Good God almighty, people. What pessimistic doomsayers. Sheesh.
For your edification:
You are underestimating the future. You are fretting about the now; worrying about little things that don't matter. You are wasting precious energy obsessing over irrelevant details. You don’t believe that a better future is out there and can be built, that it can exceed people’s expectations, because you’re spending so much time considering the truth of the present and the seemingly important lessons of the past.
(And for the record: nothing else installed with the system - I went to Perfectworld.com/Arc and click the "Install now" link - no hassles, no bloat.)
@Cryptic/PWE: I downloaded Arc this morning. Already having NW, STO and CO installed - it found them and loaded them up, no new downloading. I like Arc. A lot. You're on the right track with this. And since I have a lot of free stuff for other PWE games in my HotN package, I might go for a look at some of them.
I *love* it that I can bounce around my account pages and the web sites and the forums without having to religion every darned time, and being able to swap back and forth between game and forums and whatnot without having to boot browser and such.
Easy as pie and slick as snot. Kudos to PWE for this, because not all of us are hysterical shrill doomsayers who know nothing but whining because "our opinions matter more than the rest of the universe" types.
I agree it should remain an option to use Arc, and I suspect it will. At least for the foreseeable future.
Yeah, i won't install ARC to play neverwinter, even if it means i lose out on 359 ardent coins to forfeit get my angel. I like Steam too much. I refuse to install any steam like program and only works with 1 development company.
From the community side, we have some cool features in the works for letting people know if there is an outage or issue, so we are looking forward to trying those out and seeing how effective they are at keeping people in the loop!
Thanks for asking about this!
-Dezstravus
So you're saying the Launcher isn't the best method of letting people know the game down?
Open the Launcher. Click Options near the top. Check Disable on-demand patching. This will download another couple of gigs.
(And for the record: nothing else installed with the system - I went to Perfectworld.com/Arc and click the "Install now" link - no hassles, no bloat.)
@Cryptic/PWE: I downloaded Arc this morning. Already having NW, STO and CO installed - it found them and loaded them up, no new downloading. I like Arc. A lot. You're on the right track with this. And since I have a lot of free stuff for other PWE games in my HotN package, I might go for a look at some of them.
I *love* it that I can bounce around my account pages and the web sites and the forums without having to religion every darned time, and being able to swap back and forth between game and forums and whatnot without having to boot browser and such.
Easy as pie and slick as snot. Kudos to PWE for this, because not all of us are hysterical shrill doomsayers who know nothing but whining because "our opinions matter more than the rest of the universe" types.
I agree it should remain an option to use Arc, and I suspect it will. At least for the foreseeable future.
Yep it's quite slick I have helped design the network end of things like this in the past and this puppy impresses even me, I am quite happy with this, especially how it uses the enter account info once and you're set for all of you PWE games.
'If this is manditory I'm outta here'
'It installs Pando!!!!" (which is a lie)
And about ten other negitive comments isn't doomsaying? Okay whatever.
You're absolutely right. Someone saying "if this becomes mandatory, I'm done with Neverwinter" is not doomsaying. There is no good reason to make it mandatory. Plenty of people hate unnecessary **** installed on their computer.
I will not install ARC on my computer. I don't trust PWE enough, it's the same reason they will never get my cc info.
Use the <removed exploit lead-in> to interact with the auction vendor.
You're absolutely right. Someone saying "if this becomes mandatory, I'm done with Neverwinter" is not doomsaying. There is no good reason to make it mandatory. Plenty of people hate unnecessary **** installed on their computer.
I will not install ARC on my computer. I don't trust PWE enough, it's the same reason they will never get my cc info.
I understand it's personal preference, but depending on the direction they go ther emight be a good reason, one thing I noticed is this has a inactive onscreen keyboard and I think an authenticator field in the code, if they make those manditory it woiuld be much smarter to have a unified launcher
Also to be fair I have used PWE to buy stuff for quite awhile and have never had issues, Blizzard on the other hand I had no end of overcharges and charges I never made...it's a YMMV thing, but I get it.. peopel hear China and the automatically think that the Tong is running it. :rolleyes:
I understand it's personal preference, but depending on the direction they go ther emight be a good reason, one thing I noticed is this has a inactive onscreen keyboard and I think an authenticator field in the code, if they make those manditory it woiuld be much smarter to have a unified launcher
Also to be fair I have used PWE to buy stuff for quite awhile and have never had issues, Blizzard on the other hand I had no end of overcharges and charges I never made...it's a YMMV thing, but I get it.. peopel hear China and the automatically think that the Tong is running it. :rolleyes:
I tend to avoid anything wholly unnecessary. It doesn't add any functionality I care about.
Use the <removed exploit lead-in> to interact with the auction vendor.
I wouldn't have a problem if ARC became mandatory. PWE's games are F2P online games, and so "having" to use a shell/client for them isn't really phasing me. The memory footprint is likely to be minimal and may overall even reduce HD and memory requirements due to shared resources between the games.
In essence, this is just the same as the launcher that people already use, just slightly enhanced. Or so it seems.
This is distinctively different from clients of digital distributions platforms where you buy games that are ALSO available elsewhere, but you cannot use them without a client, at which point they become DRM. And even for single player games you have to be online or use the client. This doesn't apply here since the software is free anyway, and online only, and you can install and use them on as many computers as you want. Plus, if PWE went belly up, all the games would become inaccessible anyway.
This is an application we at Perfect World are working on internally. Since we recently did a big update in terms of design and functionality, we wanted to give our players the opportunity to test it and try it out. Unfortunately, we had to take the Neverwinter one down since we discovered an issue with the download experience (currently, Arc allows you to download Neverwinter, but it downloads an old version which then requires a very large patch. It does work; it just ends up needing more bandwidth/downloading more data than the traditional download flow).
I don't have any information at this point regarding it becoming "mandatory" - right now it's just a thing we're working on and wanted to give everyone the chance to try out. Once we get that download issue sorted out it would be great for some people from our Neverwinter community to try it out and give us feedback on it. From the community side, we have some cool features in the works for letting people know if there is an outage or issue, so we are looking forward to trying those out and seeing how effective they are at keeping people in the loop!
Thanks for asking about this!
-Dezstravus
Make this mandatory, and I'm uninstalling NWO. I enjoy the game warts and all, but I have zero interest in letting some extraneous POS software squat on my system.
Make this mandatory, and I'm uninstalling NWO. I enjoy the game warts and all, but I have zero interest in letting some extraneous POS software squat on my system.
You are already using the launcher. Arc seems to be little more than a multi-game launcher, and it makes perfect sense to have something like that: it adds convenience for players who enjoy multiple PWE games, and it gives new/other PWE games more exposure to people who are part of the target audience. It also allows sharing of resources.
The launcher you already have to use handles updating, shows you ads, and offers news. Arc would just replace it and handle the same tasks.
You're absolutely right. Someone saying "if this becomes mandatory, I'm done with Neverwinter" is not doomsaying. There is no good reason to make it mandatory. Plenty of people hate unnecessary **** installed on their computer.
I will not install ARC on my computer. I don't trust PWE enough, it's the same reason they will never get my cc info.
And this is a fair and reasonable statement. I just cannot help but be absolutely entertained by the ridiculous "If this then that and I'm outa here" - to which I say (between hardy laughs) "good riddance and don't let the application hit you on the "sass" on the way out, you won't be missed".
LOL
Let us all fret and sweat over something that a) doesn't even exist or b) has never been announced or c) has actually been denied outright - all because there is the slimmest possible maybe that it *could* happen. Oh well, their stress, not mine.
As to the recent comments about it just being another launcher: I'd agree. It *feels* like just a scripted launcher that basically combines the STO, CO and NW launchers into a single, easy-to-use launcher, but it does nicely wrap the web sites, account settings and forums of each game into the fold.
It's actually a *very light* footprint and massively convenient for keeping-up with all three on *my* favorite games. If you only play one PWE game (e.g.: Neverwinter) then you really shouldn't bother with this. However, if you do play two or more (I know a lot of people are at least STO and NW) - it sure makes "managing" your games and accounts a lot easier.
It is DEFINITELY NOT like "Steam" (Which I *hate* - and uninstalled Skyrim because it requires it), but this Arc thing: I like.
You are already using the launcher. Arc seems to be little more than a multi-game launcher, and it makes perfect sense to have something like that: it adds convenience for players who enjoy multiple PWE games, and it gives new/other PWE games more exposure to people who are part of the target audience. It also allows sharing of resources.
The launcher you already have to use handles updating, shows you ads, and offers news. Arc would just replace it and handle the same tasks.
so instead of a 15 minute login (for some people) trying to use a single game launcher, with only 1 game's news, and only updateing that one game, we will have.... a single game launcher that updates all 2 dozen pluss PWE games, and share 2 dozen pluss news feeds, and take over 6 HOURS to load your ONE GAME, because of all the added BULL on the frakking launcher?
so instead of a 15 minute login (for some people) trying to use a single game launcher, with only 1 game's news, and only updateing that one game, we will have.... a single game launcher that updates all 2 dozen pluss PWE games, and share 2 dozen pluss news feeds, and take over 6 HOURS to load your ONE GAME, because of all the added BULL on the frakking launcher?
Arc doesn't require you to install all games. Have you actually tried it? It's a 8+35 MB download only. I'll post some actual numbers on memory and HD usage when I get around to it. There's so much assuming going on in this thread, so hopefully some more concrete information will help with that a bit.
I wouldn't have a problem if ARC became mandatory. PWE's games are F2P online games, and so "having" to use a shell/client for them isn't really phasing me. The memory footprint is likely to be minimal and may overall even reduce HD and memory requirements due to shared resources between the games.
In essence, this is just the same as the launcher that people already use, just slightly enhanced. Or so it seems.
This is distinctively different from clients of digital distributions platforms where you buy games that are ALSO available elsewhere, but you cannot use them without a client, at which point they become DRM. And even for single player games you have to be online or use the client. This doesn't apply here since the software is free anyway, and online only, and you can install and use them on as many computers as you want. Plus, if PWE went belly up, all the games would become inaccessible anyway.
To me, this seems like a minor issue.
^ This.
You can already launch any Cryptic game with any Cryptic launcher. Its arguable that Cryptic's MMO's are PWE biggest MMO hits here in the west and having NW,STO and CO on the same launcher as PWE's other games can only be good for them.
And this is a fair and reasonable statement. I just cannot help but be absolutely entertained by the ridiculous "If this then that and I'm outa here" - to which I say (between hardy laughs) "good riddance and don't let the application hit you on the "sass" on the way out, you won't be missed".
LOL
It's ridiculous to refuse unnecessary software? You must be a delight to know in real life. Community members like you do very little to keep NW together. Bravo. IF I stop playing Neverwinter, you won't be missed either.
Use the <removed exploit lead-in> to interact with the auction vendor.
For the same reason that, sometimes unpopular, patches are mandatory. Its their game, their rules. Not everyone has to like it. but the rage and threats seem to qualify as melodramatic.
Okay, some actual numbers and information that may help:
* The whole thing is a 8 + 35 MB download only.
* It uses less than 80 MB on the hard drive after installation.
* It has a memory footprint of about 45 MB after start-up (NW launcher uses a bit less than 30 MB), up to ~75 MB after flipping through tabs.
* Uses no noticeable CPU cycles when not actively used (e.g. when it just sits there and you play a game).
* Starts up and connects very quickly, much faster than Steam's client.
* It does not launch with Windows or "phone home" with computer specs unless you permit it (asks during installation).
* It has an auto-connect feature so you don't have to type in the password every time (optional, works with NW).
* It locates already installed PWE games, you don't need to re-download them.
* It does not auto-update installed games, only when you launch a game (and then only that one game).
* It has a forum/web browser built in (which is surprisingly responsive).
* It allows you to manage friends across all games, and you can chat with them (like an IM).
I actually like this. Looks convenient to me (saves me a couple browser tabs too) and it seems to use minimal system resources. I see no real difference between using Arc and the regular launcher, even if you play only one PWE game. Saves time since you can save the password.
Okay, some actual numbers and information that may help:
* The whole thing is a 8 + 35 MB download only.
* It uses less than 80 MB on the hard drive after installation.
* It has a memory footprint of about 45 MB after start-up (NW launcher uses a bit less than 30 MB), up to ~75 MB after flipping through tabs.
* Uses no noticeable CPU cycles when not actively used (e.g. when it just sits there and you play a game).
* Starts up and connects very quickly, much faster than Steam's client.
* It does not launch with Windows or "phone home" with computer specs unless you permit it (asks during installation).
* It has an auto-connect feature so you don't have to type in the password every time (optional, works with NW).
* It locates already installed PWE games, you don't need to re-download them.
* It does not auto-update installed games, only when you launch a game (and then only that one game).
* It has a forum/web browser built in (which is surprisingly responsive).
* It allows you to manage friends across all games, and you can chat with them (like an IM).
I actually like this. Looks convenient to me (saves me a couple browser tabs too) and it seems to use minimal system resources. I see no real difference between using Arc and the regular launcher, even if you play only one PWE game. Saves time since you can save the password.
No no your not supposed to bring facts to the panic fest.
No no your not supposed to bring facts to the panic fest.
Panic? I don't see a lot of panic here.
None of those "facts" make it worth anything to me. I've had browsers for years, I don't need a new one. I only play one PWE game. NW updates when I launch already.
Make it optional please. Tiny or not, I don't need anything it offers me.
Use the <removed exploit lead-in> to interact with the auction vendor.
For the same reason that, sometimes unpopular, patches are mandatory. Its their game, their rules. Not everyone has to like it. but the rage and threats seem to qualify as melodramatic.
Patches usually change the game version to be incompatible for mp games if you were able to not patch. No logic behind it being mandatory at all.
I don't consider it a threat to say, "if ARC becomes mandatory then I won't play". It's a statement of fact. I am not demanding they make it optional. I'm not insane enough to think my opinion is going to matter. The company is not what I would consider to be open to that kind of discussion.
Use the <removed exploit lead-in> to interact with the auction vendor.
We as customers -paying or not- have the right of choice. I only tolerate Steam and Origin because of games I have purchased, but I really despise that kind of software, Pando or no Pando or whatever else comes with them. I have invested around 120 dollars in Neverwinter, but I may stop playing and paying if this ARC becomes mandatory.
Make it optional please. Tiny or not, I don't need anything it offers me.
I have no insight into any PWE plans, and they may well continue to keep this optional, so this is just a general take on the topic:
From a development perspective, "optional" always means more work and more resources and more time, and often fewer features. For instance, if they use one launcher (Arc) for everything, they can streamline patching and logging in across all their current and future games. This may well help with the implementation of features like an authenticator, because it doesn't need to be made work with a dozen of games, only with the one shell.
There would be virtually no advantage for the company to maintain an universal launcher and then, in addition, a dozen individual game launchers, all of which would need to be updated and such (while providing the exact same basic functionality). They also won't have to maintain individual installers for the games.
Using something like Arc makes sense for a publisher like PWE, both from a development and a promotional/marketing perspective. It also really helps with community building since it brings players together (across games, though this is is already possible now, but the IM features make it more convenient). Other publishers, like Blizzard, have been catching onto the importance of cross-game community features too. It really helps with player retention.
There are really no practical downsides for the user. The ones I see mentioned are ideological or fall into the "I don't want it because I don't want it", but I see not practical concerns. What does it matter if you start a single-game launcher and press "play", or that you start a multi-game launcher and press "play" in your game library? (Which will only list one game if you only have one.) If anything, the auto-connect feature saves you time because the password is stored, if you check the box.
I have no insight into any PWE plans, and they may well continue to keep this optional, so this is just a general take on the topic:
From a development perspective, "optional" always means more work and more resources and more time, and often fewer features. For instance, if they use one launcher (Arc) for everything, they can streamline patching and logging in across all their current and future games. This may well help with the implementation of features like an authenticator, because it doesn't need to be made work with a dozen of games, only with the one shell.
There would be virtually no advantage for the company to maintain an universal launcher and then, in addition, a dozen individual game launchers, all of which would need to be updated and such (while providing the exact same basic functionality). They also won't have to maintain individual installers for the games.
Using something like Arc makes sense for a publisher like PWE, both from a development and a promotional/marketing perspective. It also really helps with community building since it brings players together (across games, though this is is already possible now, but the IM features make it more convenient). Other publishers, like Blizzard, have been catching into the importance of cross-game community features too. It really helps with player retention.
There are really no practical downsides for the user. The ones I see mentioned are ideological or fall into the "I don't want it because I don't want it", but I see not practical concerns. What does it matter if you start a single-game launcher and press "play", or that you start a multi-game launcher and press "play" in your game library? (Which will only list one game if you only have one.) If anything, the auto-connect feature saves you time because the password is stored, if you check the box.
There have been way too many exploits and outages for me to be excited about an auto-connect feature with a stored password. I don't like the security problems inherent in browsers and to be honest, if they got rid of that functionality I'd probably shut up and download it. The system adds nothing for me except potential aggravation if I make use of it.
Use the <removed exploit lead-in> to interact with the auction vendor.
... but I really despise that kind of software, Pando or no Pando or whatever else comes with them.
Nothing else comes with it. You already DO USE "that kind of software". It's fundamentally the same as the Neverwinter launcher! It's slightly more fancy and functional, but it is the same type of software. It pretty much replaces the present launcher with a better launcher. If they just updated it, instead of giving it a new name, people would probably think how nice and convenient it is.
You can just download it and try it. Unlike the Steam client, it isn't a resource-hogging slug fest. It's quite responsive and light. (Feels better than the NW launcher, actually.)
I already use Steam to launch Champions Online and Star Trek Online. Also, I purchase zen through my steam wallet already.
It seems to me personally a superfluous thing and in all honesty, I was waiting for the day when Neverwinter launched and was hosted on Steam so I could actually make some purchases in the zen store. Unlike some posters, I actually like Steam and to be honest, I notice very little resource usage. Mainly, I like the idea of one place to charge transactions through, IE, no game company has my card info, only Steam. I get some darn good deals there, too. 75% off sales are the bomb. I can't begin to praise the benefits of purchasing top tier titles for only $7.99 or so. (Got Arkham Asylum and City this way. Deus Ex. The Secret World. All my Command & Conquer titles. Saint's Row the Third. NWN2. Civ 5. Tons more. I officially have more games than I could ever play.)
Bottom line? I'm all for it being optional. Make it mandatory and I'm done with Craptic games.
Comments
No offense but if someone has to "consider" whether or not it's mandatory they're completely stupid.
That will just make you lose customers.
For your edification:
You are underestimating the future. You are fretting about the now; worrying about little things that don't matter. You are wasting precious energy obsessing over irrelevant details. You don’t believe that a better future is out there and can be built, that it can exceed people’s expectations, because you’re spending so much time considering the truth of the present and the seemingly important lessons of the past.
(And for the record: nothing else installed with the system - I went to Perfectworld.com/Arc and click the "Install now" link - no hassles, no bloat.)
@Cryptic/PWE: I downloaded Arc this morning. Already having NW, STO and CO installed - it found them and loaded them up, no new downloading. I like Arc. A lot. You're on the right track with this. And since I have a lot of free stuff for other PWE games in my HotN package, I might go for a look at some of them.
I *love* it that I can bounce around my account pages and the web sites and the forums without having to religion every darned time, and being able to swap back and forth between game and forums and whatnot without having to boot browser and such.
Easy as pie and slick as snot. Kudos to PWE for this, because not all of us are hysterical shrill doomsayers who know nothing but whining because "our opinions matter more than the rest of the universe" types.
I agree it should remain an option to use Arc, and I suspect it will. At least for the foreseeable future.
So you're saying the Launcher isn't the best method of letting people know the game down?
Ability Scores || All Attribute Roll Combinations || My Cleric Stream \o/
Ummm
'If this is manditory I'm outta here'
'It installs Pando!!!!" (which is a lie)
And about ten other negitive comments isn't doomsaying? Okay whatever.
Yep it's quite slick I have helped design the network end of things like this in the past and this puppy impresses even me, I am quite happy with this, especially how it uses the enter account info once and you're set for all of you PWE games.
Very pleased.
You're absolutely right. Someone saying "if this becomes mandatory, I'm done with Neverwinter" is not doomsaying. There is no good reason to make it mandatory. Plenty of people hate unnecessary **** installed on their computer.
I will not install ARC on my computer. I don't trust PWE enough, it's the same reason they will never get my cc info.
I understand it's personal preference, but depending on the direction they go ther emight be a good reason, one thing I noticed is this has a inactive onscreen keyboard and I think an authenticator field in the code, if they make those manditory it woiuld be much smarter to have a unified launcher
Also to be fair I have used PWE to buy stuff for quite awhile and have never had issues, Blizzard on the other hand I had no end of overcharges and charges I never made...it's a YMMV thing, but I get it.. peopel hear China and the automatically think that the Tong is running it. :rolleyes:
I tend to avoid anything wholly unnecessary. It doesn't add any functionality I care about.
In essence, this is just the same as the launcher that people already use, just slightly enhanced. Or so it seems.
This is distinctively different from clients of digital distributions platforms where you buy games that are ALSO available elsewhere, but you cannot use them without a client, at which point they become DRM. And even for single player games you have to be online or use the client. This doesn't apply here since the software is free anyway, and online only, and you can install and use them on as many computers as you want. Plus, if PWE went belly up, all the games would become inaccessible anyway.
To me, this seems like a minor issue.
Make this mandatory, and I'm uninstalling NWO. I enjoy the game warts and all, but I have zero interest in letting some extraneous POS software squat on my system.
You are already using the launcher. Arc seems to be little more than a multi-game launcher, and it makes perfect sense to have something like that: it adds convenience for players who enjoy multiple PWE games, and it gives new/other PWE games more exposure to people who are part of the target audience. It also allows sharing of resources.
The launcher you already have to use handles updating, shows you ads, and offers news. Arc would just replace it and handle the same tasks.
And this is a fair and reasonable statement. I just cannot help but be absolutely entertained by the ridiculous "If this then that and I'm outa here" - to which I say (between hardy laughs) "good riddance and don't let the application hit you on the "sass" on the way out, you won't be missed".
LOL
Let us all fret and sweat over something that a) doesn't even exist or b) has never been announced or c) has actually been denied outright - all because there is the slimmest possible maybe that it *could* happen. Oh well, their stress, not mine.
As to the recent comments about it just being another launcher: I'd agree. It *feels* like just a scripted launcher that basically combines the STO, CO and NW launchers into a single, easy-to-use launcher, but it does nicely wrap the web sites, account settings and forums of each game into the fold.
It's actually a *very light* footprint and massively convenient for keeping-up with all three on *my* favorite games. If you only play one PWE game (e.g.: Neverwinter) then you really shouldn't bother with this. However, if you do play two or more (I know a lot of people are at least STO and NW) - it sure makes "managing" your games and accounts a lot easier.
It is DEFINITELY NOT like "Steam" (Which I *hate* - and uninstalled Skyrim because it requires it), but this Arc thing: I like.
so instead of a 15 minute login (for some people) trying to use a single game launcher, with only 1 game's news, and only updateing that one game, we will have.... a single game launcher that updates all 2 dozen pluss PWE games, and share 2 dozen pluss news feeds, and take over 6 HOURS to load your ONE GAME, because of all the added BULL on the frakking launcher?
Arc doesn't require you to install all games.
^ This.
You can already launch any Cryptic game with any Cryptic launcher. Its arguable that Cryptic's MMO's are PWE biggest MMO hits here in the west and having NW,STO and CO on the same launcher as PWE's other games can only be good for them.
Forsaken World needs more cigar smoking dwarfs!
Nepht and Dr Deflecto on primus
It's ridiculous to refuse unnecessary software? You must be a delight to know in real life. Community members like you do very little to keep NW together. Bravo. IF I stop playing Neverwinter, you won't be missed either.
Make an argument for why it should be mandatory as opposed to optional. I dare you.
* The whole thing is a 8 + 35 MB download only.
* It uses less than 80 MB on the hard drive after installation.
* It has a memory footprint of about 45 MB after start-up (NW launcher uses a bit less than 30 MB), up to ~75 MB after flipping through tabs.
* Uses no noticeable CPU cycles when not actively used (e.g. when it just sits there and you play a game).
* Starts up and connects very quickly, much faster than Steam's client.
* It does not launch with Windows or "phone home" with computer specs unless you permit it (asks during installation).
* It has an auto-connect feature so you don't have to type in the password every time (optional, works with NW).
* It locates already installed PWE games, you don't need to re-download them.
* It does not auto-update installed games, only when you launch a game (and then only that one game).
* It has a forum/web browser built in (which is surprisingly responsive).
* It allows you to manage friends across all games, and you can chat with them (like an IM).
I actually like this. Looks convenient to me (saves me a couple browser tabs too) and it seems to use minimal system resources. I see no real difference between using Arc and the regular launcher, even if you play only one PWE game. Saves time since you can save the password.
No no your not supposed to bring facts to the panic fest.
[SIGPIC][/SIGPIC]
Panic? I don't see a lot of panic here.
None of those "facts" make it worth anything to me. I've had browsers for years, I don't need a new one. I only play one PWE game. NW updates when I launch already.
Make it optional please. Tiny or not, I don't need anything it offers me.
Patches usually change the game version to be incompatible for mp games if you were able to not patch. No logic behind it being mandatory at all.
I don't consider it a threat to say, "if ARC becomes mandatory then I won't play". It's a statement of fact. I am not demanding they make it optional. I'm not insane enough to think my opinion is going to matter. The company is not what I would consider to be open to that kind of discussion.
I have no insight into any PWE plans, and they may well continue to keep this optional, so this is just a general take on the topic:
From a development perspective, "optional" always means more work and more resources and more time, and often fewer features. For instance, if they use one launcher (Arc) for everything, they can streamline patching and logging in across all their current and future games. This may well help with the implementation of features like an authenticator, because it doesn't need to be made work with a dozen of games, only with the one shell.
There would be virtually no advantage for the company to maintain an universal launcher and then, in addition, a dozen individual game launchers, all of which would need to be updated and such (while providing the exact same basic functionality). They also won't have to maintain individual installers for the games.
Using something like Arc makes sense for a publisher like PWE, both from a development and a promotional/marketing perspective. It also really helps with community building since it brings players together (across games, though this is is already possible now, but the IM features make it more convenient). Other publishers, like Blizzard, have been catching onto the importance of cross-game community features too. It really helps with player retention.
There are really no practical downsides for the user. The ones I see mentioned are ideological or fall into the "I don't want it because I don't want it", but I see not practical concerns. What does it matter if you start a single-game launcher and press "play", or that you start a multi-game launcher and press "play" in your game library? (Which will only list one game if you only have one.) If anything, the auto-connect feature saves you time because the password is stored, if you check the box.
There have been way too many exploits and outages for me to be excited about an auto-connect feature with a stored password. I don't like the security problems inherent in browsers and to be honest, if they got rid of that functionality I'd probably shut up and download it. The system adds nothing for me except potential aggravation if I make use of it.
Nothing else comes with it. You already DO USE "that kind of software". It's fundamentally the same as the Neverwinter launcher! It's slightly more fancy and functional, but it is the same type of software. It pretty much replaces the present launcher with a better launcher. If they just updated it, instead of giving it a new name, people would probably think how nice and convenient it is.
You can just download it and try it. Unlike the Steam client, it isn't a resource-hogging slug fest. It's quite responsive and light. (Feels better than the NW launcher, actually.)
It seems to me personally a superfluous thing and in all honesty, I was waiting for the day when Neverwinter launched and was hosted on Steam so I could actually make some purchases in the zen store. Unlike some posters, I actually like Steam and to be honest, I notice very little resource usage. Mainly, I like the idea of one place to charge transactions through, IE, no game company has my card info, only Steam. I get some darn good deals there, too. 75% off sales are the bomb. I can't begin to praise the benefits of purchasing top tier titles for only $7.99 or so. (Got Arkham Asylum and City this way. Deus Ex. The Secret World. All my Command & Conquer titles. Saint's Row the Third. NWN2. Civ 5. Tons more. I officially have more games than I could ever play.)
Bottom line? I'm all for it being optional. Make it mandatory and I'm done with Craptic games.
Occam's Razor makes the cutting clean.