Updates - A bit of controversy

(The 4th Horseman) #1

I would please ask that you force updates. I know that some will disagree with this but after helping to run a number of servers. It helps more then hurts.

I’m not sure how the authorization system will work for QW but splitting the community between patches is horrible. New gamers have no idea about patching and old timers like me have to explain it to them over and over. It’s no fun having to tell community members to update.

That is my one major request. Have some type of check that says your using v1.0 please click this link and update your game version to v1.1 for mulitplay use.

Valve got something right with Steam. If I was truly wishing, I would ask for something like this to be available but since I’m sure that’s not going to happen. Have the game tell the user it’s out of date and that they must update to continue online play.

(ayatollah) #2

I half agree. I agree that some patches, which are “Install if you want to”, have split people. Sometimes it takes months for all servers to come up to date.

But modders, such as Bani with etpro, need to keep up to date as well, so forcing updates forces the hand of modders to come up to date as soon as possible.

(kamikazee) #3

The only true versioning problems W:ET faced were

  1. server administrators unwillingly to update. (Whilst this normally hasn’t got anything to do with clients not updating, you could argue the players didn’t want the server administrators to update)
  2. mod incompatibility caused lots of players to keep running ETPro on 2.56. Once updated to 2.60, ETPro refused to run or kick players for invalid versions.
(DG) #4

personally I think people should be left to choose whether to update the game they have paid for. Minimising any “version split” should be approached by maximising the ease and minimising the downside to updating. I.e., updated SDK and changelog to modders as early as practical, and client notification.

(zig-zag) #5

I also find it frustrating to ping a bunch of server thru xfire then have to check to see wether they are 2.55 or 2.60. I hate having multiple installs (already have a duplicate for mapping).

But, there’s also the issue that patches can break stuff. When 1.33 came out for RTCW, it made medics “stick” to players after a revive. very annoying, so alot of servers rolled back to the previous version.
If made manditory, you’re stuck dealing with the glitches until another patch is released.

I think leaving the option to players/admins is a better choice

(ouroboro) #6

I’m all for forced updates. This is how Valve does it, and the mods adapt with apparent ease. It’s really not a big deal for a serious mod with active developers. In the case of mods like Shrub, screw 'em, with all due respect. Abandon your mod, expect it to die. Mani Admin Mod for Source games thrives in the constantly-updated environment of Steam.

There is no possible legitimate reason for playing an old version, assuming the new versions do not alter gameplay. If newer versions simply fix bugs, the only reason to remain on a previous version would be to exploit those bugs. This is behavior akin to cheating, and should be given no consideration by developers.

At any rate, I doubt this will be an issue with ETQW, since it won’t be using an automated Steam-like system. So the community-fragmenters will have free reign, yet again.

There is still a huge unpatched ET “community.” There are still active “clans” who play the RTCW version just before PB was added (1.33? I forget). Likewise, there will be people sticking with ETQW “1.0” long after a slew of bugfixes have been introduced, purely so that unscrupulous server admins can exploit bugs and rape uneducated newbies.

(Nail) #7

Gee, never had any problems with updating ET, can’t understand why anyone does, 2.56 and 2.60 install themselves (yes I know you don’t need both updates), 2.60b has instructions included. Golly, if you can’t rename files and do simple drag and drop in a windows environment, you have no reason to be anywhere near a computer

:moo:

remember, computers are tools not just toys

(DerSaidin) #8

Just release the update for two weeks or so before making it compulsory. Then modders have time to get things happening with the new version, and it still forces people to keep up.

(kamikazee) #9

In that case, the update SDK would need to be released just at the same time the update hits.
Also note that ETPro did take some time before it was officially 2.60 compatible… I think it was more than 2 weeks, if I remember the period correctly.

(DG) #10

sadly, two assumptions that distinguish theory from reality.

People get to do more or less what they want with whatever they buy.

“community-fragmenters” aren’t the enemy, and it’s an odd to suggest it’s some intentional campaign, some evil plan from the scourge of online gaming - those nasty community fragmenters!

I’m also going to find fault with your assumptions again if you think “unscrupulous server admins” are just doing it to “exploit bugs and rape uneducated newbies”. since when did you need an old version for that? since when did you need to be a server admin?

(Etnies) #11

Clanbase goes soley by Etpro, and if Bani decides to mod ET:QW to, I dont want to be forced to download a new patch then I cant play or have to wait around to play an offi until latest mod version is released/updated, much better off making it a choice to download patches.

(SCDS_reyalP) #12

Forced auto update does cause it’s own problems. e.g. when steam decides to update at the same time the CS:S playoff matches are scheduled. This would be even worse if an incompatible competition mod were required.

What I would rather see is in game notification, easy to install updates (perhaps including something you can just click in game to get up to date) and maybe de-listing the older versions from the master after a while.

From what I’ve seen the people staying on old versions of ET mostly fall into two categories… those who don’t know any better, and those who are happy with the community they have there. No doubt there are some who like the old exploits and some who think that version X ruined the game, but IMO they are a small minority.

(]UBC[ McNite) #13

Forced updates are crap. First: I bought it, so i want to decide what I do with it on my own (this is a theoretical reason though).

The practical reason is the mess that happened with 2.60b and ETPro 3.2.5/3.2.6. Since 3.2.6 doesnt allow 2.60 players, that really sucked big time for the not-so-popular servers because it lost a lot of stop-by-players for them. As a server admin I really want to decide myself which version I m going to run.

(=PoW= Kernel 2.6.5) #14

And hardware incompatibility as ET 2.60 would not run on Cyrix processors where as ET 2.56 did.

#15

Well said. In my experience, ET is hard to update for people who arent “PC-geeks” so to speak. A “click-here-to-update-button” would be great. In other words: If anyone, like a mother, can update a game (by pressing a button in the game menu), then I consider it success in my book. Haveing to google for right patch etc etc, is limiting amounth of upgrades that will be made.

Also, a news-page right inside the game, as in WarCraft 3, or UT, would be very good. That has been mentioned before, but its super for the large amount of people who dont visit specific game sites/forums.

(kamikazee) #16

As long as you can disable it, it is fine for me. :wink:

#17

As long as you can disable it, it is fine for me. :wink:[/quote]

Why would you want to disable it?

I think the news-page in Warcraft 3 for example, works fine: http://img400.imageshack.us/img400/5104/wc3newswg6.png

(kamikazee) #18

Because I read these forums when I’m not playing a game, and want to play a game when I’m not reading these forums. See, there’s no room for a news page. :smiley:

Now seriously: it would be a great addition, no doubt.
The only thing is that I’m pretty sure that I won’t use it most of the time. So why would it need syncing if I would click straight past it, instead of going directly to the game I wanted to when I clicked my game’s shortcut?

(This post is subject to change, as I have only seen naughty news screens like Steam’s.)

(M8DNanite) #19

That Wow news screen looks nice as good as it is in CoH (Company of Heroes). Good to have as there are people who just play and not read forums or are not handy enough to download updates.

The crappiest news system i have seen is in BF2. First it takes quite a while to star the game then takes ages to login to the game. Then you are greeted with one news item in one dialog box. And if you want to see/open the news the game wants you to quit from the game back to windows desktop and opens web page.
And i have seen news items telling to me that there are new patch available to BF2 when i already have it installed.

(DG) #20

hows about, when you launch etqw it does a version check and if there’s a patch out, it pop’s up a box with something like the following:

An update is available for Quake Wars!

Would you like to
[download now] - downloads file automatically, quits ETQW and initiates installer
[download from the website] - exits etqw and loads default webbrowser to activision support page
[remind me next time]
[dont remind me]

4 is more options than I’d like but then automatic downloading possibly isnt a great option anyway