Hello!

I'm looking for a reputable online game store and I think GOG and Steam would meet the criteria. I would have just used GOG only for their DRM-free games but I noticed some games are not available on GOG, so I need to use Steam as well.

I would like to be able to download the EXE and BIN files directly, without using a dedicated store Downloader from GOG/Steam. (Not to be confused with a download manager like Accelerator Plus, this has nothing to do with third party download managers) I know some stores forced the customer to use their dedicated downloader with no other option to download.

My question is do I have the ability to download the EXE and BIN files directly from both GOG and Steam? Thank you.

to GameBoomers rollei

Steam requires their client to play but they have a few DRM free games as well. It all depends on the game.

Ana

I don't think there is any way to download a Steam game without using their client.

Steam is not a 'game store' like others, who let you download 'EXE and BIN'. There are no BIN and no installators!
It is a platform - Steam installs the game itself, no need to seek 'EXE and BIN'.

Thank you, ALL for your replies.

Oh, I didn't know much about Steam. I need further clarifications:

1. For Steam, did it mean I need to install something (software) from Steam in order for Steam to be able to install the game on my computer?

2. For GOG, am I able to download EXE and BIN files direct?

Thank you!

Yes you need the Steam client to download and install.
Once installed, some Steam games allow you to copy the game folder to somewhere else and play from it. That's what they consider "DRM-Free."
http://steam.wikia.com/wiki/List_of_DRM-free_games


Yes.
The GOG Galaxy client is optional.
The automated installer is optional.

Thank you for the info. GOG looks good. I like it that I can download the EXE and BIN so that if GOG close shop or if they decide to withdraw a game, I still have the softcopy that I can install when I want to play the game again in future. The DRM-free is bonus. The only problem with GOG is they don't have all the adventure games. I was looking for Art of Murder, Lost Horizon and AR-K - The Great Escape at GOG and they don't have it.

I'm new to Steam's business model, I will need to research more before I decide to use them.

You can download the EXE and BIN, for all games, from FireFlower Games as well.

Thank you. It is great to be able to download EXE and BIN. That's a nice site and all games are DRM-free too! I hope you will add more adventure games to the store, especially the new release ones.

Here's a few more sites that offer DRM free & direct downloads.

Adventure Gamers Store
Humble Store
ShinyLoot
GamersGate

Some of them do sell Steam keys, so make sure its a DRM free game, and you'll be alright.

It should be added though that GOG uses their own wrapper to the exe and bin files. There are ways to "unwrap" this after download but there really is no need. And the built in integrity check of the GOG file(s) is a bonus.

Gamersgate uses (or at least used the last time I bought a game from them) their own DRM even on "DRM-free" games. You must be connected to the internet to install. There are workarounds, but I think it's a bit misleading of Gamersgate to call some of the games they sell DRM free.

Thank you for the insight on all the games store.

GOG - don't have all the adventure games or at least the ones I'm looking for
Adventure Gamers Store - sounds promising, I visit their site often, didn't know they have a game store, anyone highly recommend this store?
Gamersgate - based on the above, since there are DRM-free choices, it sounds pointless to use them

The rest of the stores are new to me. I buy boxed games previously, switching to download games now. I hope to use one store only, instead of multiple stores. The big concern is the store shutting down and I will lose all my games at that store.

Glad that you like it. We are always looking for new (and old) adventure games to add. Feel free to make suggestions in our forum if there is a game you would like to see on FireFlower.

Another DRM-free site is DotEMU.com
They have a few games that never showed up on GOG, like Vampyre Story and Salammbo.
But they don't have AR-K or the other games you're looking for.


They are new, but I've bought games there that GOG didn't have, such as Journey Down and Tormentum, and haven't had any problem with them.


With Steam that isn't the only concern. People have lost their accounts due to Steam's poor security. Whether you can get customer support and get your account back seems to be a matter of luck. For example, this recent thread
http://www.gameboomers.com/forum/ubbthreads.php/topics/1024952/Steam
And you can Google for
lost Steam account
to find a lot of horror stories, where some people are treated fairly and others are treated like dirt.

Unfortunately Steam may be the only download choice for the games you're looking for. The Art of Murder and Lost Horizon games had boxed versions at one point. Maybe you could find copies from Amazon or eBay.

I'm a member of both GOG and Steam. I only have 3 games on Steam (and a gift card I have been totally unable to get help there to use) and recently I have been unable to play any of my games on Steam due to their changing how you get to their site (in order to protect users). They don't allow you to word your problems in order to explain what you have difficulty with. You are forced to use a drop down to TRY and locate something that says what your problem is and this is COMPLETELY frustrating. I bought Tex Murphy and The Tesla Effect there and I LOVE Tex, but cannot get this game to play at all. I hadn't been to GOG for a year, but all my games play without any problem and there doesn't seem to be any problems with people hijacking your games there (a problem at Steam though not my problem). Plus, GOG allows you to put your games on disc, though I haven't done it with all of my games there. I have had about 20 responses generated by Steam's seemingly 'automated system' and NOT ONE has helped me fix my problem. They do not acknowledge either of my email addresses, even though they keep responding to both of them. Nor do they like any of their own passwords they provide just so I can get things corrected. Boy, do I need Tex to help me although he's only 11 years old in our time!

BubbaJake, what do you mean by this: due to their changing how you get to their site ? I haven't see any change.

Apparently, they're TRYING to stop hijackers and people have to get a 'Steam guard code' (a 5 number and letter code like Nz234 that they supply) and that's where I'm stuck since it's harder to get a code that works than becoming a member of Steam.

You can opt out of Steam Guard, but it is protection against someone trying to steal your account. I have had a code emailed to me a few times when Steam was accessed by a different computer in the house. I had no problem using the code.

I only go online with one PC, so that doesn't apply to me. My other PC has no connection to the internet and I am the only one using it for old games. They refused to send any email to my correct address (only the wrong one)and when I tried changing to that one (since they continued to send the codes to that one) they never worked. I have about 20 of them. NONE of them ever worked. You are fortunate yours worked since no one ever responds and the wording on their drop downs never approaches just what my problem is when I complain.

BubbaJake do you use the copy and paste option with the code? I get the code and I never type it in just copy and paste.

I've had codes emailed to me on occasion though I don't know why really but so far no problems with them. I will be setting up a second computer soon and I do hope to use both of them with Steam. I sure hope I don't run into a problem. I do hate reading the problems people have with it.

I've never seen any mention about Steam Guard or opting out of it. Don't know if the codes I've received are the same or not.

It sounds like BubbaJake's account is completely messed up. The only solution may be to create a completely new account and have everything transferred. Sometimes database problems with corrupted accounts are so complex the only way to fix them is to start over. But BubbaJake can't do that on his own.

There is a problem with which email his account is associated with, but that doesn't seem to be the only problem. The email problem may or may not be related to the problem with codes not working. For whatever reason, the system didn't accept his email change -- which it should have. And if he's not able to use any of the 20 codes he's been sent, I doubt the problem is related to typing every single one of them in wrong. More likely they're not properly associated with his account -- or his account is corrupted to the point it can't accept codes.

You never know whether a company's customer support is any good or not until you actually have problems -- serious problems that can't be solved by a simplistic "dropdown" approach. People who "never had a problem" and never had to contact support can only imagine what it's like to be stonewalled at every attempt to get help.

It's issues like this that differentiate Steam from sites like Big Fish. With Big Fish, you may have to use their client to install their games, but a human ALWAYS gets back to you if you have support problems.