Patching Games

[SquirrelPants]

Recently, my computer got pretty much ruined. I messed up my boot files, but the story's not really important. Anyway, so I've got it fixed, and I finished installing WoW last night. I joyously sat down just now to play, and I got a discouraging message: Updating from 3.0.1 to 3.0.2.
If I recall, WoW is at 3.0.8 right now, which means I'm in for a long, long day. So, basically, my question is this: Why in the world don't games that you download from big companies, from the internet, come fully patched? Any insight as to why is welcome here.

 

[stormcaller]

You got off lightly my only enUS version is pre-BC so I am going to have lots of fun if I ever have to reinstall.

On topic, it's pretty close I'd imagine they are working on patching all the mirrors at the moment and aren't going to release only a few at a time.

 

[ForrestDixon]

Recently, my computer got pretty much ruined. I messed up my boot files, but the story's not really important. Anyway, so I've got it fixed, and I finished installing WoW last night. I joyously sat down just now to play, and I got a discouraging message: Updating from 3.0.1 to 3.0.2.
If I recall, WoW is at 3.0.8 right now, which means I'm in for a long, long day. So, basically, my question is this: Why in the world don't games that you download from big companies, from the internet, come fully patched? Any insight as to why is welcome here.

Because my dear friend when you have 2,000,000 plus people playing a game there are going to be people that find glitches. Also when you have sites like youtube where you can find a glitch and five minutes later show 1,000,000 other people how to do that glitch there is going to be a problem. People also like to see different things, and improvments to things so having a game 100% fully patched would not let any room for improvment outside of a full ad-on DLC.

 

[SquirrelPants]

Recently, my computer got pretty much ruined. I messed up my boot files, but the story's not really important. Anyway, so I've got it fixed, and I finished installing WoW last night. I joyously sat down just now to play, and I got a discouraging message: Updating from 3.0.1 to 3.0.2.
If I recall, WoW is at 3.0.8 right now, which means I'm in for a long, long day. So, basically, my question is this: Why in the world don't games that you download from big companies, from the internet, come fully patched? Any insight as to why is welcome here.

Because my dear friend when you have 2,000,000 plus people playing a game there are going to be people that find glitches. Also when you have sites like youtube where you can find a glitch and five minutes later show 1,000,000 other people how to do that glitch there is going to be a problem. People also like to see different things, and improvments to things so having a game 100% fully patched would not let any room for improvment outside of a full ad-on DLC.

I don't quite see what you're saying. What I'm trying to say is that as soon as a new patch is released, all the download mirrors should be up at that patch, so that people don't spend 4 hours installing, then another 4 patching. The base install should be fully patched when it comes from the website.

 

[letsnoobtehpwns]

I love game patches. when there is a really good game with small problem that just ruins the game, the game creators can usually fix it!

 

[SquirrelPants]

I love game patches. when there is a really good game with small problem that just ruins the game, the game creators can usually fix it!

Again, not exactly what I was talking about. I mean like with Steam. When you buy the game from their website/program and then install it, it comes in fully patched, whereas with other companies you have to install the game, then install the patches. It's just generally a waste of time, and would easily be possible so long as you were getting it from a website and not a disk.

 

[ForrestDixon]

I don't quite see what you're saying. What I'm trying to say is that as soon as a new patch is released, all the download mirrors should be up at that patch, so that people don't spend 4 hours installing, then another 4 patching. The base install should be fully patched when it comes from the website.

Oh, ok now I get what your saying. Sorry about that.

I guess that would be because if they did that every time it would get monotonous, well for them at least. I think that it would be a pain in the but for them mostly. I have never worked for a company like Blizzard for WoW but that would be a good guess right?

 

[Theo Samaritan]

I like CCP's method with EVE. What they tend to do is update the main client download whenever an expansion or major patch (100megs+) is released, but leave smaller patches to be downloaded. As the smaller patches are rarely even 20 megs in size, this makes it a nice system.

If patches are long between they update the main download to the latest version. Saves a lot of hassle.

 

[oktalist]

I guess that would be because if they did that every time it would get monotonous, well for them at least. I think that it would be a pain in the but for them mostly. I have never worked for a company like Blizzard for WoW but that would be a good guess right?

90% of current generation games development is tediously monotonous.

 

[Faeanor]

I love game patches. when there is a really good game with small problem that just ruins the game, the game creators can usually fix it!

Again, not exactly what I was talking about. I mean like with Steam. When you buy the game from their website/program and then install it, it comes in fully patched, whereas with other companies you have to install the game, then install the patches. It's just generally a waste of time, and would easily be possible so long as you were getting it from a website and not a disk.

Do you expect them to sneak into your house, steal your disk and give you an updated version? I wasn't aware that the update fairy existed...

 

[Faeanor]

I love game patches. when there is a really good game with small problem that just ruins the game, the game creators can usually fix it!

Again, not exactly what I was talking about. I mean like with Steam. When you buy the game from their website/program and then install it, it comes in fully patched, whereas with other companies you have to install the game, then install the patches. It's just generally a waste of time, and would easily be possible so long as you were getting it from a website and not a disk.

Do you expect them to sneak into your house, steal your disk and give you an updated version? I wasn't aware that the update fairy existed...

You are breaking rules one and two.
This earns you murder.

EDIT: I do not mean of the site. Please do not misunderstand.
Fight Club. That is all.

XD You had me there for a minute

I'm also breaking half of rule 6

 

[ForrestDixon]

I guess that would be because if they did that every time it would get monotonous, well for them at least. I think that it would be a pain in the but for them mostly. I have never worked for a company like Blizzard for WoW but that would be a good guess right?

90% of current generation games development is tediously monotonous.

Yah I guess so. But now that I think about that, if there getting payed by the hour would that even matter? I mean either way your getting payed.

 

[SquirrelPants]

I love game patches. when there is a really good game with small problem that just ruins the game, the game creators can usually fix it!

Again, not exactly what I was talking about. I mean like with Steam. When you buy the game from their website/program and then install it, it comes in fully patched, whereas with other companies you have to install the game, then install the patches. It's just generally a waste of time, and would easily be possible so long as you were getting it from a website and not a disk.

Do you expect them to sneak into your house, steal your disk and give you an updated version? I wasn't aware that the update fairy existed...

Check the bold part, please.