A better GW patch tool (a better -image)

Guild Wars gets automatically updated when a new patch becomes available.

This is easy and convenient, but the system also has drawbacks, as it only downloads the basic minimum and also does not decompress data right away. This can cause severe problem in some cases.


a.) Arenas
The latest example is Costume Brawl. Some people do not know or use the -image switch. So they load while the others are already playing. Sometimes even joining after the whole team already died.

and

b.) entering "new" areas
In PvE, entering a new area can also result in players waiting for the other to load the map. Slow connection, being for the first time there and not much RAM and this player becomes a problem. Especially if he is a monk and the party gets attacked right away in some dungeons due to spawns close to the entrance.

c.) people cannot selectively decompress and download data
Some players do have traffic limits or slow connection speeds, and they either have to play ingame to download and decompress stuff or download the whole package.


My suggestions:

1.) Ask the player to download and decompress everything when a new build is available

2.) Forced download of arena maps when players travel to a PvP outpost. E.g. AB players would have to download and decompress all AB maps before they could enter the battle. RA players RA maps, HA players HA maps and so on.

3.) GW Patch Tool
This will contain a list of "optional" stuff that does not get downloaded and decompressed by default. You should get a list of areas/maps where you can select which one you want to download.

The option to start this utility should appear when you launch GW and new build is available.

Errr not such a bad idea .... but the -image is much easier .... maybe it should just be said IG to players "Bored to load at each map ? use the -image feature, click here for more detail" as a tip, wouldn't it be enough ?

wiki is your friend.

Gw updates method is great. The only problem is that not everyone knows how to do -image. I think the simplicity of the gw patching process is fine, but if I were to suggest something, it would be to automatically dowload nearby zones' contents. That way when you play with people, they will probably be ready to play rather than dowloafinf a few minutes. Also, people who are concerned about disk space or have 1 campaign only (and feel that the disk space should stick to that campaign) will be happy.

Hm... for that purpose, this would be enough:

Add a checkbox to the 'minumin upload' window and the General option panel, to make the client always download all the files. (Like -image + normal run)

wow, another attempted laziness cure... it's a matter of the build announcement additionally containing "use -image to get the full update" as someone already said.

how many times have you said this now?

-image=GG.....................