Why do app upgrades require you to download the entire app?

Discussion in 'General Game Discussion and Questions' started by underage17, Nov 15, 2012.

  1. underage17

    underage17 Well-Known Member

    Nov 3, 2012
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    For instance, the updated version of MC3 has a small change (prevent speed hackers).. So for something that's only a few megabytes in size, why do we have to download the entire 1gb+ game?

    Can't they have a patch system like they do on PC games?
     
  2. runliketurtles

    runliketurtles Well-Known Member

    Feb 21, 2012
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    Actually, I think incremental patch updates can now be done for apps. But it's a relatively new feature and developers need to implement it, ie you probably won't see it happen much for awhile yet.
     
  3. psj3809

    psj3809 Moderator

    Jan 13, 2011
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    Yeah its frustrating, several times i've had to delete apps to then just update another large app i've got already (Got fed up of Bards Tale doing that so in the end i deleted it).

    Be good if they could just do the small updates instead of the huge file all over again.
     
  4. defred34

    defred34 Well-Known Member

    Aug 27, 2012
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    I know some huge games (like Fifa 13) that only download a few MBs (or maybe even KBs) for an update patch.

    Unless of course if they're adding new content...then a whole download will be needed since it involves art assets. But if it simple tweaking in the code, a small patch should do. Not many devs implement this yet.
     
  5. underage17

    underage17 Well-Known Member

    Nov 3, 2012
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    Usually I don't cry about it but when I saw the 1.09 gb MC3 update which only fixes speed hacks, it pissed me off -.-"
     
  6. MidianGTX

    MidianGTX Well-Known Member

    Jun 16, 2009
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    The Simpsons: Tapped Out uses delta updates and they frequently include new art assets :)
     
  7. Primoz

    Primoz Well-Known Member

    Aug 14, 2012
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    I remember updating a huge (file) game some weeks ago and was surprised when it updated in a few minutes. I checked the AppStore updates if it really updated or just crashed and was even more surprised when I saw that it updated. I didn't know "patches" were possible before that.
     
  8. LOLavi

    LOLavi Well-Known Member

    May 23, 2011
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    I believe with iOS 6 you can only install that update?
     
  9. awp69

    awp69 Well-Known Member

    Oct 30, 2009
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    If this is true, then I just found the only reason I need to update to iOS 6. I absolutely hate updates in huge games. Causes a massive headache of trying to delete and redownload apps. My biggest gripe with the iOS system has been lack if incremental updates.
     
  10. ParkProductionsGames

    ParkProductionsGames Well-Known Member

    Not sure if Apple supported patches from the start, but for us indie devs it is a lot faster and cleaner to create a brand new version of a game rather than trying to patch pieces of code.

    We have recently updated our retro platformer GameGuy to add Game Center and other fixes(code only) but when sending to Apple there does not seem to be the ability to do patches. This might only be for the likes of EA etc.
     
  11. psj3809

    psj3809 Moderator

    Jan 13, 2011
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    Dont get me wrong i dont mind reinstalling 99% of apps. Its just the biggies which are a pain. As i said Bards Tale was a nightmare as the app size was huge, they kept updating that but as i only had say 800 mb left i had to keep freeing up space for the update.

    Any 'tiddlers' are fine if its the whole file, just the big 1GB + games are a nightmare. To be fair i should delete more stuff on my gadget though !
     
  12. Primoz

    Primoz Well-Known Member

    Aug 14, 2012
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    I've got iOS 4.x so that's not the case. Perhaps apple allowed those patches when iOS 6 came.
     
  13. september

    september Well-Known Member

    Sep 14, 2012
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    I don't mind too much apart from the fact it requires current space, plus download space and then install spec (some games being worse than others). Then it gets annoying, especially if the game doesn't have icloud support so you can't delete the original to make room for the update.
     

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