Same Game, Multiple Versions

[papillon]

I'm in the process of converting Cute Knight to a different codebase that will let it run on some computers that couldn't meet the requirements for the original. It is definitely not going to replace the original - it's slower and uglier - but I want to have it as an option for people who can't run the full thing.

On a CD, I could simply include both builds and let the user install whichever one they want.

But as a download, should I bundle them as one package, making the download much bigger without actually adding anything, or list them separately, which creates the possibility of people getting confused and buying the wrong one, or thinking they're two games, buying them both, and getting upset?

I lean towards putting them in one bundle - after all, the user's hardware situation might change - but I wonder if anyone else has any experience dealing with multiple builds like that.

[EJSainz]

Well, since you are going to prepare an uglier and slower version of your game, I guess it's definitelly impossible to optimize the normal version :) . Moreover, since you are talking of two different releases, I also guess that it is impossible to include two executables using the same resources, or even one only executable that asks for the computer performance.

I don't know the whole problem, but those two versions of the same game thing sounds as strange as difficult to make people understand that's the same game.

[papillon]

It is two executables with largely the same resources - but the exe file itself is still going to add several meg to the installer if I include them both, even though the external files used are exactly the same and would not need to be duplicated.

It's just being built on a different base - one requires dx8 and a large chunk of VRAM (which is causing problems for some people with laptops), the other can run on just about anything, including windows emulators, but is slow, tends to flicker, and can't use some visual effects. It works, but the overall experience isn't as nice.

Haven't built the 'choose' installer yet but the general idea would be that it puts the pretty one on top, and has 'LoFi version: Only install this if you can't run the other one' for the ugly version, then lets you pick which to install.

[ErikH2000]

It occurs to me that if you end up putting both versions in your installer, maybe it makes sense to just install both versions with your installer, and add an extra icon to the start menu for your lo-fi version. Better yet, run some kind of configuration or performance test when the hi-fi version starts. If it points to low performance, exit and run the lo-fi version. Then you could get rid of the confusing choice altogether.

My reasoning for installing both is that the user may not know which version is appropriate for him at install time. Asking him to run the installer a second time to install lo-fi may be too much. Or put a different way, you will lose some percentage of your players because they didn't read/understand/feel-motivated-enough-by the lo-fi option.

I've found that most everybody misses the option in the DROD installer to install with keyboard settings for laptops. And then they complain about the keys not working on their laptop, even though we spent a hundred hours or so making the special laptop settings available and integrated into the tutorial. >>grumble<< The lesson for me has been that people sleep through installer dialogues, just clicking "Next" and "Okay" until it's done. We've rewritten the game so that the option is presented on first run instead of in the installer.

-Erik

[PoV]

Is there any reason you can't include both builds in the same executable? Say, branch from the main to each game loop variant, or lazily "if" check what would change, based on a command line argument. It should save you a meg that way, and you can easily create additional shortcuts with NSIS, and perhaps similar installer makers.

[terin]

Im a bigger fan of having larger downloads than making people jump through hoops.

-Joe

[Phil Steinmeyer]

What contents are different between the versions?

Most games out there can handle varying levels of target machine within the same installable. Within the game EXE, you just have different code paths, as applicable (say, a DX8 rendering path and a software only path). Asset-wise, you can usually use the same assets for both - worst case, for the lower end version load the high-end assets and down-scale/down-sample at run time.

Having two entirely different installables sounds like a bad idea. It will confuse everyone.

[jankoM]

This features from clickteam installer might come in handy at what you are trying to do:

Install Creator Pro Added Features

* Ability to generate multiple installations in the same install program (e.g. unregistered and registered version, or English and French version)
* Only stores the differences between the files of the different versions for a maximum compression

Most games out there can handle varying levels of target machine within the same installable. Within the game EXE, you just have different code paths, as applicable

I believe that papillons made game in a tool that uses DX8 and has VRAM ... , and the low-spec is made in something completely different, so there can't be single exe. I would do as Erik said, install both exes (that use same resources) and two icons in start menu without complicating at install time.

[arcadetown]

Think you're just going to confuse your users and user confusion = less sales IMHO.

[Anthony Flack]

Well, how many megs are we talking here? Like, what is the size of the hi-fi version by itself, compared to the combined one?

[Mark Sheeky]

Many F.P.S. games include a normal and a "safe" version so there is a precident for including two versions.

Mark