2.0 options for existing players: ISO download? digital copy disc?

[DoctorMog]

A lot of you seem confused,

iso = a perfect "copy" or "image" of a cd/dvd. This single file can be burned to a disk to create an install disk. (with software you can use the iso file to install without burning it to disk first)

The iso method is an extremely inefficient method to deliver a mmo game client. This is because every patch, a whole new iso file would need to be made that includes that patch, and the WHOLE iso would need to be downloaded again (many gigabytes) and then installed over itself.

It is much more likely (as others have said) that a small "patcher" program will be downloaded. 20mb or so.
The patcher then downloads the rest of the game, and also provides the updates to the game. (this is how WoW, SC2, D3, FFXI, FFXIV 1.0, and many other MMOs do it)

Even new WoW disks only have a single 5mb file on them. The patcher. They contain no actual game data.

I checked my Starcraft 2 disk, it also had only the patcher on it. 15mb or something. Just used to download the game from the web..

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Some companies will include the base client, and the patcher on the retail disk. This saves a good portion of downloading to begin with. Only the updates need to be applied after the base is installed.

For the retail version disk, expect to see the base release client + patcher on the disk,

For the beta, and for release, expect just a patcher for us legacy members.

[ChiefCurrahee]

A lot of you seem confused,

iso = a perfect "copy" or "image" of a cd/dvd. This single file can be burned to a disk to create an install disk. (with software you can use the iso file to install without burning it to disk first)

The iso method is an extremely inefficient method to deliver a mmo game client.
------
Some companies will include the base client, and the patcher on the retail disk. This saves a good portion of downloading to begin with. Only the updates need to be applied after the base is installed.

For the retail version disk, expect to see the base release client + patcher on the disk,

For the beta, and for release, expect just a patcher for us legacy members.

DocMog is 100% correct about the .ISO image.

Now for people like myself, I'm going to install this on 2 maybe 3 different machines. So that means if the game is 15-20 gigs (like most modern games) that means i'll have to download 45-60 gigs. Thats a huge chunch of bandwidth for people with capped data.

If SE released an option for .ISO of the release client I could download 15-20 gigs once, burn it to a disc then install it on my other machines saving me 30-40 gigs of data. Sans updates.


I suppose you could download the client and updates once, burn the updated game directory to a disc. Start the patching process on the new machines, then just copy the directory on the disc to the correct location on the new machines.

[ispano]

A lot of you seem confused,

iso = a perfect "copy" or "image" of a cd/dvd. This single file can be burned to a disk to create an install disk. (with software you can use the iso file to install without burning it to disk first)

The iso method is an extremely inefficient method to deliver a mmo game client. This is because every patch, a whole new iso file would need to be made that includes that patch, and the WHOLE iso would need to be downloaded again (many gigabytes) and then installed over itself.

It is much more likely (as others have said) that a small "patcher" program will be downloaded. 20mb or so.
The patcher then downloads the rest of the game, and also provides the updates to the game. (this is how WoW, SC2, D3, FFXI, FFXIV 1.0, and many other MMOs do it)

Even new WoW disks only have a single 5mb file on them. The patcher. They contain no actual game data.

I checked my Starcraft 2 disk, it also had only the patcher on it. 15mb or something. Just used to download the game from the web..

------


Some companies will include the base client, and the patcher on the retail disk. This saves a good portion of downloading to begin with. Only the updates need to be applied after the base is installed.

For the retail version disk, expect to see the base release client + patcher on the disk,

For the beta, and for release, expect just a patcher for us legacy members.

My Starcraft II disc has near 8 gigs of Data, My MoP Discs have around 8 gigs each as well. In fact, I don't think i've gotten a single game like you describe.

[Zumi]

I have my MoP discs. It came with 2 dvds, basically it was 5.0 version of the game which is like 20 gbs, it still downloads like 4-5 gb of patchs after that of the new stuff they added.

[Wolfie]

Having a disc to install the base client from, then patch it is far less taxing on some people's bandwidth limits. As much as it should be, not everyone has unlimited bandwidth. Far more than people may think really. Plus, pressing a few extra discs isn't all that expensive, not to mention, people would be willing to pay media/shipping costs.

Even then, one idea was an ISO, so we can burn our own, although a pressed disc would typically last much longer.

That's pretty much what every game does these days, so... I wouldn't worry about it. Especially MMOs that require a persistent internet connection. When you buy an expansion game box, you're really just buying the license key for it, and then a plastic disc with the free game client upgrade that you would have gotten regardless when you logged into your old stuff.

Which is also why some MMOs these days have their boxed expansions priced at $10-30 more than just buying the upgrade via digital download.

[Alhanelem]

The iso method is an extremely inefficient method to deliver a mmo game client. This is because every patch, a whole new iso file would need to be made that includes that patch, and the WHOLE iso would need to be downloaded again (many gigabytes) and then installed over itself.

Uh, yeah, except that it's way more efficient than shipping a new disc every time they release a patch. They don't do this. Why would they do it for the ISO? an ISO is just a dsic image. It's not going to be updated with every patch.

Why would you install the game over itself anyway? The proper thing to do if you need to reinstall is uninstall then install again.

I'm not sure what you're thinking, but nobody is suggested that patches be delivered via ISO. patches will be delivered the same way for everyone- just downloading the updated data- not the whole game over again.

[DoctorMog]

DocMog is 100% correct about the .ISO image.

Now for people like myself, I'm going to install this on 2 maybe 3 different machines. So that means if the game is 15-20 gigs (like most modern games) that means i'll have to download 45-60 gigs. Thats a huge chunch of bandwidth for people with capped data.

If SE released an option for .ISO of the release client I could download 15-20 gigs once, burn it to a disc then install it on my other machines saving me 30-40 gigs of data. Sans updates.


I suppose you could download the client and updates once, burn the updated game directory to a disc. Start the patching process on the new machines, then just copy the directory on the disc to the correct location on the new machines.

Generally you can just start the patcher,
Copy all the files from a machine with the game installed to the same directory on a new machine,
Restart the patcher.
Done.
No download needed.

[Wolfie]

And in other words, what purpose does a game disc even serve? You have to have a persistent internet connection to play the dang game, so unless that disc came with figurines or a map or some other collectible good, it would be an extremely worthless disc.

[Valmonte]

Generally you can just start the patcher,
Copy all the files from a machine with the game installed to the same directory on a new machine,
Restart the patcher.
Done.
No download needed.

only if the game engine was designed to be or is multi platform, otherwise you going to need a registry entry for the game as well.

[Mychael]

Something I think everyone is confused about is that this does not have to be the standard. If they want to mass distribute a patcher-only disc, then that's up to them. But for those with capped data, or an exceptionally bad data connection (i.e. those that have to start the download again and again before their client even gets enough connections.

For those people, it may be worth their time to pay money to have the bulk of the games files (that won't be patching every update) sent to them.