Steam update is downloading full client

[infernobugz]

I've just noticed that my steam client is updating dcs a10 but it's downloading the full client which is 7+GB. Surely a patch could have been deployed instead of the full client.

 

Seriously WTF.

 

Only 16 hours to go.....

[159th_Viper]

I assume you've asked Steam the same question. What did they say?

[infernobugz]

No I haven't asked steam yet, I'm waiting for my forum account to be activated. I was just curious to see if anyone else was having the same issues when updating a10 through steam.

[Kreider]

Yep, had to download the full game again with Steam (7-8gigs) in order to update to 1.1.0.8. Did it overnight, worked well. Great update. Nice work ED.

[MTFDarkEagle]

7-8 gigs!? wtf!?

 

*Or is that all the files after installation?

[Kenan]

I stopped using Steam long time ago. It's an outdated / sloppy system which makes you too dependant on it. There's nothing like a good old standalone download.

 

In my humble opinion, that is.

[the_duality]

Steam does not do binary updating where it only downloads the changes. If there is a change to the file then the whole file needs to be reacquired. As much an issue with ED's choice of file structure as it is an issue with Steam's patching system.

[ScorpionFalcon]

I had the Steam version as well, and changed last week to the standalone version from the ED website. The same key worked! I am very happy I made the switch.

[kiss4luna]

lol

the same issue happened on Witcher 2 just few days ago

[jeffyd123]

wow, im surprised to hear that steam sucks so much. Jeez, I bought the game, DL'd it on torrent in 3 hours or so, patched all the betas and post release without any trouble, all using torrents that finsihed in less than an hour.

 

Steam was the schnizzle when it came out but I hear a lot of grumblings about it now.

[Georgio]

I went steam because of Cliffs of Dover otherwise I wouldn't have bothered. I really hate the way they try and sell you stuff you don't need all the time.

Also I had a nightmare when I had to install steam three times in as many weeks on different computers due to hardware failure.

I don't really see the so called advantage over a standalone download either

 

wow, im surprised to hear that steam sucks so much. Jeez, I bought the game, DL'd it on torrent in 3 hours or so, patched all the betas and post release without any trouble, all using torrents that finsihed in less than an hour.

 

Steam was the schnizzle when it came out but I hear a lot of grumblings about it now.

[Brent]

I had the Steam version as well, and changed last week to the standalone version from the ED website. The same key worked! I am very happy I made the switch.

 

I too had to wait for the full 7 Gb download from Steam in order to take advantage of the update. How did you change to the standalone version as I really don't want to be faced with this for the next patch?

 

Thanks

Brent

[ScorpionFalcon]

I too had to wait for the full 7 Gb download from Steam in order to take advantage of the update. How did you change to the standalone version as I really don't want to be faced with this for the next patch?

 

Thanks

Brent

 

Piece of cake, really. Just download 1.1.0.8 from the DCS downloads section, uninstall your A-10 Steam version completely, back up your A-10 Warthog folder from your "users/saved games" directory, and install the standalone version. Then put the backed up folder back to where it was. The new install even uses the same key from Steam. Good luck to you!

[EtherealN]

I don't really see the so called advantage over a standalone download either

 

My own personal opinion is that it has no advantage over standalone for any one given game. The advantage (with how I use it) is the pure shopping thing - "I'm bored, I want a game, oooh that looks nice, bada-bing." Living an hour from the closest brick-and-mortar store I basically use Steam the same way I went to the Game store when I was in school and lived in the city. It's "memory" function is also sort of nice - there's been a few times on reinstalls where I've loaded Steam and noticed games in the library links that I didn't remember that I had a license for. :P

 

But for any given game, no real advantage. For DCS I've got a regular license acquired through digitalcombatsimulator.com.

[ScorpionFalcon]

Don't get me wrong, I love Steam, but unfortunately not so much how updates are handled :doh:

[oceanoftimeGER]

I think it's a little unfair to blame Valve here, 9.5/10 games on Steam don't force you to re-download the entire game for an update (as far as I know this is the first game that I own that has done this and I own 80 games on Steam). So I'm going to assume Eagle Dynamics didn't have any time to spend on it, and hey, I'm not complaining, it only took a few hours and I didn't have to do a single thing!

[ScorpionFalcon]

I didn't have as good as luck as you, unfortunately. The Witcher 2 had to redownload it's entire 12+ gb just for a patch! :cry:

[cichlidfan]

I'm not complaining, it only took a few hours and I didn't have to do a single thing!

 

That is certainly part of the attraction.

 

I would not want to count all of the games I own on and off Steam. For the most part it does not matter to me but there is the convenience of going to use/install a game and not having to locate the key (I have a spreadsheet just for keys) or make sure you install all of the patches you have stashed somewhere.

 

As for the full download issue. I don't think any of my Steam games have done that but since my machines are generally alway up and online, I might not ever know if it did happen.

 

I also, did buy A-10 direct from ED but I would have exploded waiting for it to come out on Steam.:cry:

[213]

so in order to make games work effectively with steam, developers must make a separate version that will perform just as well as the original, but with fragmented file structure.

 

right...why the hell is steam so popular again? they can't even do binary patching.

[Grimes]

right...why the hell is steam so popular again

 

Because its more than just a game store, its a game community.

 

It also helps that its game catalog, when it started, was made up of titles from what many consider to be the best PC dev studio.

 

Also its all counter-strikes fault.

[Shez]

Eh steam is great for First Person Shooters and other similar games. I wouldn't run any flight sims through it though. You also can't give your games to say, I don't know, your kid either. Not without giving him your whole account. I ditched steam as soon as I realized that.

[Witchking]

Don't worry..u are not alone. I just downloaded 20 GB of updated games yesterday. people are crying out about this on the witcher 2 update as well. 9 GB for a game being updated weekly. Already cost me 30GB of bandwidth (in canada I have a 50GB /month limit). Steam don't care about their customers. I am really regretting buying all my games on steam (have around 20 games or so on there). :(

[pandawelch]

As mentioned above, its a combination of the Steam updating method as well as the file organisation of the game software.

 

Yes people hate how Witcher has an abysmal update functionality. What about other games though?

 

Nearly all other Steam-based games are much better with regards to updating. Updates are easily accessible and install/download automatically.

 

Why is Steam so popular? Its a game software manager, distributor and community. Steam allows for your games to be managed the same way, and be located in the same place. Updates can also be downloaded without say searching through development blogs. The e-distribution model is suitable for the current speeds and quotas of private consumers, and provides relatively easy access to content. Games can be downloaded at your own pace, and on any computer.

 

Binding games to accounts suits the electronic distribution model used by Steam. Account-based activation of games allows for the game to be played by the account-holder anywhere. It does however prevent the transfer of individual games between people and puts your access to games at the digression of Valve.

 

The popularity of Steam also allows for communities to develop among Steam users. As a system used by many game players, steam has both the player base and the infrastructure available to effectively support a gaming community.

 

I use Steam because it allows me to download games and chat and interact with my friends. It updates my games automatically and allows me to install them anywhere. I bought DCS on Steam.

 

Sure I might be positively raving about Steam. I've presented my points objectively and passively. I feel that being an active user of Steam I would know at least a bit more than those who dislike it and state they do not use it.

[Witchking]

I agree to most of those points...but for DCS it was a mistake. I mean you cannot use steam overlay in game and there is no hope as of yet for Valve bothering to fix it. Face it....DCS isn't a popular "game" compared to TF2 or crysis 2 or anything else.

[cichlidfan]

I agree to most of those points...but for DCS it was a mistake. I mean you cannot use steam overlay in game and there is no hope as of yet for Valve bothering to fix it. Face it....DCS isn't a popular "game" compared to TF2 or crysis 2 or anything else.

 

It has nothing to do with popularity of DCS. It is the 32/64 bit issue. Consider how many native 64bit games are available on Steam. DCS:A-10 is the only one that I have come across but even if there are more they still make up only a tiny minority of the catalog.

 

I am sure as the demand increases, and the need, the 64bit version of the overlay will come, also when it makes economic sense for them to produce it.