In the last couple of days I have come across something interesting ... disturbing really, in regard to Offline Installers.
I wonder how many of you, have seen an Update notification for a game you own at GOG, only to check it out and see that the file name(s) for the update, haven't changed, so have then presumed they haven't been updated? You could be forgiven for thinking that, because that should really be the case.
However, I have discovered while getting up-to-date with the games I own at GOG, that GOG can do an update, but not change the file name(s). And worse still, in many instances the file size remains unchanged too.
It is only when you compare the checksum value(s), that the truth comes to light.
I'm lucky, I have a database which keeps a record of file names, file sizes and checksums. So when I load my list of files to download, that database is checked, and any I've already downloaded, don't populate my download list, if I have that enabled.
Unfortunately, the way I had things setup with one option, was that I was relying on just the file name plus file size as the check. I've now fixed that after discovering the following.
After noting the update indicator, I updated the manifest entry for the game The Witcher 2 - Assassins of Kings Enhanced Edition, and then populated my download list. I was expecting either no downloads or all downloads. What I got was some downloads. Now if that had just been Mac or Linux files, then that would have also been in the expected range.
What was listed, was the following.
setup_the_witcher_2_-_assassins_of_kings_enhanced_edition_3.5.0.26g_(64109).exe
setup_the_witcher_2_-_assassins_of_kings_enhanced_edition_3.5.0.26g_(64109)-1.bin
setup_the_witcher_2_-_assassins_of_kings_enhanced_edition_3.5.0.26g_(64109)-6.bin
Which was kind of surprising. What about the other four files, why weren't they listed?
setup_the_witcher_2_-_assassins_of_kings_enhanced_edition_3.5.0.26g_(64109)-2.bin
setup_the_witcher_2_-_assassins_of_kings_enhanced_edition_3.5.0.26g_(64109)-3.bin
setup_the_witcher_2_-_assassins_of_kings_enhanced_edition_3.5.0.26g_(64109)-4.bin
setup_the_witcher_2_-_assassins_of_kings_enhanced_edition_3.5.0.26g_(64109)-5.bin
Upon investigation, I discovered that all seven files had the same file names as the previous version.
What was different, was the file sizes for the first three listed above had changed, and no change for the other four.
However, when I compared checksum (MD5) values, all had changed.
Now initially I thought GOG must have changed something, because a file or two needed to be fixed etc for something. I had presumed in the past, that just that updated file needed replacing, and my recollection of checksum values does indeed indicate that. Clearly there is much more to it this time around, because every file has changed to some degree.
Now just to be doubly sure, I also checked the file names when downloading using my browser, instead of the downloading program (gogcli.exe), that I use.
setup_the_witcher_2_-_assassins_of_kings_enhanced_edition_3.5.0.26g_(64109).exe
setup_the_witcher_2_-_assassins_of_kings_enhanced_edition_3.5.0.26g_(64109)-3.bin
As you can see, there is no file name difference.
A bit later, I discovered the same situation with the game Middle-earth™ - Shadow of Mordor™ Game of the Year Edition, so we are definitely not talking a once off.
The following three were reported as changed (file names excepted).
setup_middle-earthtm_shadow_of_mordortm_rc2_(64bit)_(57896).exe
setup_middle-earthtm_shadow_of_mordortm_rc2_(64bit)_(57896)-1.bin
setup_middle-earthtm_shadow_of_mordortm_rc2_(64bit)_(57896)-14.bin
And the other 12 files weren't. So once again, we have a few file size changes, but most weren't. They all however, have different checksum values to previous.
Anyway, while clearly those using Galaxy to install would never be impacted, if set to auto update, those of us who download the Offline Installers, could certainly be impacted in some, perhaps many cases ... certainly if you just grab the updates via your browser or via the Extras option in Galaxy. Those of us lucky enough to have checksum values available to us, might not be impacted, depending of course on how diligent we are.
It is one thing, to not bother changing the file name of an updated file for some two bit program, because you maybe belatedly remembered something you forgot to do, quite another for a large set of files for a game. And really I am only guessing at the timeline, because I certainly didn't grab these updates immediately upon being notified, so I could be grabbing them days or weeks or months later ... I'd allowed updates to fall way behind until recently.
So I am certainly speculating on why GOG don't change file names when they should. Not forgetting that Galaxy users who don't download Offline Installers, wouldn't be impacted.
And as if updates aren't hard enough already to keep up-to-date with ... what with missing changelogs and entries, and not even notifications in many instances, etc.
Post edited November 24, 2024 by Timboli
