What were the main design goals?
(1) Get you into the game as quickly as possible (2 minutes or less)
(2) Install the rest of the game in the background as you play
(3) Minimize the number of dialog boxes you have to click through
Does Tray & Play impact the performance of the game?
Our testing shows that it does not! However, if you're paranoid about this, you can of course choose to fully install the game before playing. There are a few fringe performance cases where the default is dynamically changed to fully install. For example, if DMA is disabled on your DVD drive.
How long does it typically take to get into the game the first time (I have patience issues)?
About two minutes. Less if you have a really powerful machine.
Note: If your machine is slower (or you’re converting Season 1 of Alf to WMV for your Zune, for example), it may take longer.
How do I know if the game is fully installed?
There is an indicator in the main game menu that gives a percent complete status. Once this reaches 100% and disappears, the game is fully installed. That’s, like, the definition of 100 percent.
What if I want to fully install the game before playing, because that’s how my dad taught me?
No problem. You can customize the game installation to fully install the game before playing, or even install it for someone else without playing.
How is Tray & Play different from a regular setup?
Other than not having to wait, in most other ways it is basically like a regular setup.
You can launch it from the Start menu via the Games Explorer.
It installs to Program Files just like a regular setup.
You can uninstall it from the Control Panel just like a regular setup.
Can I specify a different directory to install to?
If that’s your thing.
My hard disk drive is filled to the brim with pictures and videos of my cat. Can I just run the game from DVD, without installing it to the hard drive at all?
No, this is not supported. (Sorry, Mr. Mittens!)
Do I need to keep the DVD in my drive to play?
Once the game is fully installed you no longer need the DVD. This is also thanks to our new product activation technology.