Hi there,

i have the retail DVD version, but 4.99 $ for an already updated version of TW1 without DRM and nice goodies and without the need to dig deep in my cellar to get the DVDs ... well, i bought it. So far, so good. I downloaded the game with the new GOG-downloader, i downloaded the files with the browser. Both CRC checks showed no errors. Either way, this GOG.com version has heavy framerate issues, followed by graphic blackouts after 10-15 min., followed by a crash to desktop.

Then i installed the retail version, patched it to 1.5 and voila ... it runs perfect, nice and smooth framerates, no blackouts, no crashes for hours of playtime.

Computer Specs:
AMD Phenom XII 940
4 GB RAM
Nvidia 9800 GTX+, latest WHQL driver
Windows 7, SP 1

Is there a possibility that the GOG version was made from a bugged or damaged source file?

No, it plays fine for me and for many others.

Did you uninstall the old game before installing the GOG one? It sounds like you may be being bitten by configuration settings carried over from the old game.

Yes, this was a fresh install. No old savegames, no old config files. I just de-installed the retail version, deleted all configs, cleaned the registry, restarted the computer and installed the GOG version. After a while (10-15 min) the screen goes dark again for a second, game freezes, followed by frequent chrashes. Very unstable. If i had only this verson, i might be very pissed :)

And i noticed one other interesting thing: Normally the game starts with Geralt and the others standing in the castle entrance. The first fight. Then the other Witchers and Triss run to another position, Geralt aka the player has to follow. With the GOG version, the others do NOT run, they walk, some even stop or cant find their way and you can see Vesemir standing in the background AND talking to Geralt right in front of him in the cutscene.

This GOG version seems totally screwed ...

try redownloading it. I don't have any of those problems and if other people did I bet they would be complaining.

Yeah, they would have indeed.

Downloaded a third time, still the same problems with this version while the retail 1.5 is as fine as always. I give up! Well, at least i have the goodies ... :)

I did two successful installations and runs of the GOG version since your original post.

Neither of them had the retail version installed before. I think a conflict between the GOG build and remnants of the pre-patch retail version that weren't accurately patched over or uninstalled (possibly DirectX or VC++ DLLs) is to blame.

I would try forcibly installing these redistributables, which you can get from Microsoft:

Visual C++ 2005 SP1 (that's the version that TW1 depends on)
DirectX 9 June 2010 (that's the latest)

Sorry, I won't uninstall and reinstall my retail copy just to try this :)