of-old-computer-games-from-scratch/460271/10 "2008-08-18T22:55:08Z")
[QUOTE=BooBoo316] X-COM, please. I’m begging here. Just remake the game with modern graphics and physics, don’t try to improve it, just update it. Hell, I’d settle for an old version that runs on modern PCs. [/QUOTE] There’s a third party patch that will let X-Com run on modern PCs. I just finished playing the game last week on my 2-3 year old PC. Runs pretty well: a little crashy, and the guided missles don’t work very well, but otherwise very solid. ---
**Author:** ![Spiny\_Norman](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/s/9de0a6/32.png) [@Spiny\_Norman](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Spiny_Norman)\ **Post date:** [August 18, 2008, 11:07pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/is-there-much-potential-in-large-scale-re-doing-of-old-computer-games-from-scratch/460271/11 "2008-08-18T23:07:16Z")
[QUOTE=BooBoo316] X-COM, please. I’m begging here. Just remake the game with modern graphics and physics, don’t try to improve it, just update it. Hell, I’d settle for an old version that runs on modern PCs. [/QUOTE] “Modern PC” is a bit of a fluid definition, but: [Home of the Underdogs](http://www.the-underdogs.info/game.php?gameid=4966) has a version, complete with patch, that worked-as-advertised on my WinXP laptop with no tweaking.