If you say so. Most of us do not see ARC as being any different then Steam, Raptr, or any of the other game-grouping systems - such as NCSoft's and many other companies. One launcher to rule them all is a big trend in MMOs now. Everyone wants to capture their own market share.
Then by your own logic, they are all the same, right? If that is true, then does it not follow that a gamer should try to reduce the amount of gaming clients they have since they are all equally invasive (if I can presume that's how your argument plays out). If we follow that logic, shouldn't you oppose forcing players to other clients on that principle alone? Are you espousing fatalism, simply being ambivalent, or is it simply that you're being pro-business?
That may be true but it's inconvenient for the players to install more than one game distribution service on their PC's. They take up hard drive space and spam you with ads. Myself I only use Steam and stand-alone games I get from GOG.
Even if they take STO off of Steam I hope they still maintain a stand-alone launcher for it.
Then you have Steam which requires you to download the Uplay launcher to play Ubisoft games. Rather have 2 different game distribution systems that I can access separately than a game distribution system that launches another game distribution system.
Then you have Steam which requires you to download the Uplay launcher to play Ubisoft games. Rather have 2 different game distribution systems that I can access separately than a game distribution system that launches another game distribution system.
I don't own any Ubi games on Steam... So I don't know what you are talking about???
Then you have Steam which requires you to download the Uplay launcher to play Ubisoft games. Rather have 2 different game distribution systems that I can access separately than a game distribution system that launches another game distribution system.
Which is why I avoid UBisoft games like the plague. Just because one uses steam doesn't make them a derp.
I do not see the point of this debate - especially since there is a huge debate thread in the News section already.
PW is going to do what they think is best for their game lines and their company. If they lose some customers, so be it. They have spent a ton of money on ARC and they are not going to abandon it. PW is transitioning. They are converting NWN to their Asian market - and STO will probably follow suit. They are also converting NWN to the Console market - having established an entire Console Division now - and, again, STO will probably follow suit at some point in the future.
PW has all their plans in motion, and if they lose a few customers because of that they will deal with it. I am certain they have lost customers due to FTP and many other reasons. It is to be expected.
Yeah, bots are an issue, ARC is the solution to that problem. Truthfully, I've not had an issue with it. And yeah, Dan Stahl's bucket analogy applies here... If you gain more customers than you lose, you're still better off than you were before.
My launcher has worked just fine since day 1 my discs still ONLY have problems when Cryptic does thier patches [Season 4 Anybody?] only the players were caught in the crossfire. Arc is bloatware/malware and advertising that I do not want on my computer. I do NOT play any other MMO games period... none, nadda, zilch. Startrekonline.com is the only MMO I have ever played and will be my last one.
I am highly ticked off now because last night I bought a prepaid card at my local store. I cannot redeem the card because https://billing.arcgames.com/en/ has a error code and will not clear with the F5 button. I hear other players in ESD grumbling about how PWE is going to force everyone to install ARC or they won't be able to redeem thier stipends if they are a lifer [which I am]. This game has become increasingly frustrating since F2P came out.
There have been tons of rants about the disrepect of veteran players and the omnipotent nerfhammer coming out everytime a strategy is formed that is effective. My gripe is I spend money to get my toon what he has over the last 4 years. Now I cannot buy Zen.... Will someone please explain this financial strategy?
Oh FYI your ARC launcher is at odds with my chess interface Raptr which is another reason why I don't want ARC.
By "we" you mean you, right? I like Arc even if I only use it for STO, although I admit it could maybe be a bit less using of CPU and stuff.
Yeah, bots are an issue, ARC is the solution to that problem. Truthfully, I've not had an issue with it. And yeah, Dan Stahl's bucket analogy applies here... If you gain more customers than you lose, you're still better off than you were before.
Not if the bucket is over your head covering your eyes. .
This may be pouring gasoline here. But I have had zero problems with Arc. And since I have the previous game launcher on my system I can still launch multiple accounts at once and they all are considered to be launched by Arc and get what ever Arc Reward is active.
My machine is two years old I3 windows 7 from HP. Not a power house but handles things nicely.
Just saying,
you necro'd a thread by 1 day, there were 30 days last month btw.
anyways, as far as arc goes if the mods change their minds, its been all discussed in the past and eventually the voices silenced one at a time. so basically nothing is coming of this. if any when arc comes you either use their launcher or you use steam, end of story, like or hate.
T6 Miranda Hero Ship FTW. Been around since Dec 2010 on STO and bought LTS in Apr 2013 for STO.
I don't own any Ubi games on Steam... So I don't know what you are talking about???
If you launch an Ubisoft game on Steam, then instead of launching the game, it opens up the Uplay launcher. It would be like launching Star Trek Online on Steam and Arc is opened up instead of the STO launcher.
If you launch an Ubisoft game on Steam, then instead of launching the game, it opens up the Uplay launcher. It would be like launching Star Trek Online on Steam and Arc is opened up instead of the STO launcher.
yup, i play assassin creed games and the guards see the "assassino" too late to stop him. you have to login to uplay to play the game, so 2 launchers going in the background.
hopefully PWE dont get that same idea.
T6 Miranda Hero Ship FTW. Been around since Dec 2010 on STO and bought LTS in Apr 2013 for STO.
yup, i play assassin creed games and the guards see the "assassino" too late to stop him. you have to login to uplay to play the game, so 2 launchers going in the background.
you necro'd a thread by 1 day, there were 30 days last month btw.
anyways, as far as arc goes if the mods change their minds, its been all discussed in the past and eventually the voices silenced one at a time. so basically nothing is coming of this. if any when arc comes you either use their launcher or you use steam, end of story, like or hate.
The OP was posted on May 4 not April 5. So this thread is not necro'd.
The forum does not use the European date standard: Day, Month, Year. It is using the American date standard: Month, Day, Year.
STO is about my Liberated Borg Federation Captain with his Breen 1st Officer, Jem'Hadar Tactical Officer, Liberated Borg Engineering Officer, Android Ops Officer, Photonic Science Officer, Gorn Science Officer, and Reman Medical Officer jumping into their Jem'Hadar Carrier and flying off to do missions for the new Romulan Empire. But for some players allowing a T5 Connie to be used breaks the canon in the game.
The biggest risk of a mandatory move to Arc is not pissing off players, but overburden them. Many people will miss all the info posts and warnigns that the old launcher is getting obsolete. So they will probably have to work out a final launcher update that, instead of starting STO, informs the player that they must install the new software.
Of course, if htey have done that, the biggest potential loss of players is also gone. Most players will not worry that much about what launcher they use.
And many of those that do also worry pointlessly. If Cryptic or Perfect World wants to spy you out, they can us the existing launcher just as fine, a single update will do it.
Tech to deliberately hog your bandwith (like peer-2-peer downloads etc.) - they can do that with an update to the existing launcher, too.
Any processor or memory hogging the launcher might currently do will eventually be fixed, since there is no point to keep it that way (and it cna hurt the performance in game, because it can also turn off customers.)
Star Trek Online Advancement: You start with lowbie gear, you end with Lobi gear.
1. It's not possible for PWE to force us to use Arc; ways to bypass Arc already exist once downloaded, and ways to launch without Arc will continue to exist. These methods are also fairly easy for anyone with even a little computer competence.
2. Arc is not any more bloated than Steam, tbh.
3. Stop freaking out over Zen purchasing and trying to tie that into your bias against Arc. This is STILL the URL address you end up at: https://billing.perfectworld.com/charge
Use it and let go the hysteria.
4. I have Arc. I've used it. it's fine. It didn't swallow my soul, install spyware on my computer, make me kill people, start me worshiping the devil, or compromise my security in any way. I still prefer Steam, because 1. it's Steam, and 2. it's Steam. In other words, I prefer Steam both literally and figuratively. Literally because I already have Steam and don't see any need to replace it. Figuratively because Steam has more and better features than Arc. But Arc is not a Methicillin-resistant Staphylococcus aureus or the like; it is no plague nor parasite. It just is what it is. Here, have some chamomile tea and breathe deeply. Close your eyes. Relax. It'll be fine. *lights lavender incense*
4. I have Arc. I've used it. it's fine. It didn't swallow my soul, install spyware on my computer, make me kill people, start me worshiping the devil, or compromise my security in any way. I still prefer Steam, because 1. it's Steam, and 2. it's Steam. In other words, I prefer Steam both literally and figuratively. Literally because I already have Steam and don't see any need to replace it. Figuratively because Steam has more and better features than Arc. But Arc is not a Methicillin-resistant Staphylococcus aureus or the like; it is no plague nor parasite. It just is what it is. Here, have some chamomile tea and breathe deeply. Close your eyes. Relax. It'll be fine. *lights lavender incense*
I have been using Arc since day one and it hasn't done any of the things that Fox-News-fearmongers are spouting out. For example, PMB.
1. It's not possible for PWE to force us to use Arc; ways to bypass Arc already exist once downloaded, and ways to launch without Arc will continue to exist. These methods are also fairly easy for anyone with even a little computer competence.
Not sure this is true. The stated intent is for Arc to replace the standalone launcher - they just haven't done it yet. Once it's done, it may or may not be possible to find a workaround - I just don't think anyone can say for sure.
They have stated that Steam users will not have to use Arc, though they haven't stated exactly how that will work.
...talking to players is like being a mall Santa. Everyone immediately wants to tell you all of the things they want, and you are absolutely powerless to deliver 99% of them.
Not sure this is true. The stated intent is for Arc to replace the standalone launcher - they just haven't done it yet. Once it's done, it may or may not be possible to find a workaround - I just don't think anyone can say for sure.
They have stated that Steam users will not have to use Arc, though they haven't stated exactly how that will work.
Yes, but you can run the program without the launcher. Just go to the Live folder in your Star Trek Online installation, make a desktop shortcut to GameClient.exe, and voila! The game loads without a launcher. Yeah, you'll have to type in your password at the login screen, but if you're not using Arc, you need to type in your password in the launcher every time anyways.
Yes, but you can run the program without the launcher. Just go to the Live folder in your Star Trek Online installation, make a desktop shortcut to GameClient.exe, and voila! The game loads without a launcher. Yeah, you'll have to type in your password at the login screen, but if you're not using Arc, you need to type in your password in the launcher every time anyways.
I believe his point was that they could eventually remove, or change, GameClient.exe from the file and imbed it somewhere within ARC, itself. Some point where it is not accessible - or at least not easily accessible for those who would not know how to find it.
STO is about my Liberated Borg Federation Captain with his Breen 1st Officer, Jem'Hadar Tactical Officer, Liberated Borg Engineering Officer, Android Ops Officer, Photonic Science Officer, Gorn Science Officer, and Reman Medical Officer jumping into their Jem'Hadar Carrier and flying off to do missions for the new Romulan Empire. But for some players allowing a T5 Connie to be used breaks the canon in the game.
I believe his point was that they could eventually remove, or change, GameClient.exe from the file and imbed it somewhere within ARC, itself. Some point where it is not accessible - or at least not easily accessible for those who would not know how to find it.
that or have a code widget that causes gameclient.exe to check to see if ARC is running, and start ARC, if it's not running.
I believe his point was that they could eventually remove, or change, GameClient.exe from the file and imbed it somewhere within ARC, itself. Some point where it is not accessible - or at least not easily accessible for those who would not know how to find it.
I can't say I'm 100% certain, but I'd say I'm pretty sure that would make Star Trek Online the first MMO, possibly the first game, I've seen do that. Launchers are not part of the actual game client, they're a separate program that runs the GameClient.exe for you, while also giving it the login information, and also updates the game when necessary. With MMOs, programs like Steam and Arc are basically launcher-launchers. It's possible they could build it to cut out the middleman, and just have Arc launch the game client, but the fact that it's been said that Steam users will not have to use Arc means that there's going to still at the very least going to be a way to launch the game client directly.
0
rattler2Member, Star Trek Online ModeratorPosts: 58,582Community Moderator
edited May 2014
They won't pull STO or Neverwinter off Steam. They've already got an investment in it, not to mention Steam is the only place to get the Steam Starter Pack which comes with... wait for it...
I'm trying to get worked up about Arc and I'm failing. I've got 3TB of storage here, so I'm not going to be running out of space any time soon. O
I must be using a different version of Arc than some people because it doesn't "spam me with ads." I see information about the two games I play, and that's all. Steam, on the other hand, tries to sell me every game it has. If I didn't need it for Goat Simulator, I wouldn't have it.
I'm trying to get worked up about Arc and I'm failing. I've got 3TB of storage here, so I'm not going to be running out of space any time soon. O
I must be using a different version of Arc than some people because it doesn't "spam me with ads." I see information about the two games I play, and that's all. Steam, on the other hand, tries to sell me every game it has. If I didn't need it for Goat Simulator, I wouldn't have it.
Nope, that sounds like a typical ARC experience to me. It shows you a list in the launcher and nothing more.
Comments
Then by your own logic, they are all the same, right? If that is true, then does it not follow that a gamer should try to reduce the amount of gaming clients they have since they are all equally invasive (if I can presume that's how your argument plays out). If we follow that logic, shouldn't you oppose forcing players to other clients on that principle alone? Are you espousing fatalism, simply being ambivalent, or is it simply that you're being pro-business?
Then you have Steam which requires you to download the Uplay launcher to play Ubisoft games. Rather have 2 different game distribution systems that I can access separately than a game distribution system that launches another game distribution system.
I don't own any Ubi games on Steam... So I don't know what you are talking about???
Which is why I avoid UBisoft games like the plague. Just because one uses steam doesn't make them a derp.
My character Tsin'xing
By "we" you mean you, right? I like Arc even if I only use it for STO, although I admit it could maybe be a bit less using of CPU and stuff.
Not if the bucket is over your head covering your eyes.
you necro'd a thread by 1 day, there were 30 days last month btw.
anyways, as far as arc goes if the mods change their minds, its been all discussed in the past and eventually the voices silenced one at a time. so basically nothing is coming of this. if any when arc comes you either use their launcher or you use steam, end of story, like or hate.
Been around since Dec 2010 on STO and bought LTS in Apr 2013 for STO.
If you launch an Ubisoft game on Steam, then instead of launching the game, it opens up the Uplay launcher. It would be like launching Star Trek Online on Steam and Arc is opened up instead of the STO launcher.
yup, i play assassin creed games and the guards see the "assassino" too late to stop him. you have to login to uplay to play the game, so 2 launchers going in the background.
hopefully PWE dont get that same idea.
Been around since Dec 2010 on STO and bought LTS in Apr 2013 for STO.
For pete's sake, I hope that never happens.
The OP was posted on May 4 not April 5. So this thread is not necro'd.
# 2
05-04-2014, 07:03 PM (5th april 2014, 7:03pm)
# 3
Today, 09:51 AM (6th may 2014, 9:51am)
31 days.
Been around since Dec 2010 on STO and bought LTS in Apr 2013 for STO.
With that said...
People who complain about Arc need to stop crying.
Of course, if htey have done that, the biggest potential loss of players is also gone. Most players will not worry that much about what launcher they use.
And many of those that do also worry pointlessly. If Cryptic or Perfect World wants to spy you out, they can us the existing launcher just as fine, a single update will do it.
Tech to deliberately hog your bandwith (like peer-2-peer downloads etc.) - they can do that with an update to the existing launcher, too.
Any processor or memory hogging the launcher might currently do will eventually be fixed, since there is no point to keep it that way (and it cna hurt the performance in game, because it can also turn off customers.)
2. Arc is not any more bloated than Steam, tbh.
3. Stop freaking out over Zen purchasing and trying to tie that into your bias against Arc. This is STILL the URL address you end up at:
https://billing.perfectworld.com/charge
Use it and let go the hysteria.
4. I have Arc. I've used it. it's fine. It didn't swallow my soul, install spyware on my computer, make me kill people, start me worshiping the devil, or compromise my security in any way. I still prefer Steam, because 1. it's Steam, and 2. it's Steam. In other words, I prefer Steam both literally and figuratively. Literally because I already have Steam and don't see any need to replace it. Figuratively because Steam has more and better features than Arc. But Arc is not a Methicillin-resistant Staphylococcus aureus or the like; it is no plague nor parasite. It just is what it is. Here, have some chamomile tea and breathe deeply. Close your eyes. Relax. It'll be fine. *lights lavender incense*
I have been using Arc since day one and it hasn't done any of the things that Fox-News-fearmongers are spouting out. For example, PMB.
Not sure this is true. The stated intent is for Arc to replace the standalone launcher - they just haven't done it yet. Once it's done, it may or may not be possible to find a workaround - I just don't think anyone can say for sure.
They have stated that Steam users will not have to use Arc, though they haven't stated exactly how that will work.
Yes, but you can run the program without the launcher. Just go to the Live folder in your Star Trek Online installation, make a desktop shortcut to GameClient.exe, and voila! The game loads without a launcher. Yeah, you'll have to type in your password at the login screen, but if you're not using Arc, you need to type in your password in the launcher every time anyways.
I use Steam.
But I also don't presume to speak for the whole playerbase.
Some people like ARC.(Shrugs shoulders)
My character Tsin'xing
I can't say I'm 100% certain, but I'd say I'm pretty sure that would make Star Trek Online the first MMO, possibly the first game, I've seen do that. Launchers are not part of the actual game client, they're a separate program that runs the GameClient.exe for you, while also giving it the login information, and also updates the game when necessary. With MMOs, programs like Steam and Arc are basically launcher-launchers. It's possible they could build it to cut out the middleman, and just have Arc launch the game client, but the fact that it's been said that Steam users will not have to use Arc means that there's going to still at the very least going to be a way to launch the game client directly.
The Steamrunner class.
Steam users are safe.
I must be using a different version of Arc than some people because it doesn't "spam me with ads." I see information about the two games I play, and that's all. Steam, on the other hand, tries to sell me every game it has. If I didn't need it for Goat Simulator, I wouldn't have it.
My character Tsin'xing