Recently, GOG Galaxy has gone into open beta. It's a large milestone for GOG - a standalone launcher platform that organizes everyone's games into the same place and handles updates.

With the right features, it could compete with Steam.

This discussion's just my analysis on what GOG Galaxy should and shouldn't do to be successful.

A few guidelines to keep in mind when replying:
-If you disagree with something, post why you disagree instead of silently downvoting. This thread is intended to be a parliamentary discussion, disagreement and counter-arguments are welcome as long as they aren't completely nonsensical or spam. (IMO, people should be required to actually reply to posts to downvote them and clearly explain the reason for the downvote - a silent downvote accomplishes nothing except when the downvoted post is spam or utter trash.)
-Evaluate suggestions based on how they would turn out when properly implemented. I heard that GOG Galaxy is currently riddled with problems but those should eventually get fixed. Also, it's beta.

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Stuff that GOG Galaxy SHOULD do:

#1. Online game instance/game server-finding system.

One major complaint is that a significant number of games only support online multiplayer with Steam.
The problem is that a lot of developers write for the Steamworks online game server-finding API. GOG needs a similar API that developers can use, and it needs to be as easy to program with as the Steamworks equivalent.


#2. Store Credit system and Prepaid Codes/Cards

Steam has Steam Wallet. GOG has... a few supported credit cards, paysafecard (mostly a European thing), and PayPal.
Here's the problem. Not everyone has a credit card that GOG accepts, access to paysafecard, or PayPal. And currently, if you have none of those, you're just plain locked out of purchases, which is a shame.

Solution: GOG Galaxy needs to add a proper store credit system similar to Steam Wallet. A prepaid code system wouldn't even be costly or difficult. GameStop has an arrangement with Valve where people can buy $20 or $50 Steam codes and have them printed on a receipt - no requirement for credit cards or online payments. There's no reason why GOG couldn't do the same. It wouldn't cost GOG anything in terms of distribution or printing materials because the store would supply those already.

#3. Free Demos

Steam has plenty of free demos and events where certain games are completely free for a weekend.

Demos are a great way to increase sales (let the customer test before buying). GOG Galaxy should encourage developers to release free demos and encourage users to test demos of games similar to the ones in their libraries. It's better than an advertising pitch.

#4. Basic instant messaging and groups

Sometimes people would just like to log on and be able to chat with friends instead of having to launch GOG Galaxy and then a separate instant messenger service.

A grouping system would make it easier to find people who like the same games as you, further helping with multiplayer games.

#5. Privacy/"No Datamining" mode

Last time I checked, Steam was being like Google, and not in a good way. Steam has this tagging system and the ability to datamine peoples' game libraries so they can pop up more ads for ****ty Greenlight games in the end-user's face.

Just because almost everyone else is being insidious doesn't make it OK to be insidious. Have an option where users can opt out of any form of datamining, with users being opted out by default.
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Stuff that GOG Galaxy SHOULD NOT do:

#1. Built-in anti-cheat framework similar to Steam's VAC

Ok, you're all probably thinking "lolwhut? is the OP supporting cheating in online games?" Well, no. The main reason why GOG Galaxy should never attempt anything similar to VAC is that it runs completely against the principles behind GOG:

-VAC is legalized spyware by definition. It is forcibly bundled with a product, strips the user of anonymity, and watches the end-user like Big Brother from George Orwell's 1984.
-GOG has traditionally taken the approach of "let the community decide". As far as keeping cheaters out of online games is concerned, the best solution is to let each game host decide.

It's not a matter of stopping cheaters, it's a matter of principles and "not being evil".

#2. Spawn advertisement pop-ups in peoples' faces

Steam does a lot of that. It's annoying. Instead of obnoxious pop-up ads, have a "suggested/new games" section/tab in GOG Galaxy.

#3. Unlimited/virtually unlimited free cloud saves.

Before you all downvote me off the internet for saying this, please take a moment and read my reasons why GOG Galaxy should avoid a cloud save feature, at least in the near future.

Maintaining a cloud save service can be costly:
-Storage devices cost money
-Electricity to run the storage devices and servers costs money
-Server bandwidth to receive cloud save files and push them out to users costs money (and also could mean more bad page load times and/or server busy "GOGbears" if those servers aren't completely separate from the main website)
-Cloud saves require backups, which again costs more money

GOG is not Valve. GOG doesn't have anywhere near the amount of resources that Valve has. In the interests of a balanced budget, I would suggest that GOG should stay away from virtually unlimited cloud saves, at least in the near future.

One solution could be optional cloud save feature with a (cheap) monthly subscription, perhaps around $1 per month.

Another solution could be storage limits and monthly bandwidth limits, with subscribers getting a vastly increased storage quota and bandwidth limit.

You have never once been downvoted for voicing your opinion, and you never will. You get downvoted for making open threads like this and then tearing anyone who even slightly disagrees with you a new asshole.

You do have a point. Not even Valve provides cloud saving for every game. I also see it as a potential waste of GOG's limited resources.
However, Coelocanth is right. They know better than any random guy what they should or shouldn't do. We're not in a position to be their business counselors and discuss what's better for their finances.

They should add in always-online DRM to stop pirates and increase their profits.

I figure that's coming with Cyberpunk 2077...

hum.
Firstly, I think your tirade is more about Steam than Galaxy. It's about what you dislike from Steam, not what Galaxy should or shouldn't do. It's not bad per se, but I think you are masking the discussion as something else instead of saying openly, and more simply, please Galaxy do not be Steam.

In second, You put limits on GOG that are not based on any facts. You and I may very well not know the full extent of what it would take to make a cloud save feature, and we do not know if GOG is capable of it or not. But the thing I disagree with you in there is that you are essentially against a nice feature on the ground of feasibility. We can't measure an idea's worth by it's feasibility, only by it's virtues.

We could, and should, list what Galaxy should be about to us, but let's not get bogged down by what we think gog can or cannot do. For exemple, if unlimited cloud saves where to be too taxing, they may decide the idea is still worth pursuing, but with a limit on the possible size of your account's saves. Then, is the idea still bad, or does it become suddenly worthwhile because it's more plausible?

Agreed, overhead considerations aren't consumer issues at all. What occurs on the back end is something GOG needs to figure out.

RIP GOG if they do this. I am looking for a gaming platform that takes cheating seriously and if I find one I will be a loyal customer for life and so will alot of other gamers THAT is how you beat steam!

Steam uses cheaters to create revenue as cheater buy more copies of games.

So if any tech savy people are reading this that is how you can become a billionaire create a game service with a working anti cheat and gamers will come trust me.

>.>
<.<

There is really only one thing that matters, Galaxy should remain totally - unequivocally - without reservation or word twisting - OPTIONAL!

It should help organizing your library of GOG games as comfortable as possible as well as support the play experience (if that is possible). If it can also support the interaction with GOG (beyond what the website already has) it's a plus.

It should not limit the freedom in any way.

So, if I can organize my library better with GOG while still being able to decide what I want (like if I want to update or not) then Galaxy will be a success.

And in a way it is doing exactly that, although it still has some inconveniences which need to be fixed. But then it also is still beta.

I myself am a huge fan of playable demos but I see some problems here:

1. Time-based access would not work with GOG principles as it would basically give you full access to the game (unless in some way encrypted, evilized, blah, blah...)

2. Developers do not bother making demos anymore. This is probably the most important point.
"Why?" you ask? Well, I had the same question and poked a few devs about it...
Mostly the answer is that a demo requires too much work or developers are worried fewer people buy the game as they can see they don't like it (Yes, that is no joke, unfortunately). I have been told that for a proper demo game-independent content is needed as you can't just cut a part of the main game. There's custom tutorials, translation and maybe even levels required which take development time and resources away from the actual game.

So here I'll have to say: Great if GOG should ever offer Demos, but I think it's generally unlikely as nowadays people don't seem to care anymore. And this goes for both devs and customers alike, it seems.

agreed
and thats what i came in this thread to say
galaxy should remain utterly optional if i dont want it i shouldnt have to need it and so far i dont need or want it

GoG Galaxy shouldn't just make coffee, it should make Mocha with marshmallows! :D