GOG.com to support Ubuntu and Mint

[Phytotron]

http://www.gog.com/news/gogcom_soon_on_more_platforms

This is good news. I wonder how they're going to do it. On the Windoze side they provide you with a standalone installer for each game. Of course, that not only makes installation easy, but gives you a DRM-free "hard copy" you can back up.

I admit, I still don't know how that stuff works on Ubuntu—I've only installed anything via the Software Center or in a very few cases copy&pasting some terminal command. Are there standalone installers for Ubuntu?

[sinewav]

Are there standalone installers for Ubuntu?

I don't know about GOG specifically, but for Debian derivatives like Ubuntu there is sometimes a standalone .deb file somewhere, if someone decides to make one. After downloading and pointed to it, your operating system's package manager should automatically install the software and all dependencies. It's great for things that are not in your version's software repository. Now, I don't understand .deb files fully and what I do know comes from me trying to make one (unsuccessfully). Someone else can probably explain them better. I think it's basically like a .zip file with scripted instructions on where to put everything.

Another easy way to get software is by adding additional repositories other than what comes with the software center. I imagine you have come across this already. You may have followed some instructions on a website that told you to add a PPA (personal package archive) by pasting a line of code in the terminal, then sudo updating/upgrading, thus installing the new software.

The only thing I ever have to compile myself is Descent for Linux. But that game doesn't have any weird dependencies so I've never had a problem getting through the instructions.

Something like GOG might run under Wine? I've never tried.

[Z-Man]

I think it's basically like a .zip file with scripted instructions on where to put everything.

That is basically correct. Plus instructions about dependencies and uninstall instructions.

[Phytotron]

You may have followed some instructions on a website that told you to add a PPA (personal package archive) by pasting a line of code in the terminal, then sudo updating/upgrading, thus installing the new software.

Yup, that's what I was referring to when I said "copy&pasting some terminal command." Pretty sure any I've installed that way have added a PPA; as far as I can tell that's pretty much convention, considering the way updates are handled.

Something like GOG might run under Wine? I've never tried.

GOG is mainly just a storefront. It's not like Steam or Origin where there's an actual client you have to use. There is a downloader you can use, but that's mainly just to ensure proper downloads (it may also automatically alert you of updates; can't recall off-hand); presumably they'll release one for Linux as well. But, you can just download a zip file right off the website, and it contains a standalone installer for that game. The games don't need anything related to GOG to be installed or run. A big reason for that is GOG's policy of being DRM-free, so you can back up that zip or installer however you like.

So, in the case of Linux, what they're talking about is selling/supporting games that have actual Linux versions/clients, something they don't do currently.* I was just wondering aloud how they might implement that, including still being able to provide you with a standalone "hard copy" that you can back up. I guess deb packages might be the way. We'll see.


* For example, Amnesia: The Dark Descent can be found in the Ubuntu Software Center, however GOG currently only carries the Windows and Mac versions. I bought it on sale for like $2.00 anyway, even though I can't even run it yet (graphics-wise), partly in hopes they might eventually support the Linux version.

Oh, speaking of which, I did try to run the demo for that game in Ubuntu (it got past the intro screen then basically said "nope, no Intel Integrated, bye bye"). What I downloaded from their site was a .sh file. I can't remember what exactly I did to run that; I recall it required some terminal stuff, which was annoying.

[Phytotron]

Right, so here's the official announcement: GOG.com Now Supports Linux!

And here's the Linux FAQ.

Indeed, they are using DEB installers, though they also provide a Tarball.

GOG was already using DOSBox wrappers for their older games, and that's what they're doing with those games for Linux as well. Games using it aren't explicitly noted as such, but I guess one could assume. Others are coming with a Wine wrapper, which they'll always note in the system requirements, as mentioned in the FAQ. I haven't seen anything that indicates which games run natively.

As you can read in that FAQ, there seems to be some possibly annoying stuff regarding 32bit architecture and dependencies, and getting the DEBs to install and run on a 64bit installation (which I use).

I also read a bit of stuff on the forum about ALSA vs PulseAudio, but I don't understand these things. I think it was in the context of non-Ubuntu-derived Linux distros, so maybe I don't need to be concerned with it?



So anyhoo, I haven't tried any games yet since thus far there are only a few that appeal to me and they're either too recent for me to run and/or too pricey. But just looking at it, it seems it's not quite the most seamless experience at this point. It would have been nice if they had developed their own game manager or something, but maybe the upcoming GOG Galaxy thing will do that. Or maybe not, who knows.

I also don't get why they haven't made the Linux version of Amnesia available yet. Not that I can play it at this point, anyway, heh. Waiting for that 750 ti to come down in price!

[sinewav]

Cool!

GOG doesn't have the one game I want to play, but luckily a remake is in development using the original assets. The Game is called OMF (One Must Fall 2097) and it pretty much Rock'em Sock'em Robots.

[Phytotron]

Ha, I wouldn't have expected you'd like those fighting games, even if it does just involve robots.

[sinewav]

Ha, I wouldn't have expected you'd like those fighting games, even if it does just involve robots.

It's really just because it's robots. Although, I did play Tekken 3 quite a bit, but I always turned the blood off and mostly just played against the practice dummy. Tekken was interesting because of the attention to detail in fighting styles. But giant robots? Bring it.

[Word]

I didn't know that TV show and watched an entire episode now ("Attack of the Molesaurus").