Get it and Go
by Jeremy Easoz · in General Discussion · 12/22/2008 (10:02 am) · 12 replies
I am of the camp that hates to install things.
I collect my programs in zip files.
I love console games because I can
pop in a disc, cartridge, whatever and just GO!.
When will the pc find a way to just allow a gamer to get a game and GO
Instead of get the game and load and load and load and load and load.
Why hasn't someone done something like this, it seems so logical.
Most copyright protection schemes require the use to have the dvd/cd in the
drive to play. So why not use it.
Autorun fires up the game window / intro screen.
Install Game Button - Asks for the location you want the game to install.
Copies over the game exe and maybe some bare minimum assets
for the menus and 1st level or tutorial.
As you play the game is streaming/caching the dvd data to the hard drive.
Eventually everything is run off the HDD except maybe one or two files on the dvd
you leave for copy protection.
This will also alleviate one major bummer for some gamers.
How many of you have sat down to install a game, 4 or 5 or even 6 cds or a dvd or two.
And go to fire up the game for the first time and it crashes.
Just because this has been the way of the pc for years.
Doesn't mean we should keep doing it.
It's stupid and lazy.
It's going to be sweet when the pc moves to new media like HD-DVD or Blu Ray and games take
like two or three hours to install just because some company was to lazy to come up with a solution
other than brute force.
I collect my programs in zip files.
I love console games because I can
pop in a disc, cartridge, whatever and just GO!.
When will the pc find a way to just allow a gamer to get a game and GO
Instead of get the game and load and load and load and load and load.
Why hasn't someone done something like this, it seems so logical.
Most copyright protection schemes require the use to have the dvd/cd in the
drive to play. So why not use it.
Autorun fires up the game window / intro screen.
Install Game Button - Asks for the location you want the game to install.
Copies over the game exe and maybe some bare minimum assets
for the menus and 1st level or tutorial.
As you play the game is streaming/caching the dvd data to the hard drive.
Eventually everything is run off the HDD except maybe one or two files on the dvd
you leave for copy protection.
This will also alleviate one major bummer for some gamers.
How many of you have sat down to install a game, 4 or 5 or even 6 cds or a dvd or two.
And go to fire up the game for the first time and it crashes.
Just because this has been the way of the pc for years.
Doesn't mean we should keep doing it.
It's stupid and lazy.
It's going to be sweet when the pc moves to new media like HD-DVD or Blu Ray and games take
like two or three hours to install just because some company was to lazy to come up with a solution
other than brute force.
About the author
#2
12/22/2008 (10:40 am)
Fast food, on-demand TV, grab-n-go gratification, high-speed internet, on-the-go communications, and now instant gaming -- what's the world coming to? A low patience "gotta have it now, now, NOW!" push-button society is where we're headed. 
#3
Which is probably why Tunnell and crew formed Push Button Labs!
12/22/2008 (11:41 am)
@silentMikeWhich is probably why Tunnell and crew formed Push Button Labs!
#4
A great example is Oblivion on a Console vs a PC. I pulled my hair out after watching a friend play it on the 360.
12/22/2008 (11:56 am)
One of the big benefits of of PC gaming is performance. If you are relying on optical media, then you have the dreadfully long loadscreens asociated with loading from optical media. Personaly, I like the fluidity that goes with a harddrive install. A great example is Oblivion on a Console vs a PC. I pulled my hair out after watching a friend play it on the 360.
#5
12/22/2008 (12:21 pm)
You even get games that play the game for you. EA even sell unlocks. The attention-span challenged fastfood culture is ruining our games. See the webgame "Achievement Unlocked" to behold our future :=)
#6
I suppose that being able to slide a disc in and being presented with a menuscreen and being able to then immediately start playing the game with a silent install process running in the background, so that the disc is never required again would be a boon; but, I would rather see much more attention focused on contextual innovation and gameplay. Before long we'll be playing MMO's that are nothing more than social environments with everyone running around on a quest for the latest fart joke -- but it will all start automatically without login or loading when you click on a browser bookmark.
Despite my sarcasm I would like to see an improvement in distribution and delivery, better load times, and all that, but I seriously doubt that the install process will ever go away - nor would I want it to.
12/22/2008 (1:37 pm)
See the movie "Idiocracy" to behold our future. I suppose that being able to slide a disc in and being presented with a menuscreen and being able to then immediately start playing the game with a silent install process running in the background, so that the disc is never required again would be a boon; but, I would rather see much more attention focused on contextual innovation and gameplay. Before long we'll be playing MMO's that are nothing more than social environments with everyone running around on a quest for the latest fart joke -- but it will all start automatically without login or loading when you click on a browser bookmark.
Despite my sarcasm I would like to see an improvement in distribution and delivery, better load times, and all that, but I seriously doubt that the install process will ever go away - nor would I want it to.
#7
Install time is when you flick through the manual (or pdf) or make a nice cup of tea.
edit: typo
12/22/2008 (1:55 pm)
Back in the '80s I had to wait up to 5 minutes for a game to load from tape (Spectrum48k). Strangely it never seemed a long time back then. It'd drive me nuts now...Install time is when you flick through the manual (or pdf) or make a nice cup of tea.
edit: typo
#8
12/22/2008 (2:13 pm)
This sounds pretty nice and all, but I'd rather see more innovation in games before this happens. That's what games are about, and retail games pretty much lack in that regard. IMO, of course. 
#9
12/22/2008 (2:52 pm)
I don't know... Progress Quest was one of the best games I've ever played :P. I think the idea of a background install to get into the game faster would be good.
#10
Sadly innovation does not sell games, just look around. Something like 93% new IPs fail to make it financially...
http://www.shacknews.com/onearticle.x/46874
12/22/2008 (4:56 pm)
@Stefan LundmarkSadly innovation does not sell games, just look around. Something like 93% new IPs fail to make it financially...
http://www.shacknews.com/onearticle.x/46874
#11
I can WALK down to the nearest game shop (4-5 min walk), pick up a PC title and install it before I can download a demo and install it on my PS3 as well.
While the Wii still launches most titles fairly fast and may be an exception, consoles in general are creeping away from the "Get It and Go" concept. First with the move from hardware to optical media (had to happen, physical memory is expensive), and now with the "connected" state of current gen consoles depending on downloads and installs.
12/25/2008 (5:25 am)
OK, the whole original concept of this thread is flawed. My wife bought me 5 PS3 and 2 Wii titles for Christmas. I have now done the initial play-through of all of them. With the PS3, each of them had a 3-6 minute install process, 3 had to download updates, and each one had an aproximate 1 minute profile creation phase. Mix that up with the ludicrous load time of optical media and there is nothing that is "Get It and Go" about current generation consoles. The Wii was a bit more forgiving, requiring only 1 5-minute system update.I can WALK down to the nearest game shop (4-5 min walk), pick up a PC title and install it before I can download a demo and install it on my PS3 as well.
While the Wii still launches most titles fairly fast and may be an exception, consoles in general are creeping away from the "Get It and Go" concept. First with the move from hardware to optical media (had to happen, physical memory is expensive), and now with the "connected" state of current gen consoles depending on downloads and installs.
#12
I wonder if I added up all the load times I waited though on the C-64 playing Ultima 4 using the 1541 disk drive how much it would be... hah!
12/30/2008 (4:26 pm)
I actually like install times, because they give me a chance to read the manual, or grab a beer, have a smoke, get some snacks, or any number of other small things. I know i'm in the minority on this though..I wonder if I added up all the load times I waited though on the C-64 playing Ultima 4 using the 1541 disk drive how much it would be... hah!
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