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General discussionIntroducing: GOG Galaxy, the DRM-Free online gaming platform(917 posts)(917 posts)
(917 posts)
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This is my favourite topic
Posted June 06, 2014
Freedom of choice. Optional client. Cross-play. Coming soon to all gamers!

Earlier today (or was it yesterday for you?), during the [url=http://www.gog.com/news/cd_projekt_red_gogcom_summer_conference]CD Projekt RED and GOG.com’s Summer Conference we dropped the news about our next big step forward! GOG.com has always been home to more and more of the the best games in history (for Windows and Mac), both classic and new. Differing in shapes, flavors, and sizes they had one thing in common: they were mostly single-player, and our focus was mainly on the experience of a singular gamer. If that's your thing, nothing really will change. You can always enjoy your favorite games 100% DRM-free on GOG.com, with no need to activate your game online or remain connected to play your single-player title. Just like GOG.com has always been about.. But what if you want to play with your friends?

Today we are excited to announce GOG Galaxy, a truly gamer-friendly, 100% DRM-free online gaming platform that will finally provide the GOG.com community with the easy option to play together online. GOG Galaxy will allow you to share your achievements, stay in touch with your pals and get the updates for your games automatically. We've developed this technology to improve your GOG.com experience. We think GOG Galaxy really deserves your attention and we hope many of you will give it a try! But, here's the great thing: it is totally optional, so it's all up to you! If you do not want to play online, or use our optional client to access these features, then no worries, you will always be able to play the single-player mode 100% DRM-free, and download manually the latest updated version of your favorite title from our website. Now, for one more feature we call cross-play. We always believed in an open world for gamers, with no obligation to be tied to a specific platform or client; and this is why GOG Galaxy will allow gamers to play with their buddies who use Steam, without any need to use any 3rd party client or account, nothing, nada. We’re taking care of connecting GOG.com and Steam players, so just sit back, relax and give it a try.

See the outtake from the CD Projekt RED & GOG.com Summer Conference

Talking of which, we are proud to announce the soon-to-come launch of the beta phase for The Witcher Adventure Game, a faithful adaptation of the board game of the same title. It allows up to 4 players to play together, whether they use Steam or GOG.com. Cross-play at its finest! If you wanna get the chance to try it out, please visit and sign up to get in the queue for your beta access key. You can also simply take advantage of our amazing [url=http://www.gog.com/tw3]pre-order offer for The Witcher 3: Wild Hunt, which includes 2 beta access keys for he Witcher Aventure Game, delivered to you as soon as we start handing them out to public.

We believe GOG Galaxy has the power to provide the best of both worlds. Playing the single player mode of your favorite game, 100% DRM-free, while still having the OPTION to use our soon-to-come client for an enhanced experience (auto-patching, achievements, and much more) or play online with other GOG.com (and Steam) players if you so wish.

There will be more GOG Galaxy titles coming up this year, so stay tuned for more news and get the word around!
Post edited June 06, 2014 by G-Doc
Posted June 06, 2014
So when is it coming? :)
Posted June 06, 2014
I'm sure that details etc will be confirmed as time goes on, but as of now I'm cautiously welcoming this announcement. As long as the client is optional and all the major features of the games that GOG sells are accessible without it (not worried about achievements tbh) then I see this as something that will add to GOG's accessibility and popularity to new customers without alienating too many of the old ones. Multiplayer is a big part of the gaming experience for many people, so if this helps GOG expand into that area without compromising the values its customers have then that is only a good thing for gamers. I hope GOG succeed in designing a client that appeases the needs of potential customers who may convert from Steam whilst keeping old customers happy, as it will be a major step towards allowing GOG to compete on more equal terms with Steam if this happens.
Posted June 06, 2014
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Kolto66: First: great addition! even if many people won't use your new client, it is a good option to offer.

two things:

1. Does connecting with Steam (a competitor) mean you have to make a deal with them? If so, then please try hard not to get eaten by Steam/Valve!

2. Achievements: Please please please please please say that you can get achievements OFFLINE also, with sharing them later when going online. This would be "freedom of choice".

a third thing:

3. Am i going to be able to play old games via galaxy, too? Say for example Age of Wonders Shadow Magic with other gog users?
1. No deal is being made, instead we're giving you the chance to play with others like it used to be before digital distribution :) Remember when you popped in a multiplayer game like Quake and then just surfed the servers without a third party app? Galaxy is kind of like that :)

2. Not sure about those myself just yet but I believe we'll have more details on achievements and such once we are closer to releaseing Galaxy :)

3. It depends on the older games themselves. Some you might be able to, some might be beyond saving but we'll at least make it so you can autoupdate them with our fixes should we make any for the older games :)
Posted June 06, 2014
Looking forward to trying this. :)
Posted June 06, 2014
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Senteria: So when is it coming? :)
Soon? :P
Posted June 06, 2014
I am not following this very closely, so my question may be stupid, but what I'd wish to know is :

Is this thing just a way to get games, as they are now, connected ? Or do games, in order to connect, have to be updated somehow ?

In other word, does it mean that some gog-galaxy-specific code will be added in gog's released games ?
Posted June 06, 2014
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JudasIscariot: 1. No deal is being made, instead we're giving you the chance to play with others like it used to be before digital distribution :) Remember when you popped in a multiplayer game like Quake and then just surfed the servers without a third party app? Galaxy is kind of like that :)
So, that kind of makes it sound like it won't be compatible with currently existing matchmaking services like Steamworks multiplayer etc. Only if it's designed for Galaxy?

Also very much leaves open the ownership check.
Posted June 06, 2014
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Telika: Is this thing just a way to get games, as they are now, connected ? Or do games, in order to connect, have to be updated somehow ?
Only games that are coded to use GOG Galaxy will take advantage of GOG Galaxy. For all others, same rules as today apply.

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Telika: In other word, does it mean that some gog-galaxy-specific code will be added in gog's released games ?
Quite possibly in released games, not only GOG released ones. Let's wait and see though.
Posted June 06, 2014
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JudasIscariot: 1. No deal is being made, instead we're giving you the chance to play with others like it used to be before digital distribution :) Remember when you popped in a multiplayer game like Quake and then just surfed the servers without a third party app? Galaxy is kind of like that :)
sooo... how are you doing that? do you expect Galaxy players of for example Brutal Legend to suddenly be able to play MP with the Steamworks version of Brutal Legend?
Posted June 06, 2014
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Titanium: I really like the idea of this GOG Galaxy S5.
Me too! (LOL) That was the first thing that came to my mind...

Look, up in the sky! Is it a tablet? Is it a smart phone? No, it's Super... er, GOG Galaxy! ;) (**Not affiliated with Samsung)

Also, now supporting Cross-Play! (**Not affiliated with Sony)

But seriously, trademark infringement lawsuits aside, this honestly sounds like good news to me for the future of GOG. It will essentially provide support for modern game features (multi-player, auto-patching, achievements), games that can then be sold on GOG without customers losing out for choosing DRM-free. And the keyword is optional. Bring it on, GOG!
Posted June 06, 2014
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Pheace: Either there's something that links the game to GOG or the Galaxy client, or there's no ownership check.
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JMich: Let's take Torchlight II as a possible example. Retail version requires an online authentication to install and activate. When you go to play online, it check on Runic's server if the key is valid for online play. If it is, it connects to GOGGalaxy through the GOGGalaxy API, and it allows you to connect with GOG and Steam players (again, through the GOGGalaxy API).

Let's take Unreal Tournament (pre 436 patch) as another example. It used a serial which was only checked against other players in the same match. You fire the game up, connect to the GOGGalaxy API, find the server you wish to play and join it. A duplicate key is detected. Steam players are authenticated through Steam, GOG players are authenticated through GOG, retail players are not authenticated. Retail player with duplicate key gets kicked out.

Final assumption. UT post 436. No checks to play online. Connect online and play, either in GOGGalaxy or out of it. Same as you currently can.
The UT one would be massively open to abuse then basically. Long as you're not in the same match as someone who shares the key you're good.

Torchlight II would be a third party check to check the key, and then connect to another client/account to play online?
Post edited June 06, 2014 by Pheace
Posted June 06, 2014
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Pheace: The UT one would be massively open to abuse then basically. Long as you're not in the same match as someone who shares the key you're good.
UT is already open to such abuse. Patch 436 was out sometime in 2001 as I recall, which disables the serial check altogether.

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Pheace: Torchlight II would be a third party check to check the key, and then connect to another client/account to play online?
T2 checks with version supplier for authentication (GOG.com for GOG version, Steam for Steam version, Runic for Retail version) then connects to the GOG Universe (either directly or through Steamworks/GOG Galaxy) for network play.
Posted June 06, 2014
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Senteria: So when is it coming? :)
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JudasIscariot: Soon? :P
Come now... why hold out? I'm ready to fork over my games to Galaxy... I just need you to make it happen. :P

Can we get a beta please... I'd happily test an unfinished Galaxy. :P
Posted June 06, 2014
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Erich_Zann: - I don't give a flying fuck about "sharing achievements" or "staying in touch with my pals" (I know how to use email & phone, thanks)
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graspee: <DRING DRING>
<DRING DRING>
John: Hello?
Mandy: Hi there John, it's Mandy.
John: What's up, Mandy?
Mandy: I just collected all 4 rings in the third stage of Umma Bodeka Quest in less than one minute.
John. Um, plus one, I guess.
Mandy: Bye!

<click>
If you are quoting his sentence, maybe reading it before going sarcastic would help. He wrote: 1- I DON'T GIVE A FLYING FUCK ABOUT SHARING ACHIEVEMENTS, which i thought was pretty self-explanatory when i read it. I don't understand how you could have misinterpreted it; 2- Staying in touch with my pals, i can do it with email and phone.
Sorry, but i don't see how your comment should be funny because it's ironic on the fact that he wrote he can share achievements by phone and email, except that HE DIDN'T WRITE THAT AT ALL. The 'achievement' and 'contact my pals with emails and phone' were two different sentences.
Posted June 06, 2014
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JudasIscariot: 1. No deal is being made, instead we're giving you the chance to play with others like it used to be before digital distribution :) Remember when you popped in a multiplayer game like Quake and then just surfed the servers without a third party app? Galaxy is kind of like that :)
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Pheace: So, that kind of makes it sound like it won't be compatible with currently existing matchmaking services like Steamworks multiplayer etc. Only if it's designed for Galaxy?

Also very much leaves open the ownership check.
Galaxy's purpose, among other things, is to allow you to play with others online without worrying that you won't be able to connect to them because the other person doesn't have the GOG version of the game.

For example, you and a friend buy a game with multiplayer on two different services. You buy it here and your friend has the Steam version. You will still be able to play with each other.

I am not sure about the ownership check you mention as that's more of a technical question and I don't have all the technical details at hand myself.
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JudasIscariot: Soon? :P
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BKGaming: Come now... why hold out? I'm ready to fork over my games to Galaxy... I just need you to make it happen. :P

Can we get a beta please... I'd happily test an unfinished Galaxy. :P
You can sign up here:

http://www.gog.com/galaxy?par=1
Post edited June 06, 2014 by JudasIscariot
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This is my favourite topic
Community
General discussionIntroducing: GOG Galaxy, the DRM-Free online gaming platform(917 posts)(917 posts)
(917 posts)