11 replies to this topic

[tarix77]

Today when I was downloading the patch for League of Legends and it slowed my terrible internet down to a steady crawl, I was thinking something. Why do MMOs and multiplayer games (LoL, Tribes: Ascend, Global Agenda, World of Tanks, games like that) use downloaders with launchers rather than installers?

I realize the first thing you will think: "IT'S BECAUSE YOU WERE DOWNLOADING A PATCH YOU n00B!!?!?!!!!111" I understand this, and it's different for patches, but for originally installing the game, it's usually a downloader nowadays. Now, people like me with slow internet have to endure the terrible experience that is either overnight downloading or having to wait 10 minutes to buffer a 3 minute YouTube video in 240p. It's ridiculous. What happened to downloading a couple-megabyte executable that you ran and it downloaded your multi-gigabyte game in a few minutes? Is this just lazy programming, or do you think it is better to have a downloader?

[/rant]

I'd like to see your thoughts on this. My view, I understand, is rather narrow, so I'd like to see an argument from the opposite point of view.

[Puddleduck]

You can only download so much data in the same amount of time... the way you download it doesn't change it...

[Disturb]

I think the issue here is convenience. It's much easier for the average person to open up a launcher and have it do all the work for you, rather then downloading the executable and doing it all manually. Though I do get tired of it raping my internet while it updates/downloads, it does in fact make it more convenient on my end, and I think that's what the developers are aiming for. There is one key variable that effects the convenience of a downloader though, and that variable being your internet speed. I've always stood in the 20 MBPS down and 4-5 MBPS up, so I've really never had any issues playing a video in 1080p and other things like that. But for the people that are stuck with less than average internet, it really can be a sluggish process of it absolutely destroying your internet and practically rendering it useless for the time being.

[WhatsCS]

What i hate is the fact that you have to install the launcher then run it and install patches. I know it takes more effort but why can't they include the latest patch, shouldn't be too difficult.

[tarix77]

Puddleduck97, on 06 June 2012 - 04:04 PM, said:

You can only download so much data in the same amount of time... the way you download it doesn't change it...

I meant that most programs used to use a couple-megabyte installer that installed all the files without actually installing them, but nowadays a lot of programs are starting to use downloaders - an executable that you run and it acts as a launcher, and instead of installing the files, it simply downloads them from the internet. It's annoying.

[Puddleduck]

tarix77, on 06 June 2012 - 08:14 PM, said:

Puddleduck97, on 06 June 2012 - 04:04 PM, said:

You can only download so much data in the same amount of time... the way you download it doesn't change it...

I meant that most programs used to use a couple-megabyte installer that installed all the files without actually installing them, but nowadays a lot of programs are starting to use downloaders - an executable that you run and it acts as a launcher, and instead of installing the files, it simply downloads them from the internet. It's annoying.

you have to get the files from somewhere, so you still have to download them.

[strum4h]

They used to just have download links for the patches as installers. It was really tedious because over time file hosts stopped working or you forgot where to get the patches (I AM LOOKING AT YOU BATTLEFIELD 2).

Seriously it does not matter. If anything the way they do it now is 100% better. You may want to get better internet.

[Puddleduck]

There often is no way to get better internet, speedtest.net rates me a D+ and my line isn't supposed to be upgraded for about 20 years, no matter which ISP I choose, I can only get that same speed...

[Saturn_Realm]

You know what i do? Spend time playing real time strategy. Then these downloads will be a breeze!

[tarix77]

Puddleduck97, on 07 June 2012 - 04:14 PM, said:

There often is no way to get better internet, speedtest.net rates me a D+ and my line isn't supposed to be upgraded for about 20 years, no matter which ISP I choose, I can only get that same speed...

Same here.

[Dewey]

Manual patches are a pain in the ass, and most launchers allow for P2P sharing (thus faster downloads and less strain on the game's download servers).

[Coruscantian]

tarix77, on 06 June 2012 - 03:57 PM, said:

-snip-
...it's usually a downloader nowadays.
-snip-
What happened to downloading a couple-megabyte executable that you ran and it downloaded your multi-gigabyte game in a few minutes? Is this just lazy programming, or do you think it is better to have a downloader?

Whether you're using a downloader or an installer (in the style you're referring to), it still has to download the game files from the internet. I don't see how an installer would be significantly better given your connection speed.