Lucasarts have done the first 2 good things that they've done since X-Wing alliance.
I think it's awesome that they've finally realised that people want these games, and i don't see the windows front ends as being an attempt to tie it in to steam or something evil... it's more of a way to make the games actually work for most people. (to be fair, there was never much chance they'd use scummvm. )
If the original data files are included then there may be nothing stopping people using them with scummvm.... we'll have to wait and see.
I stopped visiting the lucasarts website daily when they became a hive of scumm ( ;-) ) , but i've now decided to follow them on twitter.
(though i did send them a message telling them not to forget about GOG.... maybe they'll even read it...)

I do really hope that they release them in places other than steam (mostly for the fat I just dn't want too many games irrevocably tied to a single service) but if LA themselves are doing the compatibility work, I'll be willing to try it.
IF republic commando is $5 then I'll give it a bash

Interesting story on the upcoming LA releases on Steam:
LucasArts' Steam debut includes previously unreleased version of The Last Crusade
Not only are they using an unreleased version of Indy, but they are including the original manuals in some of the games, which were referenced during the games as a form of copy protection in the original releases.

Does anybody have any price details for them yet ? Can't find anything on steam and they are supposed to be released tomorrow.
Why do they need to use the manuals as copy protection when they are using steam ? I suppose it's a nostalgia thing for old school gamers.

They were copy protection in the original games, but at least in the case of Indy, that was a part of the gameplay, so it kind of needed to be included. So with these new re-releases, they aren't really acting as copy protection.

If I can't use the datafiles in ScummVM, LucasArts doesn't get my money.

Scummvm will remove any copy protection from the steam DRM so i cant' see it. That's probably what they mean by writing a new windows executable to run the game for modern machines, so they can alter all the files.

It depends. If they simply create a new executable, it will be fine. If they modify/repack the datafiles, no go.

We can hope but I honestly get the feeling they will have thought of that and repack the whole thing with the new exe.

If they are changing the executable to be a form of DRM so the games stay tied to Steam, they are pretty dumb. I bet all of the new versions will be cracked and on the street within a couple days of release. LOL

You bring up a good point. I am happy with the LA on Steam thing, at least they're dipping their toes in the digtal distribution waters. I am pretty happy that they didn't go too ambitious with this, and they're going back and making sure all works fine.
I do have a Steam account, but I am mainly trying it for (you'll never believe this) demoing certain GOG games on Steam.
BJ

The SCUMM games have been cracked and on the street for over a decade now, which would make it dumb to the 10th power.

Remember, this is LucasArts we're talking about. They're the company that said: "Let's see, we're one of the most respected game developers in the world. We're hands-down the most popular supplier of point-n-click adventure games. Why don't we stop making those, as well as everything else we do well, and just make shit in a box and write Star Wars on it".
Dumb to the 10th power should not be unexpected.

Has anyone from GOG commented on this yet? I was pretty saddened to hear the news. If the LA games are completely tied to Steam as a service and can't even be used with SCUMMVM, they won't get my money. The only games I've ever purchased on Steam have been games that I literally could not get without it (basically, the Source engine titles). Even with those, I waited until I could get the Orange Box for less than $10, and I bought a physical copy to be cracked at a later date when the benevolent company in charge of Steam goes out of business and/or changes hands. :P

Yes, but some people get a thrill in pirating the latest things. And with the new executable's, you wouldn't need to use SCUMMVM at all. But ya, trying to protect these games now is like using condoms after you got your girlfriend pregnant.