Returning to the game, slow map downloads - Guild Wars Forums

HyperionMBD · Aug 23, 2010, 09:44 PM // 21:44

Right so after a year of not playing the game and a new computer, I decided I wanted to get back into Guild Wars. So I go and download the client, log in, and pick one of my characters. Then I'm stuck at the loading screen, with 22k files to download, and my download speed is averaging at about 200 kb/s (which is rather slow for my internet). I wait about five minutes and it barely goes up a single percentage.

So my question is this: Is there a way to speed up my download? And if not is there somewhere I can download all/most of the Guild Wars assets so that I don't have to download them through the client?

Moonstalker · Aug 23, 2010, 09:45 PM // 21:45

Create a shortcut of gw.exe, open the file, and add -image to the end of it.
http://wiki.guildwars.com/wiki/-image#-image

MisterB · Aug 23, 2010, 09:48 PM // 21:48

Download speed will be limited at ArenaNet's end.

You can run the -image command to download everything.

HyperionMBD · Aug 23, 2010, 09:51 PM // 21:51

Thanks a bunch. I've got downloading right now. Still gonna take a while, but at least it's not the full application running while trying to download.

Moonstalker · Aug 23, 2010, 09:52 PM // 21:52

After it's done, you won't need to download maps anymore. It's quite a helper

Good luck

Just Sai · Aug 23, 2010, 11:39 PM // 23:39

your about to get told the same thing over and over again.
"...use -image"

this happened to me and i know for a fact, every single new map/dungeon, pug... all of it will download piece by piece and very slowly as you enter it.

theres no way around it, the -image thing only seems do give you a raw base client, missing a LOT of data (app 1gb)

the best thing to do it solo as much as you can and download the data on your own to avoid leaving pugs wondering if you have dc r not, ( or warn your group you will be loading for a while)

and thats the truth

*Darcy* · Aug 24, 2010, 03:06 AM // 03:06

In my experience, the -image command line downloads the entire .dat file. It does take hours and is best done overnight or while you are away from home. I have never since needed to wait through long loading screens for new areas.

godis · Aug 24, 2010, 06:23 AM // 06:23

-image downloads everything. Yours must have disconnected Just Sai.

Bankei Chinshu · Feb 19, 2011, 03:32 PM // 15:32

Hi! I'm returning to the game too and I also found the downloads to be very slow... I'm using the "-image" but still I cant download above 10 KB/s -.-
Its gonna be a long wait...
Why isnt Arenanet doing anything about it?
I have 105321 files to download yet... -.-

Iuris · Feb 19, 2011, 05:15 PM // 17:15

Just a thought: if you have any real life friends that play GW, ask them to simply burn the gw.dat file from their game directory onto a DVD and replace your own with it...

Bankei Chinshu · Feb 19, 2011, 05:20 PM // 17:20

Well I don't, my friends are all WoW addicts. :P (At least Blizzard updater is faster... :s)
I've sent an e-mail to NCSoft support, don't know if it will have any effect, seriously doubt it, but it doesn't hurt to try...

Aug 23, 2010, 09:44 PM // 21:44	#1
HyperionMBD Pre-Searing Cadet Join Date: Aug 2010	Returning to the game, slow map downloads Right so after a year of not playing the game and a new computer, I decided I wanted to get back into Guild Wars. So I go and download the client, log in, and pick one of my characters. Then I'm stuck at the loading screen, with 22k files to download, and my download speed is averaging at about 200 kb/s (which is rather slow for my internet). I wait about five minutes and it barely goes up a single percentage. So my question is this: Is there a way to speed up my download? And if not is there somewhere I can download all/most of the Guild Wars assets so that I don't have to download them through the client?

Aug 24, 2010, 03:06 AM // 03:06	#7
Darcy Never Too Old Join Date: Jul 2006 Location: Rhode Island where there are no GW contests Guild: Order of First Profession: W/R	In my experience, the -image command line downloads the entire .dat file. It does take hours and is best done overnight or while you are away from home. I have never since needed to wait through long loading screens for new areas. __________________ That's me, the old stick-in-the-mud non-fun moderator. (and non-understanding, also)

Feb 19, 2011, 03:32 PM // 15:32	#9
Bankei Chinshu Pre-Searing Cadet Join Date: Feb 2011	Hi! I'm returning to the game too and I also found the downloads to be very slow... I'm using the "-image" but still I cant download above 10 KB/s -.- Its gonna be a long wait... Why isnt Arenanet doing anything about it? I have 105321 files to download yet... -.- Last edited by Bankei Chinshu; Feb 19, 2011 at 03:37 PM // 15:37..

Aug 23, 2010, 09:45 PM // 21:45	#2
Moonstalker Krytan Explorer Join Date: Jan 2007 Guild: Club Of A Thousand Pandas [LOD???] Profession: Mo/	Create a shortcut of gw.exe, open the file, and add -image to the end of it. http://wiki.guildwars.com/wiki/-image#-image

Aug 23, 2010, 09:48 PM // 21:48	#3
MisterB Furnace Stoker Join Date: Oct 2005 Location: Planet Earth, Sol system, Milky Way galaxy Guild: [ban] Profession: W/	Download speed will be limited at ArenaNet's end. You can run the -image command to download everything.

Aug 23, 2010, 09:51 PM // 21:51	#4
HyperionMBD Pre-Searing Cadet Join Date: Aug 2010	Thanks a bunch. I've got downloading right now. Still gonna take a while, but at least it's not the full application running while trying to download.

Aug 23, 2010, 09:52 PM // 21:52	#5
Moonstalker Krytan Explorer Join Date: Jan 2007 Guild: Club Of A Thousand Pandas [LOD???] Profession: Mo/	After it's done, you won't need to download maps anymore. It's quite a helper Good luck

Aug 23, 2010, 11:39 PM // 23:39	#6
Just Sai Frost Gate Guardian Join Date: Oct 2009 Location: aotearoa Profession: Mo/	your about to get told the same thing over and over again. "...use -image" this happened to me and i know for a fact, every single new map/dungeon, pug... all of it will download piece by piece and very slowly as you enter it. theres no way around it, the -image thing only seems do give you a raw base client, missing a LOT of data (app 1gb) the best thing to do it solo as much as you can and download the data on your own to avoid leaving pugs wondering if you have dc r not, ( or warn your group you will be loading for a while) and thats the truth

Aug 24, 2010, 06:23 AM // 06:23	#8
godis Frost Gate Guardian Join Date: Sep 2009 Guild: LOVE Profession: N/Me	-image downloads everything. Yours must have disconnected Just Sai.

Feb 19, 2011, 05:15 PM // 17:15	#10
Iuris Forge Runner Join Date: Nov 2006 Guild: Crazy ducks from the Forest Profession: W/	Just a thought: if you have any real life friends that play GW, ask them to simply burn the gw.dat file from their game directory onto a DVD and replace your own with it...

Feb 19, 2011, 05:20 PM // 17:20	#11
Bankei Chinshu Pre-Searing Cadet Join Date: Feb 2011	Well I don't, my friends are all WoW addicts. :P (At least Blizzard updater is faster... :s) I've sent an e-mail to NCSoft support, don't know if it will have any effect, seriously doubt it, but it doesn't hurt to try...