Has anyone tried this old game with Win 11 to see if it really works. Some games here on GOG don't work with Win 11 even though they say it will. I am talking about the original x com defense. or any of the old x com games.

Gog provide dos-only rip with DosBox. DosBox itself have good compatibility although more and more reports for random games that DosBox crashed on Win11. Some "security" updates broke everything - again.

The only what can be done from DosBox side is tweak a bit not so perfect default settings (default for DosBox and for GOG builds). But that unrelated to compatibility.

Try differ system and video driver settings, turn off background applications especially overlays/injectors.

Another minor "issue" is GOG default link on Desktop. In Start menu there is DOSBOX GOG Launcher with is better to use to launch game. There in launcher you can and must manually set screen mode, resolution and render.
For compatibility issues there in launcher try change render mode to OpenGL or if OpenGL crashed to overlay/software/etc.


Major issue for GOGs DOS games is lack of Windows native exe and builds, lack of latest updates (which released for Win exes mostly for old games) and even for games have only DOS exe and no patches - like Toonstruck - GOG make entirely custom game build using own custom version of ScummVM non-compatible with regular DosBox.

Steam provide better builds. As for X-com Steam have xcom1{or 2}_patched.exe Windows exe for latest fixes and unpatched DosBox exe.
GOG have such exe for X-fom 2 Terror from the Deep but didnt mention it nor make any links to this exe. X-com 1 DosBox come with some unfixed old bugs.

Technically rverything should at least start. No launching issues by Steam, GOG, ScummVM, DosBox and games sides. For launching issues or CTD it js always Windows and video driver (especially for always bugged Nvidia drivers and Control panel, you can use 3rd party NV Inspector).

Turn off NV Experience and its auto integration features or better uninstall this app. This is also one of overlay apps should be disabled.

I have it on a newer cheap laptop, it runs but snap, crackle, pop.I mute the sound. Struggle during combat, opening doors, victim screams, shots fired, ya gotta have that info, popcorn crap be damn. Free version online works better, but game save is a screwover.
I bought four oldies from these guys for cheap, ya almost get what ya pay for. Colonization seems to work, I haven't done much with it, but seems to run 100%. Space Rangers runs, game isn't stable, regular crashes for absolutely no reason, just "poof" desktop. Jagged Alliance 2, crashes the computer at startup, I have to shut it down with (task manager) and then turn it back on. I bitched, GOG was quick about my refund, I was quick about spending it on Dues Ex, seems to run okay, but it's too dark to play. I'm really not happy with the products these guys are selling.

Try OpenXcom. Runs better. No DOS. Or Dosbox Staging, which doesn't have decade old codebase.

UPD: GOG forum eat last part of message about DosBox cycles (Android issue). The older code - the better. Was an axiom for software decades ago. And still axiom. Newer code should DO something in new ways, not just be regular uldated service enforcing new code by new coder who just think he better cause newer. Open Soource are an fundamentally issue itself. Especially OpenXcom which last stable release was more than decade ago and even link removed - only generated test "naught" builds available.
Its called service - not an software app. Or better say in subj case - it is beta-test service provided from users to devs. There is issues come of that "no-roadmap" design. AI is not improved (nor pseudo-"fixed") - it is new. Worse. Not maximum map size supported especially for X-fom2 (which expand battle arenas to larger). Not all features of original included (mostly for X-com2).

You want to promote something newer, better use something else than just "well its newer, other are very old". Exact pros and cons. Technically its better to use arguments, although arguments are not popular this days by anyone.
---------------- First. X-com 1/2 come as differ exes for differ game modes. With differ CPU cycles required from DosBox cycles feature. Default argument cycles=auto for DosBox used by GOGs DosBox-CS too. Should be good in most cases. But if you see something too fast/slow/faster+slower/hang/glitched (visually or sound) - try differ cycles by special hotkeys.
And for this default DosBox/GOG config need to be adjusted. Reduce cycles gradation which used by hotkeys. Its too large scaled by default.

If you adjust cycles for one mode (Globe) you must adjust it back for another (battle)

That was a lot of words to say a lot of nothing.

For one, your use of Windows 11 flies in the face of the "proven technology" paradigm you so quaintly invoked. If that's how you feel, I know punched tape and typewriters you can find at a charity shop. Good luck doing any work en masse though; I also don't know of any punched tape makers to have made 16 bit punched tape processors.

For two, I live on a very much of the now operating system; which was testing Wayland before most Ubuntu users even knew what it was.

For three, the actual codebase is stable and more or less feature complete. I imagine the nightly builds are either optimizing or attempting to squash bugs; that doesn't even start to cover OXCE.

No its not saying bothing. I jave perfect sense every time i do post something. If you don't want to read, that's not issue in me (another nowadays problem is ppl dont bother themselves in reading or in anything).

Unlike you who said almost nothing. "Ubuntu is not a linux!!111" and else linux distro holy wars is only what you said. And there is no Right/Truth here cause every distro have own issues, i cant argue or agree here. As for Ubuntu probably more like agree it is not the best distro, but its almost all my experience i have w Linux.
Or you agreed im right about unvalued of "older worse/broken/crap; newer - better" argument? And the only you disagree is excessive info in my post?

Seems to me you didnt agreed with anything... :|

Its like 15 years was last time i get argumented discuss so im agreed been wrong. Very rarely sometimes see good argumented posts by someone somewhere. Usually its like perfect sense from me - no sense from opponent. Like talking to kids, although often im be y0nger one.
Including talking to coders supposed to be physic-mathematical logical. Modern software is written by humanitarians. Different ages. Who get too much in YT/sub-Reddit/Twitter/FB ways of speaking in internet (as majority of normies), and get learned coding from forks on github (coders specifically).
It is normal for them use argument "old code is crap/bugged/crutches by default, mine new are better". And for majority of users from consoles or PC torrents get used to buy/"buy" NEW RELEASE games.
They all even coders come to some indie studio whcih release OFFLINE RTS game (and stop bring uodates after 3 years reaching the end of roadmap and get rid of bugs) and they all call this game outdated broken abandoned game blaming indie studio for no patches for 5 years.

At the end coders show even more ego-centrical than regula users of mentioned websites. Now at PCGW there articles with removed fix-mod's links cause of personal issues/conflicts with some authors. Others enforce Patreon links even installing Service+Task to OS (Windows only so Linux saves from that one sh!t too) remain after app uninstall.

Thats all is modern standards. Free and especially Open software was an fundamentally issues all the time. The only difference is commercial going worse and worse (today it is same github code forkers get improved skills but not mathematical logic and get jobs at Ms Google Valve and Nvidia)(Apple still best soft products and best backward compatibility, which can be seen as nonsense statement from me but they do broke it and fix it back better than Ms).

New modern standard perfectly seen by Nvidia DLSS. Force 4k, enabke DLSS chose scaling - and get soap visual with dynamically reduced resolution (why need 4k).
Unlike AMD FSA.
And still get 60 FPS only in Quake 2 RTX or Cyberpunk2077 on flagman chip. By OFFICIAL annouce adverts.

And users come and start to argue that its not true, DLSS is improving, new, better, it have scaling option but haven't itsnotlikethat!!111 youdontunderstand!!111.
Then come coders and say the same youdontunderstand!!111 at same time provide conflicting arguments.

There is another technology from Nvidia come based on DLSS. To fix own Nvidia issues with legacy games, advertised as also AI/RTX imroved visuals, but still based on DLSS which point is to reduce resolution/image clarity to make stable FPS (like PS4-5 and XboxOne-X). And still come to fix modern software bugs "from back", from game side, by bring "tweaks onto tweaks".
Like open soft having bugs in decades been revert/tweaked some time later as temp solution and another new contributor make another tweak instead of revert original code and fix it properly.
Warzone 2100 Project is perfect example, cause it got removed ORIGINAL functionality and later come some tweaks about removed option, bring NEW one instead of old. At the end original restored in original form. But units AI totally bugged as side result, nee bug.
Another example - HAPPENED ALL TIME today on Steam GOG and ZOOM-Platform stores - games released as 1.0 and alternate patches applied plus CRACKED DRM instead of original DRM-free exe.
There is still no entirely broken releases on this platforms. But there is issues like X-com 1 and 2 having more bugs just because it is DOS version only.
(additionally all GOG releases for few years come as Steam backport cracked, probably even torrent edition (no all languages from Steam), with tweaked updates from outsource like General Arcade instead of real fixes, lead to unique bugs).
Even Good OLD Games today is maintened by someone kinda newbies with newbie logic. ZOOM as well. If you MAKE REVERSE old app(code) - you make it more compatible for your machine personally. Whatever Microsoft "security" updates the more tweaks in old code the less it will be compatible in future require more tweaks later.
The less tweaks applied to Digital release - the more new and old OS can handle that game (incl Linux).

I have no Win11. I have Win7 8 and 10 installed right now on differ devices and DosBox started on every of them. Windows patched version X-com1/2 (like on Steam but from CDs) work PERFECTLY on Win7. ... wait, ddraw fix of broken WinVista7 DirectX required.
Win8+ awfully bad at back compatibility with legacy DirectX, and worse of - i have only one PC w Radeon and two with sh!t Nvidia.

To use Galaxy or Steam on Nvidia with legacy games - incl even D3D10 - need wrappers. There is no games specific issues, lets say. Windows and Nvidia. So perfect solutions come from fixing bad modern coding of this mobile backported OS and backported video drivers.
GOG offline builds launched directly from exe with all Overlay/injections app closed ("killed") allow game to use discrete video chip.
Modern devs force modern apps force modern games. Devs in general incl free opensource and Companies. Companies want to make PC another conveyor console where no point/availability to buy legacy games.

I mean. There is system/drivers side tweaks applied to support DX12(11?) and Overlay apps as "modern". Its become Fashion. Like YT Trends but applied onto software and even hardware. This tweks broke only legacy games. There is no issues on Nvidia(uptodate drivers)+Win10 with D3D11-12 games, only older ones. And only with Steam/Galaxy/etc overlays apps.
(also each second driver release goes to BSOD)


As for OpenXcom
If software updated everyday with new bug fixes - and new and new new - its obviously come with new and new and new more bugs.
For normal developer releasing test builds on public is like bad impression. Sessioned updates come just once per month? Still the same. If your software road map is "updates per X" - you have no roadmap. Especially for games and more especially for strategy games that lead - always lead - to unneeded changes incl balance. No ways to make it improve (nor "fixed"*).

OpenXcom is alternative. First of for DOS+DOSBox game builds incl GOG cause Dos/Gog have no latest official fixes implemented.