What program do you use to launch NW?

thegrandnagus1 · December 2015

Just out of curiosity, what program do you use to launch NW?

blackjackwidow · December 2015

Application(.exe)

Hey, Grand Nagus! Moogie here

I use the application. I have Arc installed, mainly to get the free stuff way back when they offered it to get us to use it, and then to enter promo codes when that became the only way to enter them. But now they brought back the web page for promo code entry, so I haven't opened it since.

I don't use Steam; NW & STO are the only MMO's I've ever played. Played STO since Beta, so that was the only program I had active at the time Arc started. A few reasons why I don't use them - I don't like background, web-connected tracking software on my computer; I do not have unlimited data plan for Internet, so it costs me money every time one of these programs sends info to and from my computer; It's an unnecessary drain on resources; I've enough experience in networking/marketing/computer programming to know ToS should be read pay attention to privacy;
Almost every "can't start the game" post I've seen could be solved by bypassing Arc; I'm old and don't like being told I have to use something I know I don't have to use, in order to play a game.

TLDR: I use the application. I'm interested to see how your poll answers trend.

suicidalgodot · December 2015

Steam

Steam - because I want to see what all my Steam buddies from all my other games are doing. At times fun and/or grand sessions in other games can ensue...

chaosweaver83 · December 2015

Application(.exe)

Been using the original launcher since beta. Never saw a reason to change to anything else.

urabask · December 2015

Steam

verdonix1 said:
Steam and ARC BLOATWARE... yuck.

Okay. Well that's a post.

zebular · December 2015

Application(.exe)

I use the launcher for each Cryptic Game (Neverwinter.exe / Star Trek Online.exe / Champions Online.exe) and have since Beta for STO, Launch for CO, and Alpha for NW. Even for Forsaken World, I use it's launcher too.

I currently have the games installed via the ARC client however. It's just not necessary to launch them with ARC or Steam, even if installed through them. I do have Steam installed though, I just don't use it for Cryptic installations anymore. I used to, just not to launch them.

arabatur · December 2015

Application(.exe)

Been here since Closed Beta, so I run it the old fashioned way. If for some reason I was ever required to reinstall the game I would take it as a sign as not to be playing; it's just not good enough any more.

Absolutely no way I'm using Arc either.

redrockls3 · December 2015

I didn't realize you can use something other than Arc. Now that I've installed Arc and Neverwinter through it, how do I launch the game without using Arc? I've searched my computer and there's no neverwinter.exe anywhere on it. Even with the Neverwinter launcher on my desktop, it opens Arc before I can launch the game.

zebular · December 2015

Application(.exe)

redrockls3 said:
I didn't realize you can use something other than Arc. Now that I've installed Arc and Neverwinter through it, how do I launch the game without using Arc? I've searched my computer and there's no neverwinter.exe anywhere on it. Even with the Neverwinter launcher on my desktop, it opens Arc before I can launch the game.

The launcher you have on your desktop that is opening ARC is probably one you chose to create during or after installation by the ARC client and would explain why it is opening ARC.

To have your own pin/shortcut directly to the launcher:

In your installation directory is "Neverwinter.exe" and if you installed it via ARC, it will be nestled inside the folders within the ARC installation directory, usually under /Neverwinter_en/Neverwinter/ (the _en part may vary by localization) - if you cannot find it manually or via search, then what I suggest is to use ARC to load the launcher but before pressing play, right-click your taskbar or press CTRL+ALT+DELETE and choose Task Manager. Then find Neverwinter in the running processes, right-click it and choose "Open file location."

Once you have it's location, if you're on Windows 8+, right click Neverwinter.exe in the File Explorer and choose either "Pin to Start" and/or "Pin to Taskbar." Alternatively, you can choose "Create Shortcut" and then rename and place the Shortcut where ever you like. Then close out the launcher, close out ARC and then use your new Pin or Shortcut to launch the launcher directly. You can do this also with STO and CO and a couple other PWE Games. Some PWE Games require ARC or Steam however.

zebular · December 2015

Application(.exe)

magenubbie said:

zebular said:
as well as Forsaken World ...
I can't get FW to start without ARC anymore. Game.exe and patcher.exe both lead to ARC now unfortunately. But yes, it still works on NW, thank the heavens.

I'll look into it later when I have time and see what's up. Thanks!

looomis · December 2015

Application(.exe)

The best function of ARC is the message box inside the uninstall wizard, where you can tell the staff why you deinstall the software.

ckotoc666 · December 2015

Arc

Arc.I like how they have all their games on one platform.

rayrdan · December 2015

Application(.exe)

we finally have some numbers... we have about 15k players in most hours.

eion311 · December 2015

Application(.exe)

Been playing since beta so I've always used the launcher. I do have arc installed though to be able to redeem codes. I occasionally run the launcher through Steam though so friends can watch the stream if they wish to.

regenerde · December 2015

Application(.exe)

Application, i don't like something "extra" running in the background...

hfleet · December 2015

Arc

The ARC client has a number of useful features:
Code redemption, News, all the games in one spot, etc.

(Also, they plan to migrate all games to launch directly from ARC in the future anyway)

kurtb88 · December 2015

Arc

I use ARC and I like it. Don't understand why people dislike it.

looomis · December 2015

Application(.exe)

kurtb88 said:
I use ARC and I like it. Don't understand why people dislike it.

If you play exactly one game, it is useless.
I dont like the GUI (I don't find anything), the advertising for other games, the program that runs in the background, ...

flyingleon · December 2015

Application(.exe)

I also try to use this poll to estimate the player numbers. But this is only useful for PC in the dragon Server.

instynctive · December 2015

Arc

I've tried to load up NW without ARC, but it always makes me use it. :-(

blackjackwidow · December 2015

Application(.exe)

instynctive said:
I've tried to load up NW without ARC, but it always makes me use it. :-(

Have you read @zebular's post - think it's #10. He explains quite thoroughly how to do it

zebular · December 2015

Application(.exe)

instynctive said:
I've tried to load up NW without ARC, but it always makes me use it. :-(

blackjackwidow said:

instynctive said:
I've tried to load up NW without ARC, but it always makes me use it. :-(
Have you read @zebular's post - think it's #10. He explains quite thoroughly how to do it

Indeed, I did. Here it is again however:

zebular said:

redrockls3 said:
I didn't realize you can use something other than Arc. Now that I've installed Arc and Neverwinter through it, how do I launch the game without using Arc? I've searched my computer and there's no neverwinter.exe anywhere on it. Even with the Neverwinter launcher on my desktop, it opens Arc before I can launch the game.
The launcher you have on your desktop that is opening ARC is probably one you chose to create during or after installation by the ARC client and would explain why it is opening ARC.

To have your own pin/shortcut directly to the launcher:

In your installation directory is "Neverwinter.exe" and if you installed it via ARC, it will be nestled inside the folders within the ARC installation directory, usually under /Neverwinter_en/Neverwinter/ (the _en part may vary by localization) - if you cannot find it manually or via search, then what I suggest is to use ARC to load the launcher but before pressing play, right-click your taskbar or press CTRL+ALT+DELETE and choose Task Manager. Then find Neverwinter in the running processes, right-click it and choose "Open file location."

Once you have it's location, if you're on Windows 8+, right click Neverwinter.exe in the File Explorer and choose either "Pin to Start" and/or "Pin to Taskbar." Alternatively, you can choose "Create Shortcut" and then rename and place the Shortcut where ever you like. Then close out the launcher, close out ARC and then use your new Pin or Shortcut to launch the launcher directly. You can do this also with STO and CO and a couple other PWE Games. Some PWE Games require ARC or Steam however.

instynctive · December 2015

Arc

...and it's working now. Thanks. :-)

kemnimtarkas · December 2015

Arc

I have no problem using the Arc client - it's quick and easy to use and I see all recent blogs/news articles from the devs in one place without having to look for them. The advertising for other games doesn't bother me in the slightest - it's nowhere near as intrusive or annoying as the marketing on most websites.

This sounds like the standard nerd divide - some guys have to have their command line prompt (because it allows for more control...power...nerdversion manliness), while others are just fine using the GUI.

zebular · December 2015

Application(.exe)

magenubbie said:

kemnimtarkas said:
This sounds like the standard nerd divide - some guys have to have their command line prompt (because it allows for more control...power...nerdversion manliness), while others are just fine using the GUI.
True I guess, up to a point. But it's also a matter of good practice not to install programs you don't need. There is absolutely no reason to use a program that launches a program I can also launch directly. It's a waste of time, disk space, bandwidth (still important in some parts of the world where data limits actually still exist) CPU time and memory. And yes, I can do without the useless registry entries created by a program I don't need or want. That's obvious.

The ARC Client also contains social features for communication and community, account management, promo code redemption and history, news delivery, content delivery of all PWE games, and the new VoIP feature for voice chat in and out of game. The ARC Client may not be something useful to you, but it may very well be useful to someone else and dwelling on just one aspect of it for reasons to degrade it is quite perplexing when it does much more than just launching a game.

suicidalgodot · December 2015

Steam

magenubbie said:
[...] To each his own. But to me it's pointless bloatware.

I don't need a program to launch a program. That's what Windows is for [...] You're free to disagree.

...which I do.

Steam overlay is the only type of social media I really appreciate (and use, BTW), hence I launch the game via Steam to have the updated info on the wherebaouts of my Steam buddies. Which, often enough, makes me start a chat if and when they launch a game I'm also fond of, sometimes leading to my leaving Faerûn ad going to e.g. Tamriel instead.

I do not need Steam to launch NW. I actually want to have that messaging feature. And I can also appreciate the mindset to launch the game straight off the launcher .exe if one doesn't want anything else but play NW. If I wouldn't, and/or if it weren't there, your bloatware thing would/might be appropriate. But as a globalized deprecation, it's somewhat wrong, at least in the case of the Steam client. Don't know anything about ARC client, so I won't comment there...

What program do you use to launch NW?

What program do you use to launch NW? 121 votes

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