Can i transfer my saved game, from GOG to Steam?

HaleyRocks

Sodbuster
I bought the game at GOG, some time ago. At the time, i knew that GOG already changed both as a service and as mentality/practice (especially concerning DRM-Free), but i didn't know the extent; part of the game, specifically the Multiplayer, was gated behind their "optional" client, called Galaxy...

I used to buy many games on GOG, just because they had been a completely DRM-Free store once and were hellbent on changing the gaming scene, through their "revolution". Post them entering the stockmarket though, they withdrew their rhetorics, silently axed their main pillar (completely DRM-Free gaming without clauses ifs and buts) and tried to force client upon everybody (especially post them cancelling their GOG downloader service).

Had i wanted an inferior quality, way more expensive, Steam-wannabe of a service, i would never go out of my way, outside the convenience of Steam. Long story short, i refuse to use their "optional" client, in order to enjoy the multiplayer part of the game and instead, am strongly inclined to buy a new copy of the game, on Steam. That is why i am asking in advance:

1 Can i utilize my save file from GOG Stardew Valley, in the Steam version of the game?
and
2 Will my in-game achievements transfer over and enable the steam client achievements of the same conditions?

P.S. If i go Multiplayer Mode from Steam, is it cross-platform? Will i be able to play with Steam people only, or others will show up, too?
 
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Lew Zealand

Helper
1. GOG and Steam use the same location on your drive for SDV saves so if you open Steam it will immediately recognize your SDV saves and add them to it's cloud save list. It's almost too easy.

2. No achievements transfer over but then I never used GOG Galaxy so achievements were never tracked other than SDV's internal list.

3/PS. No cross platform multiplayer as Steam uses your Steam ID and GOG uses your GOG/Galaxy ID. These are mutually incompatible.

I haven't seen this DRM-ification of GOG but maybe that because I don't use Galaxy so by definition all my games are DRM-free and don't think I've encountered any restrictions? But yeah if you want to play multiplayer anything other than local co-op SDV, you're stuck using a service of some sort.
 

HaleyRocks

Sodbuster
1. GOG and Steam use the same location on your drive for SDV saves so if you open Steam it will immediately recognize your SDV saves and add them to it's cloud save list. It's almost too easy.

2. No achievements transfer over but then I never used GOG Galaxy so achievements were never tracked other than SDV's internal list.

3/PS. No cross platform multiplayer as Steam uses your Steam ID and GOG uses your GOG/Galaxy ID. These are mutually incompatible.

I haven't seen this DRM-ification of GOG but maybe that because I don't use Galaxy so by definition all my games are DRM-free and don't think I've encountered any restrictions? But yeah if you want to play multiplayer anything other than local co-op SDV, you're stuck using a service of some sort.
Thank you for the reply! This covers it all, sums it up and settles it nicely!

Well, as for the DRM-ification of GOG, it starts at "redefining" DRM-Free, adding dilemmas that shouldn't exist (like "if you want certain features, you must use client or third party logins"), not seeking a completely DRM-Free experience as related to the deals pursued with devs and last but not least, gating content behind online connectivity... The latter was implemented even in their flagship, Cyberpunk, for which lots of people nagged.

The fanbase raised a ruckus, so as of lately, GOG store pages of certain games, list whether or not some aspects of them demand a "non DRM-Free approach" and name them, or if you prefer, are unavailable for the offline installers version. GOG has redefined its "DRM-Free definition" and altered its "approach"? Policies? Like the old core and unofficial ones, that have been gone for a long time.

In order to see which games are not fully DRM-Free, you can always refer to this dedicated thread, there:

 

FilthyGorilla

Local Legend
Yep! It’s actually so easy you don’t really have to do anything. Regardless of launcher the game places the files in the same spots. That means that any launcher will recognize them and you don’t need to do anything extra. (Steam will also put them on the cloud as soon as you first exit the game)
 
I understand almost nothing of the technical or economic things mentioned here, but I too have been wondering for a few days whether I could switch to Steam and my old saves would still be recognised there - good to know.

But what do you mean by "achievements"?

And what is the difference between "multiplayer" and "local co-op"? I've often played co-op with my daughter - I'm on GOG, she's on Steam.

GOG is really pissing me off at the moment because Galaxy keeps asking me to delete saves after every game for some time now. The cloud storage space is said to be 200 MB (huh? so little? why?), but the joke is: the more saves I delete, the more storage space the remaining ones take up. I've now got a ticket from the customer service, but I'm waiting days for an answer.

As long as (allegedly) too much storage space is occupied, Galaxy cannot synchronise. Now I'm worried that I might not get the 1.6 update when it arrives?
 

Lew Zealand

Helper
I understand almost nothing of the technical or economic things mentioned here, but I too have been wondering for a few days whether I could switch to Steam and my old saves would still be recognised there - good to know.

But what do you mean by "achievements"?
In game achievements like Cowpoke and "The Beloved Farmer":


These are also reflected in Steam and it seems GOG Galaxy. Epic Games store does this too. Many people like keeping track of this but as I restarted playing games with GOG offline installers and no Galaxy/Steam game service, I never got into tracking these. Stardew keeps track of these internally though it seems other games (lol that I play?) don't.

And what is the difference between "multiplayer" and "local co-op"? I've often played co-op with my daughter - I'm on GOG, she's on Steam.
Stardew Valley on PC/Mac has it's own built-in way for people sitting on the same local network (your home network) to play together. It's the same exact game if you got it from Steam or GOG (maybe Epic too?) so once you load up the game, the local co-op ignores what service you bought it from.

Steam and GOG Galaxy and Nintendo allow people on different networks (and continents and likely even from the space station!) to play together, but only if they can be identified properly. That's done by the game service so it's Steam-to-Steam or GOG-to-GOG only because Steam and GOG have different ways of identifying you. Like a passport and a driver's license and a Library card. All IDs but incompatible.

GOG is really pissing me off at the moment because Galaxy keeps asking me to delete saves after every game for some time now. The cloud storage space is said to be 200 MB (huh? so little? why?), but the joke is: the more saves I delete, the more storage space the remaining ones take up. I've now got a ticket from the customer service, but I'm waiting days for an answer.

As long as (allegedly) too much storage space is occupied, Galaxy cannot synchronise. Now I'm worried that I might not get the 1.6 update when it arrives?
I'm sorry to hear that, you'll certainly be able to play v1.6 when it comes out as that's just game files that'll download to your computer, but your save sounds like it'll be stuck on that one computer until GOG gives you an answer about your save limitation.

Waitaminute! You've got like 3 and a half thousand SDV saves don't you? OK, I exaggerated. :toothy: But each is about 6-12 MB on my Mac here. Wow you have very likely completely filled your cloud save space with SDV if it's only 200 MB total. Well that is a badge of honor! I do believe you have maxxed out the game that way, congratulations!
 

HaleyRocks

Sodbuster
I understand almost nothing of the technical or economic things mentioned here, but I too have been wondering for a few days whether I could switch to Steam and my old saves would still be recognised there - good to know.

But what do you mean by "achievements"?

And what is the difference between "multiplayer" and "local co-op"? I've often played co-op with my daughter - I'm on GOG, she's on Steam.

GOG is really pissing me off at the moment because Galaxy keeps asking me to delete saves after every game for some time now. The cloud storage space is said to be 200 MB (huh? so little? why?), but the joke is: the more saves I delete, the more storage space the remaining ones take up. I've now got a ticket from the customer service, but I'm waiting days for an answer.

As long as (allegedly) too much storage space is occupied, Galaxy cannot synchronise. Now I'm worried that I might not get the 1.6 update when it arrives?
By "achievements", since i am using the GOG offline installer version, i mean the yellow stars that mark milestones in the game's progression... Such as earn X sum of money, complete Y number of help wanted quests, complete the Museum's collection etc. Steam has achievements other than the in-game ones (those displayed in game's storepage and being counted among all players of the game), so i was wondering when some of those happen to coincide, whether or not they will be activated on steam (from a GOG save file).

Multiplayer is playing the game with faraway players, being connected through the internet. Co-op is for people in the near vicinity, with Lan, i think.

GOG pissed off a lot of people, especially its older fanbase, with its wordplay and corporate-speech. It is no longer the transparent service, which used to build mutual-fidelity relationship with its clientele.
 
In game achievements like Cowpoke and "The Beloved Farmer":
Oh, I see! I've never cared for those.

Stardew Valley on PC/Mac has it's own built-in way for people sitting on the same local network (your home network) to play together.
But my daughter and I don't share a local network, we're in different towns, and yet we did play co-ops - me from GOG, her from Steam.

Waitaminute! You've got like 3 and a half thousand SDV saves don't you? OK, I exaggerated. :toothy: But each is about 6-12 MB on my Mac here. Wow you have very likely completely filled your cloud save space with SDV if it's only 200 MB total. Well that is a badge of honor! I do believe you have maxxed out the game that way, congratulations!
LOL! Thanks! 😅
Indeed I had 45 saves originally, but I'm now down to 7 (SEVEN verbal!), but the miracle GOG shows more used storage space than at the beginning! Initially it was 209 MB, now we're up to 258. My entire saves folder on my hard drive is only 51.1 MB - no idea what else GOG is loading onto it.

Well that is a badge of honor!
Funny memories! 🤩 Allow me to quote from A Song of Ice and Fire, when King Robert gave his "beloved" wife Cersei a black eye.
Cersei: " I shall wear this as a badge of honor."
Robert: "Wear it in silence or I'll honor you again."

you'll certainly be able to play v1.6 when it comes out as that's just game files that'll download to your computer
That's comforting to hear (or read). Thank you.
 
I’ve never played multiplayer, but according to the developer blog from when it first came out, it should be possible to cross play between steam and GOG players using an invite code. No idea if it still works (or how well it works).
Yes, exactly! That's what my daughter and I do. One player is the host, he gets a code, which the guest enters - and off we go.

By "achievements", since i am using the GOG offline installer version, i mean the yellow stars that mark milestones in the game's progression... Such as earn X sum of money, complete Y number of help wanted quests, complete the Museum's collection etc. Steam has achievements other than the in-game ones (those displayed in game's storepage and being counted among all players of the game), so i was wondering when some of those happen to coincide, whether or not they will be activated on steam (from a GOG save file).

Multiplayer is playing the game with faraway players, being connected through the internet. Co-op is for people in the near vicinity, with Lan, i think.

GOG pissed off a lot of people, especially its older fanbase, with its wordplay and corporate-speech. It is no longer the transparent service, which used to build mutual-fidelity relationship with its clientele.
Thanks to you too!
 

Lew Zealand

Helper
I’ve never played multiplayer, but according to the developer blog from when it first came out, it should be possible to cross play between steam and GOG players using an invite code. No idea if it still works (or how well it works).
Lol facepalm, I always forget the invite code! I tried it a couple times and it didn't work (likely user error) so have just stayed to same platforms since then.
 

ManaUser

Tiller
This is kind of a tangent from your original question, but if you can set up port forwarding, it's actually possible to do a "LAN Game" over the internet and not bother with either Steam or Galaxy. This is my preferred way to do it.

I know port forwarding can sometimes be a pain though. But in case anyone wants to try this option, the port you need to forward is 24642.
 

HaleyRocks

Sodbuster
This is kind of a tangent from your original question, but if you can set up port forwarding, it's actually possible to do a "LAN Game" over the internet and not bother with either Steam or Galaxy. This is my preferred way to do it.

I know port forwarding can sometimes be a pain though. But in case anyone wants to try this option, the port you need to forward is 24642.
I can't thank you enough! Will check up on that!
 

HaleyRocks

Sodbuster
Hold up... GOG now wants to be DRM-chucklef**ks?
Not exactly. They stopped giving ultimate priority to *completely* DRM-Free games at all costs, which means they no longer offer agreements to devs with the obligation for their product to offer all of its features DRM-Free. They redefined what "DRM-Free" means in their store, something like a "consensus" of sorts, that "if you want multiplayer you are going to need the ("optional") client", or that "Minor content such as bonuses, items, cosmetics, or even secondary quests doesn't matter, if they aren't accessible with the offline installer version".

Older members run a thread, which lists & examines which games aren't completely DRM-Free, as per older era's standards and norms. Other than that, the good old "Drm-Free Revolution" was self-revoked, the relative sites and advertisements purged and many things were silently axed, coupled with a behind the scenes course change. Exactly how old games and them being tweaked to run in modern systems, stopped being one of the *priorities* there and the acronym Good Old Games, not being relative anymore. That and they are doing their best (worst), in order for more people to use their completely "optional" client. As i said, had i wanted content gated behind client, i would have stayed at Steam, which does it better, runs longer, sells cheaper, is popular and much more stable as well as well performing as a service, overall.
 
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