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A little more "Get Smart" than "Mission Impossible".

Signal Ops, tactical squad-based stealth-shooter in which you control up to four agents simultaneously, is available right now on GOG.com 20% off for only $11.99.

"Danger? Danger is my middle na--well, no. Actually, no. Danger is someone *else's* middle name. My middle name is "Clyde." I prefer my days to be less hectic. I'm more of a managerial sort, myself. Lead from the rear and all that. It's dangerous out there, full of shooting and explosions and screams and whatnot. Not my style at all. I'd much rather sit back here in HQ, directing the action in air-conditioned comfort."

Does this sound like your kind of game? Then Signal Ops, a tactical / FPS mashup with a striking distinctive visual style, is now on GOG.com, 20% off for just $11.99, should be a headshot of fun! As the brains behind the daring operations that your team undertakes, you will complete daring missions to plant evidence, steal secrets, assassinate targets, and perform sabotage. Take advantage of multiple simultaneous first person views to stealthily evade enemies or get the drop on them. Signal Ops supports single player modes as well as 2 or 3-player co-op (Online, LAN, Local, in any combination).

Your mission, should you choose to accept it, is to embark on a series of madcap missions with murder, mayhem, and mischief in mind. With a 20% off launch discount for this first week after launch (ending 10:59 GMT on the 9th of April), this is the kind of no-brainer operation that even a rookie agent could successfully complete. Get smart!
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inc09nito: Yes, exactly.That is what i was trying to say between the lines. good someone put it bluntly.
So: "users using Linux"... ok, that will be like 5% of us? Yeah, big loss for GOG....
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jpolastre: Not exactly. Yes I suppose Linux users comprise roughly 5% of all computers users but it would be naive to assume none of them would be able or willing to boot Windows up for a couple hours of gaming, then back to Linux for anything else. So I believe some of GOG's current customers are avid Linux adopters already.
There are lost sales indeed, but are they high enough to justify the cost of supporting Linux? Maybe they are or maybe in the future they'll become high enough, but I have no information to claim either way.
I think it would be nice to at least have access to a Linux port if it exists for the game I buy. I don't expect GOG to support it or even make Linux binaries downloadable as an actual version of the game, because at this point, that wouldn't be a very practical decision. But my god at least as an extra in the downloads or made available through the developers. Linux is unfortunately still too fractured to be get the attention that a Windows or Mac port gets and this is coming from someone who really enjoys using their Linux system. But I would still love to have access. I mean, I like to keep my Linux system pretty slim, so I wouldn't have any interest in playing the Witcher 2 or something like that on there if it were multi-platform. But certain games, I would really like to be able to at least have the option of trying. I want to be able to say "Hey, I bought your game and I hear there's a Linux version soo can we work something out here?"
Post edited April 03, 2013 by usingalovelytune
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jpolastre: Not exactly. Yes I suppose Linux users comprise roughly 5% of all computers users but it would be naive to assume none of them would be able or willing to boot Windows up for a couple hours of gaming, then back to Linux for anything else. So I believe some of GOG's current customers are avid Linux adopters already.
There are lost sales indeed, but are they high enough to justify the cost of supporting Linux? Maybe they are or maybe in the future they'll become high enough, but I have no information to claim either way.
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usingalovelytune: I think it would be nice to at least have access to a Linux port if it exists for the game I buy. I don't expect GOG to support it or even make Linux binaries downloadable as an actual version of the game, because at this point, that wouldn't be a very practical decision. But my god at least as an extra in the downloads or made available through the developers. Linux is unfortunately still too fractured to be get the attention that a Windows or Mac port gets and this is coming from someone who really enjoys using their Linux system. But I would still love to have access. I mean, I like to keep my Linux system pretty slim, so I wouldn't have any interest in playing the Witcher 2 or something like that on there if it were multi-platform. But certain games, I would really like to be able to at least have the option of trying. I want to be able to say "Hey, I bought your game and I hear there's a Linux version soo can we work something out here?"
+1

Linux is used for all sort of appliances, like media centers, which usually do not have a lot of resources, but most games sold here would be a perfect match.

When you buy a game here that comes with a linux binary elsewhere you just get less for your money.
I have yet to see a single linux user requesting full support for all linux variants, we just want to be able to download the executable.

I literally have more than half of the GOG catalog, but their attitude towards linux customers is starting to annoy me. I'd rather support Steam when they provide what GOG does not.
Post edited April 03, 2013 by chrisaq
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inc09nito: Yes, exactly.That is what i was trying to say between the lines. good someone put it bluntly.
So: "users using Linux"... ok, that will be like 5% of us? Yeah, big loss for GOG....
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TheEnigmaticT: Evidence suggests slightly less than 1.5% of all computing devices use Linux.
Evidence suggests that Steam provides what you do not.
Linux has already overtaken MacOS on Steam, which is a platform you decided to support.
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usingalovelytune: ....
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chrisaq: +1

Linux is used for all sort of appliances, like media centers, which usually do not have a lot of resources, but most games sold here would be a perfect match.

When you buy a game here that comes with a linux binary elsewhere you just get less for your money.
I have yet to see a single linux user requesting full support for all linux variants, we just want to be able to download the executable.

I literally have more than half of the GOG catalog, but their attitude towards linux customers is starting to annoy me. I'd rather support Steam when they provide what GOG does not.
Less for your money? Then how about this: I buy a modern GPU (those things aren't cheap if you care to know), install Linux and... guess what: I can't play 98% of games out there... I let Beryl/Compiz be the most advanced graphics application I ever use :> And I run some crappy Linux drivers on it (we know how nVidia and AMD care about Linux drivers, don't we?) Wouldn't that be "less for my money"?
So yeah, I say: Linux is waste of gamer's time and - paradoxically - his money (though it comes for free).
And I like Linux, don't get me wrong, I was using it for years when I was studying, but as soon as I started playing, I realized that I had to choose between gaming and Linux. If I had chosen Linux, I certainly wouldn't have been here.
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chrisaq: Evidence suggests that Steam provides what you do not.
Check it again please. Steam supports Ubuntu, if you use any other flavour, you are on your own. I'd rather have support than another platform for something I pay for, but that's probably just me. Feel free to correct me if steam supports another linux flavour, if there is any official support at all of course.

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chrisaq: Linux has already overtaken MacOS on Steam, which is a platform you decided to support.
Steam for Linux claims 2.5% use linux on steam, while 3.3% use MacOS.
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chrisaq: Evidence suggests that Steam provides what you do not.
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JMich: Check it again please. Steam supports Ubuntu, if you use any other flavour, you are on your own. I'd rather have support than another platform for something I pay for, but that's probably just me. Feel free to correct me if steam supports another linux flavour, if there is any official support at all of course.

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chrisaq: Linux has already overtaken MacOS on Steam, which is a platform you decided to support.
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JMich: Steam for Linux claims 2.5% use linux on steam, while 3.3% use MacOS.
Steam supports linux in the way that linux users have asked GOG to support linux, provide the binaries, and we will make it work. In addition, Steam also has official support for ubuntu. Only a non-linux-user will make a point of this, most linux variants already have Steam installers based on the one provided by Valve.

Yes, you're right, it hasn't passed MacOS yet, but it most likely will in a few months.
Thats after 3 months of linux and several years of macos.
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chrisaq: Steam supports linux in the way that linux users have asked GOG to support linux, provide the binaries, and we will make it work. In addition, Steam also has official support for ubuntu. Only a non-linux-user will make a point of this, most linux variants already have Steam installers based on the one provided by Valve.
So let me get this straight. Steam supports Ubuntu the same way it supports Windows 7 and Mac OS, but you wish for GOG to support linux less than it supports the other platforms? Or have I missed the steam support section that supports the games themselves, and doesn't direct you to the developers/publishers for support?

You wish for GOG to sell a product for a platform they can't support (yet) if you choose "linux" as platform, or to only support part of the platform, if you choose "ubuntu" as the linux subgroup. If all you wish is the linux binaries, without support, then GOG can't sell those.

And yes, I am a non-linux user, have used it before, then dropped it once my university courses were complete. But the point I keep making is that a store shouldn't be selling a product they don't support. They should either offer the files for free, with no support, or offer support for any product they sell.
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chrisaq: Steam supports linux in the way that linux users have asked GOG to support linux, provide the binaries, and we will make it work. In addition, Steam also has official support for ubuntu. Only a non-linux-user will make a point of this, most linux variants already have Steam installers based on the one provided by Valve.
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JMich: So let me get this straight. Steam supports Ubuntu the same way it supports Windows 7 and Mac OS, but you wish for GOG to support linux less than it supports the other platforms? Or have I missed the steam support section that supports the games themselves, and doesn't direct you to the developers/publishers for support?

You wish for GOG to sell a product for a platform they can't support (yet) if you choose "linux" as platform, or to only support part of the platform, if you choose "ubuntu" as the linux subgroup. If all you wish is the linux binaries, without support, then GOG can't sell those.

And yes, I am a non-linux user, have used it before, then dropped it once my university courses were complete. But the point I keep making is that a store shouldn't be selling a product they don't support. They should either offer the files for free, with no support, or offer support for any product they sell.
Here's the answer for you to get everything straight:
Yes. I would rather have GOG give us the binaries with no promised support than not have them at all.

I don't understand why you think it has to be all or nothing, you're making something very simple into something very complicated. There is no law banning bundling unsupported linux binaries with a windows game.
Several companies have provided linux binaries for their games without official support, ID being one of them.
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TheEnigmaticT: Evidence suggests slightly less than 1.5% of all computing devices use Linux.
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chrisaq: Evidence suggests that Steam provides what you do not.
Linux has already overtaken MacOS on Steam, which is a platform you decided to support.
Steam provides a number of things that we don't. And vice versa. I'm not advocating that you must buy games from GOG.com if you use Linux. I completely understand your point and it makes sense that you're not happy about the fact that GOG.com doesn't give you builds for the games that you want to buy in your OS of choice. The fact remains that, until we can support Linux in a manner that is consistent with GOG.com's high standard of service, we won't be selling Linux games.

So yes, please do buy from Steam if they have everything you want. And you're even welcome to come here and explain why you did it; your opinion is just as valid as anyone else's. I hope, if you get Signal Ops from Steam, that you enjoy the heck out of the game. I haven't played it, but it looks pretty sweet.

In the mean time, we're continuing to evaluate our options on how we can move to supporting Linux and actually turn a profit at it--we're a business, after all--and we appreciate hearing your feedback on your desire to get games from GOG.com for Linux. We're not dismissing your opinion, we simply can't provide what you want from us at the moment. Hopefully you understand and, when we're selling a game that you can easily port to Linux yourself (a DOSBox game, for example), you'll still consider picking it up if it is a game you want.
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chrisaq: Evidence suggests that Steam provides what you do not.
Linux has already overtaken MacOS on Steam, which is a platform you decided to support.
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TheEnigmaticT: Steam provides a number of things that we don't. And vice versa. I'm not advocating that you must buy games from GOG.com if you use Linux. I completely understand your point and it makes sense that you're not happy about the fact that GOG.com doesn't give you builds for the games that you want to buy in your OS of choice. The fact remains that, until we can support Linux in a manner that is consistent with GOG.com's high standard of service, we won't be selling Linux games.

So yes, please do buy from Steam if they have everything you want. And you're even welcome to come here and explain why you did it; your opinion is just as valid as anyone else's. I hope, if you get Signal Ops from Steam, that you enjoy the heck out of the game. I haven't played it, but it looks pretty sweet.

In the mean time, we're continuing to evaluate our options on how we can move to supporting Linux and actually turn a profit at it--we're a business, after all--and we appreciate hearing your feedback on your desire to get games from GOG.com for Linux. We're not dismissing your opinion, we simply can't provide what you want from us at the moment. Hopefully you understand and, when we're selling a game that you can easily port to Linux yourself (a DOSBox game, for example), you'll still consider picking it up if it is a game you want.
Thank you for a well written reply.

My only gripe with GOG is that you're not providing binaries for games that have existing native clients for linux. Business wise, in many cases these would also be freely available as long as you licenced the game.
Everything else you got spot on, DRM-free being the one thing i like most.

As for Dosbox and Scummvm games, I've bought more than 80 of those on GOG :)
Post edited April 03, 2013 by chrisaq
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chrisaq: Evidence suggests that Steam provides what you do not.
Linux has already overtaken MacOS on Steam, which is a platform you decided to support.
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TheEnigmaticT: Steam provides a number of things that we don't. And vice versa. I'm not advocating that you must buy games from GOG.com if you use Linux. I completely understand your point and it makes sense that you're not happy about the fact that GOG.com doesn't give you builds for the games that you want to buy in your OS of choice. The fact remains that, until we can support Linux in a manner that is consistent with GOG.com's high standard of service, we won't be selling Linux games.

So yes, please do buy from Steam if they have everything you want. And you're even welcome to come here and explain why you did it; your opinion is just as valid as anyone else's. I hope, if you get Signal Ops from Steam, that you enjoy the heck out of the game. I haven't played it, but it looks pretty sweet.

In the mean time, we're continuing to evaluate our options on how we can move to supporting Linux and actually turn a profit at it--we're a business, after all--and we appreciate hearing your feedback on your desire to get games from GOG.com for Linux. We're not dismissing your opinion, we simply can't provide what you want from us at the moment. Hopefully you understand and, when we're selling a game that you can easily port to Linux yourself (a DOSBox game, for example), you'll still consider picking it up if it is a game you want.
It's awesome to see GOG waiting until they can carry over said standard of service to the Linux platform if it does come. Certainly a worthwhile reason to hold out in the meantime, I think. And it will certainly pay off in the long run for Linux users.