So obviously I was unhappy when I started up the game today and it auto-updated. I have a game in progress!

I futzed around in Gog Galaxy and found that I had a checkbox checked that said 'keep up to date' - which I think must be the default because I wouldn't have checked it.

Anyway, I got the game rolled back to 3.2.2 through gog galaxy.

But my worry (and question) is how long that option will remain there. I have the installation files for 3.2.2 I downloaded saved safely on my disk, but will those allow me to install 3.2.2 in a year from now? Or will they install the game and update it at the same time, and then I'll be stuck playing whatever versions galaxy has archived?

Thanks

I don't use galaxy and have downloaded the 3.2.2 install files so I'm good. That is the risk of using the gog.com installer.

I had downloaded the 'offline backup game installers', and thought that was what I was using to play, but I must have downloaded those then pressed the 'install' button or something 'cause I ended up with a gog galaxy install. Well, I have the so-called offline files, if they are truly offline then I can install 3.2.2. in the future if I need to.

That is one of the big draws of gog.com over steam. You can have a computer with no internet access and use these files to install a game and then play it.

yeah, I get that. That's why I'm here. That's why I bought the game here. It's why I thought I installed it standalone. It's why I was shocked when I got auto-updated. I thought I had installed the offline version.

Galaxy only keeps the last 5 versions... if you want a build older than that you will have to link your Gog account to Paradox account which then allows you to download whatever build you like

linking Gog to Paradox accounts makes you a Paradox user

p.s, yes auto update is the default but if you untick it then Galaxy does not retick until you reinstall Galaxy or retick the option [see image]

Note that with the offline installer they shortcut created actually opens the paradox launcher which does a phone home before launching the game. You would actually need to launch from the executable to prevent a phone home.

If I now want to come back to the game, buy an additional DLC, and start a new game using that DLC but with 3.3.2, can I just check the DLC without reinstalling anything?

I ask this to confirm what I think I read somewhere else, that all the DLCs are actually included in the install, they are just not enabled. So checking one just enables it without dropping more code.

Seems that must not be true for at least DLCs that come out after the version you've got installed...

At least while Galaxy is running, it will pick up offline installed games and treat them like downloaded through itself. Personally, I would consider that a feature since this does what I actively want in most cases (avoid tons of downloads for something I have already locally archived). It may be possible to work around that by completely installing from the offline installer without Galaxy actively running but I haven't tried that out in a long time. You should be completely offline by installing on a system without Galaxy.
Even if the install is under Galaxy's control, there has never been a sign that Galaxy ignores the "do not update" checkbox (globally or for the specific game) and if you want to be sure, just don't launch Galaxy or even actively hobble it.

While some games only set a flag to mark DLC ownership Stellaris DLC installers are bigger than those (some of them are well over 100MB).

If you want offline installers for older versions your best bet might be to create a Paradox account, add the serials from GOG to it and then download the archived installers from there. While I haven't done that in a long time, when I tried it you only had to log into the Paradox account in a web browser (even a private tab that nukes cookies and such on close).
I never enter log into my Paradox account in the launcher and you can launch the game without the launcher.