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General discussionGOG Galaxy Beta starts now(1170 posts)(1170 posts)
(1170 posts)
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This is my favourite topic
Posted May 06, 2015
Try the DRM-free online gaming platform.

<span class="bold">GOG Galaxy</span>: our truly gamer-friendly, DRM-free online gaming platform. As we shared our vision with the world, we promised auto-patching, social functionality like chat, friends lists, and achievements. We promised our own multiplayer support and cross-play with Steam. Most importantly, we promised truly optional.



Today we deliver.
The <span class="bold">GOG Galaxy</span> client enters beta, open to anyone, with the most important functionality ready to try, test, enjoy (and break) at your leisure. We're proud to have gotten this far, and we know that we couldn't have done it without you all - that's everyone who spent months in alpha testing, that's those of you who talked to us about your needs and expectations, and it's every single one of you that has supported us since ever. So thanks, GOG Galaxy is for you!

With the <span class="bold">GOG Galaxy Beta</span>, you can install your games in one click and keep them up to date automatically, the beta currently supports this feature in all but a couple of titles available here. You can also perform backups easily by downloading a standalone installer through GOG Galaxy. The beta features a friends list, game time tracking, achievements, and chat. You can now talk to each other, connect with your group of friends, and see what everyone is playing. You can also try out our online multiplayer & matchmaking solution that, in select titles, includes cross-play: platform-independent multiplayer between gamers on GOG.com and Steam. If you download a patch that breaks something or if you just change your mind, the app will soon feature a unique rollback option to restore a previous version of your game.

Best of all, GOG Galaxy is optional. If you don't want to use any additional software, your experience with us won't change at all. If you only want to take advantage of select conveniences, you can toggle them on and off. It's all totally up to you.

You can sign up for the <span class="bold">GOG Galaxy Beta</span> and find out more on <span class="bold">gog.com/galaxy</span>, where we tell you about the features and answer many of the questions you may have. We'll be watching the forums carefully, so feel free to leave a comment if there is anything else that you'd like to know!
Posted May 06, 2015
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Shadowcat: My understanding is that once Galaxy is released, the Downloader will become deprecated, and may cease to work?
http://www.gog.com/galaxy
Answer to your question is on the bottom of the page.
Posted May 06, 2015
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Shadowcat: My understanding is that once Galaxy is released, the Downloader will become deprecated, and may cease to work?
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Tannath: ^ This. I'm not interested in a client, even if it's an optional one. I do appreciate the Downloader though, since my internet connection is not so great, so I'd be really bummed if it stopped working. And no, installing Galaxy just for that is not a solution for me.
First: To begin with, the downloader will not stop working at once, even if GOG won't actively update it and future changes to the back-end may make it so.

Second: The public is free to build their own clients for the Galaxy system. Documentation will be released (eventually). So there's a good chance someone else may build something akin to the current downloader that you can use instead.

Third: A genuine question, if you don't mind. Why are you opposed to use Galaxy solely as a downloader of plain installers in the same way you currently use the downloader?
Post edited May 06, 2015 by Maighstir
Posted May 06, 2015
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Shadowcat: My understanding is that once Galaxy is released, the Downloader will become deprecated, and may cease to work?
The downloader will continue to 'work' (for want of a better word) and you can still use one of the other third-party solutions.

The client still allow you to download, verify and archive standalone installers.

And let's be honest here - the downloader has never been the most reliable of solutions.
Posted May 06, 2015
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smyron766: I can't seem to find an answer for this anywhere, so here goes. Ok, so I download an installer for, say, Empire Earth, save it to a usb, and install it on my sons' computer. If I use galaxy, I log in, see all the games I've purchased. But how does it work on my son's computer? The game is installed, but he never bought it, so if he manually adds it to his galaxy account, well, how does that work? Same as if a friend bought it on his account and brought the installer to me. I didn't buy it, it's not in my online library, so will they auto update? Will it even be an option to add a GOG game that I myself haven't purchased?
Non of other can add your game to their Galaxy client. Everyone has own individual profile so once you purchase a title that will redeem to your profile/Galaxy client. But of course they can able to play your game that you installed on their pc via game exe. Eventually it's drm-free.
Post edited May 06, 2015 by gaddarmice
Posted May 06, 2015
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Maighstir: Third: A genuine question, if you don't mind. Why are you opposed to use Galaxy solely as a downloader of plain installers in the same way you currently use the downloader?
I get the sense that a lot of it is out-and-out contrarianism for the sake of being contrarianist. Judas has pointed out time and time again that it's optional, but some people seem obsessed with the supposed need for GOG to distance itself from Steam as much as it can. Some of them seem genuinely offended by the idea that some people might actually prefer a client.

You can rightfully criticise the ignorance that a lot of Steam users display regarding DRM just for the sake of "convenience", but when a solution offers that same convenience, only without the inherent disadvantages of Steam, it's a little hard to be critical of that without making yourself look like a twat.

The fact of the matter is that a client with social features offers a certain amount of convenience, but in the case of Steam, a considerable loss of freedom at the same time. GOG Galaxy seeks to redress that balance by combining the benefits of both standalone and client-based.
Post edited May 06, 2015 by jamyskis
Posted May 06, 2015
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cyboff: IMHO it will never be about features of client or DRM, but about availability of AAA (overhyped) games masses are buying...
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Trilarion: Could be, then the publishers are just deciding for whatever reasons where they put their games and therefore crown the king in digital games distributions. Actually why do the publishers not all sell their games themselves? Who needs Steam or GOG anyway.
ask EA and Ubisoft ;)
Posted May 06, 2015
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cyboff: ask EA and Ubisoft ;)
EA in particular, given that they've pretty much faded into total irrelevance on the PC.
Posted May 06, 2015
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jamyskis: snip
And some people are afraid that it won't actually stay optional for long regardless of what is being promised right now. I guess we'll have to wait and see.
Posted May 06, 2015
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ashwald: And some people are afraid that it won't actually stay optional for long regardless of what is being promised right now. I guess we'll have to wait and see.
Yeah, given the region locking and regional pricing issues of late, it's not hard to worry about the potential of the slippery slope. And indeed, if that day ever comes where GOG starts attaching DRM to its games, I too will probably stop buying from GOG.

As it stands though, this is progress, and it's a move that has the potential to get more AAA titles on board.

(I wonder how people will react if an inherently multiplayer game starts using Galaxy for matchmaking, although I suspect that the standalone version will probably include the background Galaxy client that Double Dragon Trilogy and AvP Classic use)
Post edited May 06, 2015 by jamyskis
Posted May 06, 2015
More outrage probably. Degree depending on whether that too is optional.

If the gogpocalypse happens and it comes down to steam drm vs gog drm I'm going to go with the best customer service, since I can't see me ever stopping playing videogames.
Posted May 06, 2015
A small question to GOG staff, The Witcher and Neverwinter Nights Diamond were updated through galaxy, but in the Library, there are still older standalone versions of these games.

Will these backup files/installers be updated at some point?

Thanks
Posted May 06, 2015
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zeo:
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HiroshiMishima: Honestly, I think it's you that is missing the point. There's a very real and valid concern on the part of those of us who aren't remotely interested either Galaxy or this client business that it will, in fact, cease to be optional. And the more people whoop and eat it up, the faster that is likely to become a reality.

It already sounds like this whole thing is going to make it more troublesome for people interested in having back-up installers, should GOG ever croak, to achieve just that. I've read through this thread since my last response and I'm not seeing anything to instill confidence in me. I have sunk hundreds of dollars into this site's games and I do not want to suddenly lose access because the "winds of change" have decided that DRM-free is no longer a core principle of GOG's values.

As was already said elsewhere, flat pricing used to be a thing, and now it's gone. I am all for making things better and fostering a healthy and active (re:spending) environment. That's a no brainer, but I don't want to see it come at the cost of those that've been here long enough to be concerned about such things. Which judging by you joining in 2013 you may not understand the full scope of what we're talking about.

GOG has made promises in the past, and it has betrayed our trust before. As some, such as LostWolfe, have said in this thread, and as has been said in other threads when big changes unexpectedly come to GOG... it will be exceedingly difficult for GOG to really regain all the trust it lost.

And to those that're gonna downvote me, cause I know that's gonna happen... booing what I'm saying doesn't make it any less true. If it looks like a duck and quacks like a duck still applies, and Galaxy is a little too much like Steam for comfort.
dont worry i will never downvote, only kids downvote, i been a mod for years in fora and the ones who downvote are 99% kids , thats why the most removed the downvote option and only left a upvote, cause not saying a post i good means that you obviously dont like it, so it be better if the downvote would be disabled.

You dont punish a sportsmen who has lost you only award the one who wins a marathon or other event.



.
i think there are some users who are seeing this as a 'plot' i will describe what they believe the scenario will be like, here it goes the likely things people think that might happen:

i myself dont believe in plots

----------------------------------------------------- scenario -----------------------------------------------------------------------------

" it seems as if some users are afraid that in the end the users will be so used to the client that they wont 'see it coming' should there be small changes overtime turning the stuff into a steam thing."

"cause once they are used to it, they will be likely to take things more 'for granted ' and their 'awareness' will be far less, and before they know it, they have been steamed."

-------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------- ---------------------------------



Well i can say one thing:

i dont believe in plots,

second:
Dont forget that the guys who own the business can do as they feel is correct,it is their company
if and when the owners should decide to 'steam' things up, then it will be their choice to do it, nothing that anyone can change about that.
Posted May 06, 2015
Are there any games with achievements yet?
Posted May 06, 2015
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ashwald: More outrage probably. Degree depending on whether that too is optional.

If the gogpocalypse happens and it comes down to steam drm vs gog drm I'm going to go with the best customer service, since I can't see me ever stopping playing videogames.
thats a good point .... most of us are to 'addicted' to gaming ..... and i am one of those

lets hope GOG stays DRM free cause they are the only ones on the net, google for it or bing it whatever search you use, there is no DRM free , only GOG...

the rest is not drm free , even GG is not drm free, cause the drm free games are mostly casual games not real games like we have here (i dont mind casual games i have 200 or 300) but the most dislike casual games like time managment and hiddenobjects and they say these are for girls and women (i am a guy and i like to play them)

So basically GG is not drm free cause more the half is steam/ubisoft /ea/origin
and most DRM free games are old and not fixed, wont run on evry win7, and theres quit some silly useless games, so basically GG is a mini steam.

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Wealin: Are there any games with achievements yet?
??? thats a steam thing you know :D

people complain about steam but they like achievments, trade cards and more, so if you check it, the one thing they dont seem to want is the fact that a client needs to download the game, the game can not be played without client being installed on the windows(minus some older games that still need steam to download (so the client is needed on the pc) but you can copy the map to a folder and run that game on any pc without steam client, for example black mirror 3 runs ones installed via steam client , on every windows without steam(you do need a machine or windows with steam so basically you are steam dependent)

To be honest easy sorting and a simple shelf like we have online on gog now is all i need, no achievements or awards cause then it be steam and nog GOG.
Post edited May 06, 2015 by gamesfreak64
Posted May 06, 2015
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DazBoots: I was gradually re-purchasing from GoG, my favorite games from my extensive steam archive. The news of this Galaxy thing has now given me pause.
I think it's going to be a case of wait-n-see, before I waste anymore money.
It's optional anyway.
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General discussionGOG Galaxy Beta starts now(1170 posts)(1170 posts)
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