Is it possible not to download 3.8 version via Steam?
- Thread starter Condor
- Start date
I used junctions to move the 3.8 portion to a regular spinning platter hard drive so it wasn't taking up valuable SSD space.
The issue is not to move or delete. It is just that Steam will re-download it to default folder. So, if EDO is installed on SSD, it will occupy 20 gigs via useless (now that it is legacy) game version.
How would you play an online game with an old client. Wouldn't the server just reject you?
If installing 4.0 becomes mandatory to play 3.8, this may be what I do - move it to an external drive (Steam makes this pretty easy), assuming I continue to prefer 3.8 over 4.0. Hopefully I'll be able to actually launch 3.8 without 4.0 "plugged in".
Though it dawns on me that I might have to do this manually, since Steam will probably think of 3.8 and 4.0 as one big single Elite install. A basic move of the 4.0 subfolder with a symlink in the main install directory should work.
Frontier are still supporting the old client for now, they're just relabelling it "legacy" and connecting it to a completely separate, static, "legacy" galaxy. The question is more around avoiding having many Gb of legacy client sitting on your SSD if you only ever intend to launch the live client.
Is it Steam only? Or is it Frontier bought and you redeemed your steam key? If its the latter, you might be able to still download the launcher from Frontier, after which you just install whatever you want.
Since that folder is in the all the base packages of the game on Steam it will always re-download it.
What Frontier needs to do is just remove it from being default depot, create a virtual DLC called "legacy" and grant it to all applicable owners, depot with just the launcher should become the default depot in that case.
This way if you uncheck "legacy" DLC in Steam it won't be redownloaded, even if you own Odyssey via Frontier account.
What Frontier needs to do is just remove it from being default depot, create a virtual DLC called "legacy" and grant it to all applicable owners, depot with just the launcher should become the default depot in that case.
This way if you uncheck "legacy" DLC in Steam it won't be redownloaded, even if you own Odyssey via Frontier account.
Yeah that's why I used junctions. That way you can move just one folder of the install directory (the one steam puts 3.8 in) to another drive and to your operating system it's transparent.
Junctions are a native function of Windows, it's a bit more of a techy power user technique, but here's the Microsoft learning article on it: https://learn.microsoft.com/en-us/windows-server/administration/windows-commands/mklink (Yes I know it looks like you already know this, but I'm also posting for the benefit of others)
Basically process is cut/paste the folder in question to the new location then, then delete the folder in the original location. Finally go in an admin-level command prompt, cd over to the original directory and do a "mklink /j foldername D:\other\drive\path\to\folder" and it'll make a junction that tells the operating system "hey, this folder is actually over here."
There are some tools out there that can do it for you with a more user friendly interface, however I can't speak on any of them as I just use the native command prompt.
I can at least personally attest a /j will work. not too sure on a symlink though, probably, but I just generally use /j instead of /d.
Strangely enough, my native Frontier launcher would not install the update (a CRC error). Ooops.
But the Steam client had no issues. Since I can run all my accounts through Steam (and I had backed my data up), I've uninstalled the Frontier launcher, saving some space.
But the Steam client had no issues. Since I can run all my accounts through Steam (and I had backed my data up), I've uninstalled the Frontier launcher, saving some space.
So what's the verdict on the OP? I've switched sides since my last post, now that Frontier has nuked my 3.8 settings. It looks like if I play Elite in the future, it'll be 4.0, in which case I won't want 3.8 using up my very precious hard drive space. I need to reserve all the space I can for the upcoming Starfield!
"Legacy" should be made the "extra" option downloadable by the launcher.
They should make the "real" updated game the default for Steam.
They should make the "real" updated game the default for Steam.
Frontier could offer Legacy as a separate game. How to monetize it is another question.
steam always redownloading? you mean the initial install? or does steam keep downloading 3.8 after deletion?
im a steam user, i was reinstalling ed with the v14 update, got initially 3.8 but deleted it, downloaded live version and it stays. no additional download of legacy...
im a steam user, i was reinstalling ed with the v14 update, got initially 3.8 but deleted it, downloaded live version and it stays. no additional download of legacy...
This may work for now, but with the next update, Steam will reinstall 3.8. You can disable automatic updates of course, but Steam won't let you launch the game unless it's up to date.
Frontier should leave only the launcher in the main app and package both clients as DLCs, so that people can unselect the client they don't want.
Splitting the two games in marketing might actually work. Frontier already has a broken base, so why not make lemonade from lemons?
you were right. patch came and i had to redownload legacy to update live :c
Ahh that’s sub optimal. To make things worse, odd horizons is exactly the same size as odd, so it’s 120 gigs (I think legacy is 20) all up even if you only play live. Hmmm…