How come it is still impossible to play while downloading DLC/updates ?

[Zorglub]

I find it really odd that Steam doesn't have this simple feature after all these years.
Origin and Uplay have it. Playstation have it. Even the Wii U had it.
How hard could it be to download the DLC/update files separately and only install them once the game is closed ?

[Muppet among Puppets]

Downloads for other games can run while playing.

[Gus the Crocodile]

Yeah, it'd be nice.

[Zekiran]

if you're playing the game that requires an update, why isn't this obvious to you?

The game cannot be running at the same time it's updating. Files are literally being changed in the process.

DLC is not commonly "separate", it relies on the entire original game, and places itself into the game's file structure. They're very, very rarely 'stand alone'.

[Gus the Crocodile]

Originally posted by Zekiran:

The game cannot be running at the same time it's updating. Files are literally being changed in the process.

Which is fine, because OP is quite specifically talking about playing while downloading the update files, not while applying the update.

[rawWwRrr]

Settings > Downloads >> Allow downloads during gameplay

[Darren]

Originally posted by davidb11:

Ah. Yes. That's it.
That's what the OP would want.

Well no. The OP is quite clear he wants to be able to download updates and DLC for the game he is currently wanting to play while playing it and then those being installed once he finishes playing.

Which Steam doesn't allow mostly because it doesn't let you play a game that has a pending update.

[Muppet among Puppets]

Ironically the mentioned programms dont allow you to start the client without waiting for the client update to finish downloading and installing.

Then i dont remember that i downloaded an update at udont or ea while playing the game needing an update.

[ /// Atomicotter /// ]

As earlier stated, the reason you can't play a game while it's downloading update files is because it replaced the old gamefiles. If it's replacing them, why would you be able to play it? As for other games, go into your steam settings, and set your default download setting to "Allow background downloads".

[Gus the Crocodile]

Originally posted by Warriorsfan2020:

As earlier stated, the reason you can't play a game while it's downloading update files is because it replaced the old gamefiles. If it's replacing them, why would you be able to play it?

Files are downloaded first, then installed after that - Steam tells you as much on the downloads page when you're updating something. So you should be able to play the game using the existing files while new ones are being downloaded, as OP notes can be done on other platforms.

[Zorglub]

Originally posted by Warriorsfan2020:

As earlier stated, the reason you can't play a game while it's downloading update files is because it replaced the old gamefiles. If it's replacing them, why would you be able to play it? As for other games, go into your steam settings, and set your default download setting to "Allow background downloads".

As explained by Gus, update files are not replacing old ones during the download, they're first downloaded and then installed.

In fact, when I launched Kingdom Come yesterday, it triggered the download of the DLC (which I bought right before) but still launched the game. So I was effectively playing the game I was downloading data for, and it worked just fine. But after I closed the game, I couldn't launch it anymore because the download wasn't over.

Well, the download isn't that big, but today's games can casually throw 30GB updates at you, which is a nightmare for slow connections.

It seems to me this option would be very easy to implement. It has existed for years on other platforms, even Nintendo figured it out.

[Nx Machina]

Originally posted by Zorglub:

As explained by Gus, update files are not replacing old ones during the download, they're first downloaded and then installed.

Every game is different in how it patches.

I just had an update for Dirt rally 2.0 which was 14.7gb.

It did not download 14.7gb then install, it downloaded and patched at the same time, in other words files were locked while patching was taking place.