I see. I certainly do hope that you can download standalone installers with it. If not then we'd still need something to fill the downloader's role. :/ Well, let's wait and see if they get back to you tomorrow.

PnP forevah!

No need to apologise, these are exactly the worries I have for the reasons you listed.
I'm also worried that support for the traditional standalone installers and patches will fall behind over time, and everyone will end up having to use the GOG Galaxy client if they want to play an up to date game, even if they don't endorse the way it works.

Of course we have almost no info to base our worries on, I just think that if the functionality of the current GOG Downloader has been incorporated to the GOG Galaxy client at the design level, our question is a very simple one to answer.

I'm getting a "color me curious" vibe from it. How good it actually is remains to be seen, but I see nothing bad about it, as long as the service for the people who opt out of using the client is not neglected. I wouldn't want to see that group getting a second class treatment, or any Galaxy exclusive events or similar, nothing like GOG is sometimes doing with Facebook (giving those with a Facebook account an advantage over regular visitors of their very own website and forums). But if it's REALLY optional and opting out of it doesn't change a thing compared to now, I could imagine making use of it occasionally.

This seems like a pretty crucial feature of the downloader/Galaxy that needs to be addressed. The questions that myself and Hypersomniac brought forward (especially Hyper's, since that was a very well written couple of paragraphs) need to be responded to by the blues. I will NOT install Galaxy if it automatically installs games, if I lose the functionality the downloader currently offers. I do NOT want a Steam clone. Many of us Goglodytes despise Steam.

What I want is more of a GOG collection manager. One that will let me know when new patch executables, bonus goodies, etc, are made available, or when I purchase a new game, and allow me to select automatic or manual download. Either way, what I want to happen in this case is for these executable installers (exe or msi) to be downloaded to the path that I have specified to the software for my GOG collection, or better yet, also allow me to have my collection of installers in multiple collections (I have multiple hard disks and partitions, a lot of them).

If it automatically installs the games, and automatically applies patches I will not use it. I don't even let Flash or Java or Windows automatically apply updates, I certainly wont do that with my games. I actually read patch notes, and research adverse affects certain patches might have. Sometimes patches don't allow previous save games to work. Sometimes they rebalance a game in a way that I might find disadvantageous. Sometimes they just plain break things. Most of the time I have mods installed, as I like to customize my gaming experience as much as possible, and patches often break mods.

In fact, modding and customization is one of the biggest benefit of being a PC Gamer. If I wanted to be forced to update my software in order to play, and if I wanted it to be done automatically so that I didn't have to use a brain cell, I'd be a console gamer. I am elitist about my PC gaming. Many of us are. That is why we choose GOG. We value different things than the mainstream does. We prioritize customization, choice, and control above convenience. This is especially true for us Linux gamers as well.

I know not all of you think the way I do, but I've talked with and read the comments of enough of us here that at least partially share my sentiments. I don't mind if GOG Galaxy comes with an autoinstall, autopatcher that deletes the installers, as long as it is configurable and optional, and supports the other functionality listed above. With software, more choice is ALWAYS more. If you are afraid it might be confusing, be happy that we're such a friendly bunch and are always happy to help educate our peers. However, appealing to the lowest common denominator is not the correct approach, just look at the US Educational institutions.

At least, i hope Galaxy does NOT use cloud saved data system (for games), like that ridiculous Steam; right?

I'm not getting the "good news" vibe and instead think an optional DRM-free client is a pretty good idea (just look at all the how-do-I-download-and-play-the-games-I-bought-threads that appear at least once a week).

But I think GOG should stop doing announcements and present us things instead when the development is really done. In 2014 there were several announcements, but by now we didn't see any results.

Linux support? Will come in 2014
GOG Galaxy? Will come in 2014
The possibility to pay in (and choose from) different currencies? Will come in 2014
Forum overhaul? Will come in 2014

Think it's time to start delivering, GOG.

? That's one of Steams best features?

Yeah, and I think you can disable it, if you don't want it. I also think it's an useful feature, at least you still have your savegames online if your HDD dies or something.

From what I've read that's not the case for all games, there are some that don' t support local saves at all.
Maybe someone with more info or a better memory can chime in.

Really don't know, I'm not playing anything on Steam at the moment. I know Origin has cloud saving too, but I haven't really checked if you can turn it off or not.

That's the question of the month for a number of us here. ;-P

We have already asked GOG staffers but are still waiting for a reply. so nobody knows yet.


EDIT: typo

Not sure if mentioned, my only concern is auto-updates (auto-anything really). I'm currently with AT&T and their data cap cannot handle auto-updates in any form. Here is an easy chance to one-up Steam... Steam does not allow a simple, global checkbox to turn auto-updating on or off as they force a game by game manual setting. Galaxy should most certainly have this as a most basic feature.

I'm excited about the concept of Galaxy and cant wait to see it in action.

Just read a little snippet about the new client. I welcome it, but I sure hope there is an option to manually update my programs. Show me what needs to be updated and let me choose when to download the update.

Also, not sure how it will act for the games I have backed up on my external hard drive. I'd really like an option where it knows I have games on the external drive and only downloads the updated files to my internal, and I can eventually transfer the updates to my external.

This will also be nice for those early access games, I hate having to use that Steam-ing Pile of Shit. I'm just not looking forward to GOG Achievements, the GOG instant messenger, constant client updates, and other quirks.

Can we also get rid of the underscores in folder names and game installers. I so loathe underscores.