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[Oddball]

I'm thrashing out ideas for a game I'm making at the moment and I'm looking into the possibility of releasing the game incomplete. More specifically the game engine will be finished, but not all the content will be in place. In fact the idea is to be able to keep adding content indefinitely, meaning that the game will be constantly expanding and even changing. The issue I'm having is finding acceptable ways of downloading these changes and updating the files. The ideal scenario would be to have the game check for updates, download, and install each time the game is run, all done behind the scenes. The problem here however is that firewalls, virus scanners and even UAC may start complaining about all this, and at the first sign of security risk most people will just delete the game and move on. With content updates potentially being very small, and very regular, I don't won't to impose on the player to have them keep manually checking for updates and installing them. I guess my question is what is the acceptable way of handling this? Are there indie games that do a similar thing already? And how do they handle it?

Just to be clear I'm not talking about micro-transactions or payed for DLC. I just want to be able to commit content changes to my FTP and have those changes appear in the players game next time they run it.

[nikki]

i have been thinking about this 'problem' too, curious what the right options are..

[Jonathan Whiting]

What I'd do is put in the behind-the-scenes support.  Make it something that you explicitly turn on within the game.  Finally make it extremely obvious (whichever way) that it's a good idea to turn it on.

That way you give the players the the convenience of an integrated solution.  Whilst being explicit and trustworthy about what you're doing.  Also, if security software flags things up just after they've enabled it, then at least they'll be aware why.

To reduce the apparent (to firewalls etc.) threat, make the automated updates run over http, and make them download only.  That way you avoid punching much of a whole in the players security (after all, they probably browse the web!).

[iPope]

Make it check for updates on start up, by checking a web page if the md5 checksum has changed. Then have it download new files.

[Oddball]

I already know there are several solutions tech wise. My query was more focused on which method the user would feel most comfortable using. Or more precisely which method wouldn't scare the end user away when UAC, firewalls, and the like, start acting up. Opt-in is certainly a solution, but that in itself might start the users alarm bells ringing. Mainstream titles that do this already have some level of trust from the user, but a game which Windows/OS X warns you might be dangerous because it 'was downloaded from the internet!!' doesn't have that inherent trust level.

[brog]

To me, not having it "opt-in" rings more alarm bells.  (Downloaded a program, now it's trying to access the internet?  OH NO YOU DON'T.)
I think if you just explain clearly and honestly what it's trying to do, users will appreciate it, and appreciate that you asked their permission.
Just have a pop-up window when you first run it: "This game is updated periodically with new levels, weapons, and other cool stuff.  It will automatically check when you run it to see if there is any new content.  Click here if you don't want it to do this.  You might need to configure your firewall to let it do this.  Download sizes won't be more than 30kb."

[Core Xii]

A simple "[ ] Check for updates automatically" sounds far more trustworthy than a lengthy paragraph suspiciously trying to convince me to the benefits of allowing the program online...

[ஒழுக்கின்மை (Paul Eres)]

just check a site if there are updates, and ask the player to update if there's a new one, bringing them to the site. that seems the simplest way to me. pidgin does this (instant messenger client).

[TheLastBanana]

A simple message when you start the game up that says "Update detected.  Install?" and then throwing in a "don't bug me again" toggle is probably best.  That way players don't have to install it themselves, but they know what is being downloaded.