Beta client migration to release version?

[MGLiquid-1601]

Hello,

First of all, thanks for the great experience we already had during the first weekend beta phase.

I wonder if (and greatly hope it will) our currently beta client files will be used as “base” of the final release client, in a similar way World of Warcraft release & PTR clients share assets, or via some sort of migration process, avoiding to have to redownload it from scratch all the 40GB (or even 80 for the HD textures).

It would really be cool allowing this, especially for users with limited bandwidth internet connexion (or with limited download quota/huge excess quota fees), but even for people with unlimited quota & huge bandwidth (especially given the huge number of players who already had access to the beta last weekend, & not counting those that will join us during the public open beta), allowing to “recycle” the beta files into release files (most audio/video/images assets probably won’t change from their current state) will save a lot of energy al each level (at your servers level, at our ISP level/internet infrastructure level, and at the final user level).

Let’s imagine there are only 1 million beta users, it’s already around 40 or 80 Petabyte not wasted if beta client assets can be reused for the final release.

For sure, if such a migration is possible, it would be very wise to communicate about this before the end of the beta (especially in the Battle.net client / or similar consoles downloading/installation tools), so people won’t be tempted to delete the beta client.

And by the way, even if it probably doesn’t concern the vast majority of players, maybe if would be possible to offer a cross-platform tool which may help migrating PC Xbox PlayStation assets files (players with 2+ PC can easily copy-paste files from one PC to the other(s) & then ask the battle.net client to locate the installed files), so that customers with more than one platform & that buy the game for each of their platforms could reduce carbon footprint linked to having to download the same audio/video/texture assets multiple times in the case such migration tool isn’t offered.

Thanks a lot for considering this (in the case it wasn’t already planned).

[Maranwe-2363]

was thinking about this also however devs and mods are terrible in answering so we might never know or 2 months after D4 is released

[MGLiquid-1601]

Well, no matter Blizzard’s lack of answering, just in case (unless if they answer that beta client files won’t be reused for final release client), I highly encourage people that have installed beta client & that already have preordered or play to buy the game some time after official release to keep the installed beta client, just in case it could save them having to download 40-80 GB of files they already have on their HDD/SDD.

Edit :
With the new “Server Slam” (see Help Us Gear Up for Launch During the Diablo IV Server Slam — Diablo IV — Blizzard News for more info), it appears the already downloaded files will be reused (however downloading a new patch will be required), which probably makes a greater chance that beta files may server as base for final release…