TL;DR DXHR Directors Cut has built in telemetry, tracking and metrics which phones home to 2 separate companies which causes the freeze. Non-Directors Cut doesn't include telemetry, tracking and metrics and doesn't crash.


Has anyone experienced the game freezing and sound looping after completing a take down (once the camera goes back to first-person) or hacking (after being successful)? It happens every time on the first level for me.

I've tried the usual DX9 mode and turning off HUD notifications, as I feel it's a bug in the nasty "achievements" code that may be running behind the scenes but it made no difference.

The game runs smoothly otherwise, but unfortunately I cannot avoid hacking in the game.

Update 1: I've just noticed via processmonitor that one of the last things for the exe to do is to try and establish a connection to: 184.107.107.213 (but it's fw'd out). I'm not a fan of rabbit holes but I'm keen to know other people's experiences.

Update 2: Sysmon reveals all about that IP address:
QueryName: dx3a-pc-game-metrics.eidos.co.uk
QueryStatus: 0
QueryResults: type: 5 legacyos.eidos.co.uk;184.107.107.213;
Image: C:\Program Files\GOG\Deus Ex HRDC\DXHRDC.exe

Update 3: A quick dig for that URL and I see some lovely slides: slideshare.net/acagamic/game-metrics-and-biometrics-the-future-of-player-experience-research.

Update 4: After I permit DXHRDC.exe outbound to the internet, it still locks up however it now completes the below requests with identical timestamps before crashing:
QueryName: dx3-pc-game-infocast.eidos.co.uk
QueryStatus: 0
QueryResults: type: 5 legacyos.eidos.co.uk;184.107.107.213;
Image: C:\Program Files\GOG\Deus Ex HRDC\DXHRDC.exe
then
QueryName: master10.doublefusion.com
QueryStatus: 0
QueryResults: 91.195.241.136;
Image: C:\Program Files\GOG\Deus Ex HRDC\DXHRDC.exe
then
QueryName: dx3a-pc-game-metrics.eidos.co.uk
QueryStatus: 0
QueryResults: type: 5 legacyos.eidos.co.uk;184.107.107.213;
Image: C:\Program Files\GOG\Deus Ex HRDC\DXHRDC.exe
Then GoG Galaxy does:
QueryName: auth.gog.com
QueryStatus: 0
QueryResults: type: 5 gog.com.edgekey.net;type: 5 e11072.g.akamaiedge.net;::ffff:23.197.121.118;
Image: C:\ProgramData\GOG.com\Galaxy\redists\GalaxyCommunication.exe

Update 5: I'm going to request a refund. It may be DRM free but after looking up what doublefusion does for a living, I think I can safely say that this is spyware as I did not agree to my behavour being tracked, in game or out. Also, the game doesn't bloody work.

Update 6: I've just reinstalled DXHR on steam, non-DC version, and it never makes any calls to the tracking, telemetry or metrics server, unlike the Directors Cut version. And it doesn't crash!

I get the same type of crash/freeze after having interacted with all objects in the starting room.

Impressive work figuring out what causes this. I would have thought that we would not have to deal with crap like this when buying from GOG. If being DRM free is defined by "No activation or online connection required to play" then I don't think this release can classified as that.

Did you try and get help from the GOG support team before refunding it? It's probably what I will do.

I did get help from GOG, but only in the form of refunding me for both DXHR and MD as I am so disgusted by Eidos. I now know why the game was so cheap: monetisation of metrics and personal behaviour, which I class as personal information at least.

I cannot fault GOG, because what can they do? I'd like to think it slipped by their QA team however, as you say, this is not DRM so I do not hold it against them.

This is where the Deus Ex and Eidos story ends for me. Eidos are now classed as junk in my world.

Any updates or official responses on this? I'd like to get to tthe bottom of it before I purchase it / them / anything Eidos ever again.

I'm also curious about this.

Has there been any progress yet? Is the GOG team aware of the spyware?

This is unacceptable. God damn it, GOG.

I would also like to know this.

Any updates?

I'm considering buying this game as well since it's on sale. I don't want to if it constantly crashes or locks up though. I'm curious if people that use the offline installers and are not using Galaxy are experiencing these lock ups?

I don't have a always on internet connection and always play offline so any game that tries to connect to the internet is an issue for me. If I were to buy it, how long do you have to ask for a refund? It might be weeks or longer before I'm able to actually download and try the game.

According to this support article:

Great job spinewire, thanks a lot for the info. I would ask for a refund, if I hadn't bought the game long ago.

So GOG is just gonna ignore this?

Probably yes since pretty much all Unity 2017 and later games do the same, except the freezing and not so intense. If GOG were to do something about it, half of the catalog from the last 3 years were afected.
Actually, after checking the website and Galaxy I can deduce GOG are very found of telemetry and tracking...

Thanks for the info on the topic. :)

This needs addressing. Just like Devotion.

Thank you for informing us, spinewire.