Best download web page.

[ErikH2000]

I made a download page for one of my games. If you want to see it to know what I am talking about, go to my site (http://www.caravelgames.net) and click "play now".

I'm considering what is the best way to do this thing. I have seen some big sites that spell out download instructions like I am doing, but I wonder if it is not better to just send people the file as soon as they hit a "play now!" button. Do some people really need to know that you should run a setup file after downloading it? Obviously, we don't, but maybe potential customers do? On the other hand, maybe download/install instructions have become an anachronism because even the most casual user knows how it works at this point. I personally like to have the setup file just start downloading directly from the first link, with no silly instructions. I find that about 90% of the indie games I download will just send a setup executable. The other 10% are less polished efforts throwing a zip archive my way or some kooky Javacrat trying to get me to use Java Web Start. ;)

Also, don't let me complicate the issue with the extra detail that there is a Linux installation available. For now, I am just focusing on Windows users and keeping them happy. Linux users you can never make happy anyhow--they are too cranky.

-Erik

[Sillysoft]

Well I am trying to satisfy both Windows and Macintosh users (with Linux thrown in for fun), so a seperate page was needed. This is what I have got up now: http://sillysoft.net/download/

[Sybixsus]

I personally like to have the setup file just start downloading directly from the first link, with no silly instructions.

So do I, but would you change your mind about downloading something just because it did the silly instructions thing instead? I wouldn't. Sure I might growl or mutter at the patronising instructions, but you wouldn't lose a download from me by going with the silly instructions.

On the other hand.. you might lose some from people who don't know what to expect. Having spent many, many hours in a computer help chat room, I can assure you that there are a whole lot of people out there who have trouble doing anything more complicated then pressing the on switch.

[ggambett]

I do this : http://www.mysterystudio.com/download.php?id=bbb

I can also put links with a specified platform : http://www.mysterystudio.com/download.php?id=bbb&plat=win32

[Armsfeld]

It never hurts to give a helping hand. Your recruitment process is only as strong as the weakest link, it's good to try to fool proof every step.

'Course, the best test is asking some non-developers to try figuring your site and getting a game up while you bite your tongue. Users do the darnest things, but it's our job to to help them.

[luggage]

can you not detect whether it's coming from Linux\PC\Mac and start the correct download automatically?

I quite like the sites that start the download and open a page with instructions for that version.

I'm meaning to find the time to sort this out for our website.

Maybe you could also have another way of getting the correct download just on the off chance someone who has a mac wants to download the pc version. I guess this would be quite rare though.

My dad would get confused faced with questions about Linux, Mac and Windows. Mainly cos he doesn't know what Mac and Linux are but that would be enough to confuse him.

[ErikH2000]

Ah, this gave me an idea:

Have a list of platforms like Gabriel and Dustin are doing, detect the O/S with some Javascript and make the first download in the list be the one that matches. I'm going to have a Mac version too, so my page would probably ending up something like Dustin's in the end.

And it also occurs to me that if I want have direct downloads then I'd need three links, one for each O/S, instead of just one "play now!" as there is now. I think cluttering up the front page with those extra buttons would be bad, so this gives an extra reason to have a separate O/S selection page which can also have brief instructions like the Sillysoft page does.

-Erik

[ErikH2000]

can you not detect whether it's coming from Linux\PC\Mac and start the correct download automatically?
I thought about this, but I know there are people who are running different O/S and might do something like download the Linux version of the game from a Windows PC at work, burn it to a CD, take it home, and run it on their Linux box. And it's not hard to imagine similar scenarios.

Maybe I will be able to rearrange the list of available O/S downloads so that the one matching the user's is always at the top. Or perhaps it is best to hide away instructions/links for the other O/S's and just add some text at the bottom, i.e. "You may also download _Linux_ and _Macintosh_ versions of this game." Then clicking on the link goes to a separate download/link page for that O/S.

-Erik

[luggage]

Or perhaps it is best to hide away instructions/links for the other O/S's and just add some text at the bottom, i.e. "You may also download _Linux_ and _Macintosh_ versions of this game." Then clicking on the link goes to a separate download/link page for that O/S.
That's what we'll probably do. Someone who is downloading a game for a machine on a different OS is probably computer savvy enough to realise what they have to do.

[papillon]

detect the O/S with some Javascript


Don't forget to accomodate the paranoid people who have javascript disabled. :)

[Chris Evans]

And it also occurs to me that if I want have direct downloads then I'd need three links, one for each O/S, instead of just one "play now!" as there is now. I think cluttering up the front page with those extra buttons would be bad, so this gives an extra reason to have a separate O/S selection page which can also have brief instructions like the Sillysoft page does.



I have three different demo downloads, PC, Mac, and Web. This is what I did: http://www.playpowpow.com

It's always tricky dealing with multiple versions.

[oNyx]

"play now" is kinda confusing for me. I would asume that I could play right away (in my browser) just some seconds later. It's just the wrong label from my pov. It's also bad that I don't know the filesize beforehand.

Dustin's version makes scanning pretty easy. The icons help alot and are also links to the setup (That's like the pattern you've used on the front page. Game image->game info page).

And one thing you haven't asked for... don't use frames. Get rid of them. A user could for example end up on this page <edit>(by using a search engine)</edit>:
http://www.caravelgames.net/Articles/Games_2/AE.html

And then? There is no menu and the back button won't do any good. And if someone suggests one of your games to someone else via email/chat/forum he/she will usually end up explaining how to end up there instead of just pasting the link to the sub page directly (how bothersome ;)).

[ErikH2000]

"play now" is kinda confusing for me. I would asume that I could play right away (in my browser) just some seconds later. It's just the wrong label from my pov. It's also bad that I don't know the filesize beforehand.
Since I'm going to keep the instruction page (decided this based previous messages in this thread), I think the confusion clears up pretty quickly after user clicks on "play now".
And one thing you haven't asked for... don't use frames. Get rid of them.
Yeah, I was already planning on replacing the frames for other reasons, but I'm fracking irritated about it. I guess that's another story/rant.

-Erik

[Sirrus]

I personally like Retro64's (and many of the larger companies) download screen that simply have the image and an arrow. I chose to do this for my upcoming division as well...