Fate-is-one-edge: 1.In GOG.com, only a handful of developers/publishers have direct access to the store version of their game and are therefore able to directly upload patches to the GOG platform. The standard procedure is for the patch packages to be sent to the GOG.com team, who then applies them to the live version of a game. Patches are made available faster through the auto-patching feature GOG Galaxy offers, while the release of the offline/backup installers is delayed for about a day or two. Furthermore GOG.com does not release updates in weekends and they are a smaller and less funded team, than Valve's Steam team. Both teams work quite differently with their resources and time.
My understanding is it's up to the developer whether or not he elects to use the GOG developer channels to update his games. Believe it or not, some developers have such low regard for GOG and their GOG customers that they do not even try--unless pushed or otherwise embarrassed into doing right by their GOG customers. Simply sending the entire patch is the easy way out, imo, and that's what you had to do before GOG let Galaxy out of beta--about a year ago, as I recall.
2.Diablo 2 is considered a stellar ARPG sequel to Diablo, by thousands of gamers. The same people who were left unimpressed by Diablo 3 and condemn the Diablo "mobile" game. Grim Dawn has nothing to do related to any of the Diablo games. It stands on its own and is comparably an equally satisfying experience.
Both games are quite different from each other.
I know what D2 and D1 are, very well thanks...;) I bought both when they originally shipped. I'll put it to you this way, lots of people wrote reviews stating that they believed Grim Dawn was a D1/2 spinoff type game and were surprised when they got it how much better than either of those exceptionally dated games GD is. That was a large factor in me buying GD and the two expansions. I have several versions of D1 installed and D2 installed (various mods) and I play D2 with MedianXL, as well. I like the games fine--they are classics--but GD is much more *fun* in my opinion. Indeed, I was surprised by how much *better* GD has turned out to be than my expectations for it.
3.Both GOG.com and Steam provide access to the same copy of the game. The only difference is that GOG.com allows the download of an un-encrypted offline/backup installer, which allows you to use it on any number of PCs, without connecting the installations to any account or the need to use an authenticator/client/Internet connection, in order to run the game. In other words you OWN a copy of the game you bought, while Steam just sells you a LICENSE allowing you to play.
Both distribution policies are quite different from each other.
Exactly what I said, IIRC...; Yes, GOG sells you your own installable copy plus a license to play it, of course, while Steam does not provide you with your own installable copy. When gaming first began in earnest maybe 30 years ago, buying your own personal copy was *expected* and quite the norm. I see nothing wrong with that policy, hence I prefer GOG. Makes perfect sense to me.
4.GOG.com refunds happen ONLY in two cases. The first is a "no questions asked refund", provided you have NOT downloaded any of the game files. The second is, provided your PC meets the minimum specs, you encounter severe technical difficulties, for which the GOG.com team can not provide you a solution. In order to receive the refund you have to provide proof of having followed their instructions and still being unable to resolve the issues. Even then, it is a system run on goodwill and you might not receive another refund.
Again, just what I said, IIRC...;) GOG gives you 30 days to get the game running on your hardware and if they can't get it running you get a full refund. Steam gives you two hours--period. It really isn't debatable.
Both refund policies are quite different from each other.
Precisely, glad to see you grasping my point...;)
5.Both Steam and GOG.com have their own "matchmaker" server (multiplayer runs on P2P). Before the release of version 1.1, Steam renters and GOG.com owners could play only with renters/owners of the game on the same distribution platform. After 1.1, both of these crowds are able to play between them, provided they are running the same version of the game. Any discrepancies on the patching procedure are a barrier to distribution platform cross-play for both groups. The matchmaker server issues are not related with the network/router settings of individual users, who can just modify them to bypass a temporary outage or even connectivity issues that have been recently patched.
Both clients work the same way, regarding multiplayer. They are both required to "identify" your account and your copy/licence through the Internet. No client or service functionality means no multiplayer throught the Internet for both groups, unless someone uses VLAN software, to which the same limitations apply.
Yes, exactly as I said, again--requiring the Internet for multiplayer (non-LAN, direct cable, and all the rest) is *not* DRM. Where you buy your games is where you get your games patched, regardless of what Steam-GOG matchmaker setup exists or you use.
Why on earth are you involved in this topic, offering invalid replies and spreading misinformation while inserting your own, irrelevant to the issue, input. I am ashamed for your immature behavior and ignorance, on your behalf.
I hope that you have learned something from my responses. I don't get why you basically misunderstood every point I made. I got involved because I disagree with the OP.
