There's DRM games on GOG? Can you give an example?

I also feel GOG is suffering from various deficiencies and issues, such as:

1. Forcing people to use the new galaxy by upgrading their old galaxy...sometimes against people's wishes.

2. Not replying much to people's questions or concerns(unless it's about spending money here or is something that might make GOG look bad to others) in various threads.

3. Not replying much at all in the forums in general, and when it is done it is usually PR speak and "form style" replies**.

(**Though there are exceptions)

4. Lack of older versions of some games(needed for some who cannot run newer versions, etc), and also exe files and such for some games(needed to run games in dosbox instead of ScummVM or on old PCs).

5. DRM remnants in a few rare games that GOG won't get the IP holder to fix(Like the stuff in FEAR).

6. Dropping of the update notifications(intentional or not it's still bad).

7. Broken forums with various issues.

8. A rampant rep system abuse problem....done by other troll users against some here, and which GOG doesn't seem to care to fix.....this can lead to people getting low rated into oblivion and looking worse in some people's eyes due to their low rating.

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There are likely more issues, but suffice it to say I am keeping an eye on Zoom Platform(a small GOG competitor that is in the process of making a new site & possibly forums, and adding more new games). They have a discord set up and are taking suggestions(for the site and what games to add if they can).....they seem to actually want to communicate and work with the user base like GOG did when they started, and have some games GOG doesn't have.

Sure their site has some issues(like no game gifting that I can see, no forums, only paypal as payment) but they are working on improving it, so you might want to look into it.


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========================================MP portions of games that support such usually must be run through galaxy.

Also some games(a few) like FEAR have some DRM remnants left in them which GOG & the IP holders refuse to clean up(or don't feel like cleaning up).

Any examples? Deus Ex: Mankind Divided is not a valid example as it was clearly not intentional, nor is F.E.A.R. relevant.

Multiplayer... Well, the only feasible option would be to cut the whole multiplayer away from GOG games (which is what GOG used to do in the past), to some that is not the right solution either because then the GOG version would be inferior and incomplete compared to e.g. the Steam version. So the question is: are there viable alternatives, that fulfill your requirements of good Linux support, DRM-free installers, easily identifiable update notifications etc.?

So to me the question is quite simple:

"Oh, GOG doesn't give update notifications anymore on their web page? Ok then, do I have any other stores which do that, and fulfill all the other requirements which I like on GOG, like the easily archivable DRM-free installers?

No? Ok then, I guess I will continue buying my games on GOG regardless. Hopefully they fix those update notifications at some point."

For me the main reason to bail out from GOG altogether would probably be that single-player games would start including DRM (on purpose), and the online client was required to play (which is not the same thing as downloading) the single-player games by default. Meaning, in my eyes GOG would no more offer any advantage over buying the same games on e.g. Steam. Nowadays, they still do, so I'm staying, sorry. Not going to join your boycotts and whatnot, I am a special snowflake who does his own thing.

The more I look at OP's post the more I find it to be written either by a classic troll, or someone who's nothing else to do at the moment, and have been reading a lot about other's pampered whining / false accusations and have really little to no clue what's going on here. OP's post misses most of the biggest, most glaring problems GOG actually has...

Just a few more days and we probably get a new "I'm leaving GOG and I wanted you all to know how angry and how insincere I am"-ranting.

Idk if it's worth giving up..
I just think they need to work on some things..

Such as Gog Connect.

There is no reason to give up GOG, but there certainly are a lot of reasons not to be a fanboy (anymore). Just treat it like any other store. Take the good, while accepting that it's far from what it ideally could have been. They've spoilt their userbase too much in their early years with the promise of doing everything differently, of caring and listening to the community, but they've long since moved on from that, once it didn't help them to grow anymore.

Good points GameRager, thank you, and thanks for the suggestion! I'll check their site out. edit: Haha oh dear, they really have an unfortunate name with "Zoom platform", as you can imagine it's another Zoom thing that comes up in the search terms.

timppu: I absolutely understand your approach to all of this. I'm definitely sticking around myself, as so far this is still the best platform I know of.

sanscript: Thanks for your contribution to this thread. (lol)

Nathidraws: Yeah I'm not giving up yet myself, at least not until something else is on the horizon.

Leroux: Agreed yeah. I was indeed talking more in long term as the direction they are in is worrysome. As it currently stands, GOG is still alright enough for sure.

To be honest - who the fck cares wheter you use gOg or not. it is a store... buy from here if you want, or buy your games elsewhere. there is no need for this drama.

No problem. :)

As for me: I will also stick around here, as GOG: Has more games, has a bigger user base and a forum(if a wonky one sometimes), has gifting, is mostly DRM free, etc.
======================================== If I may ask: what's wrong with people expressing their issues with something? If you dislike the topic ignore it and move on....simple as.

GOG is pretty much a dead thing; in a few months/a year Galaxy will be the only way to download games from GOG.
They are in financial difficulties, because they invested all of our money in One Client To Run Them All™ Abomination.

I am sorry GOG, I am sorry I didn't see this earlier. I feel like a parent who has a child that has alcohol/drug problem, but the parent just refuse to see it, until it is too late. And for GOG, it's too late, way too late!

You're welcome. And try not to read everything too seriously ;)

Yes, there have been all too many of those weird threads here.

But you still haven't explained your biggest accusation, namely the ever growing DRM-games here...? And no, lack of MP or MP only through Galaxy is not DRM. "Left overs" isn't DRM either like timppu mentioned. Neither is it GOG's ruling, that's something the devs/publisher control. They could easily just create a patch to allow LAN/MP outside of Galaxy.

Compared to others here, and based on what you yourself have written, you're actually losing hope over very little... :D

EDIT: And no, I'm not a "fan" any more either...

For me:

As long as single player is DRM free, all is good. You always have to connect somewhere (be it a server or another computer directly) to play multiplayer. The main pull of GOG for me is that I can get the game and be sure to be able to play the single player 50 years later even if the internet would suddenly cease to exist.

The client is optional. Yes they are pushing it, but no one is forcing you to use it. It is more for people who are not used to GOG so that they can be in a familiar space when trying it out coming from Steam or Epic.

Regarding Linux or other platforms, this will probably bring me some downvotes but face the reality. Windows has always been the main gaming platform for PC. So it is no wonder that the Windows version always has priority over the others. If a game has a Linux or Mac version too, it is just a bonus on top. And this should be directed more at the game devs rather than GOG.

I don't want to get into a definitions game on what is or isn't DRM, but I guess I need to explain myself a bit. For me it's DRM if I need your servers to play a game with my friend, or if I need to get a serial key to activate the game. The end result: If your servers go down, I can't play the game with my friend, even though we never wanted your server in the first place.

I understand this may not fit your definition, but for me that's it. For me it's simple: Can I download the game, keep the installer on my computer, and play by myself or with a friend if the game has multiplayer, without having to deal with external servers, serial keys, activation or whatnot.

And yes, I understand that GOG itself doesn't implement this functionality, however it's clear that they also do not intend to use their platform to influence game developers to offer such functionality. Of course, GOG is a small platform so perhaps they could never have such power in the first place, and that is definitely a valid point. The bigger "crime" to me is not clearly specifying when a game requires online activation or whatnot, and the user indeed has to go through the comments to find that out.

Once again, I know there are people who have a _much_ narrower view on what constitutes as DRM, and that can be a valid position too, however it's not one I agree with.



idbeholdME:
Those are definitely reasonable positions to hold.

Thank you, I think it's only fair since you mentioned DRM in 2 of your 4 points. And I do agree with you, needing external centralised servers, and a number are both valid and real points regarding DRM. But still, I personally don't see there's so many new games with DRM coming here that there is a problem (and I don't think that's going to change any time soon).

However, yes, under "serious communication problems for 3000" lies the importance of informing correctly and precisely; hiding or not informing of any type of DRM is actually worse than the DRM itself!

But in my mind I don't think they "push" their client as much as semi-hiding the offline installers. and that, on the other side, is ok, seeing Galaxy is more for people who just wants something easy manageable and isn't necessary a power user.

Still, GOG is our best option, no need to abandon the ship... yet :D