If all installed your TSW collection on PC should size about ~300GB (with most being DLCs), and under current circumstances you'll need to download them all again. Since on PC all platforms, upon installing, checks if some files already exists and verify them meaning that putting files ahead of installation is possible, why don't we "patch" the TSW4 version to TSW5 version files with HDiffPatch, and just put it there? This will be smaller than downloading everything, also with the basis that you would have to own the DLC in the first place (so probably less pirating). Expected Procedure: Developer calculates patch & create batch conversion program -> user use such program and put dlc files in place
That wouldn't work (or would need the distributors changing their systems - followed by a QA phase as things going wrong here may hurt the reputation). 1) The distribution works purely on account level. 2) What would happen for people who are upgrading to TSW 5 later, when some DLC may have already received patches? You would need to create diffs for each update of a TSW5 DLC in relation to TSW4, TSW3, TSW2, TSW2020 each time a TSW5 DLC is updated - which is just way too complex and would need permanent care. No CTO / CFO would approve. Once you start mixing app DLCs, you're bound for running into trouble. 3) Also I doubt this would work on consoles. Just let the download happen overnight, or selectively step by step, starting with your favourite DLC.
My idea is purely for the first wave of upgraders from TSW4 to TSW5 around launch (in the 30 day period I don't think much update will happen), so nothing about TSW2020/2/3; And also, game stores already do this diff on their update procedures to reduce bandwidth used. Not for everyone, but at least partially resolved. I expect it to be an external tool distributed by DTG themselves or the community, not through the storefronts, like those game downgraders. You're also not mixing app DLCs, as HDiffPatch does it on a binary level - expect the output to be identical to the correct one. Lastly I also don't grasp the meaning of "The distribution works purely on account level", could you elaborate further?
I understand you, but don't forget it doesn't have to be TSW4 you're upgrading from. The starter pack allows upgrading from older versions too. The more exceptions and special rules you are creating in a system, the more unstable it will become generally speaking. Creating the web of entitlements database on account level alone is enough and was prone to human error, as we saw last year. Delta patching already is in action at least on Steam, but not for initial installation, which is just copying a file depot and decompressing it. Further patches will have you download a 3GB file for example that patches 40GB of data. Account level means the store looks up your account, what do you own (what you have installed is not relevant for this process or the store platform), what DLC entitles what DLC for TSW5 app, and adding this DLC appid to your account. That's all. So technically diff patching only works inside the universe of a parent app, in this case TSW5. But not across games. This would need a lot of work that is very likely not justified, as the large majority have good internet connections. (I happen to not have the fastest connection - 50 Mbit, but it's enough for me. Just update overnight.) Also for security reasons, these platforms like Steam are performing rather simple operations on your system, one game installation must never affect another. I'm sure there's good reasons for this "doctrine".
Not really. If both you and your friends have a large game in library, like RDR2, and he doesn't have the time / bandwidth to download, you can just copy your entire installation folder to theirs. Steam will then do a file integrity check after they hit the install button and attempt to install to the target drive, and get all the files that are not the latest. I can confirm this because I've done it before at my university, where network is a metered connection. Also hdiff is not just for updating; In fact you can use it on any two (even unrelated) files. You could even find two different mods from trainsimcommunity and do a hdiff yourself - silly, but it works anyway. I mean, PC users have their freedom to tinker around everything, so why not?
