Size of "Bonus Pack"

Me too! I live to far out for DSL or cable and would like to have the resumeable DL.

Thanks

Toothy

Should be under 10 megs.

~SDC~

That reasonable for a 56K download, thanks!

I was fearing a 50+ Meg download from all the goodies you guys are talking about.

Most of the goodies require only text changes and changes in code. Only cut scenes would make it take that much in size.

If you're hoping to download the game on the 26th March on a 56k modem you have my sympathies

Sith

Yep, 56K would be a problem for DL multimedia, the multimedia file that was available on Drengin before they shut down the beta DL was how much again (150 Megs or so). But it's nice the Bonus Pack will only take them up to two hours to DL.

'Me too! I live to far out for DSL or cable and would like to have the resumeable DL.'

Downloads are resumable, in both the Drengin.net client and the Stardock Central client.

I ordered the game through gamestop and unfortunately, my frugal side of my brain took over and I went with the standard 3-5 day free shipping (they wouldn't apply the discount to overnight or second day air). So I won't actually have the game until at least 3 days after release (although gamestop (one of them at least) is located in the same state as me so I'm hopeful of getting it earlier). I'll only be downloading the bonus pack through my wimpy 56K modem so it's not too big of a deal. I'll miss the initial server rush the first day anyway.

Maybe stardock should release the bonus pack to registered customers a few days early if possible to help even out the server loading. I know I'd have to wait since I bought it through gamestop but people who ordered through them directly should be able to get to get it a bit early.

Yeah, applying the same thing Everquest did with their latest expansion back (which was, for the most part, only available through direct download) They made it so their patcher would download a fraction of the expansion every other day or so, a few weeks before they launched it. I thought it was rather effective...

The only question is, could one download the Bonus Pack and not have the actual game installed... meaning is it an executable that we are downloading or does it directly patch?

I'm pretty sure, given the way either SDC or Drengin works, that it will be updates to individual files and one would have to have the game installed before being able to download the Bonus Pack.

I'd bet that the interface won't allow a download of the extra material without having the game installed.

Originally Posted by KiloOhm:
"Maybe stardock should release the bonus pack to registered customers a **few days early** if possible to help even out the server loading."

PLEASE, by all means do this to reduce the load and increase the access to the packs upon release.

i'm pretty sure that if you try to download the bonus pack first , it won't let you.

rich


~SDC~

I think Strategy First would have something to say about releasing the bonus pack early. If Brad could get it there early, I am sure he would. Just hang in there. It is only a couple more weeks.

~SDC~

You won't be able to get the bonuspack without both the game and a copy of Stardock Central installed. SDC will be available from the GalCiv website when the bonuspack is made available.

OK. Just in case anyone misunderstood. No one was suggesting releasing bonus packs to persons who do not yet have the game. The point was simply that "game downloads", if made available *prior* to release to persons who *already* have the game, will likely mean quicker downloads for those getting the game after its release, since this would take some of the load off of the servers.

Stardock has large bandwidth on thier sites. I don't think it will be an issue.

~SDC~

Frankly I think early or late, a NON independent exe or zip file, would be anal retentive. A LOT of people don't have internet connections at home. And before 3/25/01 most likely neither will I. Although as of last night I am now a registered owner of their "The Corporate Machine." But I feel that is besides the point.

Updates and add ons are useless without the game. And by reading the postings above I don't see why the option to download this little 10 meg-er in 1.44 meg chunks couldn't be made available for the slower bandwiths. And those useing a friends internet conection.

We are customers not beggers. Service goes a long way when expecations of products yet to be delivered are running so high.

Besides the main issue as I see it is for copy protection. And beleive me I know, if somebody wants to copy a product, they will and I mean anything and anybodies. It's not that hard folks. Even a 400 page book can be photo copied for $10.00 at 5 Cents a copy.

I respect intellectual property. I hold copywrites. But when I shell out 40 bucks plus tax for entertainment I want no hassle service. Anyhow thats my opinion. Maybe not so humble, not all quality coustomers are. :notsure:

Ion Stream;

That is an example of the selfless behavior that makes this forum such a treat to frequent.

In a show of solidarity, and with a deep sense of shame that I didn't come up with this idea on my own, I too am willing to sacrifice and therefore volanteer to download the game early. (immediately, if absolutely necessary.) It's the least I can do after your admirable example.


Aw shucks. . . That's OK. . . No applause is necessary. . .

Please. . .Please. . . All of you. . . Sit back down.

/bows humbley

Elrikk

~SDC~

Copy protection has never been a total barrier. The idea isn't to make it impossible, though, but to make it harder. Yes, you could copy that 400-page book . . . but it would take $10, and you'd have to spend all that time copying it. The first two months are the most important times for a game's sales. If updates aren't available except to confirmed registered users for that period, then perhaps more people will be encouraged to actually pay for the game.

As others have mentioned, I don't reckon bandwidth is going to be too much of a problem. Stardock runs WinCustomize, after all (www.wincustomize.com) which uses oodles of bandwidth. I hear they have 10MB/sec setup just for GalCiv. If you are a registered user, updating should not be a problem, although I agree that a way of archiving the update (perhaps encrypted with your GC serial code) would be a useful backup.

Encripted with a personal serial code is perfectly acceptable to me. Archiving with options for floppy size chunks for the less well equiped may be more important than any of us realize. Most people don't know how to span info accross disks. This is just a smattering of the people that will be evaluating GalCiv in that two month sweet spot. I was very pleased to see on the www.gamestop.com GalCiv next on the PC page along with Warcraft III expansion. A real big hitter.
Interesting to see so many employees active in the forum. Most incouraging, especially when a non beta tester has a tendency to be a bit too testing sometimes.