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What is too long....
UltraPure
Member Posts: 18
I started a post in FFXI forum, basicly complaining about how long it takes to patch games only to have the general issues afterwards.
So after being slammed for a slow computer or what not, I thought I would open a discussion on the subject.
If anyone here rembers some of the first online or multiplayer games, I don't recall having to spend over an hour to Install and many hours to patch. Two recent examples of this issue are DDO and FFXI. Even a game that is as old as DAOC or FFXI or EQ still fall into these traps.
We all love the content that the new games provide, however, how much time do we have to prep for play. If you get less than 10 hours a week to play, do you really want to wait for patching, down servers and lag.
If you fall into the same catagory as I do, you get between 10 and 15 hours a week to enjoy playing a game. I work duing the day, do family things on the weekends so my time is a few hours a night during the week.
My questions are:
How long should it take to install a game? (FFXI take acording to some 1.5 hours to install the game and the loader)
How long is resonable for patching the client? (DOD took me 3 hours after installing from the game cd)
How long is resonable to take the servers down for maintenance. ( WOW takes 5 hours a week that often truns into half a day)
Do you guys and gals think it is possible for them to do small daily patches, Take the servers down in some predetermined order. Make some content available in multiple resolutions as not to take so long to download.
Thanks for your input...
Comments
I play about the same amount of time and I have a wife and kid and I'm a full time student. So I definitely don't have much time to play. However, I feel there are many things in life worth complaining about and patch download times is not one of them. I've played DDO and most other big time MMO's and never had to wait as long as you say you have to for patches. However, when I do install a new game that has been out for a while, it does take about an hour to patch up, but that makes sense. You're talking about patching a year to several years worth of content. An hour is pretty damn good.
I think if it is that big of a deal to you, that you should save up and buy some upgrades for your computer or just buy a new one. Gaming, especially online gaming is a very expensive habit and a time consuming habit. Sooner or later, unless you're a pessimist, you will get used to the little inconveniences of online gaming (downtime, patches, lag etc.). I wish you well, but you really should find something better to complain about. There are tons of worse things in life.
It's pretty simple.
If you buy a fast internet connection you get fast downloads.
If you are a cheap ass, or you just don't prioritise your internet connection that much, then you buy a cheap and slow connection.
Khael[SUN]
SUN - peekayin since pong
Webdeveloper on:
http://www.guildofsun.com
http://www.bloodmonarchy.com
This is not ment to be a dicussion on my equiptiiment, but since you are interested>
Intel 3.2 Dual Core
2 GB DDR-2 Ram
nVidia PCI Express 6200 w/ 256
2 160gb ATA 150 Raided for Performance
1.5mb DSL for downloads.
The question is about how long for downloads and downtime are acceptable if we are paying for it. Not my specific machine....
Thanks for your response.
Look, you gotta download the updates to play. Some games have more then others. MMOs are constantly updating and changing. Its all about the size of the download vs your speed. If it bothers you that much or you feel it is a quality issue, don't pay for it. Its a very minor issue.
If thats your biggest issue with MMOs you are a lucky person.
Torak, I appreciate your Gulf War effort. As i support all our troups and understand the hardships that is has.
About your post.
You must not have read or understood what I was refering too.
It the early days of EQ and Classic DAOC. Down time was minimal and patches where relativly small compared to current games. I have seen little improvment in lag since that time and the machine requirements are getting bigger.
Its not that i am not willing to wait. Do it all the times. Currently downloading Anarchy Online, 1.5gb download using bittolerent. Takes Forever. Doesnt bother me. Only chips me when I go through it to find out that it's broke.
The Question is, since we moved from a few minutes to now sometimes hours for patches, where is this headed. Will we soon have to have T3's to download patches, Will 1.5 DSL soon be like the old dialup.
I never understand why people feel it is necessary to reply to a post by QUOTING THE POST AGAIN IN ITS ENTIRETY.
egads.
As for the OP's question...
If you want to play a game really bad its a drag to wait for a download. On the flipside, if you like a game enough that it bothers you to wait for it...well...then its a good game and probably worth the wait. I'd suggest you take the trash out, mow the lawn or 'cuddle' with your better half during such long periods.
Television is a good time killer too.
Or visit www.mmorpg.com and read all the informative articles and forums as you wait.
So i guess my answer would be... "As long as it takes".
It would be great if they would have the NOOB download and the FULL VERSION.
That way new players can get a feeling in the first zone with a minimal dowload.
Is it worth the effort? I don't know. Personnally I know before I play the game if I can stick long or if it is doomed to failure. So even when I try EQ2, WoW, SoR or DAoC, I know it wouldn't be likely to last long, because they have an extremely poor idea of what the game should be, in the "end-game". Vanguard will most likely fails this, flat on their nose, should I even care to try it, which, I am not sure I will do. Why try a game that have such a poor vision(tm)? Indeed, I can just play other games. CoH was a multiple suprises, first I never think I would love it. I really enjoy it. Then there was all these nerfs, I mean how can devs be soooo noobs. Finally, they have no end-game back then not because they understand it was better than a wrong endgame, but because they are so totally noob...yet...maybe I can dream they will finally understand and get back on the line, enforcing foreign gameplays is not what players want.
So, the initial download? It matter more if I am not inclined to give the game a chance, I can think of SWG as an example of a game where the download was feeling too long. If the game is good and have a good system and an exquisite end-game, I would be willing to dowload far longer than that. Yet, maybe it can be divided, so the first time you only dowload the noobs areas.
- "If I understand you well, you are telling me until next time. " - Ren
More then likely. Technology outpaces itself at a mighty fast pace doesn't it?
You think its bad now? Imagine playing a game ON dial up
I remember the little patches for AC taking hours waaaay back in the day lol.
There was an entirely different definition of lag back then.
if you are staying other side of the globe, dont expect fast download speed.
simple isnt it?
Which FF Character Are You?