"Blood" is a great game. Released in 1997, it utilized the then
still-relevant "Build" engine (used in "Duke Nukem 3D") to good
effect. While some aspects of the game are dated, the gameplay is
solid and, viewed today as a retro-shooter, remains competitive in its
market.

But is it worth $150 USD? Because that's what's being charged for it.*

Okay, let's be fair: this isn't the 1997 version of the game... at
least not entirely. This is the 2019 refresh, which updated the Build
engine with some new graphical tweaks and better compatibility with
modern hardware and operating systems. And you aren't only getting the
game for all that money; you get a branded USB drive, an action
figure, some stickers, a poster, a keychain, AND a faux-blood filled
mousepad! Surely that's worth the price?

I really shouldn't be making fun of this; I know there's a legitimate
market for bundles like that. Some people really like collecting this
kitsch, and who am I to judge? I'm sure my mass of old computer
hardware would look equally weird to them. But all this associated
with a 25-year old game seems remarkably odd to me... especially when
you can get the exact same game (minus all the physical doodads but
including the updates) for $6USD from GOG. It just seems an oddly
desperate attempt to milk the whales.

Maybe I'm just wishing for a time when games were sold based on their
own merits... or (looking even further back) reminiscing about when
this sort of tat was included in the price of the game.





------------------------------------
* https://limitedrungames.com/products/blood-fresh-supply-collector-s-edition-pc

--- SoupGate-Win32 v1.05
* Origin: fsxNet Usenet Gateway (21:1/5)

https://limitedrungames.com/products/blood-fresh-supply-collector-s-edition-pc

yeah, that's an uninteresting bundle there; a small action figure, some stickers...not much else :( Some limited-run statues are gorgeous though,
and quite expensive.

rms

--- SoupGate-Win32 v1.05
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On 7/2/2022 2:14 PM, Spalls Hurgenson wrote:

"Blood" is a great game.

For a moment there you had me wondering why I needed to pay $150 for my
own blood!!!!


--
I've done good in this world. Now I'm tired and just want to be a cranky
dirty old man.

--- SoupGate-Win32 v1.05
* Origin: fsxNet Usenet Gateway (21:1/5)

On Sat, 2 Jul 2022 19:18:47 -0700, Dimensional Traveler
<dtravel@sonic.net> wrote:

On 7/2/2022 2:14 PM, Spalls Hurgenson wrote:

"Blood" is a great game.

For a moment there you had me wondering why I needed to pay $150 for my
own blood!!!!

Don't worry, our civilization hasn't reached that point...


... yet.

But at least, if you did, you'd get value for your money, which is
more than I can say with bundles like the above. You can do fine
without an action-figure and an ancient video game, but trying
surviving without blood and see how far you get! It's such a great
product, you'll be begging for the privilege to pay more if that's the
only alternative.

Hmmm, ya know, I think I may need to consult with an advisor about how
I can monetize this idea... move over Bezos, 'cause you won't have
nothin' on a guy who can corner the blood market! ;-)

--- SoupGate-Win32 v1.05
* Origin: fsxNet Usenet Gateway (21:1/5)

On Sat, 02 Jul 2022 17:14:41 -0400, Spalls Hurgenson <spallshurgenson@gmail.com> wrote:

"Blood" is a great game. Released in 1997, it utilized the then >still-relevant "Build" engine (used in "Duke Nukem 3D") to good
effect. While some aspects of the game are dated, the gameplay is
solid and, viewed today as a retro-shooter, remains competitive in its >market.

But is it worth $150 USD? Because that's what's being charged for it.*

Okay, let's be fair: this isn't the 1997 version of the game... at
least not entirely. This is the 2019 refresh, which updated the Build
engine with some new graphical tweaks and better compatibility with
modern hardware and operating systems. And you aren't only getting the
game for all that money; you get a branded USB drive, an action
figure, some stickers, a poster, a keychain, AND a faux-blood filled >mousepad! Surely that's worth the price?

I really shouldn't be making fun of this; I know there's a legitimate
market for bundles like that. Some people really like collecting this
kitsch, and who am I to judge? I'm sure my mass of old computer
hardware would look equally weird to them. But all this associated
with a 25-year old game seems remarkably odd to me... especially when
you can get the exact same game (minus all the physical doodads but
including the updates) for $6USD from GOG. It just seems an oddly
desperate attempt to milk the whales.

Maybe I'm just wishing for a time when games were sold based on their
own merits... or (looking even further back) reminiscing about when
this sort of tat was included in the price of the game.

------------------------------------
* >https://limitedrungames.com/products/blood-fresh-supply-collector-s-edition-pc

*---

I have had and played Blood Fresh Supply a couple of years now via
Steam and get a kick out of it. $6 at steam now.

I don't get what this pre-production version is all about :-)

-pw

--- SoupGate-Win32 v1.05
* Origin: fsxNet Usenet Gateway (21:1/5)

On Sun, 03 Jul 2022 17:06:14 -0400, in comp.sys.ibm.pc.games.action,
Spalls Hurgenson wrote:

On Sat, 2 Jul 2022 19:18:47 -0700, Dimensional Traveler
<dtravel@sonic.net> wrote:

On 7/2/2022 2:14 PM, Spalls Hurgenson wrote:

"Blood" is a great game.

For a moment there you had me wondering why I needed to pay $150 for my
own blood!!!!

Don't worry, our civilization hasn't reached that point...

... yet.

Honestly, in the States a unit of blood at the local hospital probably
costs more. What with the IV tech cost, etc.

--
Zag

No one ever said on their deathbed, 'Gee, I wish I had
spent more time alone with my computer.' ~Dan(i) Bunten

--- SoupGate-Win32 v1.05
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On Sun, 03 Jul 2022 17:03:08 -0600, PW
<iamnotusingonewithAgent@notinuse.com> wrote:

On Sat, 02 Jul 2022 17:14:41 -0400, Spalls Hurgenson ><spallshurgenson@gmail.com> wrote:

But is it worth $150 USD? Because that's what's being charged for it.*

I have had and played Blood Fresh Supply a couple of years now via
Steam and get a kick out of it. $6 at steam now.

Yes, but you don't have the branded thumb drive (value: $10)... or the
stickers (value: $1)... or the poster (value: $15)... or the mousepad
(value: $10).... or the action figure (value $20). When you add it all
up, it's all easily worth $150!

(Why no, I did not do especially well with maths in school; why do you
ask? ;-)

--- SoupGate-Win32 v1.05
* Origin: fsxNet Usenet Gateway (21:1/5)

On 7/5/2022 8:43 PM, PW wrote:

On Tue, 05 Jul 2022 12:54:26 -0400, Spalls Hurgenson <spallshurgenson@gmail.com> wrote:

On Sun, 03 Jul 2022 17:03:08 -0600, PW
<iamnotusingonewithAgent@notinuse.com> wrote:

On Sat, 02 Jul 2022 17:14:41 -0400, Spalls Hurgenson
<spallshurgenson@gmail.com> wrote:

But is it worth $150 USD? Because that's what's being charged for it.*

I have had and played Blood Fresh Supply a couple of years now via
Steam and get a kick out of it. $6 at steam now.

Yes, but you don't have the branded thumb drive (value: $10)... or the
stickers (value: $1)... or the poster (value: $15)... or the mousepad
(value: $10).... or the action figure (value $20). When you add it all
up, it's all easily worth $150!

(Why no, I did not do especially well with maths in school; why do you
ask? ;-)

*--

For the original Castle Wolfenstein, pre-Doom style graphics? Do they
get any better?

I did not read the fine print :-)

The fine print requires an electron microscope to read.


--
I've done good in this world. Now I'm tired and just want to be a cranky
dirty old man.

--- SoupGate-Win32 v1.05
* Origin: fsxNet Usenet Gateway (21:1/5)

On Tue, 05 Jul 2022 12:54:26 -0400, Spalls Hurgenson <spallshurgenson@gmail.com> wrote:

On Sun, 03 Jul 2022 17:03:08 -0600, PW
<iamnotusingonewithAgent@notinuse.com> wrote:

On Sat, 02 Jul 2022 17:14:41 -0400, Spalls Hurgenson >><spallshurgenson@gmail.com> wrote:

But is it worth $150 USD? Because that's what's being charged for it.*

I have had and played Blood Fresh Supply a couple of years now via
Steam and get a kick out of it. $6 at steam now.

Yes, but you don't have the branded thumb drive (value: $10)... or the >stickers (value: $1)... or the poster (value: $15)... or the mousepad
(value: $10).... or the action figure (value $20). When you add it all
up, it's all easily worth $150!

(Why no, I did not do especially well with maths in school; why do you
ask? ;-)

*--

For the original Castle Wolfenstein, pre-Doom style graphics? Do they
get any better?

I did not read the fine print :-)

Thanks Spalls!

-pw

--- SoupGate-Win32 v1.05
* Origin: fsxNet Usenet Gateway (21:1/5)

On Sun, 03 Jul 2022 17:03:08 -0600, PW >><iamnotusingonewithAgent@notinuse.com> wrote:

On Sat, 02 Jul 2022 17:14:41 -0400, Spalls Hurgenson >>><spallshurgenson@gmail.com> wrote:

I have had and played Blood Fresh Supply a couple of years now via
Steam and get a kick out of it. $6 at steam now.

Yes, but you don't have the branded thumb drive (value: $10)... or the >>stickers (value: $1)... or the poster (value: $15)... or the mousepad >>(value: $10).... or the action figure (value $20). When you add it all
up, it's all easily worth $150!

For the original Castle Wolfenstein, pre-Doom style graphics? Do they
get any better?

The original "Blood" was post-Wolfenstein, post-Doom. It came out in
1997 and utilized the Build engine, which offered up to 640x480
rendering, had sloped tiles and nifty teleport tricks which made it
look as you could have rooms on top of other rooms (both "Doom" and "Wolfenstein 3D" were limited to 320x200 resolution).

The "Fresh Supply" refresh - used both in the $6 and in the $150
version - updated the game with Nightdive's "Kex" engine, offering
higher display resolutions, improved lighting and transparencies,
better controls, and much improved hardware/OS compatibility. The Kex
engine can be fully 3D, but I am uncertain if the game is actually
rendered that way or if it remains 2.5D like the original.

--- SoupGate-Win32 v1.05
* Origin: fsxNet Usenet Gateway (21:1/5)

On Wed, 06 Jul 2022 10:06:00 -0400, Spalls Hurgenson <spallshurgenson@gmail.com> wrote:

On Sun, 03 Jul 2022 17:03:08 -0600, PW >>><iamnotusingonewithAgent@notinuse.com> wrote:

On Sat, 02 Jul 2022 17:14:41 -0400, Spalls Hurgenson >>>><spallshurgenson@gmail.com> wrote:

I have had and played Blood Fresh Supply a couple of years now via >>>>Steam and get a kick out of it. $6 at steam now.

Yes, but you don't have the branded thumb drive (value: $10)... or the >>>stickers (value: $1)... or the poster (value: $15)... or the mousepad >>>(value: $10).... or the action figure (value $20). When you add it all >>>up, it's all easily worth $150!

For the original Castle Wolfenstein, pre-Doom style graphics? Do they
get any better?

The original "Blood" was post-Wolfenstein, post-Doom. It came out in
1997 and utilized the Build engine, which offered up to 640x480
rendering, had sloped tiles and nifty teleport tricks which made it
look as you could have rooms on top of other rooms (both "Doom" and >"Wolfenstein 3D" were limited to 320x200 resolution).

The "Fresh Supply" refresh - used both in the $6 and in the $150
version - updated the game with Nightdive's "Kex" engine, offering
higher display resolutions, improved lighting and transparencies,
better controls, and much improved hardware/OS compatibility. The Kex
engine can be fully 3D, but I am uncertain if the game is actually
rendered that way or if it remains 2.5D like the original.

*--

Thanks for the update. I should boot it up for a few minutes.

-pw

--- SoupGate-Win32 v1.05
* Origin: fsxNet Usenet Gateway (21:1/5)

On Wed, 06 Jul 2022 21:41:01 -0600, PW
<iamnotusingonewithAgent@notinuse.com> wrote:

On Wed, 06 Jul 2022 10:06:00 -0400, Spalls Hurgenson ><spallshurgenson@gmail.com> wrote:

The "Fresh Supply" refresh - used both in the $6 and in the $150
version - updated the game with Nightdive's "Kex" engine, offering
higher display resolutions, improved lighting and transparencies,
better controls, and much improved hardware/OS compatibility. The Kex >>engine can be fully 3D, but I am uncertain if the game is actually
rendered that way or if it remains 2.5D like the original.

Thanks for the update. I should boot it up for a few minutes.

Go for it!

"Blood" -in any of its incarnations - is one of those games that I
actually don't enjoy playing all that much, but admire the game for
what it does. It's a love-letter to schlocky horror movies (which
never had that much appeal to me) and can be brutally hard at times.
But it also has some interesting monsters and weapons, and a lot of
fun levels which maxed out the Build engine. It's a game that, you can
tell, was made with a lot of love by its developers; it wasn't just
another cash-in. And even though I struggle to keep at it for long
(not just because of the aforementioned difficulty), I still enjoy
picking it every now and again and pitchforking zombies and
flare-lighting cultists just to embrace that confident spirit.

"Blood" is definitely not everyone's cup of tea, but it doesn't have
to be. It's still an excellent game; a premier example of the
state-of-the-art for when it was developed and should be played by
everyone at least once.

--- SoupGate-Win32 v1.05
* Origin: fsxNet Usenet Gateway (21:1/5)

On Thu, 07 Jul 2022 11:37:09 -0400, Spalls Hurgenson <spallshurgenson@gmail.com> wrote:

On Wed, 06 Jul 2022 21:41:01 -0600, PW
<iamnotusingonewithAgent@notinuse.com> wrote:

On Wed, 06 Jul 2022 10:06:00 -0400, Spalls Hurgenson >><spallshurgenson@gmail.com> wrote:

The "Fresh Supply" refresh - used both in the $6 and in the $150
version - updated the game with Nightdive's "Kex" engine, offering
higher display resolutions, improved lighting and transparencies,
better controls, and much improved hardware/OS compatibility. The Kex >>>engine can be fully 3D, but I am uncertain if the game is actually >>>rendered that way or if it remains 2.5D like the original.

Thanks for the update. I should boot it up for a few minutes.

Go for it!

*--

I just did for 5 minutes!! :-)

-pw

--- SoupGate-Win32 v1.05
* Origin: fsxNet Usenet Gateway (21:1/5)

On Sat, 09 Jul 2022 21:37:31 -0600, PW
<iamnotusingonewithAgent@notinuse.com> wrote:

On Thu, 07 Jul 2022 11:37:09 -0400, Spalls Hurgenson ><spallshurgenson@gmail.com> wrote:

Go for it!

I just did for 5 minutes!! :-)

Yeah, that's usually how long most of my sessions with "Blood" last
too. ;-)

--- SoupGate-Win32 v1.05
* Origin: fsxNet Usenet Gateway (21:1/5)

On Sun, 10 Jul 2022 21:09:52 -0400, Spalls Hurgenson <spallshurgenson@gmail.com> wrote:

On Sat, 09 Jul 2022 21:37:31 -0600, PW
<iamnotusingonewithAgent@notinuse.com> wrote:

On Thu, 07 Jul 2022 11:37:09 -0400, Spalls Hurgenson >><spallshurgenson@gmail.com> wrote:

Go for it!

I just did for 5 minutes!! :-)

Yeah, that's usually how long most of my sessions with "Blood" last
too. ;-)

*--

As one of my favorite rodeo clowns says after teling a funny story:
"True story, right there" :-)

Professional bull riding in town this Saturday. Hopefully with Flint
Rasmussen as the rodeo clown. Gosh, I hope he is going to be there! I
will probably be wearing a t-shirt with his painted face on it
heheheh!

-pw

--- SoupGate-Win32 v1.05
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