I just followed the given words of this thread when i used the word "noob" in conjunction with zipfiles. Because in an earlier post somebody stated that just people who uses installers ...
So sorry, i didnīt want to state everybody as noob just because of the fact that he uses zip files to provide his/her games. It was just thought as a reply to those guys.
Anyway. Facts and arguments are better suited for a good discussion. I will not call anybody a noob because he uses this or that. For me there are just more or less experienced users.
For me the facts are told. The choice is yours.
Note: It really seems that we need a tutorial how to create a good installer. Some helpful points:
*.cox files are definitely nothing to put into an installer.
A start menu entry and a shortcut are the mainreasons to use an installer. Else it is really useless.
Everything game related needs to be placed within the same folder than the game.exe. So that the uninstaller may not uninstall a newer DLL from the systems folder.
The Titan Omega zip file has had a miniscule number of downloads compared to the .exe version. but like somebody above said - installers do well outside of the community.
All that said... Sam had a much bigger launch than either Titan Omega games and that was zip only. Nobody has emailed me yet about installation problems. they must be getting smarter.
But yea. Never ever use those built in installers with TGF. urgh.
Tiles, you're acting like a douche. I'll say this one more time because you seem to be struggling with the language:
In almost any situation that precludes the use of an archive, an extractor is a better choice than an installer.
How about you counter that point rather than repeating the same shit over and over? Verbosity does not equsal validity.
I donīt know where you heard this strange rumour that professionals mainly use a zipfile to provide their software.
I NEVER FUCKING SAID THAT YOU BLOODY ILLITERATE. Perhaps English isn't your mother tongue, so here's a pro tip: "archive" and "extractor" are spelled and pronounced differently because they're different words.
Situations that require an installer:
- Applications that *need* to modify the registry (incidentally, the installshield modifications do not create one entry, it creates multiple, in an already typically bloated list. There is only a valid need iff: )
- Changes are made to system or shared directories
Otherwise, your arguments are what? That it creates icons? As I've said, it takes less time and clicks to extract an archive and right-click-drag out an icon. This is a basic direct-interaction skill of the windows interface.
Oh, and it's "more professional"? That's bull, and it's been covered multiple times. What you're doing is imitating things you think are professional: that's not the same thing. They're using installers because it's necessary, and additionally, their software is professionally designed. The latter does not imply the former; your logic is ridiculous. Where there is no need, professional software is far more likely to use an extractor nowadays, whether you like it or not, because users do not like bloat.
You speak of demo CDs. I don't know what you read, but none of the computing mags I buy favour installers. If I were to look at one of those now, I'd find one or two installers, a handfull of archives, and a majority of extractors.
I prefer a zip file.. if you prefer an install file because it gives your game a commercial look, that's great.
Maybe you could give the rest of us a zip choice we can download instead. Becasue I don't want your game to add up on my add/removes programs.
If you want to be a profecional so bad, why don't you stop being such a stubborn dude and distribute your game in a way isn't annoying to so many people?
@Radix, point taken. Have indeed overread the self extractor part. But i have still another opinion. And i stay with it. Thatīs all. The computer mags that i prefer has software with installers mostly. Rarely zipfiles nor self extractors. I personally prefer installers for games.
I haven't really noticed a decrease in the use of installers on magazine coverdiscs. Admittedly, though, I haven't bought one in the last ten years or so.
Admittedly I only read IT industry magazines, not games ones. But they'd be a better indication of what's smart rather than just what's tolerable.
n/a
Deleted User
16th March, 2006 at 11:57:37 -
that gave me inspiration to make a install programs maker that will do everything good
plus a test and delete option - after install the game will be opened and deleted after closing the install.
and all shortcuts will be created only if a check box is checked.
and i never got a CT install creator/maker uninstall to crash or do something bad.
This reminds me how once I made a post saying that i didn't like fake company intro logos on games, and i thought it was stupid to have intro logos because you aren't a company.
And everyone started calling me a n00b, and that intro logos was to build up a "reputation", I loled for weeks. This is similar in the sense that i'm just expressing my opinion on something, it's like taste on music or food, no matter what you say i will always like the same, so it's pretty dumb to come and NEGATE what I've said.
What you can do, though. Is offer both options so everyone is happy. Cuz lets face it, installers are really annoying compared to zip files: They add folders and icons without asking you, when you uninstall it deletes the dll files back.. wich kills all other mmf games you had installed, it adds an unnesesary entry on add/remove programs, etc.
about extensions:
the extansions ARE compiled into the EXE.
but, the DLLs that some exts need are not.
sometimes, the program gets mad and don't read the cox files right, and i gives a "can't find file feezee.cox" error.
but, if there are cox files in the folder this won't happen.
most of times it never happen, but i got it to happen with one of my old CNC program
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