I have just purchased pieces to build a new computer and have already assembled most of it. Enough to use the machine anyway.  Installing Windows 8 Pro was done in a flash.. well atleast with the DVD disc it came with. It took 5 minutes. Then the real work starts.  Windows 8 want to update various files to the tune of 1GB of data. That is not to get the machine to version 8.1 but rather to just update the current system.

I am using the most prevalent type of internet connectivity which is the 3G network.  To download the 1 Gb of data to update Windows 8 will take a few days.

However;

With the Graphic card I bought I got 3 games for free. As is the practice these days you dont get a DVD or blueray. You get a download key.

So I go online to download the first one Batman Arkhams Origin. The first thing it does it to ask to download Steam. Steam is first a 1.5MB download which then install another 100MB or so. Then once that is done I find that my old favourite Civilization V is still registered in Steam so download that one as the first game,  5 GB. Then I put Steam to download Batman… 18GB. It takes a whole week to download day and night when not using the internet at all for anything else.

With that one finished to install I get on to the next project. Trying to register and download Splinter cell blacklist and Assassins Creed Black magic.. First of course we need a new system …Uplay. 60MB to download install and then run. With that done I then manage to register the 2 games in the system.  Then as you can see on the picture above I have 133 hours plus another 3037 hours of downloading to wait for. Just to play the 25GB  respectively 19GB  games to download. I would assume I don’t need to wait the 3037 hours as once the 133 hour first game is loaded it will be another 120 hours for the second. Thus I should be able to play both games in about 2-3 weeks. Well that assumes that the expiry date for downloading of 28 Feb does not count once I have started the download.

Finally. I had purchased the Game Battlefield 4. Great I found it came on 3 DVDs so happy as a puppy I thought great. I install and play without any registering and downloading. Well I did not read the fine print on the box…..

INTERNET CONNECTION REQUIRED FOR ACTIVATION REQUIRED.

Hmm… The install package installs Origin.. a third game platform that then require Internet for registration. Well I do that and then think i can play my game.. NOOOOOO not so. Origin need to update itself with another 80MB of data. Ok now then. Nooooo…. Now Battlefield need to update itself with another 1GB of data before I can play.

Thus for 5 games and operating system installed from scratch I have to download  over 70 GB of data all on a 3G modem that can manage around 50 Kbp/s.

Now I do  have unlimited download on my 3G modem but at a cost of 120 USD per Month. Seemingly I am the only one in the office that have such good connectivity as most would have bought the capped 4GB at 25USD a month package due to the high cost. It should then be noted that I am part of the expat community here and a more normal internet user here would buy less than a GB package for a month for about 8 USD.