Are the updates not actually on-disc?

[Zero Revolution]

So my Wii U was having some internet issues earlier today, it couldn't connect to the internet. I started up Splatoon, and it simply started without even showing Callie and Marie with the news broadcast. It can't even show what stages are available without being connected. This of course makes sense, if you can't play online, of course there's no reason to show you, in fact, it couldn't as it wouldn't know what stages were selected for play worldwide.

But this got me thinking, what if all of the stages available, all of the matches you're able to get into, are simply streamed online rather than being a part of the game itself? Maybe this means the updates aren't actually on-disc, but are simply streamed when they become "available." This would also make the new maps not being available on the Battle Dojo make more sense, as they're not programmed into the game, they would actually need a patch.

I know it's just a crazy theory and probably not true, but what do you think?

 

[lolsniper541]

The kelp dome is featured in one of the single player levels, and was available before the map was put into the multiplayer map cycle, so I think all the stages are on the disk. Nintendo just picks and chooses which ones are currently in play. I'd be willing to bet it would work the same way with the weapons and clothes.

 

[callmediego]

Everything seems to be on disc as only two of the maps aren't a single player level. Also, many of these weapons and maps were seen during the reviewer period and in the Prima guide. If you don't have to download a 100MB+ update then it is on the disc.

 

[iNinja5567]

I'm pretty sure that the game just needs internet to be told to activate the new stage. All the information is already on the disc, though.

 

[Lyn]

I'm pretty sure that the game just needs internet to be told to activate the new stage. All the information is already on the disc, though.

I agree with this, it makes enough sense.

 

[itisRag]

There has been one update downloaded since the game launched, and that was when Ranked Battles, Splat Zones, and Zapper were introduced into play. I'd be willing to bet that the download included some code for making ranked matches work. I also think possibly the Zapper was downloaded then, because I had never heard of the Zapper being added before. I feel like it was a sudden addition.

 

[TheSpeedyMouse]

In system settings it says there is update data. Maybe it downloads it during the news?

 

[Zero Revolution]

^ Hm, I never noticed that! It could just be a quick update that occurs in the background while starting the game.

 

[missingno]

There has been one update downloaded since the game launched, and that was when Ranked Battles, Splat Zones, and Zapper were introduced into play. I'd be willing to bet that the download included some code for making ranked matches work. I also think possibly the Zapper was downloaded then, because I had never heard of the Zapper being added before. I feel like it was a sudden addition.

That patch came a day after Ranked, Port Mackerel, and the N-Zap were already out. It was just a bugfix.

 

[NWPlayer123]

Dropping in, yes, everything "released" thus far was included in the initial release. Every actual update is just code patches. What they do is when you first start up the game and connect to the internet, they send a flag to your game to "unlock" it for use.