Is it safe to download game updates?

[bluehalls]

Hi,

I downloaded a game, but not included are some 6 patch updates that were released after the game... So do I search for each update one by one and install it, or just the latest one? Do I have to install these updates in order they were released? Or I redownload the game with latest update and reinstall everything (as long as saves are not deleted)?

Thanks

[dolly_cat]

The latest update includes the previous ones. Install the latest one.

[NokTham]

Depends on the game, with some (less known) games, you have to install all updates, and not just the last one. While with others, just like dolly_cat said, you only need to install the latest one.

[AncientRome]

Not all patches are accumulative and might require all the patches to be installed.

Usually it is safe to uninstall and reinstall a game and not have your game saves tampered with, but make backups of them anyway before patching.

[bluehalls]

ok, great thanks!

[theSEMAR]

quick answer, no!
safest way to update games is download whole newest installer version..
like if you have os win7, the safest way to update your os is download installer of win7sp1 in one iso..

[NokTham]

quick answer, no!
safest way to update games is download whole newest installer version..
like if you have os win7, the safest way to update your os is download installer of win7sp1 in one iso..

The newest installer does not always comes out updated, you may be safe with the newest games, but I'll give you an example with an old game, there are plenty...

DarkEden (mmorpg), you probably never played this, you download the full installer, and most of the times you still have to update the game, because most DarkEden server admins don't have the patience to repack the installer every time a new update comes out. And for this the auto patcher can be used (like most games, it updates itself), you run the client and it will fetch all latest updates and install them, one by one, not just the the latest, not just the most recent one, all of the existing patches available, one by one, from the oldest to the most recent patch and every time it applies a new update, it restarts the clients to replace the executable file.

And if by any chance the auto patcher doesn't work, which happens a lot with this game, you can manually patch it, just grab the updates from the website and apply them, but, you'll have to apply them from the oldest to the newest, one by one, not just the latest, but all existing ones, and if you screw up, well, might as well start all over again.

Some Lineage2 servers also have this problem, IIRC.


So the quick answer should be, depends on the game

By the way, it's pointless to download the whole game, every time a new update comes out, what a waste of time and bandwidth, if they provide the patches/updates (either through the auto updater or manual patches/updates) then might as well just go through the shortest route.