I actually PAID to buy the retail version of STO, and my disc launcher still works perfectly well. To permanently disable the disc launcher is nothing short of an insult to those of us who actually paid real money for STO. The disc is perfectly good; now leave it that way.
I have no desire to use Arc. It provides nothing useful. I'll keep playing as long as I can still use Steam, but none of PWEs other titles interest me enough that I want another Steam clone.
I actually PAID to buy the retail version of STO, and my disc launcher still works perfectly well. To permanently disable the disc launcher is nothing short of an insult to those of us who actually paid real money for STO. The disc is perfectly good; now leave it that way.
Ok, I took some time to fully read the "Future of Arc" blog and here are my thoughts of upcoming "cool" features coming to Arc.
Improved Notifications: - My Assessment: Arc offers nothing to me
I use in-game mail for both STO and CO and this seems perfectly fine for my game messaging needs, likewise for friend lists/requests. I don't understand why I need a new program to handle these functions. Are the in-game mail and friend features being removed from the games and added to Arc? I would very much not like that. I'm not sure what Alerts they're referring to, so can't judge that.
Added Payment Methods: - My Assessment: Arc offers nothing to me
I'm more than satisfied with my existing preferred payment method (PayPal). I don't need/want any others.
Forum Improvements - My Assessment: Arc offers nothing to me
Well, since I really do not like the aesthetics of the recent PW-ification of the STO/CO forums (Really?!? You're going with a drab grey-on-grey motif? Not only is it boring, but it's also incredibly difficult to read!), nor do I care for the appearance of anything I've seen on Arc so far, I have little hope that what you label as "improvements" will be something I consider good.
Cryptic Page Migration - My Assessment: Arc offers nothing to me
If it ain't broke, don't fix it, and I never had any problem finding what I needed before.
Game Genre Listing System - My Assessment: Arc offers nothing to me
Hmmm... Games I play: Star Trek Online. Champions Online. I'm pretty sure I don't need any down-drilling-search features for a quantity of two. I certainly don't need these features as part of an "always on" launcher.
I think the big problem here is that PW seems to think that just because they show off their game line-up I'm going to play more games. Even if we do assume that I have any interest in their games (which I don't), I hardly have enough time to play the two games I'm already heavily invested in, where am I supposed to get more time to play other games?
Improved Account Security: - My Assessment: I shouldn't need something like Arc to get this sort of service in my products.
Well, that sounds nice, but what does this have to do with a game launcher? Or rather, it seems misleading that you're advertising it as a "feature" to your game launcher/overlay thingy... Shouldn't Security be something provided innately with my gaming experience? In fact, it seems to me many of the other "features" that Arc is providing are what's causing insecurity to begin with.
How about I just have a simple game launcher that connects me to the game network, provides necessary software patches, and closes as it launches the game?
Twitch TV Integration: - My Assessment: Arc offers nothing to me
I'd never even heard of Twitch TV until I read it in the blog. I googled it. Huh. That's neat that such things exist for those interested. I'm not one of those people.
Support System Improvements: - My Assessment: I shouldn't need something like Arc to get this sort of service in my products.
I have received some wonderful support from Cryptic/PW over the years in regards to my account or billing issues. Conversely I have also sent many bug reports/problems into Support that seem to disappear as though swallowed by a black hole. The worse part about Cryptic/PW Support is not the interface. It's what and how you choose to actually support/change/fix. Further, as with Security improvements above... Having improved Support is something that should be included with existing service/product.
Chat System Updates: - My Assessment: Arc offers nothing to me that doesn't already exist, better, elsewhere.
Existing in-game chat is pretty much all I need in the way of chatting. Are you planning to remove in-game chat? But let's assume for a minute that I might be interested in additional chat features... If I wanted to use an external chat program, I'll use an external chat program. I don't need PW's reinvented wheel version when 3rd Party Apps will probably always be better.
Improved Overlay: - My Assessment: Arc offers nothing to me that doesn't already exist, better, elsewhere.
I don't need my game to provide me with a web browser. When I want to browse Teh Intarwebs, I just click on my pre-existing/better browser that's already open on my second monitor. All the other things that I've seen in the Arc Overlay are a complete waste of space/resources.
Added Login Options: - My Assessment: Arc offers nothing to me
A) What can be quicker and easier than opening my STO launcher, typing my username/pwd, and clicking Engage? I don't use Facebook, Twitter, Myspace, or any other "social partners".
Fan Content Page: - My Assessment: Arc offers nothing to me
Isn't that what already happens in the forums?
I still don't see what I gain from Arc? So again I ask, how about I just have a simple game launcher that connects me to the game network, provides necessary software patches, and closes as it launches the game?
:rolleyes:
Thank you, took the words right out of my mouth. We gain nothing from Arc other than "them" shoving ads in our face about their other trash games.
Ok, I took some time to fully read the "Future of Arc" blog and here are my thoughts of upcoming "cool" features coming to Arc.
Improved Notifications: - My Assessment: Arc offers nothing to me
I use in-game mail for both STO and CO and this seems perfectly fine for my game messaging needs, likewise for friend lists/requests. I don't understand why I need a new program to handle these functions. Are the in-game mail and friend features being removed from the games and added to Arc? I would very much not like that. I'm not sure what Alerts they're referring to, so can't judge that.
Added Payment Methods: - My Assessment: Arc offers nothing to me
I'm more than satisfied with my existing preferred payment method (PayPal). I don't need/want any others.
Forum Improvements - My Assessment: Arc offers nothing to me
Well, since I really do not like the aesthetics of the recent PW-ification of the STO/CO forums (Really?!? You're going with a drab grey-on-grey motif? Not only is it boring, but it's also incredibly difficult to read!), nor do I care for the appearance of anything I've seen on Arc so far, I have little hope that what you label as "improvements" will be something I consider good.
Cryptic Page Migration - My Assessment: Arc offers nothing to me
If it ain't broke, don't fix it, and I never had any problem finding what I needed before.
Game Genre Listing System - My Assessment: Arc offers nothing to me
Hmmm... Games I play: Star Trek Online. Champions Online. I'm pretty sure I don't need any down-drilling-search features for a quantity of two. I certainly don't need these features as part of an "always on" launcher.
I think the big problem here is that PW seems to think that just because they show off their game line-up I'm going to play more games. Even if we do assume that I have any interest in their games (which I don't), I hardly have enough time to play the two games I'm already heavily invested in, where am I supposed to get more time to play other games?
Improved Account Security: - My Assessment: I shouldn't need something like Arc to get this sort of service in my products.
Well, that sounds nice, but what does this have to do with a game launcher? Or rather, it seems misleading that you're advertising it as a "feature" to your game launcher/overlay thingy... Shouldn't Security be something provided innately with my gaming experience? In fact, it seems to me many of the other "features" that Arc is providing are what's causing insecurity to begin with.
How about I just have a simple game launcher that connects me to the game network, provides necessary software patches, and closes as it launches the game?
Twitch TV Integration: - My Assessment: Arc offers nothing to me
I'd never even heard of Twitch TV until I read it in the blog. I googled it. Huh. That's neat that such things exist for those interested. I'm not one of those people.
Support System Improvements: - My Assessment: I shouldn't need something like Arc to get this sort of service in my products.
I have received some wonderful support from Cryptic/PW over the years in regards to my account or billing issues. Conversely I have also sent many bug reports/problems into Support that seem to disappear as though swallowed by a black hole. The worse part about Cryptic/PW Support is not the interface. It's what and how you choose to actually support/change/fix. Further, as with Security improvements above... Having improved Support is something that should be included with existing service/product.
Chat System Updates: - My Assessment: Arc offers nothing to me that doesn't already exist, better, elsewhere.
Existing in-game chat is pretty much all I need in the way of chatting. Are you planning to remove in-game chat? But let's assume for a minute that I might be interested in additional chat features... If I wanted to use an external chat program, I'll use an external chat program. I don't need PW's reinvented wheel version when 3rd Party Apps will probably always be better.
Improved Overlay: - My Assessment: Arc offers nothing to me that doesn't already exist, better, elsewhere.
I don't need my game to provide me with a web browser. When I want to browse Teh Intarwebs, I just click on my pre-existing/better browser that's already open on my second monitor. All the other things that I've seen in the Arc Overlay are a complete waste of space/resources.
Added Login Options: - My Assessment: Arc offers nothing to me
A) What can be quicker and easier than opening my STO launcher, typing my username/pwd, and clicking Engage? I don't use Facebook, Twitter, Myspace, or any other "social partners".
Fan Content Page: - My Assessment: Arc offers nothing to me
Isn't that what already happens in the forums?
I still don't see what I gain from Arc? So again I ask, how about I just have a simple game launcher that connects me to the game network, provides necessary software patches, and closes as it launches the game?
:rolleyes:
This really does say so much with just two lines:
I shouldn't need something like Arc to get this sort of service in my products.
and
Arc offers nothing to me
I can understand that PWE is trying to make a better interface between a user and all of their games, but in doing so, they're really just putting people off on them even more than the games themselves. Forcing a feature on people that they many were very outspoken against is only going to make them resent you more. I agree that people should be given the option of using a simple launcher for their games, rather than having to download something like arc, just to load their launchers. The direction of this game, as well as cryptic's other two games, has really been an off putting experience this last year or so, Champions is a complete joke, and NW really isn't worth playing given the business model and the restrictions based in gameplay. Pushing these western games into an eastern model, has really just soured a lot of people as well as ruined the intent behind Star trek in the first place. Granted, Cryptic, was never a name synonymous with Quality or keeping their promises, but they were at least doing some really creative stuff and building games based on customization, but now they've been reduced to just crapping lockboxes, cheap cash grabs, and grind.
I downloaded arc, just to get the free gear, otherwise, it's not touched or used, and never will be. It's just a TRIBBLE setup that no one really needs, and most people very verbally don't want. The only response people seem to be getting back is: "Well that's too bad, since we're only in this for the money, we don't care what you think."
ARC tripped my virus and malware scanners multiple times, hogged my CPU to the point that I couldn't play the actual game, and looks like it was put together by a spastic chimp.
I've said it, I'll keep saying it, I'd say it in court while taking a polygraph test with my hand on a stack of every religious book available.
Other people might like it. I can't stand it. Again, no insult to Sparkiesoft and his guys intended, I'm sure that they are working very hard on it, but I will stick with Steam, which is tried-and-true.
What Virus/Malware scanner are you using? I know better than to trust some of them. I've seen issues in the past where some of them would trigger off things that were completely harmless.
anyways, I just started Arc to do a performance test. The results:
before starting Arc: total CPU usage hovering between 0 and 3%
immediately after I see a spike to 10%, and a few other spikes as it loads, then it drops back down to 7% or less
memory usage 75,688, might sound like a lot, but the browser window I read the forum on uses 3 times that.
why it goes through and scans tons of (non-ARC) files on the hard drive.
Actually... I have a pretty good idea why it does this. One of Arc's less useful functions is that it can act as a launcher for NON-PWE games. I think it's attempting to make a list of computer games that you have installed. Why? so that it know what you might add to it later. But again, not very useful.
Anyways, at present it's not very difficult to install a game via Arc and run the game without Arc. I do it with Champions.
Mostly it's people using older hardware who are experiencing integration issues. So the real friction here isn't the software itself, it's how it's not designed for the lowest common denominator, or "minimum specs guy."
Which is a long standing problem Cryptic's had for ages. Other gaming companies keep the minimum specs guy in mind as long as they possibly can, but even they eventually have to move on.
Cryptic does too, but they keep trying to upgrade the frills around their engine and that does eventually cause this kind of friction to crop up more.
This is all, hopefully good feedback. But I'm not entirely sure what the programmers can do since they seem to have a schedule and this implementation will indeed cause problems with certain hardware.
For me, it's not a hardware issue, but a security issue. No game should ever require elevated privileges! And I don't appreciate it crawling my hard drive for non-PWE files.
Nitpicking is a time-honored tradition of science fiction. Asking your readers not to worry about the "little things" is like asking a dog not to sniff at people's crotches. If there's something that appears to violate natural laws, then you can expect someone's going to point it out. That's just the way things are.
Ok boys, in all fairness to PWE, isn't comparing Arc to Steam sort of like asking an elephant to climb a tree to pass it's math class? :P
Arc isn't finished yet, correct?
Improved Account Security: - My Assessment: I shouldn't need something like Arc to get this sort of service in my products.
Well, that sounds nice, but what does this have to do with a game launcher? Or rather, it seems misleading that you're advertising it as a "feature" to your game launcher/overlay thingy... Shouldn't Security be something provided innately with my gaming experience? In fact, it seems to me many of the other "features" that Arc is providing are what's causing insecurity to begin with.
well if I were building a proper two factor auth system, then I would probably only want to do it once... and then add in other factor types, (token, phone, cert, god help us cookie, federation etc...) in one place rather than developing it in each game, and separately maintaining the codebase in n different games... also, certainly in STO and CO, the game credentials were always passed by the launcher.
For me, it's not a hardware issue, but a security issue. No game should ever require elevated privileges! And I don't appreciate it crawling my hard drive for non-PWE files.
fair enough, and I agree, to the best of my recollection so does STO if you install it Program Files ... I haven't in ages, run it in program files , so I might be wrong. From a POV of security, whilst all code should run with min privs, e.g. standard user only much code still does require admin, its also typical of code still running in beta. I personally try to run as standard user as much as possible, and it does irritate me that arc requires admin.
separately, just an observation, if you are concerned by code that PW might run on your computer for the purpose of ARC spying on you.... they also control the codebase of STO... it would be just as simple to write spyware into STO if they were going to write it at all... which I personally don't think they would, but, that's just me...
Alert! A transmission from an extraterrestrial origin is coming! here it is: "$$$$$$ $$$ $$$$$$$$$$$!!!! $$$$$!!!". they've indentified themselves as the 'PWE', and this is translated to English: "We are PWE. Use ARC, or you will be destroyed!!!! NOW!!!"
It's still funny that people compare ARC to Steam in terms of annoyance. Maybe it's because I am a Steam user for 10 years already which unlocks some special privileges, but Steam never, ever, shows any kind of advertisment, doesn't use more resources than necessary and doesn't snoop around where it has no business to be.
Say NO to ARC.
^ Memory Alpha.org is not canon. It's a open wiki with arbitrary rules. Only what can be cited from an episode is. ^
"No. Men do not roar. Women roar. Then they hurl heavy objects... and claw at you." -Worf, son of Mogh
"A filthy, mangy beast, but in its bony breast beat the heart of a warrior" - "faithful" (...) "but ever-ready to follow the call of the wild." - Martok, about a Targ
"That pig smelled horrid. A sweet-sour, extremely pungent odor. I showered and showered, and it took me a week to get rid of it!" - Robert Justman, appreciating Emmy-Lou
It's still funny that people compare ARC to Steam in terms of annoyance. Maybe it's because I am a Steam user for 10 years already which unlocks some special privileges, but Steam never, ever, shows any kind of advertisment, doesn't use more resources than necessary and doesn't snoop around where it has no business to be.
Say NO to ARC.
Agreed. I REALLY like Steam, since it has specials, I find out about new games, NO advertisment, is owned by a good company, and doesn't use up to much system resources. STEAM FTW!
Agreed. I REALLY like Steam, since it has specials, I find out about new games, NO advertisment, is owned by a good company, and doesn't use up to much system resources. STEAM FTW!
Well, I wouldn't sign the "good company" part. There are no good companies, everything they do is optimized to increase their profits. No company cares about anyone or anything except their profits. Yet my point remains: Steam doesn't show ads and does nothing people tried ARC complain about and it is a established platform for 10+ years (I think it launched in '02 ?) - why PWE thinks their ARC thingy can work on the "western market" is beyond me.
^ Memory Alpha.org is not canon. It's a open wiki with arbitrary rules. Only what can be cited from an episode is. ^
"No. Men do not roar. Women roar. Then they hurl heavy objects... and claw at you." -Worf, son of Mogh
"A filthy, mangy beast, but in its bony breast beat the heart of a warrior" - "faithful" (...) "but ever-ready to follow the call of the wild." - Martok, about a Targ
"That pig smelled horrid. A sweet-sour, extremely pungent odor. I showered and showered, and it took me a week to get rid of it!" - Robert Justman, appreciating Emmy-Lou
I still haven't heard from PWE explaining why ARC requires elevated privileges (which is a NO NO!) or why it goes through and scans tons of (non-ARC) files on the hard drive.
Because it's SPYWARE. Didn't we establish that? It's snooping through files that don't belong to it. It phones home. It's spyware. Period. If it weren't spyware, what business does it have poking through your personal files that explicitly don't belong to it?
Because it's SPYWARE. Didn't we establish that? It's snooping through files that don't belong to it. It phones home. It's spyware. Period. If it weren't spyware, what business does it have poking through your personal files that explicitly don't belong to it?
I'd wager the purpose for this insuring integrity of the game making sure no other third party program or software modifications have been made to give any type of upper hand. I know ncsoft basically has done the same thing but they have specifically went back to a launcher for each individual game that scans just like Arc to limit the potential for cheating to occur in their more popular brands.
If Season 9 has a lot of PvP changes it would make a lot of sense if that is what Arc is doing and why they would deploy Arc so far in advance of Season 9. So really if I am right its mainly just looking to see if these files are interacting with files associated with STO or Arc and if that is all its doing I figure most people would be fine with a stronger approach to quality of play.
I'd wager the purpose for this insuring integrity of the game making sure no other third party program or software modifications have been made to give any type of upper hand. I know ncsoft basically has done the same thing but they have specifically went back to a launcher for each individual game that scans just like Arc to limit the potential for cheating to occur in their more popular brands.
If Season 9 has a lot of PvP changes it would make a lot of sense if that is what Arc is doing and why they would deploy Arc so far in advance of Season 9. So really if I am right its mainly just looking to see if these files are interacting with files associated with STO or Arc and if that is all its doing I figure most people would be fine with a stronger approach to quality of play.
This. I know that the OG Planet Launcher has a program called X-Trap, which is a VERY FICKLE anti-cheat device. This was only one I know that refused to let players play ANYTHING when Windows 8 was launched and they couldn't fix it until... I think the next major update (which was a month later).
Cheating devices are a big thing nowadays and they're trying to prevent all that.
I would use Steam, but since it does not allow playing through the USB, all bets are off for that. So sadly for many the choice will be Steam, STO Launcher, or Arc. Very sad indeed for those who don't want Arc. Personally I have not had any probs using Arc. Except I have not gotten those rewards that they advertised and they still have not fixed the mail bug, where it flashes when nothing is there and it iis hard to tell when there really is mail, because it would still flash if there was. Very confusing. Cryptic please fix that bug for Season 9. Thanks.
Ok, I took some time to fully read the "Future of Arc" blog and here are my thoughts of upcoming "cool" features coming to Arc.
Improved Notifications: - My Assessment: Arc offers nothing to me
I use in-game mail for both STO and CO and this seems perfectly fine for my game messaging needs, likewise for friend lists/requests. I don't understand why I need a new program to handle these functions. Are the in-game mail and friend features being removed from the games and added to Arc? I would very much not like that. I'm not sure what Alerts they're referring to, so can't judge that.
Added Payment Methods: - My Assessment: Arc offers nothing to me
I'm more than satisfied with my existing preferred payment method (PayPal). I don't need/want any others.
Forum Improvements - My Assessment: Arc offers nothing to me
Well, since I really do not like the aesthetics of the recent PW-ification of the STO/CO forums (Really?!? You're going with a drab grey-on-grey motif? Not only is it boring, but it's also incredibly difficult to read!), nor do I care for the appearance of anything I've seen on Arc so far, I have little hope that what you label as "improvements" will be something I consider good.
Cryptic Page Migration - My Assessment: Arc offers nothing to me
If it ain't broke, don't fix it, and I never had any problem finding what I needed before.
Game Genre Listing System - My Assessment: Arc offers nothing to me
Hmmm... Games I play: Star Trek Online. Champions Online. I'm pretty sure I don't need any down-drilling-search features for a quantity of two. I certainly don't need these features as part of an "always on" launcher.
I think the big problem here is that PW seems to think that just because they show off their game line-up I'm going to play more games. Even if we do assume that I have any interest in their games (which I don't), I hardly have enough time to play the two games I'm already heavily invested in, where am I supposed to get more time to play other games?
Improved Account Security: - My Assessment: I shouldn't need something like Arc to get this sort of service in my products.
Well, that sounds nice, but what does this have to do with a game launcher? Or rather, it seems misleading that you're advertising it as a "feature" to your game launcher/overlay thingy... Shouldn't Security be something provided innately with my gaming experience? In fact, it seems to me many of the other "features" that Arc is providing are what's causing insecurity to begin with.
How about I just have a simple game launcher that connects me to the game network, provides necessary software patches, and closes as it launches the game?
Twitch TV Integration: - My Assessment: Arc offers nothing to me
I'd never even heard of Twitch TV until I read it in the blog. I googled it. Huh. That's neat that such things exist for those interested. I'm not one of those people.
Support System Improvements: - My Assessment: I shouldn't need something like Arc to get this sort of service in my products.
I have received some wonderful support from Cryptic/PW over the years in regards to my account or billing issues. Conversely I have also sent many bug reports/problems into Support that seem to disappear as though swallowed by a black hole. The worse part about Cryptic/PW Support is not the interface. It's what and how you choose to actually support/change/fix. Further, as with Security improvements above... Having improved Support is something that should be included with existing service/product.
Chat System Updates: - My Assessment: Arc offers nothing to me that doesn't already exist, better, elsewhere.
Existing in-game chat is pretty much all I need in the way of chatting. Are you planning to remove in-game chat? But let's assume for a minute that I might be interested in additional chat features... If I wanted to use an external chat program, I'll use an external chat program. I don't need PW's reinvented wheel version when 3rd Party Apps will probably always be better.
Improved Overlay: - My Assessment: Arc offers nothing to me that doesn't already exist, better, elsewhere.
I don't need my game to provide me with a web browser. When I want to browse Teh Intarwebs, I just click on my pre-existing/better browser that's already open on my second monitor. All the other things that I've seen in the Arc Overlay are a complete waste of space/resources.
Added Login Options: - My Assessment: Arc offers nothing to me
A) What can be quicker and easier than opening my STO launcher, typing my username/pwd, and clicking Engage? I don't use Facebook, Twitter, Myspace, or any other "social partners".
Fan Content Page: - My Assessment: Arc offers nothing to me
Isn't that what already happens in the forums?
I still don't see what I gain from Arc? So again I ask, how about I just have a simple game launcher that connects me to the game network, provides necessary software patches, and closes as it launches the game?
Comments
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Strongly agree with this.
I bought 2 collectors editions..
Agreed. The people that paid for this game are gonna get "pushed over". STEAM FTW!
Thank you, took the words right out of my mouth. We gain nothing from Arc other than "them" shoving ads in our face about their other trash games.
This really does say so much with just two lines:
I shouldn't need something like Arc to get this sort of service in my products.
and
Arc offers nothing to me
I can understand that PWE is trying to make a better interface between a user and all of their games, but in doing so, they're really just putting people off on them even more than the games themselves. Forcing a feature on people that they many were very outspoken against is only going to make them resent you more. I agree that people should be given the option of using a simple launcher for their games, rather than having to download something like arc, just to load their launchers. The direction of this game, as well as cryptic's other two games, has really been an off putting experience this last year or so, Champions is a complete joke, and NW really isn't worth playing given the business model and the restrictions based in gameplay. Pushing these western games into an eastern model, has really just soured a lot of people as well as ruined the intent behind Star trek in the first place. Granted, Cryptic, was never a name synonymous with Quality or keeping their promises, but they were at least doing some really creative stuff and building games based on customization, but now they've been reduced to just crapping lockboxes, cheap cash grabs, and grind.
I downloaded arc, just to get the free gear, otherwise, it's not touched or used, and never will be. It's just a TRIBBLE setup that no one really needs, and most people very verbally don't want. The only response people seem to be getting back is: "Well that's too bad, since we're only in this for the money, we don't care what you think."
STEAM. Glorious STEAM. It may not be what you seem. But come join us on STEEEAAAAAAM!!!!
You certainly added a Twist to this discussion.
anyways, I just started Arc to do a performance test. The results:
before starting Arc: total CPU usage hovering between 0 and 3%
immediately after I see a spike to 10%, and a few other spikes as it loads, then it drops back down to 7% or less
memory usage 75,688, might sound like a lot, but the browser window I read the forum on uses 3 times that. Actually... I have a pretty good idea why it does this. One of Arc's less useful functions is that it can act as a launcher for NON-PWE games. I think it's attempting to make a list of computer games that you have installed. Why? so that it know what you might add to it later. But again, not very useful.
Anyways, at present it's not very difficult to install a game via Arc and run the game without Arc. I do it with Champions.
My character Tsin'xing
Steam is holy! Repent from the sins of using arc, and use his lord, Steam
For me, it's not a hardware issue, but a security issue. No game should ever require elevated privileges! And I don't appreciate it crawling my hard drive for non-PWE files.
Hopefully these can actually get answered when Sparks comes back from vacation next month..
Joined January 2009
Arc isn't finished yet, correct?
well if I were building a proper two factor auth system, then I would probably only want to do it once... and then add in other factor types, (token, phone, cert, god help us cookie, federation etc...) in one place rather than developing it in each game, and separately maintaining the codebase in n different games... also, certainly in STO and CO, the game credentials were always passed by the launcher.
fair enough, and I agree, to the best of my recollection so does STO if you install it Program Files ... I haven't in ages, run it in program files , so I might be wrong. From a POV of security, whilst all code should run with min privs, e.g. standard user only much code still does require admin, its also typical of code still running in beta. I personally try to run as standard user as much as possible, and it does irritate me that arc requires admin.
separately, just an observation, if you are concerned by code that PW might run on your computer for the purpose of ARC spying on you.... they also control the codebase of STO... it would be just as simple to write spyware into STO if they were going to write it at all... which I personally don't think they would, but, that's just me...
Say NO to ARC.
Get the Forums Enhancement Extension!
Agreed. I REALLY like Steam, since it has specials, I find out about new games, NO advertisment, is owned by a good company, and doesn't use up to much system resources. STEAM FTW!
Well, I wouldn't sign the "good company" part. There are no good companies, everything they do is optimized to increase their profits. No company cares about anyone or anything except their profits. Yet my point remains: Steam doesn't show ads and does nothing people tried ARC complain about and it is a established platform for 10+ years (I think it launched in '02 ?) - why PWE thinks their ARC thingy can work on the "western market" is beyond me.
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I'd wager the purpose for this insuring integrity of the game making sure no other third party program or software modifications have been made to give any type of upper hand. I know ncsoft basically has done the same thing but they have specifically went back to a launcher for each individual game that scans just like Arc to limit the potential for cheating to occur in their more popular brands.
If Season 9 has a lot of PvP changes it would make a lot of sense if that is what Arc is doing and why they would deploy Arc so far in advance of Season 9. So really if I am right its mainly just looking to see if these files are interacting with files associated with STO or Arc and if that is all its doing I figure most people would be fine with a stronger approach to quality of play.
This. I know that the OG Planet Launcher has a program called X-Trap, which is a VERY FICKLE anti-cheat device. This was only one I know that refused to let players play ANYTHING when Windows 8 was launched and they couldn't fix it until... I think the next major update (which was a month later).
Cheating devices are a big thing nowadays and they're trying to prevent all that.
What're you going to do when Origin becomes mandatory?
http://www.starwarsmmo.net/news/origin-not-required-to-play-the-old-republic/
Lunacy.
If you like steam, use steam.
If you like arc, use arc.
If you're ambivalent towards both arc and steam, tell everyone else to shut their holes.
I'm ambivalent.
Shut your holes.
Sadly one of the other people has downloaded arc
now im stuck with it as well
I should never have even considered inviting him to play sto