Originally Posted by voodoodad
1) The game client (including patches) is in the neighborhood of 16 gigs. This number is likely to grow as more patches arrive.
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Maybe maybe not.
From a cursory examination of the mfil files , 12694 was only another 255 MB. Business as usual for new builds in beta or the PTR.
While there is occasionally a 1GB build update we shouldn't need to download another 16 GB again unless Blizzard decide to overhaul the client again.
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2) For some people the new system is agonizingly slow. Be prepared to be downloading and installing for at least 24-48 hours straight. Even people with uber-fast connections have complained about this.
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You can turn off P2P downloading by opening the Live Launcher and turning the option off in there. Once you've done sometimes you can download faster as it's not relying on the amount of people currently sharing a complete copy of the files you are downloading and is instead downloading via HTTP.
The new launcher does appear to be robust in picking up where it left off tho. Remember to quit it and wipe the launcher.wtf file in the WTF folder to keep it's estimates honest.
I have yet to find the torrent file it uses yet. I've extracted a URL for one out of cache.db and downloaded it. It loads up fine and displays a list of files (with some hefty placeholder files too) but the tracker reports a 404
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3) This one is REALLY important: IF YOUR ISP HAS IMPOSED A DOWNLOAD CAP ON YOU, YOU MAY WANT TO RECONSIDER BEING A BETA TESTER. I'm honestly not trying to be mean here, but there are many many people screaming that they have been (or will be) charged enormous amounts of money for overages. Blizzard may very well end up asking us to download the entire client again. Possibly more than once. If you are under a download cap from your ISP then please keep this in mind.
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I know you're trying to help here voodoo but just because your ISP imposes a download cap does not mean you should stop being a beta tester.
It just makes things a little harder downloading the client files and patchs that is all. You don't need to download the entire patch in order to play - in fact one of the key features of the new launcher is being able to play without downloading all of it.
I myself am on a capped plan. And I will not stop being a beta tester just because I don't have enough bandwidth left for the month to download as much as I like. If I had my way I would download all I liked included the Diablo II client files so I didn't have to install it from the DVD. I will not stop pulling what I do have apart looking for little gems in how they've put the client together now. I will not stop browsing the forums in search of tech support tips that work and sharing them with other people.
I'm testing things both by being support for other testers and testing what I can - how well the streaming launcher works. They will still need input from those on slower / capped ISPs as everyone doesn't have a super fast connection. If they don't test it now in some limited capacity they will have problems come launch.
Coming from a person on a capped plan here's 3 tips I can share for those on capped ISPs :
1) Keep a close eye on your bandwidth usage. Learn what the webpage is to check your usage even after downloading all of the client IE when it's streaming. Make sure you're aware of how often it updates. Have some idea of how fast it takes you to go through your bandwidth.
2) Be aware of your reset date. This is the day in the month where your cap gets reset. Rule 1 still applies. Be careful with your usage and watch it like a hawk.
3) If your ISP has times of the day where they offer free downloads that don't effect your cap get some sort of software that will open and quit the launcher at those times.
4) If you've already gone through your bandwidth cap don't worry ! Most ISPs do them in blocks. EG an extra 5GB for $$$. If you've gone over but haven't used all of the block feel free to keep downloading to use up that block (within reason of course and keeping Rule 1-3 in mind)
5) Consider using a connection that isn't capped just to get the 16GB client downloaded. It's 16 GB as they reconfigured the Data folder. The MPQ files are set up differently from Live and have files for 7 locales in it. You shouldn't have to download 16GB again (hopefully)
Examples of an uncapped connection could be a mate's house you bribe with beer , a net cafe or even free wifi at the Uni or Starbucks. Make sure you do it in little parts tho if you think they would raise some objection to 16GB being downloaded all at once.