Samples Installer?

[tomspilman]

Do you think it is worth packaging the samples in an installer for easier distribution? Or maybe at least put a zip download up on the website?

@KonajuGames @DDReaper

[SimonDarksideJ]

Hmm, this is something I could probably debate for a while but ultimately it falls in to a debate of best practice.

I don't think including them in the main installer is a good idea, you only have to look at the complaints surrounding Unity and it's AngryBots sample which bloats the download for each and every single release.

Creating a ZIP sounds like a good idea, but you could just as easily create a NuGet package with the entire sample as well, or one for each.

I'd say the simplest thing at the moment would be to take the Master sample (platformer), build it with the production NuGet and Zip that up (just the project not the nuget package as NuGet package restore will download it on build) and put it on the site.
Also have a version using the latest dev NuGet (which probably needs updating considering all the merges of late) and publish that as well.

Either works for me at this point an dis only a small amount of effort to do.

If you want @tomspilman , I should have enough spare time to create those two packages.

[tomspilman]

I don't think including them in the main installer is a good idea,

Agreed.... i'm not suggesting that at all.

It would be a separate package whatever it ends up being.

it with the production NuGet and Zip that up

Here is my concern:

We have an installer that installs MonoGame and all the tools. The samples would then not use that... it would use NuGet instead?

That seems inconsistent to me.

[SimonDarksideJ]

I see what you mean,hmmm.
I suppose the easiest thing then would be another project template in a supplementary installer , (like the old XNA full game sample installers). That would work for the full releases.

Having an installer for the dev releases might be an issue, especially when you want to run them side by side, for that NuGet is easier.

[tomspilman]

like the old XNA full game sample installers

Yea... I guess looking at how Microsoft packaged those samples isn't a bad idea. Those were just plain ZIPs that assumed you had already installed XNA on your system.

Having an installer for the dev releases might be
an issue, especially when you want to run them side
by side, for that NuGet is easier.

I was thinking that maybe we can setup some sort of fallback in the csproj:

• First look to see if anyone has overridden the "MonoGameAssemblyPath".
• Second fallback to the MonoGame installer path.
• If the other two fail... use the NuGet build.

[SimonDarksideJ]

The last part does sound a bit convoluted and not sure it would work in practice.
I suppose we can just ship based the expectation that the MG installer is installed, then offer a readme for how to update to NuGet might be easier. (pretty much copy/paste the specific part on my post on the subject)

Basicaly KISS