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Braggadar: Only if they seriously take notice of criticism which runs contrary to their future plans for the business. If the customers en-masse keep telling them less DRM and they ignore it in favour of more DRM (in any form) because it's not what corporate wants, then surveys are basically a PR tactic to make customers feel like their views are valued when in truth they are not.
I don't think one can say anything (yet) about what they will do with the data they are collecting...

... only that data collection is a good start.

Once they take action (or don't) on the data, then criticism may be warranted.
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Braggadar: Only if they seriously take notice of criticism which runs contrary to their future plans for the business. If the customers en-masse keep telling them less DRM and they ignore it in favour of more DRM (in any form) because it's not what corporate wants, then surveys are basically a PR tactic to make customers feel like their views are valued when in truth they are not.
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kai2: I don't think one can say anything (yet) about what they will do with the data they are collecting...

... only that data collection is a good start.

Once they take action (or don't) on the data, then criticism may be warranted.
Silly everyone on GOG forum's is soothsayer. Jk

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Catventurer: If GOG wants to turn into a Pro-DRM store and force everyone to use Galaxy, they should just redirect to Steam.
If GOG wants to go DRM they should give up and sell steam keys.
Post edited December 27, 2022 by Syphon72
It is a real shame, that there wasn't a question in the survey, about being spammed by emails.

I have been getting a lot of double ups of GOG emails lately, the same email being sent twice, usually at the same time.

The latest annoying spam was four copies of the BARGAIN ALERT email, all sent at the same time.
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Catventurer: If GOG wants to turn into a Pro-DRM store and force everyone to use Galaxy, they should just redirect to Steam.
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Syphon72: If GOG wants to go DRM they should give up and sell steam keys.
There's that option but either way, they may as well close shop if they want to go Pro-DRM as there would be no reason to purchase everything here if it becomes necessary to use a DRM client to play anything.

Even if you don't mind a launcher being required, Galaxy really only works if your library is small. It's extremely limited if you have a large library plus want don't want to be looking at missing/bad artwork.
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Knightspace: But i'm DAMN sure that Cyberpunk and Witcher games don't need GoG's launcher for anything, since i play them without that garbage Galaxy 2.0. I don't really get where you are coming from. Are you talking about those galaxy incentives that aren't required to experience games fully?
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ValamirCleaver: You haven't happened upon any of the multiple threads complaining about the "rewards" that are gated behind playing playing either one of those games online with Galaxy? Did you miss this quote from the managing director? https://www.cgmagonline.com/interviews/drm-free-gaming-future-with-gog/

"All games on GOG are DRM-free, without exception."
Have you read what i wrote? Those things are not necessary to play the games to the fullest extent. Now, would i like those to NOT be barred behind their horrible Galaxy? Absolutely, but to claim this is something abhorrent is nonsensical.

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rjbuffchix: "don't need GoG's launcher for anything"

"galaxy incentives"

Pick one.

Game content locked behind Galaxy means that those of us refusing to use Galaxy will not be able to experience the new version of this game fully. Seriously, I am baffled you could claim differently as you seem to spell out the exact problem we are talking about.
Yes you will experience the game fully. The only things missing are just some useless armours that, in the case of Witcher 3, you didn't even have in the older versions and for Cyberpunk it's something you see like twice before you get a better shirt and leave V's apartment. It's not ideal, and i would love for thoses things to be included in the games WITHOUT having to download Galaxy, but it's how companies operate, no matter how much we might dislike this type of annoying behaviour.

I mean, come on, there are things to get angry about GoG. Like that interactive map for Cyberpunk that IS gated behind making a 3rd party account and it requires you to be online or removing patches for games, which often means losing entire game mechanics. But, it feels like some of people here want to grasp at straws just to get mad.
Post edited December 27, 2022 by Knightspace
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ValamirCleaver: You haven't happened upon any of the multiple threads complaining about the "rewards" that are gated behind playing playing either one of those games online with Galaxy? Did you miss this quote from the managing director? https://www.cgmagonline.com/interviews/drm-free-gaming-future-with-gog/

"All games on GOG are DRM-free, without exception."
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Knightspace: Have you read what i wrote? Those things are not necessary to play the games to the fullest extent. Now, would i like those to NOT be barred behind their horrible Galaxy? Absolutely, but to claim this is something abhorrent is nonsensical.

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rjbuffchix: "don't need GoG's launcher for anything"

"galaxy incentives"

Pick one.

Game content locked behind Galaxy means that those of us refusing to use Galaxy will not be able to experience the new version of this game fully. Seriously, I am baffled you could claim differently as you seem to spell out the exact problem we are talking about.
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Knightspace: Yes you will experience the game fully. The only things missing are just some useless armours that, in the case of Witcher 3, you didn't even have in the older versions and for Cyberpunk it's something you see like twice before you get a better shirt and leave V's apartment. It's not ideal, and i would love for thoses things to be included in the games WITHOUT having to download Galaxy, but it's how companies operate, no matter how much we might dislike this type of annoying behaviour.

I mean, come on, there are things to get angry about GoG. Like that interactive map for Cyberpunk that IS gated behind making a 3rd party account and it requires you to be online or removing patches for games, which often means losing entire game mechanics. But, it feels like some of people here want to grasp at straws just to get mad.
several games have multiplayer that requires galaxy, so a portion of the game is drm'ed.
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Knightspace: ...Those things are not necessary to play the games to the fullest extent. ... Yes you will experience the game fully....
So the full experience -- the game played to its fullest extent -- is missing content? Interesting. You can experience the game fully even though some content is willfully withheld from you behind a DRM wall? Huh... Does not compute.

Please do not try this "it's just cosmetic" or "it's just small" or "it's only..." arguments; they are invalid.

It does not in any way matter WHAT is gated behind the DRM. It only matters that there IS INDEED something gated behind the DRM. CP2077 and Witcher 3 are not DRM-free. "DRM-free" notice the 'free' there? That means zero DRM, just like "lactose free" means "no lactose" and "vegan" means "no animal products". Something with "just a little" DRM is not DRM-free.

I don't recognize your user name from the other threads where this has been discussed lately. I recommend you look at them.
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Knightspace: but it's how companies operate, no matter how much we might dislike this type of annoying behaviour
Not GOG and CDPR, until relatively recently. They used to be the beacon of DRM-free, but now they're just being scummy and pretending otherwise. Also, your "that's just how companies operate" argument excuses any and all DRM, along with loot boxes, microtransactions, subscriptions...
Post edited December 27, 2022 by mqstout
I should thank GOG for not providing a copy of this survey to me, even if my subscription settings are purely only for wishlist updates; you'd think it important enough to warrant skipping the regular settings.

You'd think they'd want to know what they could do to fetch a lapsed customer like me, but then again my ideas HIRE PEOPLE OUTSIDE OF POLAND are probably considered a touch too radical.

Of course, the simpler problem being, I'm not even sure if GOG even sees me as a customer, seeing as I'm exclusively using an operating system they only dragging their feet begrudgingly support.

This sort of thing should have just been announced in the forums, rather than quietly sneaking by in a (likely to be deleted or ignored email), seeing as it does contain many questions worthy of discussion, and without being able to snag a copy of this survey myself, I'm missing important context and talking points.
Post edited December 27, 2022 by Darvond
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lazydog: Thank you neumi5694

you made me smile and I appreciate that :)

unfortunately I will not be taking part in the gog survey.

gog are finished as a serious DRM free store now, partaking in a survey will not negate that.
It's just like not going to vote and then complain about the outcome, what idiots have been elected :) By not even trying we guarantee that others will win and we have something to complain about.

Edit: And yes, I know this survey is not binding in any way, but this is the chance to let the people at the top know what we want.
Of course, if I don't want them to know what we want, then it's absolutely justified not to take part.
Post edited December 27, 2022 by neumi5694
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Darvond: This sort of thing should have just been announced in the forums, rather than quietly sneaking by in a (likely to be deleted or ignored email), seeing as it does contain many questions worthy of discussion, and without being able to snag a copy of this survey myself, I'm missing important context and talking points.
I would say putting it on the forum would have been "sneaking"

Sorry, but were the couple of hundred of us that regularly check the Forum are a tiny minority

A pop up on Galaxy would have got far more people, though would have been biased toward client users, so email was the best option to get the widest spread of replies.
Single player games remaining DRM-free is imperative, otherwise what is even the point in GOG?
I should think they are testing the water about releasing multi-player only games like Fall Guys and Rocket League (seeing how they are in bed with Epic) that heavily incentivise cosmetic micro-transactions on the store.

I would be OK with that as long as they are in their own section and clearly marked for what they are. It would be nice to not have to shop elsewhere if I fancy a bit of multi-player fun.
Something GOG desperately and urgently need to sort is the Developer side of stuff

1) A trusted Developer program. If a Dev or Pub has released several games here, they shouldn't have to prove the merit or quality of their games again. A much lower (or no) curation based on a good history. Zachtronics should have just been able to submit Opus Magnum and been green lighted based on his past works.

2) Better back end tools. Looks like Zephon by the WH40K:Gladius devs won't be coming to GOG due to the manual nature of uploading Builds. They're not the only ones I've heard such stories from. Again this links into 1, as GOG manually tests builds and patches. Better trust would streamline the process.

3) Communication. Another recurring story is poor communication from GOG, delays or simply just silence. Its alienating Devs against GOG

4) More Transparency. A better system to show why some games pass curation and other don't. It would allow devs to see their flaws, it would also allow consumers to turn around and say "actually I do like that type of game".

5) Stop Stealth Day 1 releases. Why do some games get "Coming Soon" while others are complete radio silence until release day? Better support for those that do make through curation to help market their games. Too many devs/pubs spend a year going "IT COMING TO STEAM!!!" ignoring marketing their GOG release and then wonder why they get so few GOG sales.
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Knightspace: Yes you will experience the game fully.
Have you played No Man's Sky? Try getting telling me something part of SP but remains triggered by a server connection doesn't impact "full playability". It totally does. There are simple bonuses outside of the larger server daily quests which could have been made available to offline customers easily but still remains gated behind online (and thus Galaxy) use.

GOG seemingly doesn't understand the issue or doesn't want to argue with its dev clients. Either way, DRM elements which make no sense being part of a SP game remain, small though they may be.
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mechmouse: 2) Better back end tools. Looks like Zephon by the WH40K:Gladius devs won't be coming to GOG due to the manual nature of uploading Builds. They're not the only ones I've heard such stories from. Again this links into 1, as GOG manually tests builds and patches. Better trust would streamline the process.
I've no idea what issue he's having specifically, but the "developers have to manually upload" thing changed years ago. Read through the linked stuff (there's more than one page) as to how their pipeline works today:-

"Feel free to publish a build to the Master branch at any time from the GOG Developer Portal, but we ask that you conduct a preliminary check to ensure that the upload is functional and downloading correctly."

https://docs.gog.com/developer-portal

GOG also doesn't do any QA on offline installers (that are auto-built from above developer uploads) anymore, hence why it's left up to the community to flag issues like Saints Row 3, Deus Ex MD DLC, etc.
Post edited December 27, 2022 by AB2012
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Knightspace: Yes you will experience the game fully.
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Braggadar: Have you played No Man's Sky? Try getting telling me something part of SP but remains triggered by a server connection doesn't impact "full playability". It totally does. There are simple bonuses outside of the larger server daily quests which could have been made available to offline customers easily but still remains gated behind online (and thus Galaxy) use.

GOG seemingly doesn't understand the issue or doesn't want to argue with its dev clients. Either way, DRM elements which make no sense being part of a SP game remain, small though they may be.
The problem here is some games come with a significant service portion. NMS from the outset had this "wikipedia of planets", it was a core part of the game play. One that can only works with an account based online element. The only way GOG can be be 100% offline is not to sell these types of games.
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AB2012: I've no idea what issue he's having specifically, but the "developers have to manually upload" thing changed years ago. Read through the linked stuff (there's more than one page) as to how their pipeline works today:-

"Feel free to publish a build to the Master branch at any time from the GOG Developer Portal, but we ask that you conduct a preliminary check to ensure that the upload is functional and downloading correctly."

https://docs.gog.com/developer-portal
Nor do I, I'll point out there's new dev tools but Gladius isn't that old and is still actively supported so I'm guessing there's still issues involved
Post edited December 27, 2022 by mechmouse