im probably wrong but I think I read a while back that you can play hitman blood money without launching steam.

That would be a huge time saver but at least now I learned something about these games. That's the good thing about GOG, is that you could just back up the installers and save files and you're good to go, aside from the wait to install the games. However, I've heard that backing up the game directories is a no-go but unfortunately, Steam provides little choice should you forego their backup solution that's inbuilt.

I’d heard lots of negative opinions about Steam from people before, but I had never really felt the same way myself before this cutting support for Win Xp thing. Now it’s really disappointing. I may just turn to cracked games if I really can’t get what I already own on Steam to work, I guess...my old notebook doesn’t really have the space for all the games after all.

I've found there are still ways around it but they are more involved and time consuming but the pay offs are that you get to learn about the files, play the game and pass along the knowledge. The other downside is that you have to contend with the developers and Valve sometimes, especially when things stop working for the more newer games or you're trying to run DLC/expansions. You could always get an external hard drive and see what that entails and how many more games you could store before you have to decide what games are important.

Battle Princess Madelyn works out of the box on Windows 10.

For a long time I was interested in getting the beautiful game Gray Dawn. Today I contacted the devs and asked them were to get it DRM-free. Here's the response:

"You can buy a DRM free version from Gamejolt or itch.io
Also if you want to buy from steam the game don't require client to be launched."

I bought on Steam and can confirm this. The game does not need the client running. (Win7/64)

Well, this may sounds ridiculous, but I just can’t afford a new PC nor even just an external hard drive for the time being, or else I’ll just buy a new PC and it’s all good. But I start to think this experience may be not all that meaningless now, ‘cuz when you scan through your library to decide which games are more “important”, all the games that get backlogged really prick your heart XD

I really appreciate your opinion of finding payoffs by learning things from these inconvenience. Maybe my anger and disappointment towards Steam stopped me from thinking that way this time, for I do try to figure out why some games cannot run (and in some case they did get fixed) and enjoy the process. Learning to see the silver lining is surely important for everyone, isn’t it ;)

Grargar and Marko’s posts just reminded me that this thread isn’t dedicated to WinXP users, and I just realized the derailing I’ve caused. Sorry for all these distractions, folks, but big thanks to you guys who kindly share your opinions and solutions, I really appreciate it :) I will try out some of the methods when my own way fall short.

I don't know about Grargar or the others but I am o.k. with a bit derailing especially if your issue is so closely related to the actual topic of the thread. Anyway why dont you just open a seperate thread for your issue? Something like "Steam is giving up on XP - what are you doimg if you cannot change the OS?". Maybe others have similar thoughts you are having and might help you as well. I'd probably use a combination out of SSE (Smart Steam Emulator) and NoCD cracks. Steam is forcing you to do so and you payed for every game so I don't see any problems. But really, open such a thread - might get interesting.

I totally understand that most people on GOG are nice people that sympathize, it’s just that I don’t want to bother the others too much. Now that I think about it, this may be from a cultural difference between oriental and western cultures, in which people from oriental background are usually described as more collectivistic and value their personal interests somewhat less than people from western culture may do. I usually consider myself as not that oriental among my countrymen, but maybe a grey cat can’t help but look all black among white cats (culturally, GOG members are mostly western, right?). You are one of the GOG members that I respect the most (not because of your high rep but what you say and do), for I think we share similar opinions in quite some issues, yet still, I feel that there are often some minor differences, and now I’d say those partly root in this cultural difference aspect.

I said this cultural difference thing out of curiosity and fun, and I hope it doesn’t cause any argue about cultures from anyone.

About opening a separate thread:

1.Actually, I didn’t really want to post any questions (well, at least that’s just some complaints towards Steam in my mind, but maybe the texts appeared the other way to people, thus all these advices I received, and again, thank you guys!), all these advices are indeed surprises to me. I actually had had my own, well, far from optimal plan as to how to deal with the situation even before anyone provided their advices, haha, though surely, you guys are doing it much more professionally than I do and your advices really shed more light on this client issue for me.

2.Not sure if it shows, but writing in English isn’t that effortless for me, and that’s part of the reason why I try not to start any thread unless necessary. (well, that’s also part of the reason that I feel the urgency to stop this derailing, or else I’d have to do even more English writings, hahaha) Truth be told, this post that I’m writing has almost taken me one hour (try to conceal your giggles harder, guys ;). But sure, if anyone else starts such a thread, it could be very helpful for WinXP users like us.

I can confirm that Kingdom Rush: Origins doesn't require the steam client, so can be added to the list. You're got Frontiers already on the list.

It's weird that the original Kingdom Rush doesn't work without the client.

The reason I responded is because I am interested in backing up games just in general. I also really like this thread for keeping up with Steam games but lately I've been keeping off Steam, so this way, I could help someone out with what I know and have learned.This thread and talking to my friends on Steam, are the only two reasons I still use Steam.

I understand your frustration with Valve and I could relate as it seems like having games there is rather frustrating. Especially when a lot of the games you like are only there. Either because of the client requirement or them dropping support for Xp, like in your case, we all have to contend with them.

I'm just a curious fellow in general and I like opening up machines when I get time, in order to learn about them and that includes files and folders, so I do see it as a learning experience but at the same time, I do want things to work as they are intended to without being obligated to spend my time to find things around. Many times, I just want to be able to click on my backed up games and play them.

If you get a chance, I'd love to know the actual .dll files that you find are needed for something like Shenmue, so I can experiment, as well. I've straight-up copied games and backed up Steam clients that I've tested to other machines and had them work fine, so I'd like to compare the computers I'm testing everything on. I'm willing to bet that they're files that are found in super-common Windows libraries, like you suggested.

You're welcome! :)


I've just added a bunch of new discoveries to the Wiki, which I'm transcribing here:


New Linux games added

· Cloudbase Prime

· Codex of Victory (steam_appid.txt: 464100)

· Heart&Slash

· Heroes of Hammerwatch

· Immortal Redneck (steam_appid.txt: 595140)

· In Celebration of Violence

· Leisure Suit Larry 1 - In the Land of the Lounge Lizards (ScummVM)

· Leisure Suit Larry 2 - Looking For Love (In Several Wrong Places) (ScummVM)

· Leisure Suit Larry 3 - Passionate Patti in Pursuit of the Pulsating Pectorals (ScummVM)

· Leisure Suit Larry 5 - Passionate Patti Does a Little Undercover Work (ScummVM)

· Leisure Suit Larry 6 - Shape Up Or Slip Out (ScummVM)

· NeuroVoider

· Rise of Insanity (steam_appid.txt: 629220)

· Sheltered (steam_appid.txt: 356040)

· Suicide Guy: Sleepin' Deeply

· The Coma: Recut



Games confirmed for Linux

· Project Highrise (there's a Linux depot that can be downloaded with SteamCMD; the Linux build needs the 'steam_appid.txt trick': 423580)

· River City Ransom: Underground (I was wrong back in October, as the game is indeed DRM-free; I had an issue on my end that wouldn't let the game start)

· Sword of Asumi



New Windows games added

· Dead Secret (non-VR version)

· Death Goat (doesn't seem to record the high scores...)

· Deployment (only offline mode tested)

· Electroquest: Resistance Is Futile

· ENIGMA:

· Euclidean

· Far from Noise

· Four Sided Fantasy

· Has-Been Heroes

· hocus

· Oriental Empires

· Rain World

· Seven: The Days Long Gone

· Submerged

· Talewind

· The Age of Decadence

· Tokyo 42


(*) All these games were tested on Linux with Wine; I've added a note in their Wiki entries about this fact, in case they are later discovered not to be DRM-free when run natively on Windows



Finally, some miscellania:

1) The Linux build of Iesabel doesn't work without the client, so I've labelled as such

2) I discovered that Ironcast does need the 'steam_appid.txt trick' (327670), so I moved it to the corresponding section

3) I got Below Kryll running on Linux with Wine, but a) it needs an internet connection and an account on the game's server, and b) it seems to be recognized as a demo and not as the full game (probably because of running it without Steam). What do you think? Should I add it to the Wiki or not?

Eh, I'd leave it off of the wiki, personally. It may not have Steam DRM, but DRM is definitely still there.

You're right, it's probably for the best not to add it.