It seems that you're using an outdated browser. Some things may not work as they should (or don't work at all).
We suggest you upgrade newer and better browser like: Chrome, Firefox, Internet Explorer or Opera

×
Community
General discussionOffline installers with an option to install GOG Galaxy(1687 posts)(1687 posts)
(1687 posts)
Pages:
1
25
50
75
90
91
92
93
94
113
This is my favourite topic
Posted July 06, 2017
low rated
Thanks for bearing with us in this thread. We’d like to announce that today we’ve introduced the addition of new installers, with implemented GOG Galaxy client.

Like Destro described it back in May, we decided to separate the „new" and „classic” installers, for your choice. So if you don’t care about the features like achievements or cloud-saves and don’t want to use GOG Galaxy, you can download the „Classic Game Installer", just like it was handled before. For games that have new installers, the default download view on „My account” will show the "GOG Galaxy Game Installers" - you will notice that, as it is visibly described in „My account” game view. To download the „classic” ones, just go to „Options" and choose „Classic Installers”.

The new GOG Galaxy Game Installers were added to +100 games - a selection of all games that make use of GOG Galaxy features. I'll post the current list of games with the new installers in a separate post.
Going forward, all new games that will use GOG Galaxy features, will now receive both GOG Galaxy Game Installer and Classic Game Installer.

Introduction of GOG Galaxy Game Installers doesn’t change anything in terms of keeping the Classic Game Installers up to date. As soon as we receive an update for any game, we will prepare an updated version of the classic installer, just like it was done in the past.

Edit: Pinned.
Post edited July 06, 2017 by fables22
Posted June 06, 2017
 
avatar
fables22: Hey everyone!

Starting on Friday, we’re going to include the option to install the GOG Galaxy client from the offline installers downloaded via GOG.com in over 100 games.

As many new users discover and download games from our website, we don’t want them to end up with installations that don’t auto-update or backup saves to the cloud. In fact, we want to offer everyone the most convenient experience from the get-go.

Don’t fret, nothing’s changed with our approach to GOG Galaxy being optional, which is why you can easily uncheck the GOG Galaxy installation within the game installer settings.

Last but not least, here’s a list of games that will include the option to install GOG Galaxy: bit.ly/GOG_games_installers
 
• • •   New Achievement ! Collected : Master Card [01]
 
avatar
fables22: As for the option being opted in as default - after careful consideration, we've decided to go with this because we believe that it's easier for an experienced user to uncheck the box than it would be for a new user to figure out how to turn the feature on.
 
avatar
amok: Not really, all it needs is a good and clear description:

"Check this box if you would like to install our optional Galaxy client to help you manage your games and keep them easily updated without any hassle"

Or something in that vein....
avatar
fables22: I'll definitely make sure this feedback gets passed on - and thank you for providing it!
 
• • •   New Achievement ! Collected : Master Card [02]
 
avatar
fishbaits: The piss taking continues.

So those of us that want nothing to do with galaxy, are now having it bloat everything we download?
How much does this increase the file size of every download?

You're also setting it as default under the lame excuse of "well durr, someone can't figure how to install it, despite it being advertised all over the site...".

And what's with hiding the list of games already plagued with this? Put it on this site, not on google docs where some of us can't get to see sod all.

Sheesh, you're really determined to lose customers...
avatar
fables22: We're aware that there might be a size issue with the new installers, and we're working on it to make sure the installers are much smaller so that this is no longer a problem.
 
• • •   New Achievement ! Collected : Master Card [03]
 
avatar
IronArcturus: So is Galaxy going to be made mandatory at some point? A lot of us were worried about this very concept. We use GOG since we do not want to use a mandatory, always-online client. GOG will be no different from Steam if Galaxy is necessary to run the game...
avatar
fables22: Nope, the plan for GOG Galaxy always was and still is that it will remain optional.
  
• • •   New Achievement ! Collected : Master Card [04]
 
________
170607 ► Zeta version has launched and is now in full effect !
 
Fancy a game of GoGeTiT ? Faithfully playing ForHumS ? Rejoice, friends and lovers ! Your experience is about to get better than ever ! Dramatically improve your deck-building, card-flicking sprees with the updated Zeta version of our immensely popular card line ! Brimming with Achievements, it introduces a crystal clear numbering system for the more casual players out there ! Spot it ? Get it ! Our effective, exclusive and polished Peel-&-Play™ design is also boosted with Card Class / Arcana information, conveniently available right at your fingertips !
 
As always, we took great care in honouring our tried and true roots : Zeta version includes DRM-Free Content – up to 100% of it ! Say, what are you waiting for ? Forget about Alpha builds, In-Devs or Beta releases ! Zeta version is the only version you need !
 
☆  Ponder upon exquisitely raw hand-crafted artwork derived from cult indie hit Trauma !
☆  Identify every card with swiftness and ease thanks to our enhanced Peel-&-Play™ card design !
☆  Place any collected card just however you wish on that slick shelf of yours – freely, as in DRM-Free !
☆  Collect all nine Master Cards to consolidate your Player domination !
☆  Discover the graceful yet handy power of The Wild Card along your descension !
☆  Harness the roughness of a Supah Wild Card so wild it may even be deemed derelict !
☆  Be on the lookout for the secretive Xtra Sweesh Elusiv Card – can you blink fast enough ?
 
Art lovers, do not opt-out of our readily available GotchaPrint DLC coming straight from the competent hands of our tech-savvy home team ! Reveal our sensational card designs' subtlety by printing them in all shades of charcoal and cinder – ready for gogrious B&W display ! Plus, as a token of heartfelt appreciation, our GotchaPrint DLC is and will always be free ! Just connect your printer, sit back, and start reveling in !
 
Special bonus for all you early attachment adopters : previous card designs are now Official Collector Material ! And with our revolutionary Chat'Up (endearing so many already) advantageous implementation, you can trade them to your wits' end !
 
The time is now, fellow friends and lovers ! Enjoy this sizzling milestone release – Zeta hot and steamy, just as you like it ! Just remember : "If You Don't Peel, You Can't Play !"™
 
Disclaimer : Zeta version may or may not be MaGog . Additional content [url=https://www.gog.com/forum/general/galaxy_notification_order_when_a_friend_is_starting_a_game/post16]might actually precede it. Changelog will remain optional.
 
Attachments:
01=170509_1.jpg (399 Kb)
02=170509_41.jpg (322 Kb)
03=170509_43.jpg (440 Kb)
04=170509_52.jpg (422 Kb)
Post edited June 07, 2017 by aquaSolus
Posted June 06, 2017
low rated
 
avatar
yogsloth: This is just disgusting poison. Horrible, horrible, horrible.

Every time I download something, I have to uncheck the box - and if I forget even a single time, I'll have this unwanted piece of crap installed on my machine and I'll have to get elbows-deep trying to hunt down and remove every scrap? And then if I forget to uncheck the box a second time - do it all over again.

I just can't understand.

GOG - if you become Steam, you become redundant and no longer needed. Why would I want Steam Jr, when I could just go get the real thing?

I'm here because when I came here a few years ago, GOG wasn't Steam. That's the point.

The more you ram this garbage down our throats, the more you kill your own competitive advantage, and nobody will need you anymore.

The client is already mandatory for many features in GOG games, and even some games entirely (Descent). The day is coming when it's mandatory for everything, and you're a damn fool if you don't see it.
avatar
fables22: To explain our motivations behind this a little better one more time - not all our users are as tech-savvy as our forum user-base. Some people just come to GOG, grab a game, and that's that for them. They expect everything to work from the get-go, without having to manually tinker with configurations, backups, etc. (after all, cloud saves were the most voted Wishlist entry with over 12k votes, with many people rightfully expressing their frustrations about lost saves with games that they expected would backup to the cloud automatically). With GOG Galaxy included in the offline installers, those users will get as good a user experience as we want them to have, with their installations updating, with their multiplayer working, and with their hours of gameplay saved and backed up. Hope this clarifies it a little.
 
• • •   New Achievement ! Collected : Master Card [05]
 
avatar
PookaMustard: Fables, I have a couple of questions regarding your motivations, as this post hasn't cleared up anything. If you don't know how to answer one of my questions, please ask the relevant stuff and let us know.

By answering my questions below, you help clear up the underlying issue and mainly tell us of your intentions a bit more clearly?

1. Are there any plans to save the checkbox setting in a registry so that people who uncheck it once don't have to uncheck it again?
2. How will Galaxy be included in the installers? Is the full installer going to be included, or just a stub?
3. If it is the full installer, do you expect to be able to update the installers every single time it gets updated?
4. What about people who use Galaxy to download the installers? Will they get additional instances of Galaxy?
5. Is there any plan to instead of relying on an OPT-OUT checkbox, that you instead point the user to a link to Galaxy?

Honestly, if you can register on your site, buy, then go to the accounts page and download the game, then the user is experienced enough to OPT-IN to optional software. There can't be someone who is this dumb. It doesn't even require you to be as tech-savvy as you claim to be.

Please answer these questions and come back to us.
avatar
fables22: From what I can answer straight away:
1. Yes, afaik.
4. If you already have Galaxy installed, there shouldn't be any additional instances of Galaxy.
5. Not at this moment in time.
 
avatar
fables22: Just so we don't have a misunderstanding here - the setting won't be saved to start with. The questions was whether there's a plan for it, I figured that meant "is there a plan that in the future the setting will be saved" which, to my knowledge, there is. But I will clarify and confirm/update.
 
avatar
PookaMustard: Thank you for the straight answers, Fables. I would like to see this level of communication from now on by telling us the concrete details of any controversial decision. Right now, there are two parties: those who are worried about the implications, and those who would wait THEN host their opinion. Why have two parties who are unsure of what the end outcome will be? We are criticizing this decision based on a lack of information now more than we are criticizing it for the concept itself.

The concept itself is not bad, the problem is that we fear the execution may be horrid. By telling us of your intentions like you did, both parties are absolutely sure of what they're criticizing or praising, and that should be it.

In the meantime, I would like you to press the staff for questions 2 and 3. For the record, they are:
avatar
fables22: I've collected all the feedback as well as the questions and passed them onto people who can answer them. But just so this doesn't bite me back - I don't know when I'll have the answers.
 
• • •   New Achievement ! Collected : Master Card [06]
 
avatar
Lemon_Curry: And we all know how reliable your plans are:
https://www.gog.com/forum/general/my_account_big_changes_on_the_horizon/post775
&
https://www.gog.com/forum/general/we_are_listening_to_your_feedback/post354
avatar
fables22: Well then why ask what the plans are right... :)
 
• • •   New Achievement ! Collected : Master Card [07]
 
avatar
Johny.: Just wanted to throw in my opinion here:
https://www.gog.com/forum/general/open_letter_to_gog/post33
  
< the above linked-to post / reply is quoted hereafter >
 
<span class="bold">Miljac</span>
Being optional and non intrusive is the way to go. Some say you should leave checkbox to install it unchecked by default, and that would be much better. But even better (my personal opinion) would be if you only included download link to galaxy. That way, you will not bloat installer with galaxy client.
<span class="bold">Johny.</span>
I'm just a member of Galaxy Client development team (formerly website team) and I don't think I can answer most of your concerns. About including Galaxy Client installer - yeah, including all of it in the game installer is probably not the most optimized solution. I think it's nice for it to be seamless, so it wouldn't require new users to click the link, download and install manually, but simply have a checkbox for that. It would be really nice to have (optional to run) galaxy-client-downloading functionality in the game installers instead of having Galaxy Client installer embedded there. We'll see how that turns out in the future. The advantage here is having it working totally offline.
  
• • •   New Achievement ! Collected : Master Card [08]
 
________
170607 ► Zeta version has launched and is now in effect &ndash; Zeta hot and steamy, [url=https://www.polygon.com/2017/5/16/15622366/valve-gabe-newell-sales-origin-destructive]just as you like it !
 
Disclaimer : Zeta version may or may not be MaGog . Additional content [url=https://www.gog.com/forum/general/galaxy_notification_order_when_a_friend_is_starting_a_game/post16]might actually precede it. Changelog will remain optional.
 
Attachments:
05=170510_395.jpg (395 Kb)
06=170510_422~52.jpg (391 Kb)
07=170510_435.jpg (406 Kb)
08=170511_711+33.jpg (355 Kb)
Post edited June 07, 2017 by aquaSolus
Posted June 06, 2017
low rated
 
avatar
Destro: Thank you all for your posts in this topic, especially for all the constructive feedback. We posted on the forums expecting that many of you will be vocal about this. We want to assure you, that we always read your feedback and discuss it internally, even if we don’t always agree with some of it. You are vocal, so it means you care about GOG.com and we really do appreciate it.

Games have changed a lot in the past years and new titles made achievements, cloud saves and other online features become a standard rather than an extra. […] we believe that if we offer games with these features advertised to the general public, then the default installation flow is expected to result in a game with these features working out of the box. This is our reasoning for including the option to install GOG Galaxy during the game installation, and we do stand by it.

Yes, there are things which we can do better - there always are. Reading your feedback and giving it a second thought, we decided on the following:
1. […] once we roll out “new” installers with the option to install GOG Galaxy, we will add a separate download of the “classic” ones. Going forward we will offer the option to download “classic” installers whenever a game is offered via a “new” installer.
2. As mentioned earlier, we will work on making the GOG Galaxy installer smaller, but at the cost of it being online only.
3. We will launch the new installers in a couple of weeks once point 1 is ready. […]

One more thing to keep in mind: everyday we fight to make more great titles available to you, DRM-free. To release many of them we must support their online features, while at the same time developers request ways to automate upload and updating games. Without GOG Galaxy we couldn't offer many of the games we offer today at all, even if you don’t use GOG Galaxy to play or update them.

Once again thank you for your feedback. We hope the above answers your concerns.

Edit: pinned
 
• • •   New Achievement ! Collected : Master Card [09]
 
avatar
Destro: Nothing changed about the "new" installers - they are standalone, backupable, offline working game installers, with option to disable GOG Galaxy installation if needed. Once we minimise GOG Galaxy size footprint on the said installers, installation of GOG Galaxy as a part of this flow will require online connection, but lack of it should be handled gracefully and not affect game installation at all.
 
avatar
Rixasha: [...] Opt-out is disgusting, but I think we're past trying to maintain any rose-tinted impressions about GOG anyway, so meh.
avatar
HypersomniacLive: The tactic is shady, no matter the colour of the galsses.

Some people said that it doesn't equate to the known, and mostly loathed, adware tactic since GOG Galaxy isn't a third party piece of S/W, but this very tactic is often used to install in-house S/W that one didn't ask for, and this is exactly the case here - forcing a piece of S/W on people that use the standalone, offline installers by choice, and don't want to use GOG Galaxy. […]

One will watch to uncheck the box, but it takes only one time to miss it for whatever reason. One will go through the hassle of uninstalling it instead of spending that time playing the game they've just installed, but it only takes one time too many to say "screw it" and leave it installed. And after that, all possibilities are open, especially if the default for GOG Galaxy is still to run at boot up. […]

As I said, I'll wait and see, but the insistence of going ahead with their initial plan with a couple of revisions, for now, feels more like they're buying time than actually listening and taking in our feedback.
 
avatar
GR00T: […] it's entirely possible they'll stop hosting two installer versions down the road* […]

*which I personally consider a distinct possibly, verging on 100% probability, as it's a lot of extra work and it's senseless to do it this way in the first place...
 
• • •   New Achievement ! Collected : The Wild Card [10]
 
avatar
DyNaer: Sorry, Destro, you are stubborn,

You complicate things :

Client should be downloaded alone and updated alone. For reference it works fine for the Steam client... why it shouldn't working like this for Galaxy ?. ...I'm puzzled.... oh yes ... of course all is clear after reading CD Projekt 's focus for GOG (sarcasm)

Putting the client in the offline / backup installers is a non-sense, it's like putting an unwanted tool inside.. ..

Users wanting to use Galaxy already uses it , others who prefer the offline installers don't , if they use it just for getting the backup installers something went wrong with your initial ideas...it's like you want to drop the website and only use the client (i am almost certain that's the final step you have in mind).

Speaking of the users library (web) it's really starting to be a real mess :

- No more notifications
- Choose how you name the offline installers definitely : either GOG internal number or the real game version (because it's starting to be the last case for some games.
- Now i use DownThemAll, it's working fine....no way to install Galaxy just to get the features i had in the past : you continuously destroy users experience via a browser because : you prefer to compete with Steam with a client ...

- Having 2 types of offline installers, will increase the workload for a result which already a pain with only one, because you don't take care a lot of the user library (web)...

- Your website & forum are just full of bugs, if some users (3rd party scripts) do better than you then shame on you... and with the new nav bar.... there's some performance issues....

Just a piece of advice (but you won't listen)....don't implement the client in the offline installers, just put a button to download the client in the nav bar.. and just a reminder , every game in the library has already a button 'TRY GOG GALAXY" -> We ain't blind .....

sigh......really disappointed...and for the moment i vote with my wallet till improvements ...but it's really an aggressive move towards those who prefer to use the website. I'm not against client... but client & website should be separate except for the offline installers (which should point to the same resource) ...your solution is a waste of space / time / and money...
 
avatar
Jemolk: At this point I'm willing to give GOG another chance. I always give second chances. I rarely give third chances, and never to companies. I don't expect perfection, so expecting them to get everything right on the first try seems unreasonable.
avatar
GR00T: I think at this point many of us felt that GOG was already operating on their third or fourth chance when they came out with this ill-conceived plan.
 
avatar
tfishell: I'm curious: is anyone here not buying GOG games anymore […] because of this or another recent issue?
avatar
ValamirCleaver: I've cleared my wishlist & stopped buying […] For me it's been a culmination of things "here & there" over the past couple of years, but the disabling of web browser notifications (which weeks later still haven't been restored) plus these recent attempts at trying to trick those who want offline installers into installing Galaxy and the intelligence insulting excuses being bandied about as justification for doing so was the "final straw" for me. […]

If GOG wants to be "Steam Lite" I have no desire to further fund the folly of trying to "out Steam" Steam. GOG should be mindful of what worked well for them before the release of the Witcher 3 and Galaxy & not be so quick to "throw the customers under the bus" that kept them afloat the first 6 years of their existence in their shortsighted attempts at forcing into the lowest common denominator in trying to vendor lock-in more "client kiddies".
 
avatar
liquidsnakehpks: I dont know why but ever since they started pushing out galaxy and modern games on gog , i have kept away from the site more and more , you see i feel the place and the experience is no longer unique because , what they are doing already exists checkout gamersgate its pretty much what gog will be turning into soon.

Its pretty sad , i started using all of the three gog , gamersgate and steam around the same time way back , gog was always unique due to the good old games only feel and the community , now it just feels like those yearly call of duty releases.

[url=https://www.gamersgate.com/games?filter=offers,feature:12&prio=discount&list_style=list]https://www.gamersgate.com/games?filter=offers,feature:12&prio=discount&list_style=list[/url]
< link edited for DRM-Free offers display >

certainly havent bought anything since ages , i doubt i will seeing how this is going...
 
• • •   New Achievement ! Collected : Supah Wild Card [11]
 
avatar
garkham: I still want to believe. Please keep my eyes shut.

Once again, I'm a Galaxy lover because I do not care about the sort-of DRM it makes as long as I do not throw money to digital-and-online only things. After 5 years 2011 - 2015 of fighting everything digital, I now have Steam just to redeem the keys of the boxed games, and GOG for everything else (i.e. digital only but online on-demand). The pessimism of you guys makes me really sad and fearful. I really hope we all misread something here and I do not give all the money for nothing.

And I'm still secretly wanting to apply at GOG at some point, so I'd better stay optimistic ! :D
  
• • •   New Achievement ! Collected : Xtra Sweesh Elusiv Card [12]
 
________
170607 ► Zeta version has launched and is now in full effect ! Just remember : "If You Don't Peel, You Can't Play !"™
 
Attachments:
09=170512_929.jpg (395 Kb)
10=170515_12xx.jpg (441 Kb)
11=170524~9….jpg (410 Kb)
12=170529_1363.jpg (362 Kb)
Post edited June 07, 2017 by aquaSolus
Posted June 09, 2017
Does anybody know if Rebel Galaxy already has the new "improved" installer? Wonder if I should add it to my library or not.
Posted June 09, 2017
avatar
TwinS4ever: Does anybody know if Rebel Galaxy already has the new "improved" installer? Wonder if I should add it to my library or not.
Not yet. They have timestamp in year 2016.
Posted June 09, 2017
avatar
TwinS4ever: Does anybody know if Rebel Galaxy already has the new "improved" installer? Wonder if I should add it to my library or not.
avatar
kbnrylaec: Not yet. They have timestamp in year 2016.
Thanks, so I should hurry up and download the files then!
Posted June 09, 2017
avatar
TwinS4ever: Does anybody know if Rebel Galaxy already has the new "improved" installer? Wonder if I should add it to my library or not.
It's still using the old installer, but even if it was already using the new installer you would have the option of downloading the Galaxy-free installer.
Posted June 09, 2017
avatar
TwinS4ever: Does anybody know if Rebel Galaxy already has the new "improved" installer? Wonder if I should add it to my library or not.
avatar
Gersen: It's still using the old installer, but even if it was already using the new installer you would have the option of downloading the Galaxy-free installer.
Yeah, thats what they promised. I belive it when I see it.
Posted June 09, 2017
I'm just gonna post here in support of, again, a big fat banner/image that pops up at some point that directs you to the Galaxy page, maybe before the game starts installing. Don't auto-check it or have Galaxy bundled with the installers (unless you get it down to just a few extra megs), but feel free to promote it. I'd say you could even have it as a constant banner beneath the "normal" installation wizard screens.

Also, do more advertising targeting Steam users or, probably moreso, undecided users or people who don't even use GOG yet, not those who have already decided they want to use classic installers. Why aren't there YouTube or game site ads for this? (Maybe there research suggesting ads don't work, but still...) Will there come a time when GOG gift cards are available in stores, like Steam? Or CDPR should diversify with smaller games, get those games into stores, and do similar to W3 by having Galaxy on those discs or whatever. Just throwing out ideas.
Posted June 10, 2017
avatar
Gersen: It's still using the old installer, but even if it was already using the new installer you would have the option of downloading the Galaxy-free installer.
avatar
TwinS4ever: Yeah, thats what they promised. I belive it when I see it.
That's how I feel about it too, gog has proven to me that they can't be trusted.
Posted June 10, 2017
avatar
TwinS4ever: Yeah, thats what they promised. I belive it when I see it.
avatar
mm324: That's how I feel about it too, gog has proven to me that they can't be trusted.
I, for one, wish there won't be two separate sets of installers, one with Galaxy and one without. If they really go with that, it will get messy. And for those of us who use third-party tools to mass-download our installers, very bad news.

Of all the different options suggested so far, I consider it the far worst option.

Many GOG game installers have also the Foxit PDF reader embedded (so that you have a PDF reader for the GOG game manuals, if you don't already have one). Should GOG make two separate installer sets for those games too, one with the Foxit Reader, and another without?
Post edited June 10, 2017 by timppu
Posted June 10, 2017
high rated
avatar
mm324: That's how I feel about it too, gog has proven to me that they can't be trusted.
avatar
timppu: I, for one, wish there won't be two separate sets of installers, one with Galaxy and one without. If they really go with that, it will get messy. And for those of us who use third-party tools to mass-download our installers, very bad news.

Of all the different options suggested so far, I consider it the far worst option.

Many GOG game installers have also the Foxit PDF reader embedded (so that you have a PDF reader for the GOG game manuals, if you don't already have one). Should GOG make two separate installer sets for those games too, one with the Foxit Reader, and another without?
I expect, sometime in the future, they'll say that it's not fiscally worthwhile and drop the "classic" installers. By pushing galaxy into the installers in the first place just makes it look a whole lot less "optional". How long until they drop that pesky word "optional"?

Personally all I want in my offline installers is the game and whatever it takes to make it run on modern systems.
Posted June 10, 2017
high rated
avatar
Destro: 1. We clearly noticed - yes, we did - that many of you prefer the old installers (let’s call them “classic”) and prefer to manage their growing libraries manually. Therefore, once we roll out “new” installers with the option to install GOG Galaxy, we will add a separate download of the “classic” ones. Going forward we will offer the option to download “classic” installers whenever a game is offered via a “new” installer.
2. As mentioned earlier, we will work on making the GOG Galaxy installer smaller, but at the cost of it being online only.
3. We will launch the new installers in a couple of weeks once point 1 is ready. Point 2 might take a bit longer, but with the “classic” installer option available, this should not affect anyone.
Will you offer a "classic" installer for a game, which has Galaxy integration (achievements, cloud saves, etc)?
Fallout: New Vegas has Galaxy integration, which leads to WinXP incompatibility.
If i'll choose to download a "classic" installer or will choose NOT to install Galaxy in an updated installer (with an option to install Galaxy), will it be possible to have an installation free of this Galaxy integration (only one small file (~50Kb, iirc) needs to be replaced to make it WinXP compatible again)? I suppose a small condition "if {...} then {...} else {...}" can be implemented in an installer.

It will be nice to have a "classic" installer, stripped from Galaxy, with restored WinXP compatibility (GOG, I remind you, you need to change only one single DLL to restore XP compatibility, which this game always had).
GOG's version of F:NV should not be inferior to Steam's one. :/

PS: Galaxy should be a useful tool, not a headache/plague, which cripples games!
Posted June 10, 2017
avatar
mm324: Personally all I want in my offline installers is the game and whatever it takes to make it run on modern systems.
Same here, and having Galaxy embedded to there does not in my mind prevent that. Even if it force-installed Galaxy (if not installed already), I could live even with that, as long as they don't require you to create any online (GOG) account and/or log into it, just so that you can get your game installed and play it, as that would clearly be DRM.

Installing a client without requiring you to log in with it... to me that sounds similar like many old Sierra (retail) adventure games install Sierra Utilities (which are not really needed for playing the game), or I recall some games installing something like GameRanger or somesuch "gaming utilities".

Yes, they are extra clutter and an annoyance and I'd prefer they wouldn't get installed, but they are not preventing me from playing the single-player part of the game.

At this point I am more concerned about the practical matters (not some kind of principle) about the plans to embed Galaxy installer to all GOG offline game installers:

1. The increased size. If e.g. 1000 of my game installers suddenly starts carrying extra 130MB (1000 x 130MB) for something that is not really needed there, that wastes a lot of my hard drive space. My GOG game collection (only English Windows versions + extras) is already well beyond 2 terabytes, and that would increase it still a lot, without any extra benefit to me.

2. If they go with the suggestion to offer two different sets of offline installers, that is a potential issue to people who mass-download their games (and keep the installers updated) with automated tools like gogrepo and lgogdownloader, instead of manually cherry-picking exactly which files to download with a web browser, for all my 1364 games. Meaning that by default I'd be downloading both sets, for all my games, every time they get updated. Or if I tried to manually always remove the unwanted (e.g. Galaxy-embedded) installers to save hard drive space, then they would get re-downloaded the next time I run the tool, as it would detect I am missing something.

This issue depends a lot on how exactly GOG will offer the two sets of installers. If they'd e.g. make a separate filter for Galaxy-embedded installers (similar like the current OS and Language filters), then it would be fine, and easy for automatic tools to skip downloading unwanted files. Or, if the files themselves are named somehow that it is easy to detect how to separate them.

3. Also, there are the potential problems of one set lagging behind. GOG already needs to manage two sets for all games (the one you install with Galaxy, and the offline installers); this would be yet another set to manage.

The complaints about whether it is opt-in or opt-out... they are less important to me, I don't mind having to untick one box to install a game. I consider those complaints more about principle, rather than that it would be a real problem to anyone.

Hence, to me there would be three solutions with which I could live (in order of preference):

1. Galaxy is not embedded to the installers at all. Fine by me if GOG promotes Galaxy in those installers heavily, like with big banners and links to where to download the installer.

2. They embed Galaxy to the installers, but only as a small stub (which downloads the real, up to date, installer data separately, if you choose to install Galaxy). Similarly how SteamSetup.exe is only like 1.4 megabytes, it downloads the Steam client installer files separately when you run it. Yeah, I can live with the wasted space of 1.4 MB in my installers. Not worse than many GOG installers having that Foxit reader installer embedded, which is nowadays quite unneeded (I think modern Windows versions already have defaults apps to view PDFs (e.g. Edge in Windows 10?), and as browsers like Chrome etc. view them fine as well...

3. If they go with two sets of installers (which I hope they will not), create a new filter to easily separate them, similar to the Language and OS filters. But as said, I consider this "two installer sets"-approach just as cumbersome as if there would be also two sets of installers for all games based on whether they include the Foxit PDF reader, or not.

Heck, why then not have four different installer sets for all GOG games, if it is such a hot idea to have separate sets?

- Installers with Galaxy and Foxit reader embedded.
- Installers with Galaxy but no Foxit reader.
- Installers without Galaxy, but with Foxit reader.
- Installers without Galaxy or Foxit.

Four different installer sets of all GOG games, yay! /sarcasm
Post edited June 10, 2017 by timppu
Posted June 10, 2017
This GOGMix makes me believe that the "new Galaxy impoved" *cough* installers are already in place? However I downloaded Dex to see if this is the case and could not find an option to not install Galaxy or a link to the so called "classic installer". So is it just a "soon to be" list based upon the one fables posted?
Post edited June 10, 2017 by MarkoH01
Pages:
1
25
50
75
90
91
92
93
94
113
This is my favourite topic
Community
General discussionOffline installers with an option to install GOG Galaxy(1687 posts)(1687 posts)
(1687 posts)