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Starcraft 2 Patching Through Torrents

Blogs > Gogleion
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Gogleion
Profile Blog Joined June 2009
United States534 Posts
July 12 2010 23:33 GMT
#1
Hey all,

I just got back from not using the internet for a week to find that the new phase of SCII is out. All is good, I make a shortcut on my start menu while its patching when I find something interesting

[image loading]
Starcraft 2 folder with a bunch of torrent files in it

You might be thinking that I used a torrent to get my SC2 copy, and those are the files from it, but the files were created today as seen here:

[image loading]
The files were created today

I might be wrong to draw this conclusion, but by using torrents to download files, blizzard can use people's computers and their internet to distribute the patch, instead of using their server's bandwidth. The problem with this is that blizzard doesn't allow the option to not use torrents, and blizzard doesn't make it obvious that it is using torrents. Also blizzard is using their own client for torrenting which means it can use your internet without you knowing clearly.

*
EffOrt. That is all.
sob3k
Profile Blog Joined August 2009
United States7572 Posts
Last Edited: 2010-07-12 23:46:11
July 12 2010 23:44 GMT
#2
They do allow the option not to use torrents...its right in the options on the downloader.

EDIT:
And what is the difference between direct to server and P2P patching?....I don't even understand the problem here.
In Hungry Hungry Hippos there are no such constraints—one can constantly attempt to collect marbles with one’s hippo, limited only by one’s hippo-levering capabilities.
R1CH
Profile Blog Joined May 2007
Netherlands10342 Posts
July 12 2010 23:58 GMT
#3
They've been using torrents for ages in WoW. The "Blizzard Downloader" is just a pretty bittorrent client.
AdministratorTwitter: @R1CH_TL
TL+ Member
Gogleion
Profile Blog Joined June 2009
United States534 Posts
July 13 2010 00:00 GMT
#4
I don't see any of the options in the new downloader, all I see is the language selector on the patch notes.

Also, torrenting is bad when people aren't aware of it because it uses your bandwidth without you knowing. It would be hard to tell if its uploading the files when you're finished downloading the patch, but it seems like it would be hard to have a successful torrent when only people who are actively in the client are uploading.
EffOrt. That is all.
fabiano
Profile Blog Joined August 2009
Brazil4644 Posts
July 13 2010 00:08 GMT
#5
if the torrent is used only during the patching I see no problem at all. But if its done whenever SC2 is turned on that is not cool.
"When the geyser died, a probe came out" - SirJolt
LSB
Profile Blog Joined April 2010
United States5171 Posts
Last Edited: 2010-07-13 00:18:01
July 13 2010 00:15 GMT
#6
On July 13 2010 09:00 Gogleion wrote:
Also, torrenting is bad when people aren't aware of it because it uses your bandwidth without you knowing. It would be hard to tell if its uploading the files when you're finished downloading the patch, but it seems like it would be hard to have a successful torrent when only people who are actively in the client are uploading.

Umm... The Blizzard downloader explicitly states that it happens o.o

And even, you 'read' the TOC so obviously you'd know about this right?

On July 13 2010 08:58 R1CH wrote:
They've been using torrents for ages in WoW. The "Blizzard Downloader" is just a pretty bittorrent client.


I was surprised when I was torrenting starcraft 2 that there was this "Blizzard Downloader" client in addition to the Vuze, and Bittorrent clients. Looks like I dled something non-illegal for once!
Once is an accident. Twice is coincidence. Three times is an enemy action. Bus Driver can never target themselves I'm sorry
Gogleion
Profile Blog Joined June 2009
United States534 Posts
July 13 2010 00:21 GMT
#7
On July 13 2010 09:15 LSB wrote:
Show nested quote +
On July 13 2010 09:00 Gogleion wrote:
Also, torrenting is bad when people aren't aware of it because it uses your bandwidth without you knowing. It would be hard to tell if its uploading the files when you're finished downloading the patch, but it seems like it would be hard to have a successful torrent when only people who are actively in the client are uploading.

Umm... The Blizzard downloader explicitly states that it happens o.o

And even, you 'read' the TOC so obviously you'd know about this right?

Show nested quote +
On July 13 2010 08:58 R1CH wrote:
They've been using torrents for ages in WoW. The "Blizzard Downloader" is just a pretty bittorrent client.


I was surprised when I was torrenting starcraft 2 that there was this "Blizzard Downloader" client in addition to the Vuze, and Bittorrent clients. Looks like I dled something non-illegal for once!

The general public doesn't read the TOC, like most other EULA's/TOC, it is obfuscated and intentionally lengthy so that the public does not read it. My point is that I thought that the average SC2 player wouldn't be aware of this, and that it might cause problems if it uploads in the background when you don't know it.
EffOrt. That is all.
SirJolt
Profile Blog Joined October 2009
the Dagon Knight4013 Posts
July 13 2010 00:24 GMT
#8
If they've played WoW or are at all familiar with the way WoW is maintained, they should be up to speed on it.

I hadn't known until I got into the beta, but I had assumed that would be how it would run. Not every company is Valve man
Moderator@SirJolt
LSB
Profile Blog Joined April 2010
United States5171 Posts
July 13 2010 00:36 GMT
#9
On July 13 2010 09:21 Gogleion wrote:
Show nested quote +
On July 13 2010 09:15 LSB wrote:
On July 13 2010 09:00 Gogleion wrote:
Also, torrenting is bad when people aren't aware of it because it uses your bandwidth without you knowing. It would be hard to tell if its uploading the files when you're finished downloading the patch, but it seems like it would be hard to have a successful torrent when only people who are actively in the client are uploading.

Umm... The Blizzard downloader explicitly states that it happens o.o

And even, you 'read' the TOC so obviously you'd know about this right?

On July 13 2010 08:58 R1CH wrote:
They've been using torrents for ages in WoW. The "Blizzard Downloader" is just a pretty bittorrent client.


I was surprised when I was torrenting starcraft 2 that there was this "Blizzard Downloader" client in addition to the Vuze, and Bittorrent clients. Looks like I dled something non-illegal for once!

The general public doesn't read the TOC, like most other EULA's/TOC, it is obfuscated and intentionally lengthy so that the public does not read it. My point is that I thought that the average SC2 player wouldn't be aware of this, and that it might cause problems if it uploads in the background when you don't know it.

Hows about we put big flashing pop up adds that tell every little detail about Starcraft 2, and then have a quiz at the end which you must ace in order to do something? That sound's like fun and we'll all be safe and sound!

(whoops got my microsoft word and Terms and Conditions mixed up XD)

Seriously, it doesn't matter. If people are thaaaaat concerned about bandwidth, maybe they shouldn't be downloading the Beta/patches/game off the internet.
Once is an accident. Twice is coincidence. Three times is an enemy action. Bus Driver can never target themselves I'm sorry
sob3k
Profile Blog Joined August 2009
United States7572 Posts
July 13 2010 01:51 GMT
#10
On July 13 2010 09:21 Gogleion wrote:
Show nested quote +
On July 13 2010 09:15 LSB wrote:
On July 13 2010 09:00 Gogleion wrote:
Also, torrenting is bad when people aren't aware of it because it uses your bandwidth without you knowing. It would be hard to tell if its uploading the files when you're finished downloading the patch, but it seems like it would be hard to have a successful torrent when only people who are actively in the client are uploading.

Umm... The Blizzard downloader explicitly states that it happens o.o

And even, you 'read' the TOC so obviously you'd know about this right?

On July 13 2010 08:58 R1CH wrote:
They've been using torrents for ages in WoW. The "Blizzard Downloader" is just a pretty bittorrent client.


I was surprised when I was torrenting starcraft 2 that there was this "Blizzard Downloader" client in addition to the Vuze, and Bittorrent clients. Looks like I dled something non-illegal for once!

The general public doesn't read the TOC, like most other EULA's/TOC, it is obfuscated and intentionally lengthy so that the public does not read it. My point is that I thought that the average SC2 player wouldn't be aware of this, and that it might cause problems if it uploads in the background when you don't know it.


It doesn't, the client is only active during download of the patch.....there is no problem here.
In Hungry Hungry Hippos there are no such constraints—one can constantly attempt to collect marbles with one’s hippo, limited only by one’s hippo-levering capabilities.
Subversion
Profile Blog Joined April 2010
South Africa3627 Posts
July 13 2010 03:11 GMT
#11
yeah.. this really isn't a problem.
naonao
Profile Blog Joined November 2008
United States847 Posts
July 13 2010 03:18 GMT
#12
Its a problem if your at a college that bans torrenting and you decide to patch . Friend got his account banned for 3 days because of that lol
QuothTheRaven
Profile Joined December 2008
United States5524 Posts
July 13 2010 03:59 GMT
#13
On July 13 2010 08:33 Gogleion wrote:
I might be wrong to draw this conclusion, but by using torrents to download files, blizzard can use people's computers and their internet to distribute the patch, instead of using their server's bandwidth. The problem with this is that blizzard doesn't allow the option to not use torrents, and blizzard doesn't make it obvious that it is using torrents. Also blizzard is using their own client for torrenting which means it can use your internet without you knowing clearly.


There's a clear option to "Disable P2P transfer" in the options menu of the Blizzard downloader, which I assume means that you will only download from their server.

Moreover, upload speed is throttled while you're using your computer unless you uncheck the option that says something like "Throttle connection speed," which is by default checked.

Finally, the Blizzard downloader stops uploading entirely once you click "Finish" and start applying the patch, so there's no concern about it secretly using up your bandwidth once you close it out. The only way that it'll use a notable amount of upload bandwidth is if you have the throttled option unchecked and you leave it on all night without clicking "Finish and apply patch" or whatever.


It's really a non-issue for everyone who doesn't have an Australian ISP. Distributing large patches through Bittorrent significantly reduces their server load, which results in much faster download speeds for patches, which is good for everyone (except for those few poor Australians and other random people with monthly quotas, but those people can configure it to not use much bandwidth).

I suppose it's worthwhile to let people know, but I think your paranoia is completely unfounded.
. . . nevermore
AssuredVacancy
Profile Blog Joined September 2008
United States1167 Posts
July 13 2010 04:08 GMT
#14
On the topic of P2P, does anyone know how the map downloading protocol is implemented in sc2? Is it also like this?
We spend our youth attaining wealth, and our wealth attaining youth.
Tyraz
Profile Blog Joined September 2008
New Zealand310 Posts
July 13 2010 06:18 GMT
#15
On July 13 2010 13:08 AssuredVacancy wrote:
On the topic of P2P, does anyone know how the map downloading protocol is implemented in sc2? Is it also like this?

Try this
100% Pure.
Yotta
Profile Blog Joined August 2010
United States270 Posts
October 03 2010 03:22 GMT
#16
On July 13 2010 09:21 Gogleion wrote:
Show nested quote +
On July 13 2010 09:15 LSB wrote:
On July 13 2010 09:00 Gogleion wrote:
Also, torrenting is bad when people aren't aware of it because it uses your bandwidth without you knowing. It would be hard to tell if its uploading the files when you're finished downloading the patch, but it seems like it would be hard to have a successful torrent when only people who are actively in the client are uploading.

Umm... The Blizzard downloader explicitly states that it happens o.o

And even, you 'read' the TOC so obviously you'd know about this right?

On July 13 2010 08:58 R1CH wrote:
They've been using torrents for ages in WoW. The "Blizzard Downloader" is just a pretty bittorrent client.


I was surprised when I was torrenting starcraft 2 that there was this "Blizzard Downloader" client in addition to the Vuze, and Bittorrent clients. Looks like I dled something non-illegal for once!

The general public doesn't read the TOC, like most other EULA's/TOC, it is obfuscated and intentionally lengthy so that the public does not read it. My point is that I thought that the average SC2 player wouldn't be aware of this, and that it might cause problems if it uploads in the background when you don't know it.
There's nothing unclear about EULAs at all. They're lengthy because companies can't just leave things out or make ambiguous statements in a legal document intended to protect them from lawsuits. People don't read them because they assume that EULAs are generally reasonable and that if there were something ridiculous in the EULA it would be pointed out by the few who do read them. It's not blizzard's fault people agree to conditions without reading them.
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