PI patching strategy and the Steam/GG divide

[Darkrenown]

But, based on ideas above, if I have a GG installation on desktop and a Steam installation on laptop, can I beta patch the GG installation by copying over the Steam CK2 beta installation files on the laptop to my GG installation on the desktop? Or could I do this but would need to use Steam on the desktop as well to copy?

Or is there another way?

If you have the Steam version anyway, why not install it on both? If there's some reason you don't want Steam on your desktop you can just copy over the entire CK2 beta folder though.

 

[Johan]

If we do beta patches for a game, we want the largest group of people getting it, while still being convenient for us to quickly distribute it.

For beta patches, we also want to make sure everyone installs it correctly.

Since 85+% of you guys buy our games on Steam, and the 5% who still buy box gets a steam wrapper, it makes most sense to make a steam beta.



Then again, I'm not sure using beta patches is worth it if we want to patch regularly.

 

[Darkrenown]

Well, I'm sure you know our sales figures better than Johan Also, he literally just said he's not sure we'll do any beta patches and if we do they'll be on Steam, so expecting otherwise is just setting yourself up for disappointment.

 

[Johan]

Where does special deals come into it?

I talk about revenue, not the amount of sold copies.

 

[Johan]

You are telling us gamersgate sales are not even 5% of overall sales when everyone seemed to be perfectly happy with gamersgate and lots of guys prefer it over Steam. Sorry cant really believe that, only thing this could be is maybe becuase of those hugely discounted packs on Steam, so basically everyone preferring Steam is a self fulfilling prophecy the way its forced down our throat at the moment.

I can just go on actual data. And I watch pre-orders and day #1 sales primarily.... And thats were GG is the strongest, as a core of forum people prefer them.. And thats still a small fraction compared to Steam.

 

[Darkrenown]

Yes and thats exactly what i wanted to say , you screw your most loyal customers.

How so? You're screwed because you don't get beta patches, which we may not even do at all? That seems to be the only difference so far. Also, beta patches on Steam isn't new information, this just seems to have been the first time you have noticed it.

Also, if you are so loyal, why don't you want to switch to our new preferred method? Are you sure you're not just conservative?

 

[Darkrenown]

Betas on Steam has been all over the forum. Sorry if you missed it though. I wouldn't say it's a major feature we sell different version on though.

You could always ask GG if you can cancel your pre-order, it's really nothing to do with us.

 

[Darkrenown]

wait i wont get beta-patches then either because i didnt preorder...man this really needs to be explained properly once and for all and not be hidden in various threads throughout the forum.

What?

 

[Darkrenown]

Yes the whole world isnt exactly the same, for roughly half of it there are either limits on what can be downloaded or additional charges for use. But thats not the point.

But if the only reason for picking Steam over GG was to get the beta patches [what this thread is about], that you have to redownload the whole game to get the beta patches would be a deciding factor.
So if someone is looking at this thread to decide which to follow its good to have important stuff like out plain to see. Getting one version for beta patches isnt a gain if the way it gets them will be heavily inconvenient for you or impossible, in which case itd be better just to get GG and potentially miss out on the betas.

What about standard, not beta-patches, does it just get the patch or download the things not changed too? As presumably itd already have all the files there so it wouldnt have to but i think its still better to check and ask so them as need to know can know before putting their money down either side.

The beta version is entirely optional, if you have problems with data limits the answer would be to just not install it. It's not even a case of telling it not to install, it would only ever be installed if you picked it from your Steam library and told it to install.

Regular patches will of course only download changed files, not the entire game.

However if the above is true then I will not be getting CK2 on steam (I will get it assuming the first week reviews are good, same policy as HOI3 and Vicky2 which I never ended up getting) Downloading twice is idiotic and a waste of bandwidth.

It's really not. The entire point of having a separate beta version is so your main install is safe from any problems that might be found in the beta patches. Remember, these are being put out to be tested and are not guaranteed to be be free of errors. I'm sure if you think about it you'll agree wouldn't want these being automatically installed over your main game without warning.

 

[Darkrenown]

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P.S. Remaining unanswered by anyone that I can identify as offiical is my question whether a GG installation on one machine can be beta updated by copying files from a Steam beta installation on the other. This is a technical question. However, if the Steam license will allow me to use beta versions while the GG license will not, technical feasibility is irrelevant since use of beta on GG would be impermissible.

If you have the Steam version anyway, why not install it on both? If there's some reason you don't want Steam on your desktop you can just copy over the entire CK2 beta folder though.

^

 

[Darkrenown]

I don't see any reason you couldn't copy the beta files over, I just thought it would be easier (and need only one version) to simply copy the entire game folder from the Steam version rather than checking which files were changed and merging them in etc. As Wezqu says, Steam is not required to actually play it, but yes: You should be able to copy beta files from a Steam install if you want to do so.

 

[Darkrenown]

I don't think you could use GG DLC on Steam, no.

Why would you think it was an official policy? It's just common sense, if you see an offer you prefer elsewhere and you're allowed to cancel your offer, go for it.

 

[Darkrenown]

You're not going to put DRM on the DLC, right, so they can use GG DLC on the Steam version. I'm not going to guess at what Steam's policy is on DLC bought from other portals when they offer it themselves, but you're free to use modified game files until Steam patches over them, and even then you can just modify them again.

It's more they'll have different installers, the GG installer won't know you have the game installed etc, while Steam won't sell you DLC that you don't own the base game for on Steam.

 

[Darkrenown]

It is, but you can buy it from other vendors. You basically buy the code and then input it to Steam, or on some places you can DL the installer too.