Install Stable and beta version of game side by side

[Teslafly]

I test the beta version of a game, but my friends play the stable version. The two are incompatible. This means that I need to switch between the beta and stable branch a lot. Which entails a multi gigabyte download on bad internet.

It would be really helpful to install the beta side by side the stable install. Treating it as a separate game with separate updates instead of clobbering the stable game. hard drive space not being an issue.

I am not the first person to encounter this issue: https://steamcommunity.com/app/221100/discussions/0/558754259621387455/?l=french

[Start_Running]

Speak to the devs . They have to set it up that way.

[Brian9824]

For most games you could just copy the folder. I do that with 7 days to die for instance.

[Crashed]

Originally posted by Start_Running:

Speak to the devs . They have to set it up that way.

Starbound does that with their Unstable branch. It requires setting up a separate game in the Library to implement.

[nullable]

Sounds like you should backup each branch and restore them to your library as needed instead of redownloading them each time...

[Teslafly]

Originally posted by Start_Running:

Speak to the devs . They have to set it up that way.

is the suggestions fourm this post is on not the best way to suggest ideas to the devs?

Originally posted by brian9824:

For most games you could just copy the folder. I do that with 7 days to die for instance.

The problem with just copying and backing up is that updates are frequent in both branches. so it would be futile to keep the one that steam is not tracking up to date.

it is built in to steam to switch between stable and beta branches. The game developers should not have to circumvent steam to have a decent beta experience.

[Black Blade]

Originally posted by Teslafly:

is the suggestions fourm this post is on not the best way to suggest ideas to the devs?

He's talking about the game developers not Steam developers, here is the right place for Steam developers

Its correct that Developers can have a second version for beta all ready, but I assume what you asking for is the ability to generally download two versions or more of branches in the same time?


I honestly do think it be a nice idea, then maybe users can just have more then one branch at at time on there PC that can be nice as long as the game is not going to have issues with it

[Brian9824]

Originally posted by Teslafly:

Originally posted by Start_Running:

Speak to the devs . They have to set it up that way.

is the suggestions fourm this post is on not the best way to suggest ideas to the devs?

Originally posted by brian9824:

For most games you could just copy the folder. I do that with 7 days to die for instance.

The problem with just copying and backing up is that updates are frequent in both branches. so it would be futile to keep the one that steam is not tracking up to date.

it is built in to steam to switch between stable and beta branches. The game developers should not have to circumvent steam to have a decent beta experience.

Then ask the publisher to publish a different branch. They have the ability to archive different versions of older builds that people can opt into that won't be updated.

[Black Blade]

Originally posted by brian9824:

Then ask the publisher to publish a different branch. They have the ability to archive different versions of older builds that people can opt into that won't be updated.

That is not what they are asking, what they asking from my understanding is to have the ability to have 2 branches in the same time so they don't have to reinstall the game lets say if they want to also try the newer alpha or the like that is in a branch and can keep both

[Brian9824]

Originally posted by Black Blade:

Originally posted by brian9824:

Then ask the publisher to publish a different branch. They have the ability to archive different versions of older builds that people can opt into that won't be updated.

That is not what they are asking, what they asking from my understanding is to have the ability to have 2 branches in the same time so they don't have to reinstall the game lets say if they want to also try the newer alpha or the like that is in a branch and can keep both

I understand but that is not likely to be implemented and the solution I suggested is already available.

[Black Blade]

Originally posted by brian9824:

I understand but that is not likely to be implemented and the solution I suggested is already available.

But your solution is not relevant for what he is asking

Read the OP
He enjoys playing on branch A
His friends play on stable

He cant play on A with friends on Stable
So he wants to have 2 versions of the game, one on stable one on A
Now the developer can make a "beta" entry like they got in Left 4 Dead and call of duty and other games

But the suggestion is to give the user the ability to I guess kind of make there own entry in the library of more than one branch so they can have more than one installed in the same time
I personally see that as a pretty useful thing over all, I mean I personally have a few games I try to their beta, but like to go back to stable when want to play with less issues, and giving everyone two entries for it, is honestly less clean and less comfortable then what is suggested here

[Brian9824]

Originally posted by Black Blade:

Originally posted by brian9824:

I understand but that is not likely to be implemented and the solution I suggested is already available.

But your solution is not relevant for what he is asking

Read the OP
He enjoys playing on branch A
His friends play on stable

He cant play on A with friends on Stable
So he wants to have 2 versions of the game, one on stable one on A
Now the developer can make a "beta" entry like they got in Left 4 Dead and call of duty and other games

But the suggestion is to give the user the ability to I guess kind of make there own entry in the library of more than one branch so they can have more than one installed in the same time
I personally see that as a pretty useful thing over all, I mean I personally have a few games I try to their beta, but like to go back to stable when want to play with less issues, and giving everyone two entries for it, is honestly less clean and less comfortable then what is suggested here

You don't need a beta entry. Steam has the option to archive an older version of the game that will never change. So they can archive their current version, and they can stay on that and play with no updates.

Its not likely to get any more support then that because what he is describing is a massive change to steam's infrastructure and design. So even if they were to do so you'd be looking at a timeline in years which isn't gonna do much to help him now.

[xxxtentacion]

:V xd

[Black Blade]

Originally posted by brian9824:

You don't need a beta entry. Steam has the option to archive an older version of the game that will never change. So they can archive their current version, and they can stay on that and play with no updates.

Its not likely to get any more support then that because what he is describing is a massive change to steam's infrastructure and design. So even if they were to do so you'd be looking at a timeline in years which isn't gonna do much to help him now.

I don't think you get the idea
I really recommend you re-read it

What there asking is more like this:
https://i.imgur.com/54bnXYH.png

Dota 2 is a stable
Dota 2 Test is the unstable version (beta) (not being used anymore as much as I know)

Both versions are being updated
Dota 2 stable getting at least parts if not all the files from what used to be Dota 2 test
Dota 2 Test keeps being updated with newer stuff that there testing to try out

When the system is like that you don't need to keep "reinstalling" and changing branches to move from one to the outher
You can have both, and just start what you like to play

I do not think this is a "massive change to steam's infrastructure and design" except if you are just assuming his talking about the "I want to have the ability not to update" that is not what is asked here

[Brian9824]

Originally posted by Black Blade:

Originally posted by brian9824:

You don't need a beta entry. Steam has the option to archive an older version of the game that will never change. So they can archive their current version, and they can stay on that and play with no updates.

Its not likely to get any more support then that because what he is describing is a massive change to steam's infrastructure and design. So even if they were to do so you'd be looking at a timeline in years which isn't gonna do much to help him now.

I don't think you get the idea
I really recommend you re-read it

What there asking is more like this:
https://i.imgur.com/54bnXYH.png

Dota 2 is a stable
Dota 2 Test is the unstable version (beta) (not being used anymore as much as I know)

Both versions are being updated
Dota 2 stable getting at least parts if not all the files from what used to be Dota 2 test
Dota 2 Test keeps being updated with newer stuff that there testing to try out

When the system is like that you don't need to keep "reinstalling" and changing branches to move from one to the outher
You can have both, and just start what you like to play

I do not think this is a "massive change to steam's infrastructure and design" except if you are just assuming his talking about the "I want to have the ability not to update" that is not what is asked here

I get it and its a pretty massive change. Steam operates under the assumption that each game links to 1 set of file. There is no functionality at all in the browser, the folder structure, etc to support multiple installs of multiple versions of game files.

When you go to your library and click on Dota 2 and click Run it know what exe should be launched. The suggestion to change that is big, and requires steam to now manage 2 sets of data for each game, 2 parrallel exe's, and build an interface to allow people to control and manage that. Then it ties into the automatic backups and other functionality in the backend.

There is no reason it can't be done, but i'd be shocked if they ever did it.

[Black Blade]

Originally posted by brian9824:

I get it and its a pretty massive change. Steam operates under the assumption that each game links to 1 set of file. There is no functionality at all in the browser, the folder structure, etc to support multiple installs of multiple versions of game files.

When you go to your library and click on Dota 2 and click Run it know what exe should be launched. The suggestion to change that is big, and requires steam to now manage 2 sets of data for each game, 2 parrallel exe's, and build an interface to allow people to control and manage that. Then it ties into the automatic backups and other functionality in the backend.

There is no reason it can't be done, but i'd be shocked if they ever did it.

They can skip the big change and basically act on it like its a second entry like Dota 2 and Dota 2 test (or Call of Duty, Call of duty zombies, Call of duty multiplayer) and just hide the second entry so it looks like one, or have two entries, whatever works better

I think this grants more flexibility and ability for the users without harming the side of the developer (as the branch versions are on there control)
This will need yet to be able to be disabled by the developer I assume as some games may yet have an issue with it, like in case they keep saves files in a specific location on the PC that may hit to be shared

Honestly rethinking it may be better if the developer just has to enable it, and then it can be a second entry like Dota and Dota test, yet hide it as long as a user does not active the option to see both in the branch settings or the like