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

[Valmonte]

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.

im not really sure what your on about. having the bulk of the game on physical media is always faster and more efficient than any download only option, unless you have a 50mbit line a DVD will instal faster. you dont patch the intire base game therefor your whole you'd need a new iso every patch release makes no sense. a patcher works by creating new or modifying entry's in the base of the game.

[Wilksha]

I'd rather get the ISO and instal a large chunk of the game then run the patcher/updater. This seems to be the most logical approach as if you need to reinstall you don't have to the 18gig+ download every single time. Though you could backup the files before the uninstall, but you might have copied the broken files. the patcher old approach seem terrible! Updating 1.0 for me was evilly slow where my DL speed is 10megs and I'm barely getting 10kB most of the time. Though the slow speeds might have just been my router not forwarding the ports properly for it. I don't want to turn on plug and play on the router as it opens too many holes. Let me set a fixed port like I can do on my other Torrent clients.

[Alhanelem]

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.

Why would you have to download the iso 3 times when you could just burn it to a disc and use the disc to install on the other machines?

[Valmonte]

I'd rather get the ISO and instal a large chunk of the game then run the patcher/updater. This seems to be the most logical approach as if you need to reinstall you don't have to the 18gig+ download every single time. Though you could backup the files before the uninstall, but you might have copied the broken files. the patcher old approach seem terrible! Updating 1.0 for me was evilly slow where my DL speed is 10megs and I'm barely getting 10kB most of the time. Though the slow speeds might have just been my router not forwarding the ports properly for it. I don't want to turn on plug and play on the router as it opens too many holes. Let me set a fixed port like I can do on my other Torrent clients.

Funny thing about that is SE's Official port was :55296 for the patcher, but my router always reported the patcher operating on port :55297. either they told us to forward the wrong port or they changed the port number very early after launch

[Wilksha]

Funny thing about that is SE's Official port was :55296 for the patcher, but my router always reported the patcher operating on port :55297. either they told us to forward the wrong port or they changed the port number very early after launch

For me, it seemed to rotate ports. Even forwarding the reported port. I was getting slow speeds.

[Wilksha]

Why would you have to download the iso 3 times when you could just burn it to a disc and use the disc to install on the other machines?

If you read his full post, his post mentions both instances. He was just pointing out there if it was just the patcher he downloaded all 3 time.

[Zumi]

Most Internet providers in the US have a 250-300gb cap if they even have a cap at all. Its pretty hard to even reach that cap unless your sitting there watching HD Netflix all day every day. So I don't even see what the issue is.

[Valmonte]

For me, it seemed to rotate ports. Even forwarding the reported port. I was getting slow speeds.

yeah UPnP never worked for me after i manually forwarded the ports and turned off UPnP in the XIVConfig i was getting like about a Mb a second no where near topping of my connection but a hell of alot better than the 10-50kb i was getting.

[Valmonte]

Most Internet providers in the US have a 250-300gb cap if they even have a cap at all. Its pretty hard to even reach that cap unless your sitting there watching HD Netflix all day every day. So I don't even see what the issue is.

i keep for getting its the united states of earth, my bad.

[Zenaku]

Most Internet providers in the US have a 250-300gb cap if they even have a cap at all. Its pretty hard to even reach that cap unless your sitting there watching HD Netflix all day every day. So I don't even see what the issue is.

Most people have more then one person using the internet doing the same thing. Just me and my gf can eat up 150gb in 2-3weeks watching shows and playing online games. The issue is that many part of USA don't have great internet and most people are still using dial up or DSL that is very unstable. That the big issue in USA and i'm sure other part of the world are worth off then we are. Look at AU i know people with 250gb cap once they reach it they no longer have internet at all vs USA where you have to pay 10$ for every 50gb you pass.

But i agree with many people they just have to make a ISO of it or back up everytime there a patch SE i don't think SE want to waste that much cash to help people