hello
i just purchased a game from gog
and would like to know how to download it to my computer
cheers

So you have two options. You can download the installation files from your library or you can install Galaxy, which is GOG's client (sort of like Steam) and download the game there. Personally I recommend Galaxy, but if you are a purist the installation files are just as good despite requiring a bit more work.

To get to your library click here or just click on your name (in all caps) on the top bar.

To get Galaxy go here: www.gog.com/galaxy and click on a big blue button.

Do note, if you do not want Galaxy installed on your machine, goto your account, select the game, now click More. If you see classic installers in the list provided, they are the ones without the full Galaxy client install (120mb more). You may also find Downloader links in there, that is the old GOG Downloader tool which some use. Galaxy is required for some multiplayer and online features, and required (even though stated as optional) for at least Gwent.
Me, I have used browser downloads for years without any issues and have no need of utilities.

Frankly, I feel people should stop promoting this to new users. It just makes everything look even more complicated.

It is unsupported (as you said), people keep reporting more and more issues with it with some games, it isn't that user-friendly or easy to comprehend to begin with (e.g. you have to log in twice to GOG, both through a web browser and the Downloader client, and you initiate the downloads from your browser so that they start downloading in the client... gawd...).

There are two main ways to obtain your GOG games:

1. Use Galaxy and download&install your game with it.

2. Download the offilne game installer files, and install the game(s) manually.

There are many different tools you can use to achieve the second one (downloading the offline installer files), including:

- any web browser (you can also use DownThemAll!-plugins and such if you wish with your web browser)
- the Galaxy client itself, using its "Backup"-function
- gogrepo.py
- lgogdownloader
- the old, unsupported GOG Downloader client that no one should ever use again, period period exclamation mark

etc.


My instructions to new users, on how to download and install their GOG games:

1. If you want a hassle-free Steam-like experience and don't mind installing another gaming client to your computer, download and install the GOG Galaxy client, and install your games with it.

https://www.gog.com/galaxy

2. If you don't want to install (yet another) gaming client and want to be in control of things, download the game installer files with your favorite web browser, and install them yourself.

https://www.gog.com/account

Note that the multiplayer part in some games requires Galaxy anyway, but this is a valid option if you are mostly just interested into the single-player part of a game. You can later install Galaxy and import a game to Galaxy anyway, if needed.

3. Only for advanced gung-ho DRM-free warriors like myself: If you have accumulated lots of GOG games and feel like you'd want to download all the offline installers (and an easy way to always keep your local GOG installer collection up to date), use gogrepo.py. There's a bit of a hurdle how to set it up the first time, but after you have, it is easy peasy pants on cheesy.

The main discussion for gogrepo.py:

https://www.gog.com/forum/general/gogrepopy_python_script_for_regularly_backing_up_your_purchased_gog_collection_for_full_offline_e/page1

Some detailed instructions for first time users I wrote at some point on how to set up gogrepo and its prerequisites:

https://www.gog.com/forum/general/is_gog_downloader_still_supported_by_gog_or_are_they_scrapping_it/post39

Why?
It often works better than Galaxy. It doesn't have the problem of Download progress resetting like Galxy (and that's a huge gripe I have against Galaxy). Unlike Galaxy it correctly shows download speed. Unlike Galaxy, notifications work on GOG Downloader. And it is always better to have options. Depending on the user. Some may prefer simplicity, while some may prefer more control. It's all about personal preferance, and there's nothing wrong with preferring any method.

I stated the reasons why I feel like that.

Also, I don't quite understand why it is promoted as a third, separate way, to download GOG games. As I mentioned in the previous message, there are two main ways to obtain your GOG games:

- Installing them with Galaxy.
- Downloading the offline installers and installing the games manually.

For that second option, the offline-installers, there certainly are lots of different tools you can use to download those installers. The old unsupported legacy Downloader client is only one of them, so I have no idea why it is always promoted as a separate option.

Different tools to download the offline installers:

- Any web browser. <== the most straightforward option for most
- Any web browser with downloader plugins (DownloadThemAll! and what is there, I am not that familiar with them).
- The Galaxy client itself, using the backup function.
- The old, unsupported, cumbersome GOG Downloader client.
- gogrepo.py
- lgogdownloader
- probably various other tools and ways

I personally use two ways to obtain my GOG games:

1. gogrepo.py, to keep a local and up to date collection of all my purchased GOG offline game installers.

2. Sometimes I might just download an odd game directly from GOG, with the Firefox web browser, in case I haven't downloaded it yet with gogrepo, or I am not sure if I have the latest version of the installer, or if i am elsewhere with my laptop without my local GOG installer collection.

Yet, I don't necessarily feel everyone should try to use gogrepo like i do. For most e.g. using a web browser or Galaxy is probably enough. gogrepo serves a special need, mass-downloading all your game installers and keeping the installers up to date easily.