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50 games for the free OS available right NOW!

A while ago, [url=http://www.gog.com/news/gogcom_soon_on_more_platforms]we've announced our plans to add Linux support as one of the features of our digital platform, with 100 games on the launch day sometime this fall. We've put much time and effort into this project and now we've found ourselves with over 50 titles, classic and new, prepared for distribution, site infrastructure ready, support team trained and standing by, and absolutely no reason to wait until October or November. We're still aiming to have at least 100 Linux games in the coming months, but we've decided not to delay the launch just for the sake of having a nice-looking number to show off to the press. It's not about them, after all, it's about you. So, one of the most popular site feature requests on our community wishlist is granted today: Linux support has officially arrived on GOG.com!

The first 50+ titles we've have in store for you come from all the corners of our DRM-Free catalog. Note that we've got many classic titles coming officially to Linux for the very first time, thanks to the custom builds prepared by our dedicated team of penguin tamers. That's over twenty fan-favorite GOG.com classics, like &[url=http://www.gog.com/game/flatout_2]Flatout 2, , <a href="http://www.gog.com/game/darklands">Darklands, or Realms of the Haunting we've personally ushered one by one into the welcoming embrace of Linux gamers. That's already quite a nice chunk of our back-catalog, and you can expect more from our dedicated Linux team soon!

Now, for the recent titles. We've got some indie games with native Linux versions that finally find their well-deserved spot in our store. Among them, debuting on Linux, - a well received original comedic Sci-Fi puzzler. On top of that, be on the lookout for two new additions to the GOG.com catalog: [url=http://www.gog.com/game/gods_will_be_watching]Gods Will Be Watching (coming in a couple of hours) and Unrest:Special Edition (Linux build coming right up!), both of them very fresh and intriguing. This is the very first time we can provide you with all the PC versions of a premiere game, and we will continue to do so in the future. If there's a Linux version of a title we're releasing, our aim is to deliver it to you Day-1. But enough about us, let's talk about the games. Here's what you can be playing on Linux today:

Anomaly Warzone Earth
Ascendant
Bionic Dues
Blake Stone: Aliens of Gold - first time on Linux!
Blake Stone: Planet Strike - first time on Linux!
Bloodnet - first time on Linux!
Braveland
CLARC - first time on Linux!
Darklands - first time on Linux!
Darwinia
Defcon
Don't Starve + DLC
Dragonsphere - first time on Linux!
Duke Nukem 3D: Atomic Edition
FlatOut - first time on Linux!
Flatout 2 - first time on Linux!
Fragile Allegiance - first time on Linux!
Gemini Rue
Gods Will Be Watching
Hammerwatch
Hocus Pocus - first time on Linux!
Kentucky Route Zero
The Last Federation
Legend of Grimrock
Litil Divil - first time on Linux!
Long Live the Queen
MouseCraft
Multiwinia
Normality - first time on Linux!
Pinball Gold Pack - first time on Linux!
Pinball World - first time on Linux!
Pirates! Gold Plus - first time on Linux!
Realms of the Haunting - first time on Linux!
Rex Nebular and the Cosmic Gender Bender - first time on Linux!
Rise of the Triad: Dark War - first time on Linux!
Shattered Haven
The Shivah HD
Sid Meier's Colonization - first time on Linux!
Sid Meier's Covert Action - first time on Linux!
Sir, You Are Being Hunted
Slipstream 5000 - first time on Linux!
Space Pirates and Zombies
Spacechem
Stargunner - first time on Linux!
SteamWorld Dig
Super Hexagon
Surgeon Simulator 2013
Sword of the Samurai - first time on Linux!
Teslagrad
Unrest:Special Edition (Linux build on the way!)
Uplink
VVVVVV

As if this wasn't exciting enough, we've put more than half of these titles on a special promo! Head out to the promo page and find out which of them you can get up to 75% off until Tuesday, 9:59AM GMT. Of course, all of the games from the list above that you already own will be updated with Linux versions with no additional cost for you, just as you might have expected from GOG.com.

"OK, but how will Linux support actually work on GOG.com" - you might ask. For both native Linux versions, as well as special builds prepared by our team, GOG.com will provide distro-independent tar.gz archives and support convenient DEB installers for the two most popular Linux distributions: Ubuntu and Mint, in their current and future LTS editions. Helpful and responsive customer support has always been an important part of the GOG.com gaming experience. We wouldn't have it any other way when it comes to Linux, and starting today our helpdesk offers support for our official Linux releases on Ubuntu and Mint systems.

Diversity and freedom of choice have always been an important part of the GOG.com way. We're very glad that we could improve our service with the addition of the free (and DRM-Free) alternative to the commercial operating systems. Talking with gamers is just as important, so we're counting on your feedback! If you've got any questions, suggestions, or run into any trouble, just tell us in the forum thread below this post. Just please be gentle, this is [url=http://youtu.be/qBxbPts5tOk" target="_blank]our very first time[/url] with Linux. Happy launch day, everyone!
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hedwards: There seem to be a few bad bugs here. Anybody else finding that the games will not start if you're using Mint and a non-English system language? German seems to cause it to fail miserably.

I'm also finding that with English, I'll get it to start, but it changes the resolution and won't change it back after I'm done playing.
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JudasIscariot: I would send a ticket with the games that fail to start when using a non-English language setting :)
Right now that's not possible. It wants me to create a system profile, but the support article doesn't contain any information about how to do that.
I've tried to get both Rise of the Triad and Duke Nukem 3D to run and both of them won't work with German localization. The DOSBox will launch and I'll see the probing screen, but after that it crashes to desktop.

In both cases, changing the system language and renaming the various folders back to English fixes the problem.
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niky45: you can't understand. well, it's alright. (/linux-fan-mode OFF)

I ALREADY said that wine is better than nothing. but a NATIVE port is even better.
wine makes lazy devels, and I think nobody wants that. plus, performance will (almost) always be better when running natively, since you have one layer less to leech resources.

and about the notice, well, I don't yet have any of the linux games, and I didn't look too thoroughly into them... but if it's there, well, its something.

*what I meant was: if GOG itself is porting those games, and they have the chance, PLEEEEAAASEEEE.... avoid wine. there are native ports out there (neverwinter nights, gemRB for the infinity engine games, etc), and they already work, so, don't just wrap a wine install and go.
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JudasIscariot: We're not a porting company like Aspyr or Loki so we don't make native ports :) We just work to make games run on the two supported distros :) All the Linux native games come from our partners :)
And unfortunately, in many cases it's not even possible due to the lack of available source code. So, even if you were a porting company, many of these games wouldn't be portable anyways.
Post edited July 24, 2014 by hedwards
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JudasIscariot: I would send a ticket with the games that fail to start when using a non-English language setting :)
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hedwards: Right now that's not possible. It wants me to create a system profile, but the support article doesn't contain any information about how to do that.

I've tried to get both Rise of the Triad and Duke Nukem 3D to run and both of them won't work with German localization. The DOSBox will launch and I'll see the probing screen, but after that it crashes to desktop.

In both cases, changing the system language and renaming the various folders back to English fixes the problem.
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hedwards:
Type in terminal

gog-system-report

and you should see a text document pop up on your desktop :)
the games for linux should be in .run installer for intall the game wherever you want. is better than tar.gz
This is bloody awesome! Congratulations GOG!

Sooo, time to test how well it works on Lubuntu... :-)
So, i guess i should remove named games from http://www.gog.com/mix/games_that_have_native_linux_portselsewhere ? What do you think?
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Redfern: So, i guess i should remove named games from http://www.gog.com/mix/games_that_have_native_linux_portselsewhere ? What do you think?
Up to you, it's your GOG Mix :)
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cr1ogen: the games for linux should be in .run installer for intall the game wherever you want. is better than tar.gz
With our tar.gz's you can do the following:

1. Extract the contents in a directory of your choosing.
2. Type in terminal :

sudo ./start.sh --install

Then to run your game just type something like this:

gog-normality

Games with longer titles should be ran like so:

gog-rise-of-the-triad-dark-war

(You can TAB complete the game names so this saves you time :) )

:)
Post edited July 24, 2014 by JudasIscariot
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JudasIscariot: We're not a porting company like Aspyr or Loki so we don't make native ports :) We just work to make games run on the two supported distros :) All the Linux native games come from our partners :)
True, but you can explore such option :) For example Humble Bundle hired Edward Rudd to work on native ports. He worked on Torchlight and other titles. Understandably, the more complex some games are, the more effort it might require so it can end up being a whole team, like Aspyr you mentioned.
Post edited July 24, 2014 by shmerl
You're amazing !!! Shivers down my spine !!!!

Thanks for the great surprise, I was waiting for November and you start Linux today : dziekuje !!!!!!!!!!!!!!
Delighted to see linux support on gog.

Now the platform is supported i hope you will consider releasing/repackaging your DOSBOX based games in a format such as tar.gz or zip (even if its considered beta or unsupported for linux users).
Im sure many linux users already use gog games through dosbox/scummvm/exult etc on many different distros, and the only real hurdle for advanced users is extracting the games out of the windows INNO setup installers !
I have a few games on that list I'll need to try out. Although linux these days has annoyed my with its online for everything metnality.
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Redfern: So, i guess i should remove named games from http://www.gog.com/mix/games_that_have_native_linux_portselsewhere ? What do you think?
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JudasIscariot: Up to you, it's your GOG Mix :)
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cr1ogen: the games for linux should be in .run installer for intall the game wherever you want. is better than tar.gz
avatar
JudasIscariot: With our tar.gz's you can do the following:

1. Extract the contents in a directory of your choosing.
2. Type in terminal :

sudo ./start.sh --install

Then to run your game just type something like this:

gog-normality

Games with longer titles should be ran like so:

gog-rise-of-the-triad-dark-war

(You can TAB complete the game names so this saves you time :) )

:)
OK thanks for you response. sorry for my english.
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jalister: What are some of the games you are running on Arch? I've been planning to install Arch on one of my computers to get more experience with Linux.
Hi!

From the GOG.com Games: i own Hammerwach and CLARC
I also bought Darwinia, Multiwinia and Uplink from Introversion years ago, they also run fine.
And then i own many steam and Humble Bunde games, they also run smooth under Arch.
At last.
I've been waiting for this announcement for a while now.
Now I won't have to always manually configure my DOSBox games in GNU/Linux.
Speaking of which I'm a little surprised there isn't that many DOS games on the list here but I'm sure that will change pretty quickly.
Most GNU/Linux distros have native DOSBox support so it should be really easy to port stuff over. For some games all you have to do is choose the right directory in the configuration file and the game will work just fine. It's probably just a matter of time until GOG starts supporting a bunch more DOS games for GNU/Linux distros.

Anyway,
Thanks for the extra software support GOG! This is great news!
Post edited July 24, 2014 by ratface21
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JudasIscariot: With our tar.gz's you can do the following:

1. Extract the contents in a directory of your choosing.
2. Type in terminal :

sudo ./start.sh --install

Then to run your game just type something like this:

gog-normality

Games with longer titles should be ran like so:

gog-rise-of-the-triad-dark-war

(You can TAB complete the game names so this saves you time :) )

:)
Great, there are some neat tools there.
There is also ./start.sh --help available.

But it wouldn't hurt creating a small readme.txt and putting it in the tarball :)
Post edited July 24, 2014 by shmerl
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JudasIscariot: With our tar.gz's you can do the following:

1. Extract the contents in a directory of your choosing.
2. Type in terminal :

sudo ./start.sh --install

Then to run your game just type something like this:

gog-normality

Games with longer titles should be ran like so:

gog-rise-of-the-triad-dark-war

(You can TAB complete the game names so this saves you time :) )

:)
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shmerl: Great, there are some neat tools there.
There is also ./start.sh --help available.

But it wouldn't hurt creating a small readme.txt and putting it in the tarball :)
Perhaps :) I'll pass that on to our chief pen-I mean Linux tech :P
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critic12: Delighted to see linux support on gog.

Now the platform is supported i hope you will consider releasing/repackaging your DOSBOX based games in a format such as tar.gz or zip (even if its considered beta or unsupported for linux users).
Im sure many linux users already use gog games through dosbox/scummvm/exult etc on many different distros, and the only real hurdle for advanced users is extracting the games out of the windows INNO setup installers !
Every game we released today has a tar.gz archive as well as a .deb package :)
Post edited July 24, 2014 by JudasIscariot