Dear forum readers,

Considering the problems I see people complaining about in this game, I'm wondering, is it possible to get a pre-Paradox version ? I don't care about the DLCs, either they're severely buggy or they break immersion.

I used to play the game before it was bought by Paradox, and I have good memories. I would like to enjoy this game without the Paradox taint, is that possible ?

go to (your account name)
Games
Prison Architect
more
support
Contact us
https://support.gog.com/hc/en-us/requests/new?game=1441974651&product=gog
and ask for the previous version you want

hope that helps

Near as I'm aware the last version before Paradox crammed the launcher into it was 1.03 "The Slammer", released October 2019. Or at least, that's when the version in my Humble library stopped getting updates. Blessing in disguise, really. Sadly the DRM-free version on Humble was only available as a part of past bundle sales so that's no longer an option, but hopefully having a version number to go on might be of some help.

Almost one year since I posted, and I have to confess I haven’t seriously returned to this game yet. However, I have the intention of playing the latest version w/o any DLC (not even the free one) and see how it goes. In particular, there’s the dreaded “CEO bug” which seems to have been introduced by the Cleared For transfer DLC, and I’m curious to know if it’s still here without installing that DLC.

The (automatic) gog support isn't helping very much.
Could somebody explain how to get the pre Paradox version?
The game is completely unbearable the way they have it done.

I don’t think that’s possible on GOG. It’s not listed in the offline installers that’s for sure, and I don’t think it’s available through Galaxy either…

I was able to secure a Pre-Paradox Version using Steam (there is a way to download older releases).

could you tell me if the steam pre paradox version is drm-free? So no steam required for playing?

thank you in advance.

Cheers

Just FYI:

The Last pre paradox build (in gog it was called "multiplayer -4f") is available through the GOG Galaxy Beta channel.

Check the attached screenshot for more info.

Cheers

The last version I have the offline installer for was "update 14k" which was July 2018. I believe there was a update 15 that added the ability to climb trees etc and then the update after was multiplayer.

I don't use galaxy at all and didn't know at the time they were going to paradox else I would have been sure to get the offline installers for the final introversion version of this game.

To my knowledge there is no way of getting the older ones. The GoG support system currently is absolutely awful. it used to be really easy to get to a person now, good luck.

If anyone knows how we can get the final version which should be August 2018 or "update" 15 it would be good. I don't think asking GoG (if you can get that far) would help but I don't know.

:'(

The final officially released build by the OG devs and before paradox taking over was on 20.12.2018 on both steam nd gog. You can access it through Galaxy. The build on gog is named "multiplayer -4f". See my previous post.

I myself don't use Galaxy generally too. However it's the only way currently to access older builds. After installing pa "multiplayer -4f" build, I copied/baked the installation folder, made an archiv/.zip of it and uninstalled the Galaxy client. Thus, I have a back up and I am not Galaxy dependant anymore.

Cheers

Additional info:
Gog history of builds released:
https://www.gogdb.org/product/1441974651#builds

Steam update history:
https://store.steampowered.com/news/app/233450?updates=true

Thank you for that. So I would need to install Galaxy, go to the beta option whereever that is as I've never used it, install prison architect version I want and remembering to specify a directory so it's not where my other things normally are, then because PA is just files in the same directory, copy that then logout of galaxy and uninstall galaxy.

The only problem I have is because I've never even used galaxy I don't know if it will make any kind of mess for anything I already have installed or set in my library. I am guessing no but I'm not not tempted to even try.

Does galaxy "do" anything when you first install and login? Like does it change anything you have on your HD already installed in the GoG folders and try to auto update anything? I have lots of things from GoG already installed with their offline installers.

Hopefully Galaxy does absolutely nothing whatsoever to anything. You install it, you login, it shows you your library, you go to find where this beta thread thing is on Prison architect and then use galaxy to install it and then logout and uninstall galaxy.

Because I have the installer for Update 14 which is really close and really I am only missing out features of update 15 as I don't care about multiplayer whatsoever, I could just keep that and..... well.bad luck to me.

I am just apprehensive of installing galaxy. It's not something I ever want to use and even installing it, installing PA and uninstalling is an unknown to me currently..........

it is really silly GoG does not have an option of previous version in their menu for the offline installers. Now with Introversions The Last Starship I will carefully watch the updates and get every one incase they do the same and sell it off after they finish.

Hey,

1. I can't guarantee you that Galaxy won't change your already installed gog games. For me it didn't. Make sure to install Galaxy in a different directory away from your games installations.

2. It could be the case that you need to basically first install the current PA version (basically just clicking directly the install button) and afterwords downgrading to "multiplayer -4f". Then back it. I myself am not Galaxy guru and already forgot if I was able to directly install the build I want or I had to first install the latest one and the downgrade. I was just aware of the existence of the feature to switch to past builds.

3. The Galaxy client from my limited use of it is imo not very cool. I find it a little heavy on the system.

4. I created a support ticket asking for offline installers for builds "multiplayer -4f" or "15b". Will write in this thread if they answer me.

Too risky. I can't have galaxy mess up anything I already have or try to update anything.

Hopefully GoG will give us access to 15b and and -4f but I doubt it.

Looks like I need to stick with update 14 which is what I have the offline installer for.

Thank you for looking into this and for putting in a support ticket but I doubt GoG will come to the party.

Interesting… but I suspect it’s an old alpha version, isn’t it ? So not really what was released in the stable branch at the time…

Anyway, it would be good if gogdb could give us the Galaxy download links as well. If properly authenticated on GOG’s website (and provided the game is in the library of course), that may work and remove the undesirable necessity to install Galaxy.