I know it's sort of my own fault for not checking the installation options, but since when does it install with game installers? What sense would it make to ship it with games in the first place? Not apparently with all games, which is what fooled me, so what's the point?

There's been a lot of discussion/complaints about this. Basically, for newer games, GOG is going to add Galaxy to the installer if the game is one that supports Galaxy features. You can opt to DL the non-Galaxy installers from your library by going to 'MORE' and choosing the 'classic installers'. This cannot yet be set to a default choice though. Supposedly GOG is going to provide that as an option sometime in the future.

When installing a game that has Galaxy included, you can opt out when running the installer if you click on the Options button. Somewhat hidden, to be sure, but it's there.

Why are they doing this? The cynic wold surmise that it's an attempt to get people to install Galaxy without knowing it so they'd perhaps be tempted to use it anyway. GOG says it's actually cut way, way down on Support requests from people that don't understand where to get Galaxy or why they don't have 'Cheevos, Cloud Saves, etc.

Ah. I suppose that even makes some sense. The reasoning is slightly weird, but I guess people can be dumber than I assume. I'd prefer the default choice for classic installers, so gotta keep this in mind until that exists.

Thanks for the informative post!

If you don't want to double-check what you're getting everytime, the old Downloader always picks the classic installers.

Maybe play the games for operating systems other than Windows? I haven't had any surprises when downloading the Mac versions. (Well, other than sometimes getting PKG instead of DMG. Yuck. But they're still "classic".)

I've noticed the downloads for Mac are always presented as "Classic Game Installers" for me even when the games supports GOG Galaxy features. But the Windows downloads are always presented initially as "GOG Galaxy Game Installers" when the game supports GOG Galaxy features.

In fact, only when I switch the OS menu to "Windows" is there an option in the "More" menu for "Classic Installers". Then, the option in the "More" menu changes to "GOG Galaxy Installers" for reversing it.

However, the "GOG Galaxy Installers" option does not remain if I switch the OS menu to "Mac", and there seems to be only "Classic Game Installers" for Mac with no option in the "More" menu. I don't mind, and I hope they don't change it.

Of course, there isn't a Linux version of GOG Galaxy so I guess it would come as no surprise they are presented as "Classic Game Installers" and that "GOG Galaxy Installers" in not an option in the "More" menu.

Or the browser.

Linkie: https://www.gog.com/downloader

What is really annoying is the inconsistency of it all.
Sometimes Galaxy installers are the default option, but sometimes there's no option with Galaxy at all. And like already pointed out, it even changes when switching from one operating system to another.

I have accidentally downloaded Galaxy versions many times, as I have switched back and forth between different games and OS's and the default option has changed.

I believe in some case there even was a Windows version where 64-bit version was with Galaxy, but 32-bit version was without.

It's not a major issue when you know what to look for, and can always redownload if it has been the wrong version the first time, but this really isn't how a customer- and user-friendly system should work.

What I really hate though is that those "classic installers" are placed in that drop-down menu as if it's some weird and obscure thing that is of lesser importance.

Only if you're careful. Using the browser is actually the only way to download a Galaxy installer by mistake, as the Downloader and Galaxy are both set to fetch the classic installers.

I can't be bothered to check every time if what I want to download comes with Galaxy or not so I just use the downloader now. It's also more convenient than the browser.

I have a question about this. Despite strongly being against Galaxy (ok for some but not for me), I accidentally downloaded ALL os Divinity Original Sin EE with Galaxy. I spotted it before even starting to install, so hey ho. Delete and start again.

I did notice though that the fourth part was 1.7GB with Galaxy and 1.6GB as classic. If I had deleted the galaxy 1.7GB part 4, and downloaded the 1.6 GB classic part 4 would that have been enough to install and run without any Galaxy bloat on the HDD If I left he other Parts 1,2 and 3 and the classic part 4?

So to avoid getting Galaxy, one should use Galaxy?
Oh the irony...

Although it kind of makes sense that Galaxy doesn't need to download itself every time.

Damn gog really? Not cool dude not cool!

Welcome everyone to the daily post about "GOG Galaxy in my offline installers REEEEE"

More info tomorrow.

EDIT: Missed a "L"

Search the forums for "Adalia". Someone made a script that lets your browser set the gogdownloader or browser files instead of that....galaxy crap.

Install script, never worry ever again (until galaxy becomes "even more none optional").

Good suggestion: you can pick up adaliafundamentals via the link.


Another one I highly recommend is barefoot essentials.