Recommend freeware installer/patcher?
by Mike Stoddart · in General Discussion · 05/26/2002 (7:21 pm) · 12 replies
I'm at the stage where I'm giving out alpha demos to some friends so that they can help me test my game. However, it's a pain having to manually create a new distribution compressed file each time I want release a version. Also, some friends only have modems, so I can't expect them to download several megabytes each time.
So I was wondering if anyone could recommend a Windows only freeware package that will allow me to create an installation distribution and also to create subsequent installation packages that simply patch the installation.
Thanks!
So I was wondering if anyone could recommend a Windows only freeware package that will allow me to create an installation distribution and also to create subsequent installation packages that simply patch the installation.
Thanks!
#2
05/26/2002 (7:54 pm)
Thanks - I'm downloading those as I write this.
#3
05/26/2002 (8:12 pm)
You could have a look at nullsofts tools at http://www.nullsoft.com/free/nsis/ don't see anything mentioned about patching but since it's totally scriptable sure you could knock something up.
#4
For installers, I don't think you can really beat Nullsoft's NSIS. Having a tested installer is just as important as price, and while there are lots of free installers, I don't think any of them has been tested on as many systems as NSIS (it's used for Winamp of course, and other companies are using it for their own software such as Viewpoint and Trillian).
05/26/2002 (8:18 pm)
I like Clickteam's PatchMaker too, though I haven't used it in a while. I used to use something called WinPatch, which wasn't free, but cheap.For installers, I don't think you can really beat Nullsoft's NSIS. Having a tested installer is just as important as price, and while there are lots of free installers, I don't think any of them has been tested on as many systems as NSIS (it's used for Winamp of course, and other companies are using it for their own software such as Viewpoint and Trillian).
#7
05/28/2002 (7:31 am)
Just thought I'd post an update. I decided to use the products from Clickteam and they seem to be good products. I'm not sure that my methods are the best, but I've managed to release a couple of patches already. So I think the Clickteam tools will be perfect for my needs. Thankyouverymuch!
#8
10/31/2005 (10:23 am)
Any other suggestions for auto patcher software? Thye ClickTeam software builds difference patches into executables and is not an MMO style client/server patch system. None of the other suggestions were helpful either. I need an MMO style client/server patch system soon and have been unable to find anything on the internet. I heard mention of one, but lost the link. Does anyone know of any options? 
#9
If you're coding an MMO, a patcher should be the least of your problems Thomas.
11/02/2005 (5:34 am)
Code it in yourself if you want it tied to your game?If you're coding an MMO, a patcher should be the least of your problems Thomas.
#10
11/02/2005 (6:43 am)
Patching Torque .cs and .gui files isn't hard: the server just needs to send the CRC of each file and the client then requests each one that's changed (and exec's them when they arrive).
#11
I have the ability to code it myself and actually wrote about 75% of a client/server patch system already. However, I could be spending my time much wiser doing other things rather than re-inventing the wheel.
11/02/2005 (7:43 am)
Stefan,I have the ability to code it myself and actually wrote about 75% of a client/server patch system already. However, I could be spending my time much wiser doing other things rather than re-inventing the wheel.
#12
Well, but finding source to do this out of the box for an MMO will be difficult - I think.
11/03/2005 (8:34 am)
Thomas,Well, but finding source to do this out of the box for an MMO will be difficult - I think.
Torque Owner Bryan Walters
Well I started my research before starting development really as I noticed it could help the dev team release new copies....and what I came across was www.clickteam.com They have a free version which you can use as long as you keep there advertisement in the program and its not that bad really......Check it out..
Bryan