Implemented Game Installer/Improved Launcher

[hawleyaw]

I see a lot of threads about game play and features but this involves the actual execution/installing of the game itself.

Currently Pokemon 3D launches in a minecraft-like style with a launcher using just files that can be placed anywhere, this is nice but at times can cause issues for some people.

I believe an installer might be a welcome addition to simplify the process of installing all aspects of the game. Including the XNA Framework and the .Net 4.0 Framework in the installer itself would be very convenient as these not being installed is an issue for many new people.

The launcher itself would become the main executable file (perhaps the only one as the other .exe file launching in an error is quite annoying. Not being able to pin the actual running executable to my taskbar is also annoying) in which you would check for updates and launch the game, the game files themselves would be in a specific folder such as in the Program Files by default.

I understand Pokemon 3D is still very early on in development but I believe this is something to really think about in the future.

PS: Throw a donate button on that launcher, some people just play the game and don't check out this site which has the only donate button.

 

[MrTimoshi]

I second this suggestion.

 

[DracoHouston]

The launcher part of it all is fine, but there is room for improvement. Steam does a first run check when you first run a new game which will ask the redistributable versions of the runtimes the game needs if theyre installed already. This process is kinda notoriously slow but if you do it for every new player's first run and identify if they need the runtimes, explain this to them and automate the process of installing them people won't be wondering how to start the game.

something nilllz has thought about is download size for each patch as well, he had an idea of having the game in several zips so sometimes an update doesn't touch one and the download is smaller but i suggested having an incermental patch and a full install patch instead so only changes get downloaded in incremental updates and if you fall behind it downloads the whole thing like it does now. nothings been done about this yet AFAIK so these aren't concrete plans

at least he had the foresight to put a troubleshooting link in there, i clicked it at least (i was missing xna 4 runtimes)

 

[hawleyaw]

You are making a big assumption assuming that many people are going to be running Steam while they start this game as not everyone uses Steam. I for one don't use Steam that often, I don't even have it installed on this computer right now so I get no such prompt or check.

Yes, it was very thoughtful of him to put the troubleshooting, it's just very helpful at times to a lot of people to have everything all in one installer that way they are ready to go when they want to start the game.

As for the system of patches, I don't see anything wrong with how it works now, nor did I bring up that topic other than perhaps eliminating the other executable file and merging it with the launcher.

Either way these are just suggestions and of course nilllzz is still hard at work on the actual content but I just want to through it out there.

 

[DracoHouston]

You are making a big assumption assuming that many people are going to be running Steam while they start this game as not everyone uses Steam. I for one don't use Steam that often, I don't even have it installed on this computer right now so I get no such prompt or check.

Yes, it was very thoughtful of him to put the troubleshooting, it's just very helpful at times to a lot of people to have everything all in one installer that way they are ready to go when they want to start the game.

As for the system of patches, I don't see anything wrong with how it works now, nor did I bring up that topic other than perhaps eliminating the other executable file and merging it with the launcher.

Either way these are just suggestions and of course nilllzz is still hard at work on the actual content but I just want to through it out there.

you are also assuming i mean literally use steam to install it and not 'lets make the launcher automate getting the runtimes, like steam does'

also i was just talking about some other plans we had for the launcher jeet christ :x

 

[DracoHouston]

an installer is just an executable that automates unpacking some archives and so on, there's no reason the launcher can't do it instead of an actual installer, is all i'm saying. The launcher is already the 'installer' it just isn't as thorough as you'd like.