exiledemulator: I haven't tried installing any of my games yet I wasn't sure if I'm missing software to run anything or if GOG installers search for them automatically; when I downloaded Ravenous Devils it searched for an installer I forget which one but it was a graphic API that I had to download to install that game. That was on my original laptop. I'm asking around because I Just got a fresh new laptop without anything on it, I haven't been able to get back on my original laptop due to hard drive problems, I wanted to look through my programs for reference when I got that laptop several years ago it came with C++ and DX I think 9 or 10 preinstalled when I first used GOG everything ran like it was suppose to. I knew I was forgetting something like the C++ my question is should I download that separately or would the offline installer just detect it when attempting to download the game?

exiledemulator: When I download a game will it automatically come with a Direct X as part of the download package or do I have to download it separately?

pds41: I'd recommend separately installing DirectX 9.0c first if you haven't installed any pre DX10 games on your PC. You should only ever need to do this once per windows install.

https://www.microsoft.com/en-gb/download/details.aspx?id=8109

rtcvb32: in my experience, DirectX, re-distributables, and everything needed is included and forcibly installed after the game is done. (Nevermind you can't have a 'skip' option for obviously things you don't need again...)

EverNightX: I would never expect a store to get involved with installing things on my PC that are not the game I bought.

exiledemulator: Bottom line will the installer auto search for all the re-distributable's?

vv221: This is what I have always said about GOG Galaxy.

EverNightX: What likely happens is the game installer runs (for example) the DirectX installer and the DX installer can then decide to do the install or not based on if it sees that version of its libraries already present.
Either way I would not worry about it. Running the installer multiple times is not going to cause harm. I would run your game installer without worrying about installing anything on your own ahead of time (other than Windows Updates). The installer is very likely going to make sure you have what you need. But if you do that and for some reason the game doesn't play you can then ask about that game specifically.

I attempted to download one of my games it installed the game itself with the shortcut but wouldn't activate it didn't download Direct X or search for necessary software I will have to download C++ and Direct X manually. Its strange I had one game from here on my last laptop automatically scan for what it needed maybe because it needed an upgrade of dependables?

EverNightX: OK, but I'm just talking about the game installers. Galaxy is a separate program you choose to get or not. I think that's fine. If it came bundled w/ the offline game installers then that would be unwanted.

neumi5694: On a fresh installation I would suggest first to update to the newest Windows version (don't turn off auto updates), install the latest graphics and audio drivers, maybe DirectX (it's one installer for all versions) and the C++ redistributable package. For most games that should be enough. Other components like .Net are maintained by Windows automatically.

There really is no "should". Just download the games installer and try it.

If you keep your system up to date, most likely you will never encounter any problems.

Thinking about DX I remember how we had to forcefully stop the installer included in Tomb Raider CD from being executed, the included DX5 installer would overwrite DX7 without asking. Nowadays all versions exist side by side.

timppu: By the way, is all this still relevant or even possible on Windows 11, ie. "thou shalt installeth thee DirectX9.0c runtime-blaa-blaa-blaa, or else your old (GOG) games won't run...".

Ie. is there any difference in Windows 11 in this regard, compared to Windows 10 or even Windows 7? Or all those same linked packages are required in all of them?

timppu: By the way, is all this still relevant or even possible on Windows 11

exiledemulator: These should be correct to launch game installers right?

or do I also need the 2012 through 2014 C++ also someone gave me a link to a site that had all redistributable packs for all those years but on microsoft its 2015 I Just want to make sure this is good enough to launch most games.

sanscript: The thing is, different games needs different libraries. If it's a new computer you might as well install everything and be done with it. VC++ 2015 is just not enough.

However, if it's an older computer you've used and played on just for a while just download and install the game you want to play. Odds are - everything is just fine.

If you get into trouble running the game, create a new thread or continue here, and then we'll take a look at it then. It's better to work on a specific game or a problem rather than trying to engulf them all at the same time.

Darvond: It's times like this that make me glad the graphical APIs are part of the default system package, and not sold separately.

EverNightX: I'm not sure what you mean. They are implemented by graphics drivers and graphics hardware. They don't have to do with an OS.