Obviously, it "should be doable". Common sense and basic logic dictate that, as you illustrate quite well in your comment. However, I, and other users, are telling you that GOG is not giving us the older versions of offline installers. In other words, it should be doable, but in practice it is not being done. I'll give you an example:

About a year and a half ago, I had an issue with a game update (the update made it so this version of the game could not launch without Galaxy running in the background) and contacted Support about it. I am pretty sure I even specified in my initial message to them that I refused to use Galaxy as a solution and would need an alternative. Would you like to take a guess what their recommended solution was, in order for me to revert to the previous offline installer that worked? Ah, I'll tell you. It was to use Galaxy, for the rollback feature, to get the previous Galaxy installation :)

Other users have reported similar experiences when it came to their issues with other games. In so many words, "Just Use Galaxy", seemed to be the common official solution. Based on my experience and that of other users, the complaints of non-Galaxy users like me seem to fall on mostly deaf ears when we voice them to Support or on the forums (my game in question was fixed months later). However, you seem to have all the answers. Therefore, I think you should be the one to try your luck complaining to Support to get a previous version of an offline installer.

Since this topic is discussing the Preservation Program, and this title has been mentioned by many users as having problems with the newer updated version, I'd specifically suggest asking about the old offline installer of Dragon Age: Origins (if you own this game already, or are willing to purchase it first, that is). Please consider the small favor of performing this experiment, on behalf of users like me. You'll then be able to see for yourself how (supposedly) easy it is to get them to provide you a previous version of an offline installer, without using Galaxy whatsoever.

You really don't know who started? I asked the other user to stop harassing me 3 times and you really don't know who started? You started this thread. Do you only read messages that are direct replies to your comments? Why is every comment in this thread “high rated”? If you have anything to do with this, please have the decency to stop high rating my comments in this thread. You also show maturity in how you choose to address people despite how you are being attacked. What I bring is relevant to the thread that you started, I know you are capable to understand it. Moderators only do their job, this thread staying open or closed, is there any difference? If you understand the former you should understand the latter.

So back to being on topic:

GOG has known for a year of the “proven” (with my video) existence of my mod, but even before the Master Collection Vol. 1 was ever released I reached out to them but got no response. To their credit, who was gonna believe that I or anyone owns a mod just because one claims they do?

Just so no one gets confused I have to explain that the mod is mine. It belongs to me because it’s for personal use. It’s neither GOG’s nor the Publisher’s nor the public community but mine and if I wish to give it away for free or keep it instead of releasing it at a game modding site, I can do so. It’s my choice. For the same reason, I can choose to share it with someone from this forum or outside this forum. Why would I do that? That is one transparent way to show people (GOG and Publisher mostly) that the mod is real and not just the work of “video editing magic”. But good luck to me finding someone I can trust.

As to my other thread where I asked people to send me friend invitations to show your interest in my mod, thank you! I won’t respond but at least I know you are interested. I will keep an eye on that as I am looking for someone I can trust and ideally someone whom this forum recognizes as a trustworthy individual. I’ve been reading the forums for years and I have an idea of who’s heart is in the right place.

For further clarification due to former exchanges: I don’t “have to” release anything. Maybe other people who mod games “have to” release their mods, but that has never and will never apply to me.

The Preservation Program, at least seen through GOG’s model of preserving classic games (which I have outlined before and won’t repeat myself); falls right in line with what my mod offers: “improvements” to a game GOG sells. For all I know, my contacting them might have sparked the brilliant idea of coming up with the Dream List and the Preservation Program. Who knows, who even cares…

I haven’t heard anyone yet say: YOUR MOD SUCKS! There’s a lot of information here for people to come up with conclusions as to why this company (GOG) does things in particular ways. I have already mentioned why their silence speaks volumes.

A year ago I was unaware of the things that were uncovered about GOG and that I discovered myself about its financial situation. I had absolutely no idea. In my mind I’m thinking: it’s a game company. Little do I know that it’s been struggling financially.

So this company is sinking and it’s actually sad on a personal level. @.Keys this isn’t “my main gaming store” (your words earlier in this thread), this is my ONLY gaming store, talk about loyalty…

If anything I thought: this will do good to GOG. Metal Gear Solid, such an iconic game, after they released it back in 2020 I tried to let them know that I owned this mod. I even wanted to release it at a modding site.

Someone from this forum (I’m not gonna say who it was) informed me that it could be dangerous for me (legally-speaking) to release my mod. I’m actually glad this person warned me because I did a little investigating myself, weighted the pros and the cons and decided I didn’t want to risk, so if I never said that to you before, I say it now: thank you.

Imagine, now it’s October 2023 and the Metal Gear Solid Master Collection Vol. 1 is released on Steam. I am reading reviews and tons and tons of people are upset with that release, many are upset about MGS1 being emulated rather than fixing the PC port which has been in existence since the year 2000. I think to myself: true! Why didn’t they fix the PC port? By the way, I have a mod that improves the PC port of MGS. This could be good for GOG. I debate on whether I want to share it with GOG because I don’t want to get in trouble (legally-speaking). Finally I decide that if the mod is ever released it can only be done OFFICIALLY, and officially does not mean on a mod site, it means I am lifted from any legal issues because now my mod is no longer mine, but it belongs to GOG and Publisher and yes, no one should be surprised if I end up getting something out of it in the process. I don’t think it’s a crime. Is it? These types of things have already been known to happen here.

It’s not that GOG doesn’t want my mod, that’s absurd. I don’t want people to get in trouble, so I’m not gonna say more. If anyone’s got assumptions, you don’t know everything so I won’t address them anymore. Again, I encourage anyone who cares to watch this playlist containing 1 minute long videos of the mod in question: https://www.youtube.com/@neverbeforemods/playlists

Either choose Play all or View full playlist and you’ll be able to choose between 40 different 1 minute long comparisons. The other link I posted is broken by the forum formatting so you only see the first video, the link I provided here will display them all.

Anyone who watches will understand just how absurd it is for GOG to not want hours and hours of work and research… because I could explain about a dozen ways to do this mod and half ass it, but there is only one way to do it right, that’s why no one’s ever seen it in 24 years. No company is gonna half ass this one, and understandably so. And I bet GOG’s silence also means they’re hoping someone will want to give it a go. MGS1 has been going on sale more frequently in the last year or so (I wonder why). Anyone can try it but they are gonna have to invest money and most importantly time to get it right! One can half ass it and any modding site will accept it, but it will be one more file you have to download from an external site, cause rest assured the Publisher will never accept it. One may have never played Metal Gear Solid (not even on PS1 console) but this is still a very important title in the franchise. Since I successfully modded the game, I have insights (opinions mostly) on why the Publisher decided it was easier (less trouble) to emulate the game rather than fixing the PC port on the release of their Master Collection Vol. 1 in 2023.

When (not if) GOG goes, all I’ll have left are offline backup installers.

So how is all of this is even relevant to the Preservation Program?

I found out personally just how relevant this is. Let me explain:

Why isn’t GOG interested in this improvement (for a game they sell) but hey, they sure are interested in improving other classic games? It doesn’t make sense. So all these Dream List Preservation Programs and all, it’s just marketing. That’s what disappoints me. If you are in financial trouble, I get it! But if you are investing whatever resources you have ONLY in new ways to generate revenue out of thin air, such as asking for tips at checkout, pulling schemes on your customers with Dream Lists, giving you the idea that (in a way) these games are already here when they are not, and I’d like to be proven wrong and surprised perhaps with another release like they have done with DC1-2 and RE1-2-3. Cause really that’s the intention I mean, those game thumbnails look spectacular. Think about it, they have spent more money on their graphic design department, than they have on fixing broken stuff in games, or stuff that’s been broken in the forums for years, and so on. That alone says a lot. If you own games on this platform you know of at least 1 build that’s got a problem (even a tiny one), that no one bothers to fix. Is this common to other game stores? I couldn't know, I don't use Steam, EGS or any other store.

So, Preservation Program sounds majestic but you can’t run if you don’t know how to walk.

This company is hanging by a thread and most people get it. So really, does anyone even remotely think that ANY money you tip is going to go toward a Preservation Program? Any money you give extra will go into finding new ways to keep generating more money out of thin air, cause let’s be honest, that’s way more profitable and a lot easier than actually fixing broken stuff that’s been broken for years. That’s disappointing. Isn’t that what people do when they go bankrupt? They’ll max out all their credit cards cause, why the hell not?

Last, to all the veteran forum members: what am I to think of your silence? You’re all bark no bite? You’ve got nothing to say? Personally, when I read these forums I look for your insights on anything game-related, advice-related, not that of individuals who wish to derail threads and generate drama. At least to me they are not relevant, YOU are. If they’re gonna close this thread you better get your word out. I wish to know your opinion if you have one, whatever that is.

Some people’s heart is in the right place, not everyone can see that but despite all the disappointments this platform keeps giving its customers, the general sentiment I gather is that people wish to see GOG succeed in the end, some way, somehow.

edit: typos

Well, it looks, like they may give you older versions of the offline installers...if you're willing to subscribe: https://www.gog.com/forum/general/how_to_better_gog_thats_not_what_the_survey_was_about/post37

If that is the latest current build for LOK: Defiance yes. I would have to check though.

Do you have a Windows 7 machine you could try that on? It would be easier that way to find out.

I asked if others were having issues on Windows 7 with the latest current build at the time I posted.

To my understanding, this latest build fixes for Windows 10 the exact FMV stuttering issues the other build had with Windows 10. The issue now seems reversed in platforms.

My Windows 10/11 machine does fine with it indeed but the Windows 7 one doesn’t.
Fortunately I hadn't deleted the other build yet after downloading the new one, which is custom practice for me. I think this ties in perfectly with the issue people are complaining about: losing access to a build they know for sure works on a specific configuration that they own. Honestly that concerns me as well cause I’d rather keep a build that works on both systems, if not then I’ll have to keep them both.

Preservation Program done this way puts me (personally) back to the days of abandonware.

Thanks for the link, will have to dive into that topic when I can. They were already doing the equivalent of holding the older versions of offline installers "hostage", so I have to say they would at least be acting logically (albeit repulsively) if now wanting to charge a ransom fee.

Could also be just testing the waters and see if there'd be any resistance to potentially locking access to 1.0 offline installers behind a paywall/supporter's subscription.

Scratch that last post, I’m glad you brought this up cause I dug out version setup_legacy_of_kain_defiance_1.1_hotfix_(21754).exe which is the last one before 1.1_hotfix to 1.1_ca_fix shown in this thread by user @BreOl72: https://www.gog.com/forum/general/the_what_did_just_update_thread_part_2_the_search_for_more_updates/page276

anyhow, this version works on all my machines running Windows 7/10/11 whereas the 1.1_hotfix to 1.1_ca_fix added for the Preservation Program only works on my Windows 10/11 machines. On windows 7 all FMVs stutter.

For anyone who can test this is a simple one: just install the game and choose start new game watch if that first FMV stutters or not.

I’m surprised to find out that the last build before the Preservation Program one actually works on Win 7/10/11. I’m just gonna go ahead and get rid of 1.1_hotfix to 1.1_ca_fix (the Preservation Program version) since it doesn’t work as expected on all my systems, 1.1_hotfix_(21754) does instead.

If anyone else could verify this that would be helpful.

The fact I can't shrug this off as a ridiculous notion shakes me to the core.

And it seems it's because they want to charge for it.
(nvm, didn't see that someone already beat me to it)

Concerning that they've considered/are still considering(?) to do that in the first place, yes.
Given how out of touch and unaware of certain issues (like providing older builds of offline installers) GoG seems to be I'd give them the benefit of the doubt here.

All the more important to not just slap them on the wrist but to figuratively take a sledgehammer to their fingers/hands in this particular regard, once the supporter's subscription is officially announced.

Actually, I had thought that

setup_legacy_of_kain_defiance_1.1_hotfix_(21754).exe

was the latest available download. I had never received an "Updated" notification for the game, but sure enough the other version you list is the one currently available.

It looks like I'm in the clear then, at least regarding this particular game. I will let you know if I get a chance to test on Windows 7.

Looks interesting and easy to do for those that have knowledge on reverse engineering or simple knowledge on how to use tools like HxD.
Have you used tools to discover it yourself or there is a post somewhere explaining it? How you know about this?

Anyway, this doesn't solve the problem for the majority of users with older systems. The alternative is still give the users the rollback feature from Galaxy to offline installers users.

Now, if it is true that GOG is planing behind the scenes to lock access to older versions of games with the so called not-yet-named "Subscription Program" people are receiving on their emails, well, GOG is dead to me. And this is sad. We will have to wait for it though.

(As if they care if I stop using GOG... they don't, clearly, as they're not focusing on the "niche customers that only use GOG for the offline installers, but on the Galaxy/Steam/Epic/Origin crowd don't-care-about-drm-at-all users)

I've been saying since the start of this thread that the reason I came to GOG was for the easy of use Offline Installers and a way to truly backup and play my games fully offline.

If GOG becomes some kind of Steamless Steam with everything but the forced launcher, what's the point of being here in the first place?


First, thank you for explaining the whole situation in detail, I guess this took you a long time to write down and it shows to me you're actually invested in clearing things up.
To the point of the partial quote I made from up above, I will just address the "Are you upvoting the posts here?" as I think this is a relevant issue* (*not calling it an accusation even though I could because I think we're all at the same side with complex opinions wanting GOG to be better.*):

No. As you can probably see, all threads with controversial topics are being massively upvoted lately. This is mostly and probably caused by bots, as GOG forums has been infected with UpVote and DownVote bots for a long time.
The problem was partially solved when they removed the DownVote button, thus, removing the opportunity for DownVote bot abuse. Still, mass UpVote bot abuse still happening. Don't get me wrong, I too think community is upvoting some posts, but all posts? Nah. Clearly bots.

"Saaar, redeem bot saaar! Saaaar please redeem!"
Jokes aside, someone's doing it to hide legit uprated posts.

I asked a fellow GOGer to investigate this. She is a programmer. I posted her results. She won't be using the GOG forums because this place isn't safe for her.

It is meant for people who want a fix now and outside of Galaxy.

Not trying to start argument. But what is unsafe about these forms? Just curious