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General discussionOpen letter to GOG(8 posts)(8 posts)
(8 posts)
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This is my favourite topic
Posted May 11, 2017
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Miljac: Being optional and non intrusive is the way to go. Some say you should leave checkbox to install it unchecked by default, and that would be much better. But even better (my personal opinion) would be if you only included download link to galaxy. That way, you will not bloat installer with galaxy client.
I'm just a member of Galaxy Client development team (formerly website team) and I don't think I can answer most of your concerns.

About including Galaxy Client installer - yeah, including all of it in the game installer is probably not the most optimized solution.
I think it's nice for it to be seamless, so it wouldn't require new users to click the link, download and install manually, but simply have a checkbox for that.

It would be really nice to have (optional to run) galaxy-client-downloading functionality in the game installers instead of having Galaxy Client installer embedded there. We'll see how that turns out in the future. The advantage here is having it working totally offline.
Post edited May 11, 2017 by Johny.
Posted May 11, 2017
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Johny.: (...)
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Lord_Kane: I hope this does not mean to imply you would get rid of game installers...
I never thought of it... Thanks, that's a brilliant idea! :D

Just kidding. :P Added the word "optional" to my post above.
Post edited May 11, 2017 by Johny.
Posted May 11, 2017
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Lin545: Does this mean, you are going to re-implement everything on the website into client, and then - abandon the website? I hope it doesn't...
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russellskanne: He means that the website team IS the galaxy team now. Or do you think otherwise considering the actual state of the site?
LOL :D While Lin545 was clearly joking, russellskanne: this is not the case. I am a lonely migrant. :P

About other posts on page 2 - I think I've already targeted those concerns in my first post here (and chatted with mechmouse). Thanks for your feedback. :)
I agree that for users that are backing up installers - it's a waste of space to have full client installer bundled in the game installer.
Post edited May 11, 2017 by Johny.
Posted May 11, 2017
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Johny.: It would be really nice to have (optional to run) galaxy-client-downloading functionality in the game installers instead of having Galaxy Client installer embedded there. We'll see how that turns out in the future. The advantage here is having it working totally offline.
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Telika: I'd be interested in a 100% honest answer to this :

Why do you need to have the "galaxy-client-downloading functionality" in the game installers rather in the game-downloading interface of the website itself ?

In other words why do you place this check and option at the level of already downloaded EXEs, instead of placing it that the level of obligatory "select download" procedure on your website (another convenient bottleneck which is a just as unavoidable as the install process itself, but would spare you to have to tweak each indiviual game packaging) ?
I'm not the perfect person to ask, but I guess for users that just download the game they have just bought (my guess - most of the users ;) ), and we want them to easily have Galaxy Client installed (optionally) and have their games up-to-date with cloud saves etc.
Post edited May 11, 2017 by Johny.
Posted May 12, 2017
I just wanted to post one more response here, but I'll just link Destro's post:

https://www.gog.com/forum/general/offline_installers_with_an_option_to_install_gog_galaxy/post929
Posted May 12, 2017
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Telika: Also my question about "why catching tech-challenged galaxy users at install level instead of download level" has not been answered.

I still don't see any benefit to it, compared to the other option which would not have triggered this outrage, and would not have required to tweak and bloat all the installer exes.

Well, no benefit apart from fishing amongst the pirates (the only ones who'd skip the website's download button).

So, still asking. Why this choice, between the two ways of achieving the same (explicit) goal ?
It's adding another step between having your game on the disk - on which the user have to think. Some ofthe users don't know what Galaxy is, and asking them about Galaxy on each download would be uncomfortable to them. Checkbox in GOG-branded installer is better for the experience. In my opinion, we'd have to ask a real UX specialist. :)

Still, please see Destro's answer I linked above.
Post edited May 12, 2017 by Johny.
Posted May 12, 2017

Here's what I propose. Rather than changing the standalone installers, make the following site changes:

1- When someone signs up for an account, add a "What now?" section offering a download link for Galaxy & illustrating how to use it. Also mention the offline installers, and the difference between them. Mention the free games that are automatically added to new accounts & suggest that the user try them out to see how things work. Send a "welcome" email to the new user with this info as well.

2- When someone makes a purchase, add a "What now?" section offering a download link for Galaxy & illustrating how to use it. Also mention the offline installers, and the difference between them.

3- When accessing the library on the website for the first time, introduce a pop-up reminder about Galaxy that needs to be dismissed before download links are offered.

4- Add to the Galaxy client a means to initiate game downloads via the browser (similar to how Steam can with steam:// links) and offer those links by default, requiring the user to specifically choose the offline installers (and make the site remember this choice so it doesn't get annoying).

5- When someone downloads "backup" installers through Galaxy, have the client check for the latest Galaxy client installer and if it isn't found, ask the user if they would like to download that as well.

If you really must make changes to the installers, add a simple pop-up to the installers explaining what Galaxy is and offering a link to the Galaxy download page, or just add an entry for it to the carousel. Only do this for newer installers & when installers are being updated for other reasons, though.
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adamhm: Wouldn't something like this be a lot better as well as a lot less work to implement?
Everything that adds more steps is most probably not better for UX. :) Especially that after you make a purchase, you just click to go to account and download it.

Popup on website is also just no good. We could make 5 popups about various things then.

We have links to Galaxy protocol ( goggalaxy://installGame/<GAME_ID>,en also launchGame and openGameView) and they'll be used at some point on the website, but Galaxy detection in browsers is not trivial. One click could start game installation just after buying the game.
Posted May 12, 2017
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Johny.: Everything that adds more steps is most probably not better for UX. :) Especially that after you make a purchase, you just click to go to account and download it.

Popup on website is also just no good. We could make 5 popups about various things then.

We have links to Galaxy protocol ( goggalaxy://installGame/<GAME_ID>,en also launchGame and openGameView) and they'll be used at some point on the website, but Galaxy detection in browsers is not trivial. One click could start game installation just after buying the game.
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richlind33: Your problems don't lie with the installers, they lie with the site design, which is sub-optimal to say the least. Christ, you don't even mention to download ALL the files and THEN doubleclick the 1st one. And "Try Galaxy" isn't doing yourselves any favors, either. It should be something like "Quick and Easy Installation", with the offline installers on a separate page, call it "Manual Downloading and Installation". You do it that way and you force customers to make a more informed choice.
Are you saying that significant amount of users have problems understanding how they should download and install a game after buying it?
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This is my favourite topic
Community
General discussionOpen letter to GOG(8 posts)(8 posts)
(8 posts)