Auto Update for On-line Game

[CChong]

I am working on an on-line game installation.

A typical on-line game installation checks the client version and compares the file list with later version on the server, then Down load the difference files. Every time a player starts a game, it executes this auto-patch process first.

Can Installshield Update service do ths same task? and How?

Does any on-line game company use Installshield Update service now? And How does it work?

Can I just execute one-click installation cliently instead of "Update service"?

Thank you.

steve

[Chris_Woerner]

Lots of questions. I will try to answer all of them, but this may take a few posts.....

First, let me answer the quick question. We have one customer who is an online game company. They are an online gaming server dedicated to the players of the Ultima Online gaming community. They use the Update Service to update their software that connects the gamer to their servers.

Now the more involved questions.... Yes, the Update Service can automate the updating functions for you. When your game opens, you call the Update Service. The Update Service will check for any available updates and if found install them. The Update Service has a couple of nice features that may appeal to gaming companies....

1. critical updates - updates that must be installed to continue using the game.
2. optional updates - displayed in a "windows update" like web UI. This is good for optional / add-on updates that an end user has a choice to install or not.
3. Conditional updates - display updates to selected groups of your users based on registry/ file conditions. This is very important as it allows you to really customize the list of available updates for each user. That way, users only see updates that apply to them. For example, you could send updates to beta users, power users, etc.....

The Update Service works well with the One-Click install. The Update Service is used to determine if an update is required. If so, you can tell the Update Service to run a One-Click install. This will minimze your download. Or, you can tell the Update Service to download and run a patch update (EXE).

What the Update Service does for you is to determine if an update is available and display the available updates for the customer and aid in the download and installation. The Update Service also makes it very easy for you to post new updates and test them before deploying to your customers. It helps you manage the entire update lifecycle.

If you are new to the Update Service, I would recommend that you take a look at our recorded webinars. I think the webinar on the end-user experience would be helpful for you.

http://www.installshield.com/news/events/webinars.asp?WebProd=US

Let me know if you more detailed information....

[CChong]

Can you tell me (or email) which game company use your technology to make their own auto-patch?
It's important for us to evaluate whether its functions fit our needs.

If I check version by meself and use one-click install without using update service, Will the one-click installer compare files and download only difference files for me?
If yes, Do I still need update service?

Can I do conditional update by one-click installation?

How do I use Update service?
Do I purchase your products or pay annual fee?

I can't attend your web seminar. It's too late for me to make decision. Can you tell me more about your auto-patch solution?
Either reply me or email me more detail information?

Thank you.


steve

[Chris_Woerner]

Several of the web seminars are recorded - you can view them anytime. They are very useful for getting an idea of how the Update Service works.

The Update Service is licensed using an annual fee. If you are using Professional 7, you are entitled to a free 6-month license. You can sign-up for the license via the project settings > updates window.

The Update Service does provide many additional benefits over and above the one-click installation. Really, they are designed to be used together.

Using One-Click installation to deliver the update will minimize your download time. But the Update Service is very good at determining if an update is even needed. There are several ways to determine if an update is needed using the Update Service...

1. If my version is 'n'. This send the update to all users of version 'n'.

2. If my version is 'n' and I have a registry setting of 'x'. This further refines who sees the update. Some of our customers use this to send updates to specific groups of users (maybe Win9x).

3. If my version is 'n' and I have a file with a certain date. This again further refines who sees the update. This is very important if you send out an add-on or optional update that doesn't increment the version of your core product. You only want customers to see the availability of the update if they don't already have it installed. If you don't increment the version of your core product, you need conditions to do this.


The Update Service provides two additional benefits:

1. The Update Service can send informational messages to your customers (HTML)

2. The Update Service automatically launches the One-Click install for you. If you don't use the Update Service, you will have to build logic to determine if an update is necessary. If so, you will have to build logic to launch the update. If you have different updates for different versions, this can become complicated. With the Update Service, that is done for you.

[CChong]

How do you measure your update service performance?
For example, how many concurrent users can download the new updates at the same time?
How much bandwidth we get for one appliction?
How fast does your database & updater server perform?

If we licenses updater service server, and host on our own site.
What are the answer for above questions?

Thank you.

steve

[Chris_Woerner]

Q: How do you measure your update service performance?
A: We measure the time it takes our server to respond to your client with a list of available updates. Our typical response time is less than 25ms.

Q: For example, how many concurrent users can download the new updates at the same time?
A: If InstallShield is hosting the Update Service servers, an unlimited number of users can look for updates. My guess is that you are going to be more limited on your ability to host the actual downloads themselves. Remember that InstallShield does not host the update bits. You host those on any HTTP/ HTTPS server. If you are hosting the Update Service servers, we have performance benchmarks than can help you decide how many servers are needed to support your user community.

Q: How much bandwidth we get for one appliction?
A: Unlimited. But again remember that we are not hosting your downloads.


Q: How fast does your database & updater server perform?
A: Typical response to a client request is less than 25ms.

If we licenses updater service server, and host on our own site.
What are the answer for above questions?

[CChong]

Hi Steve,

I run an online games company that uses the AutoUpdate service. It took awhile to get used to, but if implemented correctly it can be a huge help. Im still experiencing some issues, only because my implementation was a little banged up, but overall the product is a good one.

Let me know if you have any specific questions.
Regards
-gas ( kenny@arkadium.com)

[CChong]

Hi Kenny:

Would it work if I do the following...

Every time the game application is executed.
Check the client version with server.
If the client's version is older version,
invoke one-click installation or patch version silently.

If the network is disconneted, then my log file would tell this update fails. Next time, it will run the patch again.

Then I don't need to have update service, right?

Thank you.

steve

[CChong]

Hey Steve,

Thats essentially what the update service does. If you can do it yourself, you would end up saving yourself some cash.

Here is what I find useful that the update service provides.

1) easy to maintain version control through web interface
2) supports multiple products with multiple versions
3) has support for messages other than updates. (for example: an html message talking about a promotion, or a new game feature)
4) good reporting (ex. how many users on version 1, successfully updated to version 1.2 in the last week)

Those are just a few. Id like to know more about your game, if you would like to talk further, drop me a line directly at kenny@arkadium.com

Cheers
-gas