Feral Interactive have no plans to put their Linux ports on GOG

Quoting: hummer010User Friendly: Easy to use.

Consumer Friendly: Respects the rights of the consumer.

And what do you believe are the rights of the consumers using Steam, that Steam prohibit them from?

Quoting: ShmerlDRM is aimed at making backups impossible or a hindrance (you need to break DRM first).

Where do you get this from? Do you use Steam yourself? You can take as many backups of your game binaries as you like, just copy the data directories to an external disk. Then, if you feel like it just wipe your PC and reinstall the system and Steam client, and copy over those files. If you feel like it. Try, it works.

Only, you don't need to unless you want to save bandwidth, cause Steam is in effect a backup storage for all your Steam games. You simply need not worry about the executables at all - in many games you need not even worry about your save game files.

Quoting: ShmerlSo DRM isn't user friendly. It's kind of self explanatory, since DRM is an anti-user feature.

Why do you write this? This it just fanatic gibberish that only works when you preach to the choir! DRM is an anti PIRACY feature, and you know that bloody well. The perfect DRM system whould be a massive hindrance for pirates but transparent for the user. Now, like I reply above Steam is not the perfect DRM system but for most of us who use Steam we don't even notice the DRM part- that's how transparent it is. And it comes with a lot of feawtures that really do sweeten that deal. The "no backup needed" aspect as illustrated above is alone a reason enough to use their services.

Quoting: BeamboomWhere do you get this from? Do you use Steam yourself? You can take as many backups of your game binaries as you like, just copy the data directories to an external disk.

Did you read the thread above? Feral games won't work if you do that. How is that not aimed at preventing back ups? Your option is only to find a game with DRM removed, or remove it yourself if you intend to back it up.

Quoting: BeamboomWhy do you write this? This it just fanatic gibberish that only works when you preach to the choir! DRM is an anti PIRACY feature

Nope, it isn't. It's anti-user feature. Think it through yourself, it's not a hard use case. Pirate will go and get the game from torrents with DRM removed (by some other more expert pirates). So DRM has no relevance to that pirate. Normal customer will buy the game with DRM, and will be bugged by not being able to back it up. So who is affected by it? You guessed, the paying user. Ergo, DRM is anti-user feature.

What's gibberish is claiming that DRM is there to prevent piracy.


Last edited by Shmerl on 18 June 2018 at 8:13 pm UTC

Quoting: BeamboomAnd what do you believe are the rights of the consumers using Steam, that Steam prohibit them from?

In my opinion there's the most important thing - Ownership.

Games that require Steam running to play are more of a longtime lease than something you actually own. I buy my games DRM-Free because I can play them anytime and anywhere without depending on any service.

With that said I don't boycott Steam, I just use it to download games that can run without it. If all those Linux games on Steam would let me play without the client I would gladly buy them.

Quoting: Beamboomreinstall the system and Steam client, and copy over those files. If you feel like it. Try, it works.

That's your DRM at work right there, you can't just run the game straight away, instead you need to ask Steam permission if you can run it.

Look at it this way: You the customer, who paid honest money, have to prove that you bought the game.


Last edited by Avehicle7887 on 18 June 2018 at 8:20 pm UTC

Quoting: jensNext to that we should not forget that they are primarily a Mac/OSX porting studio using Steam and Apple Store.

They did not grace GOG with Mac port either. So, their descision is not based on OS popularity but on other factors.

Quoting: jensa) World domination comes with Valve

Valve's Word Domination, sure! :D
If/When Valve's Steam becomes the only Store That Matters, developers/publishers will consider 25% cut to be a damn good deal!

Quoting: jensb) To really just annoy all the folks that often hijack the news posting here on GOL when a new Feral game is announced/released :)

I would consider myself honored! Yet, I think Feral is far more practical with these matters and does not take personal feelings of its employees/directors into account when money is concerned.


Last edited by Alm888 on 18 June 2018 at 8:24 pm UTC

Anyone tried running the gog version using wine? All I want is to shoot an alien in the face without Gabe's spyware running in the background.

Quoting: Alm888

Quoting: jensb) To really just annoy all the folks that often hijack the news posting here on GOL when a new Feral game is announced/released :)

I would consider myself honored! Yet, I think Feral is far more practical with these matters and does not take personal feelings of its employees/directors into account when money is concerned.

That was meant as a joke.

Quoting: jensThat was meant as a joke.

Don't worry, the joke was appreciated! :P

P.S. I think, this thread actually needs more jokes as certain two habitues have put us (with our previous "battles" ) to shame. :D


Last edited by Alm888 on 18 June 2018 at 8:47 pm UTC

Quoting: Beamboom

Quoting: hummer010User Friendly: Easy to use.

Consumer Friendly: Respects the rights of the consumer.

And what do you believe are the rights of the consumers using Steam, that Steam prohibit them from?

The right to play my game, which I paid for, whenever, and where ever I want, without first asking for Steam's permission (ie. running the client). I know, there's "offline mode", but it is far from reliable.

Regarding rights, most common violation of DRM is fair use, which DRM prevents. Other problems range from violating privacy and security to free speech. If the later sounds unexpected to you, consider that DRM is accompanied by anti-circumvention provisions (which in turn can violate civil rights).

Related: https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Free_Speech_Flag

DRM proponents built a whole corrupt legal system, which has DRM at its core. Many forget about that when they accept such practice.

See https://www.eff.org/deeplinks/2013/03/ustr-secret-copyright-agreements-worldwide


Last edited by Shmerl on 18 June 2018 at 9:38 pm UTC

Quoting: Linas

Quoting: PublicNuisanceDo you seriously not know of other games that have released a Windows version on GOG but not the Linux or Mac versions? Are you truly that uninformed?

I was under impression that we were talking about games from Feral Interactive.

Quoting: PublicNuisanceDying Light, Metro 2033 Redux, Metro Last Light Redux, Alice VR, Mafia III, Mafia II, that's all literally what came to mind in a matter of seconds and not a full list.

I also talked about how GOG is not a particularly inviting platform for Linux users or developers.

Sorry, but I am not sure what you mean by Mafia games. They are not on Linux at all, aren't they?

Feral developed the Mac version of Mafia II. My posts have reflected Mac and Linux games because it shows a consistent behavior of platforms other than Windows being kept off DRM free stores by a wide range of publishers and developers. This isn't a Feral problem so much as it is simply a problem that exists and needs to be dealt with. Everyone is too caught up with who should be blamed that few are actually wanting to deal with the issue.

Quoting: liamdawe

Quoting: bgh251f2I would believe that's because there's no clear way to know if a game bought on GOG is being played on Linux, so it would be hard to make the division of profits. The fact that there's no client can't be helping either.

You may very well be right on that one. I would be surprised though, if GOG didn't have some way of tracking it

I'd expect them to track downloads for games - the safest indicator there is (mostly). Someone who games on Linux or macOS isn't going to be downloading the Windows versions.

I'm just "parked" here to subscribe the comments. Still on vacation. :D

Quoting: Avehicle7887In my opinion there's the most important thing - Ownership.

Games that require Steam running to play are more of a longtime lease than something you actually own. I buy my games DRM-Free because I can play them anytime and anywhere without depending on any service.

What will you do with all your collected games in ten years when no Linux distro ships the old libs it needs to run?
Sure there are some great games that can be played/replayed many times. But these ones normally get remastered at some point of time.
I personally think it's a waste of time and resources to collect games for longer than "a long time lease".

Quoting: johndoeWhat will you do with all your collected games in ten years when no Linux distro ships the old libs it needs to run?
Sure there are some great games that can be played/replayed many times. But these ones normally get remastered at some point of time.
I personally think it's a waste of time and resources to collect games for longer than "a long time lease".

It shouldn't be too big an issue as long as the games are developed well... lots of older Linux games still work now without too much fuss. Plus GOG maintain the games they sell to get & keep them working on modern systems; it's been one of their key selling points right from the very beginning, back when they were "Good Old Games". And then there are also things like Flatpak that can help where dependency conflicts exist.

Quoting: adamhmIt shouldn't be too big an issue as long as the games are developed well... lots of older Linux games still work now without too much fuss. Plus GOG maintain the games they sell to get & keep them working on modern systems; it's been one of their key selling points right from the very beginning, back when they were "Good Old Games". And then there are also things like Flatpak that can help where dependency conflicts exist.

You are right at some point.
Steam does the same.
Developers also - ship needed (often older) libraries with their games.
But this will stop at some point of time.
Libraries depend on other libraries and so on. Some libraries depend on a specific major kernel, some depend on scripts.
In the end you will end up collecting games, old libraries to preload, wrapper scripts and maybe some virtual machines of old linux distros.
Every software/game has EOL/Support.
It makes more sense to play games when they are new and active.

Quoting: johndoeIt makes more sense to play games when they are new and active.

What a horrifyingly narrow world you must live in if the only games you feel comfortable playing are new. I don't know about you, but I fully intend to still be playing the games I buy today for at least as far into the future as the childhood favourites I still find myself coming back to year after year. That is why anything that is specifically designed to block me from doing so is completely unacceptable to me.

Technical challenges can be overcome. DRM legally cannot.


Last edited by Hamish on 18 June 2018 at 11:55 pm UTC

Quoting: johndoeBut this will stop at some point of time.

Linux is FOSS, so in the worst case you can take older distros and run them in virtual machine or container for this purpose.

Quoting: johndoeEvery software/game has EOL/Support.
It makes more sense to play games when they are new and active.

Tell it to ScummVM or DosBox developers, and they'll have a laugh.


Last edited by Shmerl on 19 June 2018 at 1:45 am UTC

Quoting: johndoeI personally think it's a waste of time and resources to collect games for longer than "a long time lease".

Yeah, I also don't get the problems people have with Steam.
"You need to have Steam open and running to play the games!" - So I open Steam and run the game. No problem here. In addition to an inbuilt chat, I also get an inbuilt browser, community, workshop... all of which is optional, of course.

"You will lose all your games if Steam dies!" - So I will purchase them again somewhere else, I'm not living on fumes, I can do that for the <5% of games I actually have an interest in playing again. Let's be honest, over 90% of games you play exactly once, what good does it do you to own those after that? Nothing.

"Steam spies on you!" - :rolleyes: :tinfoilhat:

"You need to be online to play your Steam games!" - Uhm... no?

"I don't like Steam simply because they are so big!" - Oh, hey, at least someone's being honest.

"Steam takes a too big share of developer profits!" - I fully agree, but so does GOG and pretty much everyone else except itch.io.


Last edited by TheSHEEEP on 19 June 2018 at 6:52 am UTC

Quoting: ShmerlLinux is FOSS, so in the worst case you can take older distros and run them in virtual machine or container for this purpose.

I already mentioned this, read my post.

Quoting: ShmerlTell it to ScummVM or DosBox developers, and they'll have a laugh.

I use ScummVM and DosBox by myself and played many Lucas and Westwood games with it. My favourite ones are Kyrandia and Lands of Lore.
These guys are great and I appreciate their work.
But this does not change the fact that these games have reached EOL.
Without these tools you are not able to play THESE games anymore.
Please do not twist my words. Using ScummVM, DosBox, VM, Container or any third party installer does not change that.

By the way, more interesting would be to know if GOG does pay money to ScummVM and DosBOX developers for their effort.


Last edited by johndoe on 19 June 2018 at 9:38 am UTC