PC Games Without Install

Parliamentarian · 05-09-2011, 12:18 AM

I believe that one of the biggest reasons consoles are so successful is because of how quick they are to set up.

A PC can take a bit of time to set up correctly. With a console, you just plug it in, turn it on, set up the time and date and some other quick, simple settings, and you're good to go. No installing, no updating, no optimizing.

Why can't this be done for PCs as well? Setting up a computer could be as easy as setting up a console, which could help less technical people get started with PC gaming. Hardware support would really be the only limiting factor in this, because they (PCs) are not the same for everyone, though if a console can run games based on it's limited hardware, making computers with similar power would be a cheap and effective way of pushing the PC to more consumers.

However, PC games also require installations. You can't simply pop your game's DVD into your drive and play, oh no, no no! You need to put it in and spend however long it takes to install the game, and maybe even configure ♥♥♥♥ for it. But why?! Why is this manual and not automatic? Most games that are released on PC these days already automatically configure their visual/performance settings based on the hardware it detects in your machine, so couldn't this be used to just run a game console style directly from the disc drive?

Now, I am not saying to just remove installation altogether. It does have advantages, such as loading faster from hard disk storage, and playing without needing the disc at all (assuming there's no DRM preventing this), but it should be an option to just play the game without an install. Sometimes you're just too excited to play something to have to spend up to 45 minutes installing it.

ernest. · 05-09-2011, 12:44 AM

Some PS3 games have mandatory installs.

Also Halo 2 PC did have some weird installation that installed half of it and then continued installing while you played the beginning.

I don't think installation i a big deal.

Shen · 05-09-2011, 01:08 AM

TLDR: Consoles are more convenient

Aemony · 05-09-2011, 01:22 AM

http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Games_f...#Tray_and_Play

Quote:

Tray and Play is a technology developed by Microsoft for Windows Vista. It allows users to put the game disc into an optical disc drive and start playing almost immediately, while the game installs itself in the background and streams off the disc with minimal or zero caching, just like on a game console. The first and currently only commercial game to use this technology is the Windows version of Halo 2.

The technology is already there in the operating system but I believe that developers and publishers didn't utilize it because it requires Microsoft software and that the game is coded in a certain way to allow streaming. What a shame...

Achillies · 05-09-2011, 03:40 AM

Quote:

Originally Posted by Shen

TLDR: Consoles are more convenient

This.

A Guy · 05-09-2011, 04:44 AM

I like the install before you play. That way I don't have to load the CD for every single game I want to play!

Steam makes it easier though. If you already have the game files, it will recognize that and only install necessary things like DirectX.

The_End254 · 05-09-2011, 04:46 AM

There are portable versions of games though you should one use them if you actually own the said game.

MADDOGGE · 05-09-2011, 07:08 AM

Streaming textures suck.

bluz74 · 05-09-2011, 07:16 AM

Kids today. Hmmp.

The world went and got itself in a big damn hurry.

Pebr · 05-09-2011, 07:35 AM

I bought Portal 2, it showed up in my games list, installed the game for me, and i pressed play... No disc or effort was required. It's just as easy on the PC as a console nowadays, at least with steam.

Crimson Rising · 05-09-2011, 08:12 AM

Quote:

Originally Posted by bluz74

Kids today. Hmmp.

The world went and got itself in a big damn hurry.

It's always been as easy as putting the game in and playing. PC is the only platform on which you can't do it.

Also, who actually reads the TOS?

Dazzled · 05-09-2011, 09:50 AM

I don`t see what the problem is. With Steam games are simply downloaded and ready to go. You don`t even have to constantly switch dvds.There are only a few things worse than getting ready to stomp the final boss and then see a message like "Please insert disc 2 to continue". It just ruins the mood.
Consoles have a lot to catch up.

Draek · 05-09-2011, 10:10 AM

Because even the hyperactive, instant-gratification crowd would rather play something with teh shiniez! than a game whose graphics have been lowered down to a size that can be reliably streamed from an optical drive. That, plus the idea of "standardized hardware" would be irrelevant unless it's deployed in large enough quantities to become the de-facto standard, and corporations (*the* biggest customers of desktop PCs) very much dread the idea of such locked-down devices.

GirlPower23 · 05-09-2011, 10:21 AM

PC's do come with the option to just buy and go. Everything from Bulk PCs (Dell, HP, etc) to high end gaming rigs.. to notebooks like ChromeOS/Ubuntu/Windows 7 already pre installed. I'm not sure what you are getting at here.

Quote:

It's always been as easy as putting the game in and playing. PC is the only platform on which you can't do it.

Also, who actually reads the TOS?

/put Disc In, hit Install, Next/Next/Next.. Play? Thats so much more difficult? Or for steam.. double click the icon in Steam.. Hit Okay.. and you are done. Sorry I don't need my PC Games BOTTLENECKED BY MY DISC drive. There is a reason a lot of PS3 games have installs to the harddrive.

I also disagree with consoles being more convenient. Lets see..

I play Bad Company 2 on PC lets make a quick comparison.

/Double Click BC2.. Wait for Install on Steam. It's done. I go play.

/Put BC2 Disc into my Xbox360.. Go Play.

/I go play something else on my Xbox.. now I gotta swap discs.

/I want to go play BC2 on Xbox.. now I gotta get the disc again.

/Goes to play BC2 on PC.. NO disc swap.. its there always there.

If it's also taking you 45 Minutes to install something from an Optical Drive, perhaps it's time for a system overhaul.

JimmyBananers · 05-09-2011, 10:22 AM

If it wasn't for trading in games and them being cheap to buy used I probably wouldn't have a console.

If you could someway run the game directly off the disc for pc(IDK if possible lol) and have a used game market with the pc with little chance of piracy I think PC game sales would be doing better.

Also if changing discs in a console really counts as an inconvenience or more so than downloading and installing for you how damn lazy are you? lol

05-09-2011, 12:18 AM	#1
Parliamentarian Banned Join Date: Jan 2011 Reputation: 1051 Posts: 2,937	PC Games Without Install I believe that one of the biggest reasons consoles are so successful is because of how quick they are to set up. A PC can take a bit of time to set up correctly. With a console, you just plug it in, turn it on, set up the time and date and some other quick, simple settings, and you're good to go. No installing, no updating, no optimizing. Why can't this be done for PCs as well? Setting up a computer could be as easy as setting up a console, which could help less technical people get started with PC gaming. Hardware support would really be the only limiting factor in this, because they (PCs) are not the same for everyone, though if a console can run games based on it's limited hardware, making computers with similar power would be a cheap and effective way of pushing the PC to more consumers. However, PC games also require installations. You can't simply pop your game's DVD into your drive and play, oh no, no no! You need to put it in and spend however long it takes to install the game, and maybe even configure ♥♥♥♥ for it. But why?! Why is this manual and not automatic? Most games that are released on PC these days already automatically configure their visual/performance settings based on the hardware it detects in your machine, so couldn't this be used to just run a game console style directly from the disc drive? Now, I am not saying to just remove installation altogether. It does have advantages, such as loading faster from hard disk storage, and playing without needing the disc at all (assuming there's no DRM preventing this), but it should be an option to just play the game without an install. Sometimes you're just too excited to play something to have to spend up to 45 minutes installing it.

05-09-2011, 09:50 AM	#12
Dazzled Join Date: Jun 2010 Reputation: 337 Posts: 1,635	I don`t see what the problem is. With Steam games are simply downloaded and ready to go. You don`t even have to constantly switch dvds.There are only a few things worse than getting ready to stomp the final boss and then see a message like "Please insert disc 2 to continue". It just ruins the mood. Consoles have a lot to catch up. Last edited by Dazzled: 05-09-2011 at 09:53 AM.

05-09-2011, 10:22 AM	#15
JimmyBananers Join Date: Nov 2009 Reputation: 131 Posts: 161	If it wasn't for trading in games and them being cheap to buy used I probably wouldn't have a console. If you could someway run the game directly off the disc for pc(IDK if possible lol) and have a used game market with the pc with little chance of piracy I think PC game sales would be doing better. Also if changing discs in a console really counts as an inconvenience or more so than downloading and installing for you how damn lazy are you? lol Last edited by JimmyBananers: 05-09-2011 at 10:25 AM.

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05-09-2011, 12:44 AM	#2
ernest. Join Date: Apr 2009 Reputation: 414 Posts: 263	Some PS3 games have mandatory installs. Also Halo 2 PC did have some weird installation that installed half of it and then continued installing while you played the beginning. I don't think installation i a big deal.

05-09-2011, 01:08 AM	#3
Shen Join Date: Jul 2010 Reputation: 227 Posts: 421	TLDR: Consoles are more convenient

05-09-2011, 04:44 AM	#6
A Guy Join Date: Dec 2008 Reputation: 700 Posts: 755	I like the install before you play. That way I don't have to load the CD for every single game I want to play! Steam makes it easier though. If you already have the game files, it will recognize that and only install necessary things like DirectX.

05-09-2011, 04:46 AM	#7
The_End254 Join Date: Apr 2010 Reputation: 1096 Posts: 465	There are portable versions of games though you should one use them if you actually own the said game.

05-09-2011, 07:08 AM	#8
MADDOGGE Join Date: Jan 2008 Reputation: 8364 Posts: 25,088	Streaming textures suck.

05-09-2011, 07:16 AM	#9
bluz74 Join Date: Aug 2009 Reputation: 33986 Posts: 5,670	Kids today. Hmmp. The world went and got itself in a big damn hurry.

05-09-2011, 07:35 AM	#10
Pebr Join Date: Feb 2009 Reputation: 4018 Posts: 2,876	I bought Portal 2, it showed up in my games list, installed the game for me, and i pressed play... No disc or effort was required. It's just as easy on the PC as a console nowadays, at least with steam.

05-09-2011, 10:10 AM	#13
Draek Join Date: Jan 2009 Reputation: 1684 Posts: 755	Because even the hyperactive, instant-gratification crowd would rather play something with teh shiniez! than a game whose graphics have been lowered down to a size that can be reliably streamed from an optical drive. That, plus the idea of "standardized hardware" would be irrelevant unless it's deployed in large enough quantities to become the de-facto standard, and corporations (the biggest customers of desktop PCs) very much dread the idea of such locked-down devices.