Baldur's Gate: Enhanced Edition Now Available DRM Free From GOG

I've never played any of these games, sadly. As I'm a huge RPG fan, which one should I pick, Baldur's Gate or Icewind Dale?

Same. I went for Icewind Dale because it looked shorter and more polished. I think it's more action focussed and has less emphasis on story than BG. Both look very similar though, same engine. The stories are unrelated so take your pick..BG is pretty huge though. They're both pretty lightweight performance wise, playing on an HD4000 Intel card with zero issues, very smooth.

Also, Baldur's Gate on Steam is working, just no penguin icon yet on the store page.

Baldur's Gate or Icewind Dale?

That really depends on what you value more: an interesting story and companions with personality, or a dungeon crawl with a personality-less party you created yourself?

Also, Baldur's Gate on Steam is working, just no penguin icon yet on the store page.

Ah, nice. So do both Baldur's Gate (on steam) work on Linux yet?

(Looks like they don't. Just the first one, with a beta code from the steam forums - it's a sticky there, can't miss it)

edit: just bought Baldur's Gate. Happy gaming!

I bought days ago the Sam & Max collection, it was very cheap and looks great (as any telltale game). I hope wine can handle it well. In my dreams they will support Linux lol.
Since the Linux support arrived, GOG is definitely a great option to get games, their philosophy is great.

How bug free is the Enhanced Edition in it's current state? I bought it from Beamdog's site last year but I'm willing buy it again from GOG. I know the game had a buggy start but went through a lot of improvements over time, but I'm still slightly worried about any game breaking bugs.

I know there's a few readers here who much prefer buying from GOG, so go get it and support Linux gaming!

Thanks for thinking in us.

I'll buy it now.

PS : Glad you finally return to stay.

While I do intend to buy it as I really should play a Bioware title at some point considering they are supposed to be the local golden boy developer from where I am from, paying $20 for a game is a bit too steep for my blood at the moment.

Yabadabadoo!

While I do intend to buy it as I really should play a Bioware title at some point considering they are supposed to be the local golden boy developer from where I am from, paying $20 for a game is a bit too steep for my blood at the moment.

10 bucks at steam, if you can live with the drm ;)

@Hamish I bought IWD for full price to support Linux, but otherwise if you track the BG prices, it has gone as low as $5 before, so just be patient :)

Most linux games on steam have no drm. After you download them, you can run them without steam.
Steam doesn't enforce drm of any sort. That is completely up to the developers of the game.
You can find lists of them with google.
Some games only work if you delete the supplied libsteam_api.so from the games folder, but most don't need you to do this.

Steam is nothing but an easy way to buy/download and play games with your friends.
So you drm-free people stop spreading fud.

First off Skully, it is certainly not FUD to point out that Steam both provides and promotes a DRM layer for developers to plug themselves into through their Steamworks API, in among its other features. Secondly, your rant here is both off topic and unhelpful. The last thing we need is another off topic barney about this issue.

Just because a game uses steamworks api doesn't mean you need steam to play it.
Want examples..
Goat simulator
Papa & yo Has full steam integration and yet isn't even on steam for linux. But if you play it while steam is open you get the achievements and stuff unlocking in steam.
Serious Sam 3
Even your beloved Amnesia Games can be played without steam after downloading them (haven't tried a machine for pigs tho)
I wont't go on you get the idea

Show me some links that show steam promoting drm that really is drm

It isn't off topic at all this is about a drm free version of the game right?
and I was replying to Sered 2 posts before mine who said

While I do intend to buy it as I really should play a Bioware title at some point considering they are supposed to be the local golden boy developer from where I am from, paying $20 for a game is a bit too steep for my blood at the moment.

10 bucks at steam, if you can live with the drm ;)

Also how was my post unhelpful? your answer to me which is full FUD is what was unhelpful to anyone. Not only are you some sort of anti-drm fanatic, but your a misinformed one too.
And very rude too I might add.

Just because a game uses steamworks api doesn't mean you need steam to play it.

Steamworks has many features for developers to plug into, as I said in my reply.

Even your beloved Amnesia Games can be played without steam after downloading them (haven't tried a machine for pigs tho)

You know, if you had actually read my article, you would have realized that it was primarily done as a criticism of Amnesia and Frictional, but obviously you have not done that...

Show me some links that show steam promoting drm that really is drm

I suggest you RTFM before going into such hysterics:

Steamworks provides a host of features and solutions for your game. The following overview highlights each of the core features and how they are implemented ...

Steamworks Digital Rights Management wraps your game's compiled executable and checks to make sure that it is running under an authenticated instance of Steam. This DRM solution is the same as the one used to protect games like Half-Life 2 and Counter-Strike: Source. Steamworks DRM has been heavily road-tested and is customer-friendly.

In addition to DRM solutions, Steamworks also offers protection for game through day one release by shipping encrypted media to stores worldwide.

https://partner.steamgames.com/documentation/api

It isn't off topic at all this is about a drm free version of the game right?

It is about the game being released on GOG.com which makes a policy of having no DRM. The subject of Steam is only tangentially related at best.

your answer to me which is full FUD is what was unhelpful to anyone. Not only are you some sort of anti-drm fanatic, but your a misinformed one too. And very rude too I might add.

Well, I think that quote there speaks for itself... holding up a mirror and all that.

The "beloved" part was a joke. Straight over your head I see.

You said steam promotes drm. The link you showed was documentation of their API, not promotional in anyway.

So give us a link showing steam promoting or even encouraging DRM. You won't find it. All they do is provide the possibility if a developer wants to use it.

Your entire argument is based on some pretty weak semantics Skully.

I breed, raise, and sell beef cattle. By doing so I am implicitly supporting and promoting the practice of eating beef by providing a service to butchers, slaughterhouses, and meat packing plants. Just because I do not actually sell processed steaks or ground hamburger to consumers does not mean that I can personally detach myself from the practice.

Valve provides a DRM layer for developers to use through Steam. This is one of the "advantages" they try to sell to developers in order to make them use their service. By doing so they are implicitly supporting and promoting the practice of using DRM.

I have also personally eaten butchered and processed beef that has been raised by my family, which in its own way is also analogous to Valve using their own DRM layer when they sell their own products, which of course is something they do with most if not all of their games on Steam. By applying their own DRM layer themselves they are also supporting and promoting the practice of using DRM.

You can try and hide from this all you want, but Valve and Steam are supporting and promoting DRM.

They simply provide it for developers who wouldn't otherwise put there game on steam.
Your whole unrelated beef story is fascinating but totally unrelated and off topic.
Probably better we just agree to disagree.
At least until you show me a link of steam promoting DRM that you said you could provide.
With out that you just have made yourself sound like a misinformed crazy person.

They simply provide it for developers who wouldn't otherwise put there game on steam.

Which includes themselves.

Your whole unrelated beef story is fascinating but totally unrelated and off topic.

Just because you fail to draw parallels does not make it off topic. This entire conversation is though.

Probably better we just agree to disagree.

Well, I can agree with that much at least.

At least until you show me a link of steam promoting DRM that you said you could provide.

I showed you a link created by Valve themselves, something which you refused to accept because you then shifted your argument. I have already fulfilled this requirement.

With out that you just have made yourself sound like a misinformed crazy person.

Again, holding up a mirror and all that.