Background Downloader Test

Downloading large patches can be a time-consuming process that most players would prefer to speed up if they could. When we play games, we don’t like waiting to patch…we want to play. Recognizing that, Blizzard developed the Background Downloader, which serves to minimize the amount of time spent waiting for patches to download on patch days.

Over the next five days, we will be asking our closed beta testers to test our Background Downloader. In order to do this, we will be posting a short animated World of Warcraft logo for players to download using the background downloader. We hope that all closed beta testers will participate in this test by setting their preferences (perhaps multiple times), making a mental note of their experience with the background downloader, and providing feedback here in the forums. Please note that the preferences you choose will work for all versions of World of Warcraft, including the retail, public test realm, and beta test versions.

Shortly after we complete this test, we will (taking your feedback into account) begin providing background download data to all players for the upcoming patch and the expansion.

What Is the Background Downloader?

The Background Downloader is essentially the Blizzard Downloader operating in background mode. The main benefit of this mode is that it allows Blizzard to deliver patch data in advance of patch day. When patch data becomes available, the Background Downloader will launch and (based on the preferences that you have specified) begin downloading the data in the background of whatever other operations you are currently running on your PC. This download will be low-impact and should not noticeably affect the performance of your PC or any software that you are running at the time of download.

From your perspective, a background download will start, run for a period of time (based on your preferences) over several sessions, and eventually finish. Then, on patch day, the standard Blizzard Downloader will be launched to deliver a small amount of final data, as well as any data that you did not successfully download in the weeks prior. The more data that you successfully download in the background before patch day, the shorter your download will be when patch day arrives.

Please note that downloading patch data in advance is not the same as installing a patch or any portion of it. Background downloading merely makes a large portion of the patch data available on your PC ahead of time in order to minimize the amount of time spent downloading patch data on patch day. Patch day is when all of the patch data will be installed.

Why Background Download the Upcoming Patch?

Very soon we will begin providing data from our upcoming patch for players to background download. This content patch will be very large. It will contain all the features necessary to prepare World of Warcraft players for The Burning Crusade expansion set, including World of Warcraft’s new player-vs.-player honor system, class talent changes, and much more.

We highly recommend that you background download this patch in order to minimize delay on patch day. The more data you background download before patch day, the less data you’ll have to download when the final patch content arrives and the faster you’ll be able to get back into the game as a result.

How to Use the Background Downloader

In order to background download, you must use the Blizzard Launcher. From the Launcher, you can set your background-download preferences by clicking on the “Options” button. Here’s an explanation of the available options:

• Download while playing; continue download after game exit.
  Starts the Blizzard Downloader in background mode when you launch World of Warcraft. Download will continue until all of the available data has been received, even if you exit the game.
  
  
• Download while playing; stop download upon game exit.
  Starts the Blizzard Downloader in background mode when you launch World of Warcraft. The Downloader will continue running until you exit the game or until all of the available data has been received.
  
  
• Download after game exit; stop download upon game re-launch.
  Starts the Blizzard Downloader in background mode when you exit World of Warcraft. The Downloader will continue running until you launch the game again or until all of the available data has been received.
  
  
• Do not download now.
  Prevents any background download at this time. Note that this option is not recommended, as it will result in a significantly longer cumulative download time on patch day.
  

The default option for the Background Downloader is the second option listed above: download while you are playing the game, and stop downloading upon game exit.

Why Background Download Expansion Content?

Blizzard will also be providing you with the option to background download a significant portion of the expansion content in advance of release. You must still purchase the expansion and upgrade your account in order to play The Burning Crusade. In order to participate in the background download, you must opt-in by checking the Expansion Background Download check box in the Launcher’s Option menu.

If you background download the expansion content in advance, you will be able to install The Burning Crusade much more quickly than if you didn’t background download the expansion, and you will not be required to swap discs. However, you must download ALL of the content that we provide in order to take advantage of this considerably shorter installation method.