What Should Be Done With Menu Music?

[Hooman]

Someone brought up the absence of the menu music in our download package. The website also doesn't really mention this file. Should we try to make this file more available, and if so how? Keep in mind the file is a fairly large uncompressed WAV file.

Or should we leave it own to encourage people to own a CD version, which they can copy it from?
 

[Spikerocks101]

If it was 2003, I'd say separate download, but since it's 2013, and loading a 10 second youtube video is bigger then this entire game, just include it

[TH300]

Obviously, there's not only the main menu music which is part of the game but not part of our download package. There are also the videos and the mission music. And I do not see why the main menu music should be privileged.

Currently, the package includes all files which are needed to play all missions (singleplayer and multiplayer). Its a minimalistic (optimal) package.

Furthermore, 10 MB may not seem much, but for people like me who tend to have many op2 installs and also keep old packages that can quickly add up to several 100 MB and that would make a difference on my harddrive (yes, I have lots of hdd space, but most of the time only a few 100 MB free).

Thats why I say: provide the music file on the website for people who want it. Thats enough.

[Hooman]

You bring up a very good point about the mission music and videos, that I forgot to mention.

I suspect including those might be too much of a burden on people, and the server, when packages are released. But then, the counter point is, packages are no longer released frequently.


Also, if you have multiple installs, you can always trim them by deleting files you don't need. Not very pleasant I suppose, but neither is grabbing extra downloads for people who do want all the media.


Choices are always easier when there are no trade-offs.  
 

[TH300]

Packages are not released frequently, now. That may change in the future.

I believe, there are two kinds of people: 1. those who just want to play the game and don't care about media files and 2. those who want everything to fully enjoy the game (and there are also those who are 1 for multiplayer and 2 for singleplayer). People only wanting the menu music and not wanting the other media files just seems unrealistic to me. My guess is that people who want the menu music will also grab the other media files from the website.

Now, to come to a solution: why don't we provide two download packages? One with music, one without. In the past we had different packages which included different missions.

[CK9]

While I don't remember multiple download packages in the past, that is a decent compromise.  Would it be possible to set up the download so that there is a single package that either includes or excludes the media files based upon a PHP RETRIEVE[] ?

[TH300]

Would it be possible to set up the download so that there is a single package that either includes or excludes the media files based upon a PHP RETRIEVE[] ?

I don't know what "RETRIEVE[]" does (maybe you mean "_GET[]"?). But wouldn't it be sufficient to create two packages and put two links (one for each package) on the download page?

[Spikerocks101]

I think 2 downloads is an easy solution for the problem. If you have tons of installs, you likely aren't playing the full game with each one, so having music in them is greatly not needed. So, having a "Regular Download" including music (I'd drop the videos, since they are kinda big, and not really as influential as the music on gameplay) and a "Slim Download" for the rest. Mind you, it wouldn't be a bad idea to add the new netfix patch and maybe a few of the custom maps in it aswell. And hell, if you really are into it, in the additional download section, you could even a have a version with nothing but the base game, excluding all maps and sounds, lol.

[CK9]

RETRIEVE allows the file to use either GET or POST input.  I prefer it when working on a project backwards (working on the page that uses the information before the one that sends it) so that I can use either one depending on what I learn while working on it without having to go back and edit the first page.

I also wonder about the possibility of creating an installer that will download the files you specify...but that would be wasted effort overall.

If server space were an issue, I would argue for a single download and the people who don't want the media can remove the files.  Two downloads is more convenient on the user-end, though.

[Highlander]

I would support the 2 different download suggestion as well.

However, I was thinking - would it be possible to host the original game as well ?
Maybe someone would enjoy seeing/playing the original game ?

[CK9]

The main concern I see with that is that it is more blatant copyright violation.  At least with the updated versions there is the potential for some leeway.