# Suggestions for acquiring out-of-print games? **URL:** \ **Category:** Cafe Society\ **Created:** [February 28, 2007, 5:31pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/suggestions-for-acquiring-out-of-print-games/394046 "2007-02-28T17:31:58Z")\ **Posts on this page:** 16\ **Page:** 1
**Author:** ![Sofaspud](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/s/8491ac/32.png) [@Sofaspud](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Sofaspud)\ **Post date:** [February 28, 2007, 5:31pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/suggestions-for-acquiring-out-of-print-games/394046/1 "2007-02-28T17:31:58Z")
I’m trying to locate a game that I had tons of fun with years ago. It probably sucked. I’m probably remembering better times than actually existed. But, gosh darn it, I’ve got a working 286 with a Hercules graphics card sitting here, I’ve bodged together a working (!) parallel-port link to my current-gen PC so I can dump files… I’m feeling the retro vibe. As it turns out, the hard drive (a Seagate 40 MB boat anchor) _still works_, amazingly. DOS booted just fine, Tetris works, WordPerfect (gah!) loads up… I just need my favorite game from that era to be ecstatic. 🙂 The game was _Lightspeed_. I’ve got all the Wikipedia links and such; I know all the sordid details about the fall of MicroProse. 🙂 But I can’t find it on Ebay, and nobody I know of has it. Am I out of luck? Is there anybody out there who sells out-of-print games? I mean, the company folded, they don’t even have a PO box anymore, let alone a website or phone number… ---
**Author:** ![Diceman](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/d/22d042/32.png) [@Diceman](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Diceman)\ **Post date:** [February 28, 2007, 5:56pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/suggestions-for-acquiring-out-of-print-games/394046/2 "2007-02-28T17:56:22Z")
I know of a website for “abandoned” computer games. I have it bookmarked on my computer at home. My lunch hour is almost over, so I can’t search for it now, but I’ll look it up later tonight. ---
**Author:** ![Der\_Trihs](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/der_trihs/32/233_2.png) [@Der\_Trihs](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Der_Trihs)\ **Post date:** [February 28, 2007, 6:48pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/suggestions-for-acquiring-out-of-print-games/394046/3 "2007-02-28T18:48:50Z")
[QUOTE=Diceman] I know of a website for “abandoned” computer games. I have it bookmarked on my computer at home. My lunch hour is almost over, so I can’t search for it now, but I’ll look it up later tonight. [/QUOTE] If you mean [The Underdogs](http://www.the-underdogs.info/), it appears that they won’t let you download Lightspeed for legal reasons; see [here](http://www.the-underdogs.info/game.php?id=639). It probably won’t ever be available, since the company isn’t there to give permission ( or get any profits, but apparently that doesn’t matter ). ---
**Author:** ![Hal\_Briston](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/h/a9a28c/32.png) [@Hal\_Briston](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Hal_Briston)\ **Post date:** [February 28, 2007, 7:03pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/suggestions-for-acquiring-out-of-print-games/394046/4 "2007-02-28T19:03:24Z")
Ho. Lee. Crap. My copy went out in the trash _today_. I fact, as I type this I can hear the garbage truck on the next block. Had I seen this thread 20 minutes earlier, I’d be happily shipping _Lightspeed_ in all it’s 5¼" glory off to you. D’oh. ---
**Author:** ![Sofaspud](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/s/8491ac/32.png) [@Sofaspud](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Sofaspud)\ **Post date:** [February 28, 2007, 7:53pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/suggestions-for-acquiring-out-of-print-games/394046/5 "2007-02-28T19:53:25Z")
[QUOTE=Hal Briston] Ho. Lee. Crap. My copy went out in the trash _today_. I fact, as I type this I can hear the garbage truck on the next block. Had I seen this thread 20 minutes earlier, I’d be happily shipping _Lightspeed_ in all it’s 5¼" glory off to you. D’oh. [/QUOTE] NOOOO!!! Ah man… I need a crying smiley. **Diceman** , my hopes now rest with you! 🙂 **Der Trihs** , thanks for the info (and the site, incidentally). Ok, so… maybe I should open a GQ thread about who has legal authority over a company that has vanished? 🙂 ---
**Author:** ![TLDRIDKJKLOLFTW](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/t/51bf81/32.png) [@TLDRIDKJKLOLFTW](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/TLDRIDKJKLOLFTW)\ **Post date:** [February 28, 2007, 8:00pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/suggestions-for-acquiring-out-of-print-games/394046/6 "2007-02-28T20:00:20Z")
Man, this thread is TRAGIC. I mean, that’s some Shakespeare shit! ---
**Author:** ![mobo85](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/m/b19c9b/32.png) [@mobo85](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/mobo85)\ **Post date:** [February 28, 2007, 8:05pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/suggestions-for-acquiring-out-of-print-games/394046/7 "2007-02-28T20:05:11Z")
[QUOTE=Sofaspud] Ok, so… maybe I should open a GQ thread about who has legal authority over a company that has vanished? 🙂 [/QUOTE] The former assets of MicroProse are owned by Atari Interactive. ---
**Author:** ![Baron\_Greenback](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/baron_greenback/32/48_2.png) [@Baron\_Greenback](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Baron_Greenback)\ **Post date:** [February 28, 2007, 8:38pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/suggestions-for-acquiring-out-of-print-games/394046/8 "2007-02-28T20:38:35Z")
There’s a copy [here](http://cgi.ebay.com/RARE-IBM-PC-Lightspeed-from-Microprose_W0QQitemZ110059214496QQihZ001QQcategoryZ4315QQrdZ1QQssPageNameZWD1VQQcmdZViewItem) on Ebay. ---
**Author:** ![Diceman](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/d/22d042/32.png) [@Diceman](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Diceman)\ **Post date:** [March 1, 2007, 5:52pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/suggestions-for-acquiring-out-of-print-games/394046/9 "2007-03-01T17:52:57Z")
The site I’m thinking of is [Abandonia.](http://www.abandonia.com) They specialize in old games that aren’t commercially available anymore. Unfortunately, they don’t seem to have _Lightspeed_, but perhaps you could find a similar game to trick out your “vintage” computer. ---
**Author:** ![pulykamell](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/pulykamell/32/3166_2.png) [@pulykamell](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/pulykamell)\ **Post date:** [March 1, 2007, 6:35pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/suggestions-for-acquiring-out-of-print-games/394046/10 "2007-03-01T18:35:32Z")
It is available on some abandonware sites (I found a copy) if you look hard enough. However, judging by the note at The Underdogs, I probably should not post a link. But it is out there. ---
**Author:** ![Dan\_Norder](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/d/4af34b/32.png) [@Dan\_Norder](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Dan_Norder)\ **Post date:** [March 2, 2007, 5:31am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/suggestions-for-acquiring-out-of-print-games/394046/11 "2007-03-02T05:31:14Z")
I should point out that most abandonware sites are violating copyright laws with no legal justification for doing so. Encouraging the use of them is generally a bad idea. ---
**Author:** ![Der\_Trihs](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/der_trihs/32/233_2.png) [@Der\_Trihs](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Der_Trihs)\ **Post date:** [March 2, 2007, 5:43am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/suggestions-for-acquiring-out-of-print-games/394046/12 "2007-03-02T05:43:36Z")
[QUOTE=Dan Norder] I should point out that most abandonware sites are violating copyright laws with no legal justification for doing so. Encouraging the use of them is generally a bad idea. [/QUOTE] That depends on your opinion of the rationality and morality of such laws, doesn’t it ? If all a copyright is doing is preventing _anyone_ from using an idea/program/whatever, then that strikes me as a perversion of the whole idea behind copyrights, not to mention unethical and just plain stupid. ---
**Author:** ![Meeko](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/m/e495f1/32.png) [@Meeko](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Meeko)\ **Post date:** [March 2, 2007, 2:00pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/suggestions-for-acquiring-out-of-print-games/394046/13 "2007-03-02T14:00:53Z")
> **[DOS Games Archive: download DOS games for free (MS-DOS)](https://www.dosgamesarchive.com/)** > > Ever wanted to play your favorite computer games again? Download the best DOS games for free from this site. ---
**Author:** ![Meeko](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/m/e495f1/32.png) [@Meeko](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Meeko)\ **Post date:** [March 2, 2007, 2:09pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/suggestions-for-acquiring-out-of-print-games/394046/14 "2007-03-02T14:09:38Z")
I was trying to find this while I could still edit my previous. from: [http://www.boingboing.net/2006/11/24/copyright\_office\_cre.html](http://www.boingboing.net/2006/11/24/copyright_office_cre.html) And other websites support it. Friday, November 24, 2006 Copyright Office creates 6 DMCA exemptions The Copyright Office has created six new exemptions to the hated Digital Millennium Copyright Act, which makes it a crime to break any digital lock, even if you’re doing so for a legitimate purpose. [[Cut to Exemption 2]] 1. Computer programs and video games distributed in formats that have become obsolete and that require the original media or hardware as a condition of access, when circumvention is accomplished for the purpose of preservation or archival reproduction of published digital works by a library or archive. A format shall be considered obsolete if the machine or system necessary to render perceptible a work stored in that format is no longer manufactured or is no longer reasonably available in the commercial marketplace. ---
**Author:** ![CandidGamera](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/candidgamera/32/2878_2.png) [@CandidGamera](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/CandidGamera)\ **Post date:** [March 2, 2007, 2:22pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/suggestions-for-acquiring-out-of-print-games/394046/15 "2007-03-02T14:22:29Z")
I still have my copy of Lightspeed… ---
**Author:** ![Sofaspud](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/s/8491ac/32.png) [@Sofaspud](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Sofaspud)\ **Post date:** [March 6, 2007, 12:29am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/suggestions-for-acquiring-out-of-print-games/394046/16 "2007-03-06T00:29:08Z")
I just wanted to chime back in and say, I managed to find it for download – legally, as it happens. And it was the sequel, which I also had but had forgotten, _Hyperspeed_. Ahh, sweet memories… _sniff_ And thanks to everyone for the other links, too – the abandonware sites have been fueling a caffeine-driven orgy of retro gaming all weekend long. I didn’t know this stuff was still out there. Woohoo! So anyway… if anyone else ever gets the urge to play _Hyperspeed_ again, I can point you to the right place. You’ll need your manual as proof of purchase. Thanks again folks!