So, I read about GOG.com a lot but never really visited the site, did not pay any attention at all. Today (it may be a act of my crazy mind and the voices in my head) I visited the site. To be honest: it looks pretty great. Especially regarding the Steam policy lately, I realized how much power Steam has on the market and that they abuse this more and more. For some games (especially singleplayer games) I don't care if they are connected to Steam or anything else and I want to make sure I have a DRM-free copy on my pc or whatever medium.
Well, that's why I registered at GOG.

Now to my point: I know there are experienced GOG users on here. Any hints on the whole GOG system? Anything special I should know? A good source for information or a forum/community? How is the support for localized games (e.g. German language support)?
What to expect in the future, means where is GOG going at the moment?

Thank you ladies and gentlemen!

9 years ago*

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9 years ago
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Hm, do I need the gog galaxy client to launch the game or does it only handle updating?

9 years ago
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As long as the game is completely DRM-free you don't need the launcher to run it. (The same applies to DRM-free games on Steam) The launcher will also provide some community features (achievements, multiplayer) so for games that support this you might need to have the launcher running to benefit from these extras.

9 years ago
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It only handles updating and as an aid to connect to multiplayer servers if required. Other than that it is completely optional.

Also depending where you are in the world, GOG can be 9/10 cheaper than steam. There are also usually no issues at all as well playing even older games in modern operating systems as well since GOG tends to do all the optimising for you, unlike Steam.

9 years ago
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They aren't, GOG Galaxy isn't a DRM. It just handles updates and download and is completely optional.

9 years ago
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it is alpha and far from complete are not functioning properly yet.

9 years ago
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+1
people should learn to read

9 years ago
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read again when it becomes completely mandatory

9 years ago
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They're not stupid, they would suffer massive backlash from those who detest mandatory clients like Steam.

9 years ago
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Steam isn't a DRM either, it's a distribution platform that happens to offer publisher an optional DRM alongside with it. There are a number of DRM-free games on Steam that do not require the client to run once installed.

9 years ago
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a number of games yes, but the majority not, and as long as you cant play a game without steam, it is DRM.

9 years ago
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It's still the publisher's choice to include a DRM element or not. Although with GOG, it's always DRM free so you don't have the issue at all.

9 years ago
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Steam is absolutely DRM, there are only a very few games that work without running steam. Every Games that requires steam_api.dll and needs steam to run is DRM.
Just of Gabes brainwashing his Steam is so much better than everything else, it´s still DRM.

9 years ago
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Steam has a DRM option that most publisher choose to implement. That doesn't make the distribution platform itself to be DRM. If it was, then there would be no game at all that are completely DRM-free on Steam instead of just a few.

9 years ago
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it´s point ok...but the main purpose of steam has always been to been an alternative DRM-platform ( and not DRM-free), to raise the acceptance of DRM with some nice shiny additional features in this platform. Without any DRM-features steam never would have grown, the DRM-System and that includes Games that are bound to the account was the main bait for gabe to get all the publishers and is still a core-feature of steam. So in my opinion steam is still a primary DRM-platform with a option for publisher that do not implement a software-lock, cause it´s old software or in alpha.
But ok, you have the opinion it´s a primary distribution platform with a DRM-option...it´s matter of viewpoint.

9 years ago
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+∞

9 years ago
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The forums are the best I've seen on any service to this day. Just ask if you have problems.

Other than that? Nothing.

Just buy some games 'n have fun :D

9 years ago
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I'd suggest going GOG general forum and asking there. It's a nice community (which also hosts giveaways).

That said, I'm not sure what you're asking exactly. What do you mean by "GOG system"?

GOG has many old games, but it's mostly adding indies these days. It also sells movies (mainly documentaries related to gaming). As GargoyleBG mentioned, GOG Galaxy is now in alpha, and will be a Steam-like system, a client with support for auto-patching, achievements, multiplayer games, etc.

9 years ago
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Ah thanks for the link.
Well I was just asking for any general advices for a newbie. Looking at Steam there are so many aspects, communities and stuff like that which definitely enhance the whole experience.

As long as I can start the games without the client it should be fine, otherwise I don't the advantage of gog galaxy over steam.
Another question which I pretty important is how the language support will be in the future. There are some genres I like to play in my mothertongue (which is German) but I saw they are only available in English.

9 years ago
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are you sure, there is alot of german.

9 years ago
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Tales of Monkey Island would be an example. Which even has German voice on Steam. Or the classic game Beneath the Steel Sky which is free on GOG doesn't have German text (well it's not even in the Steam store so that is an improvement)

9 years ago
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Well, a French forum opened recently. Maybe there will be a German one in the future. But in general there are quite a few games which support German. Just a partial list from my library with German downloads: Witcher 2, Little Big Adventure, Gabriel Knight: Sins of the Fathers – 20th Anniversary Edition, Atlantis 2 and 3, Still Life 2, Magrunner, Shadowrun Returns, Tesla Effect: A Tex Murphy Adventure. I could go on.

9 years ago
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there is alot of support for other languages, and growing.

as for the forum, alot of good people left, and there is a small elite who thinks they are better then the rest, downrep trolling, but there are still a good bunch people too.
a few months ago about 30 games got pulled (from buying, if you own it you keep it) sometimes with barely a warning, and sometimes it happens with a game occasionally.

it's a good place too, support is very good.

9 years ago
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It's a pretty good retailer, which cares about the quality of its store front.

9 years ago
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I've been buying games off GOG for quite a few years now, and i have never had an issue (except for Silver, which they fixed) with either the games or the system. They'll sometimes give out games for free, and sometimes remove a title (or a bunch) from THEIR library (you get to keep whatever game you've bought, regardless of them selling it or having it removed, like steam),but the overall experience is pretty damn good.

All games are DRM Free, and most come with goodies such as manuals, reference cards, hint cards, sometimes even soundtracks and additional art. To me, it's about as close as it get to the good ol' days.

9 years ago
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Yeah the manuals/wallpapers/artwork/soundtrack is why I'm sometimes buying a game again on GOG just to get that stuff on top. I did it with Beyond Good and Evil this Winter Sale, which I already had on Steam and as a retail copy.

9 years ago
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GoG rocks, have great sales and do a lot of free giveaways. Their new game selection is a little more limited but they have ALOT of the classics.

9 years ago
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That was one positive thing I saw on first glance. They have a lot of classic games, which is good!

9 years ago
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It's not really GOG related and moreso gaming in general but especially usefull since most GOG games are a bit older: PCGaming Wiki

Great source of information for any problems you might stumble upon while playing or trying to get a game to run.
I've never had a problem with any game from GOG though, they usually optimise these old games pretty well.

9 years ago
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D&d collection >steam

9 years ago
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Same hint as for Steam - wiat for sales before you buy :> there are sales and various promos on GOG as well ;)

9 years ago
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They just done one.

9 years ago
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they have promos and sales like all the time on gog.com

9 years ago
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afaik when gog galaxy arrives, you will be able to play with your steam friends. look into that and if i'm right, don't hesitate to buy multiplayer games as well. but since everyone is mentioning good stuff about gog i'll be the devil's advocate now and tell you this. packs/bundles in gog are bs. unlike steam, packs don't have a reduced price.

9 years ago
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Can´t see any community features so far in the alpha, my fault or just not yet implemented?

9 years ago
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alpha is pretty limited. you should look at the forum post about it to find out what features it has and will have.

9 years ago
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yeah but on the other hand they remove the games from the pack u already own

9 years ago
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Actually, I was able to buy a pack on GOG and only pay for the games I was missing from it. (Instead of paying for the whole thing and wasting half the games.) And it was cheaper than buying the games individually. This might only apply to special promo though.

9 years ago
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don't have much games on gog and didn't bump into something like that. it's my fault not to look into this further at autumn and winter sales but anyway i can't talk about the packs that contains the games you already have. but what i know is, if you have none, they're discounted separately. it's the same with buying games seperately with the same discount. but the point is gog doesn't give you the same discount if you want to purchase one or some of the games. so what pack means to gog is, "if you want that discount, you'll buy all these games". but unlike gog, steam reduces the total price and applies the discount to it.

9 years ago
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  1. GoG used to have fair pricing but lately duo taxing more or less some games started to have some sort of region pricing(though compared to steam is still cheaper(talking about EU2)). Example: M&B Warband - Viking Conquest - on GoG was a bit less than 10euros while on Steam it was 13.49€.
  2. Like the Community Hub in Steam there is a forum section for every game/series + 1 General forum.
  3. I dont think there is much support in localization since when they added 2 bulgarian games there wasnt bulgarian language(at least not listed on store page).
  4. GoG atm is focusing on GoG Galaxy(alpha feature downloading and installing games + auto updates) also they are working on some Lucas Arts games.

GoG also got sales like Steam but they arent often as big as Steam's but still good enough.During sale almost the whole catalog is 50% off(without new or upcoming games) and daily there are 1-2 themed bundles/packs with games(if own part of it you GoG wont charge you extra) + there are flash deals(5-6h long) on games with higher discount than normal.
When comes to downloading games there are 3 ways(2 if you arent part of GoG galaxy alpha):

  1. Download through your browser.
  2. Download GoG downloader from their site for faster download speed
  3. GoG Galaxy Alpha

With (1) and (2) you download the setup file/files and manually install the game after this you can delete setup files or store them.
If you have problem with a game first check your hardware then the forum and last GoG support which is usually fast and helpful.

Now just to say something that usually people get wrong or simply dont research about: Since you have setup files you can share them with friends its not forbidden and you wont get banned but sharing games mean less budget for GoG so its all based on your moral view.

9 years ago
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it is forbidden to share though. it is pirating.

9 years ago
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"9. Can I enjoy my purchases both on my laptop and desktop computer at home?
Yes. We do not limit the number of installations or reinstallations, as long as you install your purchased games on computers in your household. So yeah, if you've got a render-farm in the basement, you might actually break the world record for the number of legal Witcher installations in one household. However, if you think about installing your game on a friend's machine or sharing it with others then please don't do it, okay?" source

9 years ago
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why, thank you. i was looking for the exact thing and overlooked it even though i opened the page. anyway as you can see, it's forbidden.

9 years ago
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It doesnt say its forbidden or you arent allowed to,its just up to you. You can either share or not, here and semi-official respond on forum about it .
"I'll give you a semi-official blue text answer: treat your games like a book or CD. If you loan a friend a physical book, you can't read while he or she is. Likewise, if you lend a friend a game from your GOG.com collection, you shouldn't be playing that game--or even have it installed!--for the duration of the loan.

Doing it that way, of course, is legally completely unenforceable with a no-DRM scheme, but I think it's fair for both you and for GOG.com.

Is that clear enough?" source

9 years ago
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it's not sharing when you "lend" it to a friend. you can't have control on if they're playing/when they're playing. also this is a semi-official answer as they state. anyhow i think "However, if you think about installing your game on a friend's machine or sharing it with others then please don't do it, okay?" is pretty clear. if you want to be pirating police over your friends, be my guest. be sure they don't lie to you and play the game anyway when you want to play it.

9 years ago
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It's pretty clear that they leave this decision to the customer. In semi-official response they give terms that benefit everybody but still the customer got power over the copy he bought.
If your state/country forbids sharing then its forbidden but if it isnt,then you can do it(written 2 posts below on same topic).

9 years ago
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i can read it myself, thanks. .-.

9 years ago
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Thanks for the great guide. I will see how the sale goes and what the prices are. Pretty excited and it's looking very promising!

9 years ago
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It has regional pricing now but is much more fair than e.g. steam. Most important thing if in your region you had to pay more than in main currency $ they will chargback you what you paid more in credit!
I think it's really nice.

9 years ago
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