Re: Manalink update 25 March 2015: Fate Reforged
Posted: 15 Apr 2015, 16:33
I kind of fall in both camps. I had no problem doing it properly, because, really, every patch includes 2 downloads (1 for updates, 1 for art) and even if you only read the first part, that much is clear.BAgate wrote:True, but there is psychology involved. If you have the same text over and over patch after patch and then change it a little most people will not notice the change and just skip over it (why proofreading your own work is of limited value). Personally, after a half dozen patches where that big block of text said change the artwork if your folder is older then X I assumed that is what it would always say and just skipped it, thus not noticing when it eventually changed to if your folder is older than Y.
If you limit what is included in each patch to just what is needed for that patch then it is simple and error proof for those who update patch by patch. Then you can have a 'catch up' thread (linked in the patch post) for those who have skipped some. And considering there will be less text to read overall there is a greater likelihood that such instructions will get read.
Ultimately it is on the user to read instructions and follow them. But given that a long time user like me got fooled by the artwork change, and we have questions from less experienced users on literally every patch I don't think it unreasonable to conclude that what we are doing can be improved.
But, the problem is, (A) most people have a tendency not to read the instructions, and (B) a lot of people are idiots. So there's a pretty good chance someone somehow will fuck it up.
Saying read the instructions doesn't get people to actually do it, and fixing the instructions to be clear, concise, and straightforward (wish I could say idiot proof) takes less time than having to talk people through what they did wrong every time there's an update.
That being said, I have no problem with a concise "here are the two downloads", together with a brief note that anyone who hasn't had the most recent update should follow the link that leads to further instructions.
I mean, if you're getting the mod for the first time, you also need to go to separate threads to get the files and all the various updates, so why not do the same for people who haven't updated in donkeys?
Installing/updating is not rocket science, and if the modders are doing the heavy lifting, the least we can do is not be assholes about it.