Thanks for posting your feedback and questions here.
We looked into this claim and were not able to confirm it. Upon investigation, the behaviors that were reported were:
a.) Arc was accessing the hard drive and
b.) Arc was accessing the internet
Both of these behaviors should be expected, as Arc needs both the internet and your hard drive to install games. This process does not include collecting or submitting any of your personal data.
We take privacy very seriously and are happy to look into any reports from players if they feel that Arc is doing something that it should not.
I apologize for any confusion caused by previous documentation; Arc does not reserve any hard drive space. It does recommend 10GB of free space to allow for the installation of games, but it doesn't have any process for reserving this space.
If you discover an issue where Arc is taking more hard drive space than it needs for the application and the game that you have chosen to install, please let us know and we will be happy to look into it.
What part of the word 'NO' do you not understand. Since that ARC popped up, the general tendens of the PWE gamers is a dislike, disapproval, unwanted, not needed, a total rejection. Simply accept it an realize that if you going to push it in our throats, you will loose a lot.
OK, if I have to stay here for a while, your cieling ... looks idious.:D
I haven't weighed in on ARC, I have read the opinions, separated the facts from the fiction, and through it all, it still comes down to one question. Is ARC something we want on our personal computers supplying any corporation with personal data and forcing us to use bandwidth to receive game advertisements we do not want while creating a potential security risk to our personal data all for a recreational game experience?
I have LTS for both Champions onLine and STO. I have much to lose by leaving this game if forced to run ARC. I stopped playing Champions because of poor treatment by that franchise. I will stop playing STO if forced to install ARC. Further, I will quit playing any MMO. I have plenty of real life things to do. And this is a shame. Cryptic will lose a thousand or so in revenue, I will lose a game I had fun with but will gain time to engage in more important venues, save some money, not risk my data to questionable content or access.
It is Cryptics choice. No ARC, we continue our business relationship. Force ARC upon me, I walk away and they learn a lesson.
This will, unfortunately be meaningless. There are idiots by the thousand to replace you that will spend money so they can "play" a game that has more bugs than an abandoned ghetto tenement, and crashes more than a blind drunk with an abrams tank. As for the whole arc space and snooping issues.... Doesn't it disturb anybody else that PWE is owned and based in mainland China? Land of the copyright/patent/trademark and multigovernement hacking? Hey, I'm just sayin'.............
Nope, standalone installer in my sig, or use Steam if you're already using it.
UMMM.... Even if you use steam, you have to d/l arc. And when you log in to sto from steam, you also login to arc aswell. Don't know if older accounts b4 PEW have this issue, but anyone getting into STO in the last 6-8 months has to now.
I don't mind ARC, at least I got nothing to hide on my computer!!! And I'm proud of it!!!
Really? And when the NSA or FBI kicks in your front door because your P.C. has been secretly stealing (choose the paranoid option of your choice) A: classified military secrets B:Classified gubmint secrets in general C: other people's credit card/ personal identification info.....
The fact that you use another computer to satisfy your craving for TRIBBLE Japanese midget TRIBBLE leaving your gamer computer with "nothing to hide" is irrelevant.
It is PWE's choice. No ARC, we continue our business relationship. Force ARC upon me, I walk away and they learn a lesson.
Fixed and QFT.
The moment ARC becomes mandatory is the moment STO permanently loses me as a player - as in STO-is-uninstalled-and-my-LTS-is-written-off-as-a-complete-loss. No check backs, no eighth chances. Just done and done.
Star Trek: Online - Now with 100% more dinosaurs!!
As much as PW want to shove this at us, I won't be installing ARC. My anger is with PW, not Cryptic, as they are just having there strings pulled, or cut if they don't do what their master say's.
Seriously, use the ARC browser? With all the bugs in game and they way they put profit before players? And how they fog off serious security issues in the past?
If PW seriously thinks I'm using there browser after dumping FireFox which is the only one I have never had any problems with?
No way.
What's next? Their own Anti-Virus? God help us.
Edit : Any why did dezstravus answer the same questions to a interviewer that players have been getting no answers to for weeks?
Thanks, i just wanted to say the same.
"...'With the first link, the chain is forged. The first speech censured...the first thought forbidden...the first freedom denied--chains us all irrevocably.' ... The first time any man's freedom is trodden on, we're all damaged. I fear that today--"
- (TNG) Picard, quoting Judge Aaron Satie
The moment ARC becomes mandatory is the moment STO permanently loses me as a player - as in STO-is-uninstalled-and-my-LTS-is-written-off-as-a-complete-loss. No check backs, no eighth chances. Just done and done.
They could have had my $200 already, as I was likely to buy the LTS during this sale, but the chance that I might have to abandon the game to avoid installing ARC has prevented me from making that purchase.
eta: they might want to consider making ARC, with its advertisements and data collection, an opt out for subscribers and definitely an opt out for Lifers.
UMMM.... Even if you use steam, you have to d/l arc. And when you log in to sto from steam, you also login to arc aswell. Don't know if older accounts b4 PEW have this issue, but anyone getting into STO in the last 6-8 months has to now.
uumm i'm sorry but i'm gonna have to correct u here dude they already stated if u play useing steam u DO NOT need to use or install ARC.
uumm i'm sorry but i'm gonna have to correct u here dude they already stated if u play useing steam u DO NOT need to use or install ARC.
You seemed to have missed the part where, if one RE-Installs STO at this time for whatever reason...
ARC is automatically installed as well.
Whether you have STEAM or not.
Two caveat's:
Installing from the Original STO CD
and
Installing from the player-available, NON-ARC link
Are the only exceptions at this time.
:cool:
STO Member since February 2009. I Was A Trekkie Before It Was Cool ... Sept. 8th, 1966 ... Not To Mention Before Most Folks Around Here Were Born! Forever a STO Veteran-Minion
uumm i'm sorry but i'm gonna have to correct u here dude they already stated if u play useing steam u DO NOT need to use or install ARC.
Read what was written. My friends and I use steam, but even with steam, we were required to d/l arc to use sto. As I said, I don't know what people had to do prior to July 2k13, but it seems everyone who started AFTER that date has been required to use arc.
We looked into this claim and were not able to confirm it. Upon investigation, the behaviors that were reported were:
a.) Arc was accessing the hard drive and
b.) Arc was accessing the internet
Both of these behaviors should be expected, as Arc needs both the internet and your hard drive to install games. This process does not include collecting or submitting any of your personal data.
We take privacy very seriously and are happy to look into any reports from players if they feel that Arc is doing something that it should not.
If you discover an issue where Arc is taking more hard drive space than it needs for the application and the game that you have chosen to install, please let us know and we will be happy to look into it.
Sadly, I can also say that Arc is indeed "snooping" around, as someone put it.
Screen-shots and all necessary attachments were added as well (just don't ask for a Report #, as I never get one when mailing in Bugs and the sort)
As to the general Player Feedback and feeling towards Arc, I do have to agree that I do not like it in the least. Not just for the snooping issue, but because for some reason, Arc seems to slow down game-play (extremely laggy), where as after un-installing, and using a direct down-load without Arc, puts game-play back on par (no lag issues).
(Tested on a 1 week old gaming computer)
(For those wanting to look under the "hood" so to speak)
Intel? Core? i7-4960X Extreme Processor (6-cores, 15MB Cache, Overclocked up to 4.3GHz w/TurboBoost)
Windows? 7 Ultimate, 64Bit
512GB SSD 6Gb/s MAIN + 1TB 7200RPM Storage
Dual NVIDIA? GeForce? GTX 780 graphics with 6GB total (2x 3GB) GDDR5 - NVIDIA SLI? Enabled
Alienware Aurora with ALX Chassis, Alienware Aurora with Premium Liquid Cooling
Creative Sound Blaster? Recon3D PCIe Audio Sound Card, 19-in-1 Media Card Reader
Alienware? 875 Watt Multi-GPU Approved Power Supply
I am not a Mod. I am just a player. You have been informed :cool:
Read what was written. My friends and I use steam, but even with steam, we were required to d/l arc to use sto. As I said, I don't know what people had to do prior to July 2k13, but it seems everyone who started AFTER that date has been required to use arc.
I installed STO from its storefront page on Steam in late August and have force-verified from the Steam client twice since then. There is no Arc attached to that download.
I think you maybe have STO's built-in launcher, which it has always had, confused with Arc.
"Great War! / And I cannot take more! / Great tour! / I keep on marching on / I play the great score / There will be no encore / Great War! / The War to End All Wars"
— Sabaton, "Great War"
I don't post unless I really feel I have to, so this is one of those occasions, because I really do not want another program on my computer. It's as simple as that.
This is coming from the people who don't give Cryptic the resources to let STO reach its potential, so if they think they can force me to use this they have another thing coming. I can't even be bothered to write all the reasons why I hate the idea, all the other players have been there and said it in abundance already.
Ten soldiers wisely led will beat a hundred without a head. - Euripides
I no longer do any Bug Hunting work for Cryptic. I may resume if a serious attempt to fix the game is made.
You know what...
With all I am hearing I have two options ready...
Win the Lottery and buy Cryptic free from this obvious User-Unfriendly-Profit-Focus
or
Actively go in and restrict ARC in every possible way, have it pound against every possible measure I can put in place to stop it from accessing anything and sending it away to god knows who and only allow it to patch and update STO.
And No dezstravus:
ARC does NOT need to access my harddrives... especially not those where it hasn't been installed on...
The only instance it is ALLOWED to access anything is when I actually tell it to do so.
Anything else is NOT ACCEPTABLE.
And NO it does NOT need to access my Internet Connection unless I actively tell it to do so via Patching the game...
Tell me... but I know you cannot be any bit of honest because the PR Department of PWE is breathing down your neck... WHY?
I do not intend to play ANY game from PWE... I haven't played any game from them and I do not want to...
WHY should I be punished for their inability to make interesting and self-sustaining games and actively need to shove them down everyones throat for the very hint of additional profit no matter how small?
I do not need all this socializing TRIBBLE!
I stopped Playing any Cryptic Game besides STO!
I do not need to be able to chat with Non-existing friends in other games!
I do not need to be able to facebook it... I do not need to twitter it...
I do not need to use some unsecure homebrewed Browser... I have a perfectly working and secured Browser on my System...
I do not need ANYTHING PWE throws my way as I will NEVER Play any of the other Games and NO amount of naked women and showers of money will persuade me to even touch them.
Lastly... We all now the Options to customize what Ads... oh pardon me... "News" we will receive WILL NOT WORK because it would defeat the whole friggin purpose of this Software!
There is absolutely NOTHING I gain from using ARC so please tell me as honest as you are able to...
WHY in the Name of the Prophets should I install ARC?
Edit: For my Point... we already got the "beautiful" Ad for the "Mobile Tournament" of PWE...
LG smart televisions are found to be relaying viewer information even though the consumer had turned off the data sharing features. The companies response is it isn't their fault the retailer should have told the consumers. Corporate lawyers (risk management specialists) to the rescue to stop those lawsuits.
Companies collect information to set marketing objectives to increase sales and generate revenue. They even sell that information without your consent to third parties once their legal responsibilities allow them to do so.
The only safeguard consumers really have is not giving their information out which is basically impossible when they have to give that information to set up accounts, buy zen, and access the game. That leaves trusting a salesman/corporation/marketing rep with our information and relying on their good will to keep our information safe. Given their drive for profit and to "make the sale" or "close the deal", this flies red flags all over the sky counter to the customers best interest.
It doesn't matter what assurances we are given that ARC is safe. Once the info is out the horse is out of the barn and no getting it back. We don't need ARC. The current launcher is just fine.
As far as concerns the PWE is a foreign company based in a foreign nation with state sponsored cyber intelligence hackers blah blah blah, yep, that is a concern too. But Cryptic is under the US based PWE umbrella.
Player and forumite formerly known as FEELTHETHUNDER
As free-willed consumers, we do have an option - tell them no, and if words aren't enough, then tell them no with action. If ARC affects the bottom line it will get pulled very quickly. But as (free-willed) consumers, it's up to each of us to decide if we're willing to put up with ARC, and all it entails, just to log into STO. For me, that answer is a resounding, unhesitating 'NO'.
Hopefully a way to continue to play STO without ARC will remain. If not, then it's time for STO and I to part ways. But I definitely got my LTS investment back in entertainment value over the past couple of years.
Star Trek: Online - Now with 100% more dinosaurs!!
As free-willed consumers, we do have an option - tell them no, and if words aren't enough, then tell them no with action. If ARC affects the bottom line it will get pulled very quickly. But as (free-willed) consumers, it's up to each of us to decide if we're willing to put up with ARC, and all it entails, just to log into STO. For me, that answer is a resounding, unhesitating 'NO'.
Hopefully a way to continue to play STO without ARC will remain. If not, then it's time for STO and I to part ways. But I definitely got my LTS investment back in entertainment value over the past couple of years.
I already said this in my post that you quoted.
Player and forumite formerly known as FEELTHETHUNDER
ARC is a bad idea everyone here knows it. I am not going to continue playing STO if they force ARC on me and everyone else.. The space dinos is one thing, but this is to far. Like hell will I come back unless ARC gone...
Seems to me like options are either to accept ARC to be able to play STO or not to accept ARC and not playing STO.
STO and TOR are to only MMO games I play (and a small helping of CO, but that is so rare that I consider it to be in the "not counting" category), but with the system requirements being so high with TOR, STO if the game I play most of the time, unless I want to use a lightsaber and do cool stuff with the Force. (Force lightning anyone??)
I really hope that the powers that be sees this, and really sit down and ask if this is really something that must be done.
ARC will not be generating much profits, if any, so why waste money developing it in the first place?
Sure, I get the thought behind ARC and other such programs, but are they really needed in the end??
In nearly all cases, the answer is a resounding NO.
Players care a lot about the security of their systems, and these programs have been shown time again to be highly suspect to hacking attacks, or utilizing spy ware to get information.
And even when you can turn off information sharing, most programs like ARC will still collect some info and send it to god knows where.
In my book when I turn something off, like say my car, I expect it to reamin that way, and not having the engine start again 5 minutes after I have left the car in the garage...
PWE are only hurting themselves by continuing with this as a lot of people will leave (including myself)
Heres what hurts them the most
LTS pay a one off subscription for the benefits and the gold members pay a monthly subscription for the benefits. But Crypyic/PWE make there money through micro transactions for buying stuff from the C store.
I have actuallt given loads of money to PWE until they first announced ARC and then my money has went elsewhere.
Also since Season 8 has been shadowed by this I find myself not wanting to log in anymore and find it easier now to turn the PC off and do something more productive.
So by all means PWE Release Arc and yes you will get new players but can you guarantee they will by from you as much as me and many others have.
I just home that the other ones who have said they will quit will walk away as well.
And the sooner CBS pull the plug on this game the better then maybe a better company will take over ans give us real ST
NO TO ARC
Vice Admiral Volmack ISS Thundermole
Brigadier General Jokag IKS Gorkan
Centurion Kares RRW Tomalak
[SIGPIC][/SIGPIC]
guys please don't TRIBBLE up the game, don't force on us this arc, because if you do i will have to stop playing whether i like it or not because if on other new pc's the game is laggy while playing in my 6 year old pc i won't be able to play it at all and to tell you about my computers performance these are the processes that run when i open my pc http://oi41.tinypic.com/akcz2c.jpg so with almost no program running, only the ones necessary for the pc to run my memory is almost at 40% now if i had origin, steam, arc etc that would be way more.
Secondly i don't have 10 gb to spare and for nothing, i don't have steam, origin or any other TRIBBLE thing some company wants to force on us to find games without searching too much, well if i want to find something i will do no matter what so i don't need some program to tell me what other games this company has or to chat with someone i don't know which i won't or post things on facebook, twiter etc
and lastly i did a research to see the other games pwe has and about 80-90% of them are world of ********, lineage and league of legends clones, well guess what pwe the two first are TRIBBLE and i hate them and i didn't play them in their prime, hell i even tried lotro because i am fan and i only managed to get to level 10 before i deleted it, as for the LoL i play the original and i like it, i played this game cause it's free, star trek and space battles with pew pew, i don't want another game with elfs, dark elfs and mages.
We looked into this claim and were not able to confirm it. Upon investigation, the behaviors that were reported were:
a.) Arc was accessing the hard drive and
b.) Arc was accessing the internet
Both of these behaviors should be expected, as Arc needs both the internet and your hard drive to install games. This process does not include collecting or submitting any of your personal data.
Dezstravus,
While I do understand what Cryptic is trying to accomplish, I also think DRM programs such as Arc, Origin, and Steam require trust. As someone who had experienced the computer pioneering era (1980-2000), I have become very protective over my property. If I were to allow you full access to my computer, outside of gaming resources, I would be giving you full access to my home.
You are a stranger. Even though I enjoy playing your games, the reality is that Cryptic is run by complete strangers. I do not know you on a personal level. When a complete stranger says, "trust me", the first thing I say is, "What do you think I am stupid?"
I do not trust Cryptic.
*puts on tinfoil hat*
Cryptic is also owned by a Chinese investor. Unless I missed some sort of memo, the Chinese and United States are partners out of necessity. During the past ten to thirteen years, the Chinese have been trying to hack into America's infrastructure. Why would I want to give the Chinese my personal data? U.S., Russia, Iran, and China are gearing up for another cold war. Only a fool would give you more access.
99.99% of my games are single-player and offline.
"Star Trek: Online" is the only multiplayer game I use.
I do not trust Cryptic enough to give them more access.
*uninstalls "Star Trek: online" and waits for more information*
I am very security conscious about access to my system and I work in the Security field *20 years*.
I only allow certain softwares to 'talk' online for data purposes, cause I have dealt with those vendors on occasion, plus knowing them for 5 years plus or more.
What assurances can be offered, to ease my wary mind on this application?
>>>Cryptic is also owned by a Chinese investor. Unless I missed some sort of memo, the Chinese and United States are partners out of necessity. During the past ten to thirteen years, the Chinese have been trying to hack into America's infrastructure. Why would I want to give the Chinese my personal data? U.S., Russia, Iran, and China are gearing up for another cold war. Only a fool would give you more access.[/COLOR]<<<
EXACTLY my point(s) !
With the Chinese/North Korean track record, why would anyone in their right mind allow ANYBODY, much less characters from the aforementioned rouge nations, access to equipment inside their own home (usually) that can be used for any legitimate or not so legitimate purpose ( to include using that same equipment to acess or otherwise meddle with other networks)? I didn't find out about the Chinese connection until after I became addicted. Otherwise, I wouldn't have bothered checking it out.
>>99.99% of my games are single-player and offline.
"Star Trek: Online" is the only multiplayer game I use.
I do not trust Cryptic enough to give them more access.<<
Somebody needs to grow a pair ( or quad) and kick the message up the corporate ladder, that the people giving PEW money are not getting the product they are paying for ( I am currently one of the large minority that can't get past the Craptic loading screen since the debut of season 8..... Just like we couldn't after the October shard maint. debacle < still no word as to when they'll fix that>)
>>*uninstalls "Star Trek: online" and waits for more information*[/QUOTE]<<
I installed STO from its storefront page on Steam in late August and have force-verified from the Steam client twice since then. There is no Arc attached to that download.
I think you maybe have STO's built-in launcher, which it has always had, confused with Arc.
No. I installed from steam, what I thought would be the only thing I needed, but then was prompted to d/l arc and it's launcher. So now, having had to d/l >>2<< client servers, I just bypass steam and load directly from the arc client.... That is until the season 8 TRIBBLE, where I can't get past the craptic loading screen. While a craptic game is running, I can't close the arc client.
As I stated before, I don't know what people in other countries and or states have done or currently do. In this aspect I can only speak to the experiences of several of my friends, and myself. It is the full arc client, in which I am currently making this reply in and not off the 'net browser.
As much as i like playing STO, I WILL NOT ACCEPT ARC, nor will I ever intentionally install malware of this kind. I am not alone. a half dozen people I know will also leave STO if/when ARC is mandatory.
"If you can't take a little bloody nose, maybe you ought to go back home and crawl under your bed. It's not safe out here. It's wondrous, with treasures to satiate desires both subtle and gross. But it's not for the timid." Q Join the 44th Fleet. [FED and KDF] Apply Online: startrek.44thfleet.com
Comments
What part of the word 'NO' do you not understand. Since that ARC popped up, the general tendens of the PWE gamers is a dislike, disapproval, unwanted, not needed, a total rejection. Simply accept it an realize that if you going to push it in our throats, you will loose a lot.
This will, unfortunately be meaningless. There are idiots by the thousand to replace you that will spend money so they can "play" a game that has more bugs than an abandoned ghetto tenement, and crashes more than a blind drunk with an abrams tank. As for the whole arc space and snooping issues.... Doesn't it disturb anybody else that PWE is owned and based in mainland China? Land of the copyright/patent/trademark and multigovernement hacking? Hey, I'm just sayin'.............
UMMM.... Even if you use steam, you have to d/l arc. And when you log in to sto from steam, you also login to arc aswell. Don't know if older accounts b4 PEW have this issue, but anyone getting into STO in the last 6-8 months has to now.
Really? And when the NSA or FBI kicks in your front door because your P.C. has been secretly stealing (choose the paranoid option of your choice) A: classified military secrets B:Classified gubmint secrets in general C: other people's credit card/ personal identification info.....
The fact that you use another computer to satisfy your craving for TRIBBLE Japanese midget TRIBBLE leaving your gamer computer with "nothing to hide" is irrelevant.
Fixed and QFT.
The moment ARC becomes mandatory is the moment STO permanently loses me as a player - as in STO-is-uninstalled-and-my-LTS-is-written-off-as-a-complete-loss. No check backs, no eighth chances. Just done and done.
They could have had my $200 already, as I was likely to buy the LTS during this sale, but the chance that I might have to abandon the game to avoid installing ARC has prevented me from making that purchase.
eta: they might want to consider making ARC, with its advertisements and data collection, an opt out for subscribers and definitely an opt out for Lifers.
uumm i'm sorry but i'm gonna have to correct u here dude they already stated if u play useing steam u DO NOT need to use or install ARC.
You seemed to have missed the part where, if one RE-Installs STO at this time for whatever reason...
ARC is automatically installed as well.
Whether you have STEAM or not.
Two caveat's:
Installing from the Original STO CD
and
Installing from the player-available, NON-ARC link
Are the only exceptions at this time.
:cool:
I Was A Trekkie Before It Was Cool ... Sept. 8th, 1966 ... Not To Mention Before Most Folks Around Here Were Born!
Forever a STO Veteran-Minion
Read what was written. My friends and I use steam, but even with steam, we were required to d/l arc to use sto. As I said, I don't know what people had to do prior to July 2k13, but it seems everyone who started AFTER that date has been required to use arc.
Sadly, I can also say that Arc is indeed "snooping" around, as someone put it.
Screen-shots and all necessary attachments were added as well (just don't ask for a Report #, as I never get one when mailing in Bugs and the sort)
As to the general Player Feedback and feeling towards Arc, I do have to agree that I do not like it in the least. Not just for the snooping issue, but because for some reason, Arc seems to slow down game-play (extremely laggy), where as after un-installing, and using a direct down-load without Arc, puts game-play back on par (no lag issues).
(Tested on a 1 week old gaming computer)
(For those wanting to look under the "hood" so to speak)
Intel? Core? i7-4960X Extreme Processor (6-cores, 15MB Cache, Overclocked up to 4.3GHz w/TurboBoost)
Windows? 7 Ultimate, 64Bit
512GB SSD 6Gb/s MAIN + 1TB 7200RPM Storage
Dual NVIDIA? GeForce? GTX 780 graphics with 6GB total (2x 3GB) GDDR5 - NVIDIA SLI? Enabled
Alienware Aurora with ALX Chassis, Alienware Aurora with Premium Liquid Cooling
Creative Sound Blaster? Recon3D PCIe Audio Sound Card, 19-in-1 Media Card Reader
Alienware? 875 Watt Multi-GPU Approved Power Supply
I installed STO from its storefront page on Steam in late August and have force-verified from the Steam client twice since then. There is no Arc attached to that download.
I think you maybe have STO's built-in launcher, which it has always had, confused with Arc.
— Sabaton, "Great War"
Check out https://unitedfederationofpla.net/s/
No. Your fun makes everyone else's fun wrong by default.
arc is optional and we can choose not to have it installed or use it
IF.
i dont want or need another program to start off games i dont even use steam.
fingers crossed elder scrolls online doesnt stoop down this path.
This is coming from the people who don't give Cryptic the resources to let STO reach its potential, so if they think they can force me to use this they have another thing coming. I can't even be bothered to write all the reasons why I hate the idea, all the other players have been there and said it in abundance already.
With all I am hearing I have two options ready...
Win the Lottery and buy Cryptic free from this obvious User-Unfriendly-Profit-Focus
or
Actively go in and restrict ARC in every possible way, have it pound against every possible measure I can put in place to stop it from accessing anything and sending it away to god knows who and only allow it to patch and update STO.
And No dezstravus:
ARC does NOT need to access my harddrives... especially not those where it hasn't been installed on...
The only instance it is ALLOWED to access anything is when I actually tell it to do so.
Anything else is NOT ACCEPTABLE.
And NO it does NOT need to access my Internet Connection unless I actively tell it to do so via Patching the game...
Tell me... but I know you cannot be any bit of honest because the PR Department of PWE is breathing down your neck... WHY?
I do not intend to play ANY game from PWE... I haven't played any game from them and I do not want to...
WHY should I be punished for their inability to make interesting and self-sustaining games and actively need to shove them down everyones throat for the very hint of additional profit no matter how small?
I do not need all this socializing TRIBBLE!
I stopped Playing any Cryptic Game besides STO!
I do not need to be able to chat with Non-existing friends in other games!
I do not need to be able to facebook it... I do not need to twitter it...
I do not need to use some unsecure homebrewed Browser... I have a perfectly working and secured Browser on my System...
I do not need ANYTHING PWE throws my way as I will NEVER Play any of the other Games and NO amount of naked women and showers of money will persuade me to even touch them.
Lastly... We all now the Options to customize what Ads... oh pardon me... "News" we will receive WILL NOT WORK because it would defeat the whole friggin purpose of this Software!
There is absolutely NOTHING I gain from using ARC so please tell me as honest as you are able to...
WHY in the Name of the Prophets should I install ARC?
Edit: For my Point... we already got the "beautiful" Ad for the "Mobile Tournament" of PWE...
ON THE STO FRONTPAGE
Tagged as "STO News" and "CO News"
LG smart televisions are found to be relaying viewer information even though the consumer had turned off the data sharing features. The companies response is it isn't their fault the retailer should have told the consumers. Corporate lawyers (risk management specialists) to the rescue to stop those lawsuits.
Companies collect information to set marketing objectives to increase sales and generate revenue. They even sell that information without your consent to third parties once their legal responsibilities allow them to do so.
The only safeguard consumers really have is not giving their information out which is basically impossible when they have to give that information to set up accounts, buy zen, and access the game. That leaves trusting a salesman/corporation/marketing rep with our information and relying on their good will to keep our information safe. Given their drive for profit and to "make the sale" or "close the deal", this flies red flags all over the sky counter to the customers best interest.
It doesn't matter what assurances we are given that ARC is safe. Once the info is out the horse is out of the barn and no getting it back. We don't need ARC. The current launcher is just fine.
As far as concerns the PWE is a foreign company based in a foreign nation with state sponsored cyber intelligence hackers blah blah blah, yep, that is a concern too. But Cryptic is under the US based PWE umbrella.
Player and forumite formerly known as FEELTHETHUNDER
Expatriot Might Characters in EXILE
As free-willed consumers, we do have an option - tell them no, and if words aren't enough, then tell them no with action. If ARC affects the bottom line it will get pulled very quickly. But as (free-willed) consumers, it's up to each of us to decide if we're willing to put up with ARC, and all it entails, just to log into STO. For me, that answer is a resounding, unhesitating 'NO'.
Hopefully a way to continue to play STO without ARC will remain. If not, then it's time for STO and I to part ways. But I definitely got my LTS investment back in entertainment value over the past couple of years.
I already said this in my post that you quoted.
Player and forumite formerly known as FEELTHETHUNDER
Expatriot Might Characters in EXILE
STO and TOR are to only MMO games I play (and a small helping of CO, but that is so rare that I consider it to be in the "not counting" category), but with the system requirements being so high with TOR, STO if the game I play most of the time, unless I want to use a lightsaber and do cool stuff with the Force. (Force lightning anyone??)
I really hope that the powers that be sees this, and really sit down and ask if this is really something that must be done.
ARC will not be generating much profits, if any, so why waste money developing it in the first place?
Sure, I get the thought behind ARC and other such programs, but are they really needed in the end??
In nearly all cases, the answer is a resounding NO.
Players care a lot about the security of their systems, and these programs have been shown time again to be highly suspect to hacking attacks, or utilizing spy ware to get information.
And even when you can turn off information sharing, most programs like ARC will still collect some info and send it to god knows where.
In my book when I turn something off, like say my car, I expect it to reamin that way, and not having the engine start again 5 minutes after I have left the car in the garage...
Hinted at, maybe.
If it helps...
QFT.
Heres what hurts them the most
LTS pay a one off subscription for the benefits and the gold members pay a monthly subscription for the benefits. But Crypyic/PWE make there money through micro transactions for buying stuff from the C store.
I have actuallt given loads of money to PWE until they first announced ARC and then my money has went elsewhere.
Also since Season 8 has been shadowed by this I find myself not wanting to log in anymore and find it easier now to turn the PC off and do something more productive.
So by all means PWE Release Arc and yes you will get new players but can you guarantee they will by from you as much as me and many others have.
I just home that the other ones who have said they will quit will walk away as well.
And the sooner CBS pull the plug on this game the better then maybe a better company will take over ans give us real ST
Vice Admiral Volmack ISS Thundermole
Brigadier General Jokag IKS Gorkan
Centurion Kares RRW Tomalak
[SIGPIC][/SIGPIC]
Secondly i don't have 10 gb to spare and for nothing, i don't have steam, origin or any other TRIBBLE thing some company wants to force on us to find games without searching too much, well if i want to find something i will do no matter what so i don't need some program to tell me what other games this company has or to chat with someone i don't know which i won't or post things on facebook, twiter etc
and lastly i did a research to see the other games pwe has and about 80-90% of them are world of ********, lineage and league of legends clones, well guess what pwe the two first are TRIBBLE and i hate them and i didn't play them in their prime, hell i even tried lotro because i am fan and i only managed to get to level 10 before i deleted it, as for the LoL i play the original and i like it, i played this game cause it's free, star trek and space battles with pew pew, i don't want another game with elfs, dark elfs and mages.
While I do understand what Cryptic is trying to accomplish, I also think DRM programs such as Arc, Origin, and Steam require trust. As someone who had experienced the computer pioneering era (1980-2000), I have become very protective over my property. If I were to allow you full access to my computer, outside of gaming resources, I would be giving you full access to my home.
You are a stranger. Even though I enjoy playing your games, the reality is that Cryptic is run by complete strangers. I do not know you on a personal level. When a complete stranger says, "trust me", the first thing I say is, "What do you think I am stupid?"
I do not trust Cryptic.
*puts on tinfoil hat*
Cryptic is also owned by a Chinese investor. Unless I missed some sort of memo, the Chinese and United States are partners out of necessity. During the past ten to thirteen years, the Chinese have been trying to hack into America's infrastructure. Why would I want to give the Chinese my personal data? U.S., Russia, Iran, and China are gearing up for another cold war. Only a fool would give you more access.
99.99% of my games are single-player and offline.
"Star Trek: Online" is the only multiplayer game I use.
I do not trust Cryptic enough to give them more access.
*uninstalls "Star Trek: online" and waits for more information*
I only play STO, and that is it.
I am very security conscious about access to my system and I work in the Security field *20 years*.
I only allow certain softwares to 'talk' online for data purposes, cause I have dealt with those vendors on occasion, plus knowing them for 5 years plus or more.
What assurances can be offered, to ease my wary mind on this application?
EXACTLY my point(s) !
With the Chinese/North Korean track record, why would anyone in their right mind allow ANYBODY, much less characters from the aforementioned rouge nations, access to equipment inside their own home (usually) that can be used for any legitimate or not so legitimate purpose ( to include using that same equipment to acess or otherwise meddle with other networks)? I didn't find out about the Chinese connection until after I became addicted. Otherwise, I wouldn't have bothered checking it out.
>>99.99% of my games are single-player and offline.
"Star Trek: Online" is the only multiplayer game I use.
I do not trust Cryptic enough to give them more access.<<
Somebody needs to grow a pair ( or quad) and kick the message up the corporate ladder, that the people giving PEW money are not getting the product they are paying for ( I am currently one of the large minority that can't get past the Craptic loading screen since the debut of season 8..... Just like we couldn't after the October shard maint. debacle < still no word as to when they'll fix that>)
>>*uninstalls "Star Trek: online" and waits for more information*[/QUOTE]<<
No. I installed from steam, what I thought would be the only thing I needed, but then was prompted to d/l arc and it's launcher. So now, having had to d/l >>2<< client servers, I just bypass steam and load directly from the arc client.... That is until the season 8 TRIBBLE, where I can't get past the craptic loading screen. While a craptic game is running, I can't close the arc client.
As I stated before, I don't know what people in other countries and or states have done or currently do. In this aspect I can only speak to the experiences of several of my friends, and myself. It is the full arc client, in which I am currently making this reply in and not off the 'net browser.
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