snip..."Steam,Origins,Uplay etc all are setups that many games are played through and do not use or put spyware on the computer "
False. Introducing invasive tracking software is part of the goal. EA has a history of gathering information from user's PCs without notification or consent, that was part of the whole backlash against EA's SecuROM DRM software that came installed in games like Spore and Mass Effect 3. Origin scans your PC, and EA even openly admitted it while attempting to justify what is effectively Spyware. I suggest you read up:
Just this March an incredibly dangerous vulnerability was discovered in the Origin client that allows malicious software to be executed on Origin installed systems remotely:
snip..."now nothing is full proof as we all know and there will be incursions where someone will try to get into the system it has happen in the past and will happen again even steam it happens in nothing we can do but just try to stay one step ahead of the "hackers"."
False. According to this very thread, Arc installs a plugin to Internet Explorer. Internet Explorer is commonly targeted by Malware writers because of the tremendous vulnerability it presents.
Internet Explorer *is* Windows. It is integrated into the shell. It's part and parcel of Windows Explorer, the GUI you see every time your PC starts up. When something is TRIBBLE with Internet Explorer, it is TRIBBLE with your operating system. That's why you don't browse the internet with Internet Explorer. You're literally extending your OS onto the internet for others to do with as they please. If these reports of Arc installing IE plugins are true, we do indeed have proof of at worst malicious, and at best invasive, intent on the part of the PWE engineers writing Arc and the big dogs in the corner offices at PWE. Either way that is malicious behavior, and completely unacceptable.
And we have evidence of destructive behavior already; ARC destroys the current Client. We have evidence of unwanted behavior, it takes up precious memory as it runs in the background. We have evidence of bloatware behavior, it takes up a GB of hard disk space.
snip..."I do think some people are go over board and hitting the panic button a little to soon saying they will quit the game if this gets implemented."
I think it's a perfectly justified outcry from people who have watched the same and worse done before by much better companies than PWE.
I played the Open Beta, I put down fifty dollars to preorder the game to get in on it. I subscribed through the bad, glitchy, rubber bandy months after launch. I was among the first to claim a Retrofit starship for free, at Vice Admiral, during the summer of 2010. A Galaxy retrofit that that I have spent so much time with I could make her dance even before the buffs to RCS/Impulse Thrusters in Legacy Of Romulus. And a ship that I flew through to 2013 when I finally upgraded to a Fleet Galaxy Retrofit.
I subscribed all the way through the terrible year that was 2011. And through all the bent words, broken promises, rewritten history, and hard feelings between the community and the devs, I have remained passionate about Star Trek Online. I've remained passionate enough to do a show about Star Trek Online, playing through it's story, foundry content, and talking about recent news, for over two years. I was preparing to kick off the third season of that little show when this debacle started.
I've written volumes of backstory on the diverse characters who crew the U.S.S. Woglinde, Humans and Bolians and Aliens and Gorn, Reman and Liberated Borg and Breen and Klingon. And I tell stories to my fellow Star Trek fans about the bizarre, twisted family they've become through loss and war and defiance of the machinations of alien gods.
Daniel Stahl once said that it would be the hardcore Star Trek fans that kept this game alive for ten years. Branflakes can tell Stahl and his PW Manager this: One of them is speaking up.
I have been a fan of Star Trek since before I could write, my first memories of Trek are watching TOS with my parents shortly before the premiere of Star Trek: The Next Generation. I have supported this game even through the hard times it's faced. Especially through those hard times. Along with many in this thread and on these forums, I am the hardcore.
If ARC becomes mandatory, I walk.
I will spread the word about what it is, what it does, and I will not be able to in good conscience recommend this game. And by the looks of this thread, I am not alone.
The bottom line is that if ARC is mandatory, neither Cryptic nor PWE will get ten years out of STO, they'll be lucky to get ten more months.
As an aside, I hate how Branflakes gets caught up in this every time something like this is attempted or forced on the playerbase. He's just the messenger. His message is terrible and the intentions behind what the message is about are malevolent and greedy, but he's got to earn his pay all the same.
So while I may not be able to believe 100% of what you say Branflakes, that's only because I know you have to be careful with how you phrase news I know you realize people won't be happy to hear, and can only say what you are cleared or told to say on the subject by those above.
I'm a lifetimer since Open Beta Launch in January 2010. But I've only posted in the forums a few times, as you can see from my post count. That's mainly because I only post when it's REALLY important. And right now, it's REALLY important.
Do not make this ARC software mandatory. I do not want this software installed on my computer.
I have no need for it. "but it will bring lots of useful features"...no, it won't, not for me.
I don't want news from other PWE games. In fact, after seeing how PWE is handling STO, it's the first and last game i'll ever play from that publisher. For exemple, I love the Neverwinter Night franchise. Played the original game and all the expansions as well as Baldur's Gate. But will never play the Neverwinter Nights mmo, just because it's owned by PWE. "But it's F2P!" Don't care.
I don't want quick access to STO forums, or their Twitter / Facebook page. I just want to play the game.
"But you might change your mind about it later" well, yes, I might. So if it's optional, i'll simply install it then and use it.
Do I think spending time and ressources to create such a launcher is a good idea ? No.
Do I have a problem with PWE releasing ARC if it's completely optional to play STO ? No.
Should new players or players having to reinstall the game be obligated to install ARC ? HELL NO. You need to change this IMMEDIATELY. As in NOW. ASAP. I hate using capslock, but it's required here. You retract yourselves, and that's it.
Oh, and one last thing PWE : don't even think about putting ARC mandatory and giving us the bs response that you "can't have it any other way, it's the way the system is designed". This is the poorest, worst pathetic answer ever given. Don't design it that way, period.
I use Steam, which beats ARC in every area they are trying to copy.
I will not replace Steam with ARC for this game. If ARC is made mandatory and overwrites my current setup then I will also be forced to leave this game. And the hundreds if not thousands of dollars I have spent over the last 3 years enjoying this game will walk with me.
After a little over 40 pages of postings here are the updated numbers: (Updated numbers in bold.)
Postings that actively said NO to Arc: 140
Postings that actively said YES to Arc 6
Postings removed: 10
Brandon replies/announcements: 8
Comments of a general nature such as dealing with the media player, recovering launcher files, speculation of what might happen and describing experiences from CO, Steam and others....: 203
Postings that posed actual questions: 26
By a 23 to 1 margin the consensus is NO to ARC, Hello executives, listen to the players! If this is to be a forum for feedback we sure dont see you answering any questions offering any compromise (like making it completely optional) or giving us any information whatsoever. Your silence is speaking volumes!!!!
Yet another POS piece of software i don't need, and thanks for giving me the option to not use it ROFL.
Being serious though, if i have to reinstall the game for whatever reason i am now totally screwed because thanks to you guys, i now DON'T have the option to refuse using ARC. I couldn't care less about the other games you have to offer, i only play this one because i have plenty of friends that do. You should concentrate on fixing bugs to the game, not giving us a potentially buggy piece of social media software that clearly the community does not want.
When will you guys listen to what we want for a change and stop forcing all this useless software on us? Fix the bugs, make the servers quicker, concentrate on that instead for crying out loud.
Founder of the 3rd Foot & Mouth Federation Fleet. Join today!
The Khasi of Kalabar: They will die the death of a thousand cuts! Princess Jelhi: Oh! But that's horrible! The Khasi of Kalabar: Not at all my little desert flower, the British are used to cuts!
I use Steam, which beats ARC in every area they are trying to copy.
Zactly.
I'm also simply annoyed at PWE yet again squandering resources and time on a BS marketing gimmick nobody wants, whist they cannot be bothered to fix things like missing limbs and heads on my Embassy boffs.
If someone could tell me how to get rid of spyware, I would use it.
Otherwise,
NO!
Don't think you can install ARC and turn off the spyware. Someone can correct me if I am wrong, I have not installed ARC (and will never install it) and I have not read the EULA for ARC...... but with Origin, the click-thru EULA gives EA explicit permission for all sorts of tracking rights on your PC, including giving EA the right to track your personal information, computer information, application usage, software, software usage, and peripheral hardware usage. All for "marketing purposes". You cannot opt-out, and you cannot use Origin unless you agree to it.
WARNING: Personal opinion follows, this may not match your opinion, C'est le vie.
Dear PWE, please don't make ARC compulsory.
I've only recently returned to STO as I wanted to see if this new LOR expansion would also address some of the issues (esp S7...) already making the game less fun. I'm not talking about the grind, it's an MMO, grind happens...
But the bugs are not just still here, they've multiplied like a tribble in a grain silo. I figured that this would be a priority for Cryptic once LOR had a few weeks under its belt and jumped back in to STO.
So far the bugs have left me a little frustrated, but I want my ST fix and will continue, hoping my faith in the devs will pay off.
BUT and this is a BIG BUT... If you make ARC compulsory, rather than optional, then I'll find myself with free HD space.
There is a list of games that I would love to play but don't for the simple reason that they need Steam or Origin or some other bloatware in order to play. Like a number of posters in this and other ARC threads I choose what sits on MY computer.
I do realise that a large majority of Computer users are less aware of just what this type of software does and have the awful feeling that PWE are counting on their belief in player ignorance to roll this forward. Some will quit, but I believe that they are accounting losses into this decision and still think it will increase short period income.
Do they care if LTS players quit? Well to be honest I don't think so, they have the cash and I think that their number crunchers would rather have monthly subs and FTPers buying zen, play for a couple of months then play another PWE game.
"A human being should be able to change a diaper, plan an invasion, butcher a hog, conn a ship, design a building, write a sonnet, balance accounts, build a wall, set a bone, comfort the dying, take orders, give orders, cooperate, act alone, solve equations, analyze a new problem, pitch manure, program a computer, cook a tasty meal, fight efficiently, die gallantly. Specialization is for insects." — Lazarus Long --->Get the Forums Enhancement Extension!
What PWE need to think about is if the LTS long time Gold members and FTP gamers that have been here for a while are the ones that are giving them the most money as we have spent zen on bank slots inventory slots master keys and ships. If they driver us away then they won't receive the amount they used to get and will slowly swindle till the game gets closed which if they force this I say could happen within a year. Then we have to wait for someone to take the reins again and actually listen to the customers this time
NO TO ARC
Vice Admiral Volmack ISS Thundermole
Brigadier General Jokag IKS Gorkan
Centurion Kares RRW Tomalak
[SIGPIC][/SIGPIC]
Bran, just wondering if you guys have any news now that you've had our 'feedback'. There are a few threads full of "feedback' which must have given an impression of the players feelings over this 'ARC' cr4p.
Will we be hearing your reactions to our reaction?
"A human being should be able to change a diaper, plan an invasion, butcher a hog, conn a ship, design a building, write a sonnet, balance accounts, build a wall, set a bone, comfort the dying, take orders, give orders, cooperate, act alone, solve equations, analyze a new problem, pitch manure, program a computer, cook a tasty meal, fight efficiently, die gallantly. Specialization is for insects." — Lazarus Long --->Get the Forums Enhancement Extension!
41 (at time of post) pages of people saying that ARC is neither welcome OR wanted.
Who wants to bet it'll still happen anyway.....
I have few illusions on that score. It will happen, because the ones posting against it aren't Perfect World's target audience. Cryptic's perhaps, but not Perfect World.
The number of people who don't know or don't care how some things work, things like DRM, malware, Web browsers, outnumber those who do. Far more people installed Origin and Uplay without question than those who asked.
Those were Origin and UPlay's target audience. And that's ARC's.
Origin and Uplay turned out to be costly, privacy invading, security hole riddled corporate boondoggles nobody wanted that cost a great deal of goodwill and consumer loyalty. Still waiting for that blog post to explain how ARC will be different, but history urges skepticism.
I want to know why it requires 1 GB of hard disk space, for what, and why whatever is taking up that much space is necessary.
I want to know what it's doing with the memory it's taking up while idle, because you don't need that much memory for a simple while loop.
And I want to know what the deal is with the IE plugin, why it's necessary, and what it is doing. If I open it up and look at the guts of its code, what will I find out that its doing?
Hi, this is my first post here on the STO forum. I have just found this ARC Loader post and spent an hour reading the first 20+ pages.
Tho i am new to STO, i have played Alot of MMO's.
Starting from Origins UO for 7 years,then SoE's SWG for 7 years. these people made Awesome games, but Failed in the basic's. Force implementing, Game altering, fiddling and Neglect. Both of there Products and there Customers.
This Arc from what i understand is not on the scale of UO or swg, being a browser,Gateway,PoB platform, but it would be enough to make me leave before i invest time like i have before into a game.
I have already found a number of Niggling things with STO that already make me consider my future staying here, the Poor Exchange and Ground Combat to name the main 2. Having tried looking for an Explosives Expert with 2 traits i want is ridiculously time consuming.
Looking forward on a games future is important, But securing a foundation (Bug Removal's or Requested fixes) is also.
I actually laughed at the First patching update ive read here:-
Known Issue:
All qualities of the following pets are still replacing active pets if launched while all hangar wings are full:
Tholian Mesh Weavers
Jem'Hadar Attack Ships
Fer'jai Frigates
Bird of Prey Raiders
Marauding Force
Stalker Fighters
My opinion is just that. But mandatory ARC will make me leave with no 2nd thought.
Live long and prosper would suit, but Dieing slowly with no friends or money would seem most likely.
Well, technically, it's not compulsory, but they're making it appear as though it is.
New players definitely will not know all they need to play the game is the game client files.
Hopefully, it never gets to the point where they make it compulsory in one way or another.
But unfortunately, without a direct hosted client download (it's hidden or it's been removed), our access to STO without using Arc will be problematic.
Or impossible!
My advice, make sure you have the game client now, so you can avoid using Arc in the future.
Otherwise, your one and only option will be to use the Steam direct download.
Bees like honey, they don't like vinegar.
Everytime someone makes a character that is an copy of an existing superhuman, Creativity is sad
While I don't plan on downloading or using Arc myself right now, I find it interesting that the reactions here seem almost exactly the same as Steam when it first came out.
And for the record at least one avid gamer has never played a game offered by Steam (or Origin, etal). I used to spend a few hundred a year on computer games but the gaming industry has shot itself in the foot as far as I'm concerned with its recent trends. My last expenditure was the STO prelauch LTS and I considered it a gamble that, to be honest, I will most likely never do again.
While I don't plan on downloading or using Arc myself right now, I find it interesting that the reactions here seem almost exactly the same as Steam when it first came out.
So I'm not going to hate on it, or blame them for trying it. Though I'm probably not going to use it at this stage either, but will see where it goes.
I was one of the first to try Steam, and I am going to blame them, because in the beginning Steam was a bug riddled mess and is no more secure now than it was then. It still gets TRIBBLE, your information still gets stolen. But it was a success because at the end of the day Valve demonstrated a concern for their customers far and above what Perfect World is remotely willing to consider.
The entire point of Steam is to control who gets their IP merchandise and when. But Valve knows they're TRIBBLE you by making it's game discs essentially license keys, forcing you to download a game and preventing you from having it on any physical media. So they do whatever they can, bending over backwards to provide the best value they possibly can, at arguably some of the best prices online.
The reason Origin and Uplay have failed so miserably is because both were created with no intent to provide greater value to the consumer.
Look no further than EA's on again-off again CEO John Riccitello talking about how it was insane for digital merchandise to be sold at normal retail prices, and then look at the completely unchanged prices on Origin. And even Ubisoft, while nowhere near as draconian or malevolent as EA, utterly failed to compensate the players for the inconvenience created by Uplay with anything of any real value that would make people actually want to install it.
Looking at their history, can you see Perfect World, a company with a track record of customer service and respect roughly on par with Electronic Arts, managing to pull off what both EA and companies with much more goodwill towards their consumer base have failed to do?
Steam doesn't take up tons of memory as it runs in the background. Steam doesn't install plugins to an incredibly vulnerable and exploitable part of windows. And I guarantee you that the "promotions" promised to ARC users will have nowhere near the amount of value Steam offers with simple DLC packs.
Hi Cryptic , my kid downloaded this Ark , by mistake...
WHY THE HELL IS THE ARK YOUSING MY BROADBAND WHEN NO ONE PLAY THE GAME ......
I only got slow broadband and when someone surf on internet , its lagging , like hell.
Well the comuter only youst to play game on , so i install a firewall + malware traker.
And these are exactly the type of issues I was talking about. Besides of being nothing but bloatware, Arc will actually affect the performance of the PCs of many players here.
Some obviously will experience lag and slow boradband like the man I'm quoting here.
Since it's confirmed it uses your broadband, it will create issues to people that are on a monthy limit.
Running in background with the huge system requirements (for something as trivial as it is) will deteriorate the game performance for people with older or weaker setups that play and enjoy the game on low setings. Arc will make the final footstep overboard for them.
This would all be cool and we could all say that "Technology evolves" and weaker and older setups can't hold back the progress, if this was something that would enhance the game. Arc will do no such thing, so basically it will punish people with limited boradband, slower connection or weaker PC setups basically for nothing!
Is there any point to the discussion at the moment? I'm not sure anymore. The fact is that - Arc is already mandatory. We can try to spin it one way or another, but if any new person trying to play STO has to use Arc and if every current player that needs to reinstall because of an issue or bought a new PC and wants STO on that one has to install through Arc, then it's pretty much mandatory. You will excuse me if I'm not buying that "Arc is not mandatory for the time being".
The cold fact is that people who don't use it are becomming a dying breed, bacause at one point or another, everyone will need to reinstall or face an issue and then - "oh hello, madatory Arc!".
So again, I'm just going to ask the question - Is this how you want to treat your customers? Do you really believe that you'll achieve longetivity and success for the game with actions like these and forcing something on the playerbase?
I hope you guys have some some sort of psychic metric that allows you to see how many new people wanting to try STO were discouraged when the saw Arc on the page and decided not to bother with the game.
At least he could have started the post with "We are sorry to announce that from now on you will have to use our...!"
Even as a PR guy you can't seriously be trying to spin it into a way that makes it seam like people will be happy having to install some bloatware.
[SIGPIC][/SIGPIC] Vornek@oberlerchner123 - Join Date: July 2008
And these are exactly the type of issues I was talking about. Besides of being nothing but bloatware, Arc will actually affect the performance of the PCs of many players here.
Some obviously will experience lag and slow boradband like the man I'm quoting here.
Since it's confirmed it uses your broadband, it will create issues to people that are on a monthy limit.
Running in background with the huge system requirements (for something as trivial as it is) will deteriorate the game performance for people with older or weaker setups that play and enjoy the game on low setings. Arc will make the final footstep overboard for them.
This would all be cool and we could all say that "Technology evolves" and weaker and older setups can't hold back the progress, if this was something that would enhance the game. Arc will do no such thing, so basically it will punish people with limited boradband, slower connection or weaker PC setups basically for nothing!
Is there any point to the discussion at the moment? I'm not sure anymore. The fact is that - Arc is already mandatory. We can try to spin it one way or another, but if any new person trying to play STO has to use Arc and if every current player that needs to reinstall because of an issue or bought a new PC and wants STO on that one has to install through Arc, then it's pretty much mandatory. You will excuse me if I'm not buying that "Arc is not mandatory for the time being".
The cold fact is that people who don't use it are becomming a dying breed, bacause at one point or another, everyone will need to reinstall or face an issue and then - "oh hello, madatory Arc!".
So again, I'm just going to ask the question - Is this how you want to treat your customers? Do you really believe that you'll achieve longetivity and success for the game with actions like these and forcing something on the playerbase?
I hope you guys have some some sort of psychic metric that allows you to see how many new people wanting to try STO were discouraged when the saw Arc on the page and decided not to bother with the game.
Please come back here afterwards sir, and share what you found out. I'm quite interested about it.
Well i can say this , where i live i can go public whit thing whithout geting ban etc.
What i find what ARC doing on you computer and wright it here....
I will broke this bigtime.....
"Perfect World Entertainment Community Rules and Policies"
I dont whant to blame Cryptic fore this one .........bout PWE kiss my...
If i cant get back the Cryptic launcher im done whit this game.
Comments
False. Introducing invasive tracking software is part of the goal. EA has a history of gathering information from user's PCs without notification or consent, that was part of the whole backlash against EA's SecuROM DRM software that came installed in games like Spore and Mass Effect 3. Origin scans your PC, and EA even openly admitted it while attempting to justify what is effectively Spyware. I suggest you read up:
http://www.gamefront.com/origin-will-collect-your-data-and-you-cant-stop-it/
http://www.rockpapershotgun.com/2011/08/24/eas-origin-eula-proves-even-more-sinister/
http://www.cinemablend.com/games/EA-Says-Origin-Isn-t-Spyware-Although-It-Does-Scan-Your-Entire-PC-36690.html
You better believe Ubisoft is doing the same. And you better believe Perfect World will as well.
False. Both Origin and Uplay have repeatedly been discovered to have collossal security vulnerabilities:
http://www.gamesindustry.biz/articles/2012-07-30-Report-Ubisofts-UPlay-DRM-contains-dangerous-security-flaws
Just this March an incredibly dangerous vulnerability was discovered in the Origin client that allows malicious software to be executed on Origin installed systems remotely:
http://www.gamepolitics.com/2013/03/18/report-researchers-uncover-serious-vulnerability-origin-client
False. According to this very thread, Arc installs a plugin to Internet Explorer. Internet Explorer is commonly targeted by Malware writers because of the tremendous vulnerability it presents.
Internet Explorer *is* Windows. It is integrated into the shell. It's part and parcel of Windows Explorer, the GUI you see every time your PC starts up. When something is TRIBBLE with Internet Explorer, it is TRIBBLE with your operating system. That's why you don't browse the internet with Internet Explorer. You're literally extending your OS onto the internet for others to do with as they please. If these reports of Arc installing IE plugins are true, we do indeed have proof of at worst malicious, and at best invasive, intent on the part of the PWE engineers writing Arc and the big dogs in the corner offices at PWE. Either way that is malicious behavior, and completely unacceptable.
And we have evidence of destructive behavior already; ARC destroys the current Client. We have evidence of unwanted behavior, it takes up precious memory as it runs in the background. We have evidence of bloatware behavior, it takes up a GB of hard disk space.
I think it's a perfectly justified outcry from people who have watched the same and worse done before by much better companies than PWE.
I played the Open Beta, I put down fifty dollars to preorder the game to get in on it. I subscribed through the bad, glitchy, rubber bandy months after launch. I was among the first to claim a Retrofit starship for free, at Vice Admiral, during the summer of 2010. A Galaxy retrofit that that I have spent so much time with I could make her dance even before the buffs to RCS/Impulse Thrusters in Legacy Of Romulus. And a ship that I flew through to 2013 when I finally upgraded to a Fleet Galaxy Retrofit.
I subscribed all the way through the terrible year that was 2011. And through all the bent words, broken promises, rewritten history, and hard feelings between the community and the devs, I have remained passionate about Star Trek Online. I've remained passionate enough to do a show about Star Trek Online, playing through it's story, foundry content, and talking about recent news, for over two years. I was preparing to kick off the third season of that little show when this debacle started.
I've written volumes of backstory on the diverse characters who crew the U.S.S. Woglinde, Humans and Bolians and Aliens and Gorn, Reman and Liberated Borg and Breen and Klingon. And I tell stories to my fellow Star Trek fans about the bizarre, twisted family they've become through loss and war and defiance of the machinations of alien gods.
Daniel Stahl once said that it would be the hardcore Star Trek fans that kept this game alive for ten years. Branflakes can tell Stahl and his PW Manager this: One of them is speaking up.
I have been a fan of Star Trek since before I could write, my first memories of Trek are watching TOS with my parents shortly before the premiere of Star Trek: The Next Generation. I have supported this game even through the hard times it's faced. Especially through those hard times. Along with many in this thread and on these forums, I am the hardcore.
If ARC becomes mandatory, I walk.
I will spread the word about what it is, what it does, and I will not be able to in good conscience recommend this game. And by the looks of this thread, I am not alone.
The bottom line is that if ARC is mandatory, neither Cryptic nor PWE will get ten years out of STO, they'll be lucky to get ten more months.
As an aside, I hate how Branflakes gets caught up in this every time something like this is attempted or forced on the playerbase. He's just the messenger. His message is terrible and the intentions behind what the message is about are malevolent and greedy, but he's got to earn his pay all the same.
So while I may not be able to believe 100% of what you say Branflakes, that's only because I know you have to be careful with how you phrase news I know you realize people won't be happy to hear, and can only say what you are cleared or told to say on the subject by those above.
Do not make this ARC software mandatory. I do not want this software installed on my computer.
I have no need for it. "but it will bring lots of useful features"...no, it won't, not for me.
I don't want news from other PWE games. In fact, after seeing how PWE is handling STO, it's the first and last game i'll ever play from that publisher. For exemple, I love the Neverwinter Night franchise. Played the original game and all the expansions as well as Baldur's Gate. But will never play the Neverwinter Nights mmo, just because it's owned by PWE. "But it's F2P!" Don't care.
I don't want quick access to STO forums, or their Twitter / Facebook page. I just want to play the game.
"But you might change your mind about it later" well, yes, I might. So if it's optional, i'll simply install it then and use it.
Do I think spending time and ressources to create such a launcher is a good idea ? No.
Do I have a problem with PWE releasing ARC if it's completely optional to play STO ? No.
Should new players or players having to reinstall the game be obligated to install ARC ? HELL NO. You need to change this IMMEDIATELY. As in NOW. ASAP. I hate using capslock, but it's required here. You retract yourselves, and that's it.
Oh, and one last thing PWE : don't even think about putting ARC mandatory and giving us the bs response that you "can't have it any other way, it's the way the system is designed". This is the poorest, worst pathetic answer ever given. Don't design it that way, period.
I will not replace Steam with ARC for this game. If ARC is made mandatory and overwrites my current setup then I will also be forced to leave this game. And the hundreds if not thousands of dollars I have spent over the last 3 years enjoying this game will walk with me.
Postings that actively said NO to Arc: 140
Postings that actively said YES to Arc 6
Postings removed: 10
Brandon replies/announcements: 8
Comments of a general nature such as dealing with the media player, recovering launcher files, speculation of what might happen and describing experiences from CO, Steam and others....: 203
Postings that posed actual questions: 26
By a 23 to 1 margin the consensus is NO to ARC, Hello executives, listen to the players! If this is to be a forum for feedback we sure dont see you answering any questions offering any compromise (like making it completely optional) or giving us any information whatsoever. Your silence is speaking volumes!!!!
Being serious though, if i have to reinstall the game for whatever reason i am now totally screwed because thanks to you guys, i now DON'T have the option to refuse using ARC. I couldn't care less about the other games you have to offer, i only play this one because i have plenty of friends that do. You should concentrate on fixing bugs to the game, not giving us a potentially buggy piece of social media software that clearly the community does not want.
When will you guys listen to what we want for a change and stop forcing all this useless software on us? Fix the bugs, make the servers quicker, concentrate on that instead for crying out loud.
The Khasi of Kalabar: They will die the death of a thousand cuts!
Princess Jelhi: Oh! But that's horrible!
The Khasi of Kalabar: Not at all my little desert flower, the British are used to cuts!
They won't listen until people start quitting the game in massive numbers, I suspect.
PWE - "Yo dawg, I heard you like launchers, so we put a launcher in your launcher, so you can launch while you launch."
And even then only if there is a net loss of customers. Let's face it, to the suits at PWE, we're all just expendable dollar signs.
Zactly.
I'm also simply annoyed at PWE yet again squandering resources and time on a BS marketing gimmick nobody wants, whist they cannot be bothered to fix things like missing limbs and heads on my Embassy boffs.
Cryptic HAVE NO say about what their Chinese Overlords command,
Cryptic are de-bugging the game as we speak (kinda ...) , as they do not have to worry about implementing ARC, that is PWE's responsibility.
Does not make it alright.
If someone could tell me how to get rid of spyware, I would use it.
Otherwise,
NO!
I hope STO get's better ...
Don't think you can install ARC and turn off the spyware. Someone can correct me if I am wrong, I have not installed ARC (and will never install it) and I have not read the EULA for ARC...... but with Origin, the click-thru EULA gives EA explicit permission for all sorts of tracking rights on your PC, including giving EA the right to track your personal information, computer information, application usage, software, software usage, and peripheral hardware usage. All for "marketing purposes". You cannot opt-out, and you cannot use Origin unless you agree to it.
Needless to say, I do not use Origin.
Dear PWE, please don't make ARC compulsory.
I've only recently returned to STO as I wanted to see if this new LOR expansion would also address some of the issues (esp S7...) already making the game less fun. I'm not talking about the grind, it's an MMO, grind happens...
But the bugs are not just still here, they've multiplied like a tribble in a grain silo. I figured that this would be a priority for Cryptic once LOR had a few weeks under its belt and jumped back in to STO.
So far the bugs have left me a little frustrated, but I want my ST fix and will continue, hoping my faith in the devs will pay off.
BUT and this is a BIG BUT... If you make ARC compulsory, rather than optional, then I'll find myself with free HD space.
There is a list of games that I would love to play but don't for the simple reason that they need Steam or Origin or some other bloatware in order to play. Like a number of posters in this and other ARC threads I choose what sits on MY computer.
I do realise that a large majority of Computer users are less aware of just what this type of software does and have the awful feeling that PWE are counting on their belief in player ignorance to roll this forward. Some will quit, but I believe that they are accounting losses into this decision and still think it will increase short period income.
Do they care if LTS players quit? Well to be honest I don't think so, they have the cash and I think that their number crunchers would rather have monthly subs and FTPers buying zen, play for a couple of months then play another PWE game.
Vice Admiral Volmack ISS Thundermole
Brigadier General Jokag IKS Gorkan
Centurion Kares RRW Tomalak
[SIGPIC][/SIGPIC]
Will we be hearing your reactions to our reaction?
I have few illusions on that score. It will happen, because the ones posting against it aren't Perfect World's target audience. Cryptic's perhaps, but not Perfect World.
The number of people who don't know or don't care how some things work, things like DRM, malware, Web browsers, outnumber those who do. Far more people installed Origin and Uplay without question than those who asked.
Those were Origin and UPlay's target audience. And that's ARC's.
Origin and Uplay turned out to be costly, privacy invading, security hole riddled corporate boondoggles nobody wanted that cost a great deal of goodwill and consumer loyalty. Still waiting for that blog post to explain how ARC will be different, but history urges skepticism.
I want to know why it requires 1 GB of hard disk space, for what, and why whatever is taking up that much space is necessary.
I want to know what it's doing with the memory it's taking up while idle, because you don't need that much memory for a simple while loop.
And I want to know what the deal is with the IE plugin, why it's necessary, and what it is doing. If I open it up and look at the guts of its code, what will I find out that its doing?
You are not the only one. I want to know too.
I am not in favour of ARC. STO is the only MMO that I play and I only have time for one.
Yes, I fly a Dreadnought cruiser. Deal with it.
Tho i am new to STO, i have played Alot of MMO's.
Starting from Origins UO for 7 years,then SoE's SWG for 7 years. these people made Awesome games, but Failed in the basic's. Force implementing, Game altering, fiddling and Neglect. Both of there Products and there Customers.
This Arc from what i understand is not on the scale of UO or swg, being a browser,Gateway,PoB platform, but it would be enough to make me leave before i invest time like i have before into a game.
I have already found a number of Niggling things with STO that already make me consider my future staying here, the Poor Exchange and Ground Combat to name the main 2. Having tried looking for an Explosives Expert with 2 traits i want is ridiculously time consuming.
Looking forward on a games future is important, But securing a foundation (Bug Removal's or Requested fixes) is also.
I actually laughed at the First patching update ive read here:-
Known Issue:
All qualities of the following pets are still replacing active pets if launched while all hangar wings are full:
Tholian Mesh Weavers
Jem'Hadar Attack Ships
Fer'jai Frigates
Bird of Prey Raiders
Marauding Force
Stalker Fighters
My opinion is just that. But mandatory ARC will make me leave with no 2nd thought.
Live long and prosper would suit, but Dieing slowly with no friends or money would seem most likely.
Shaco
Why-So-Serious
Section 31
Glad I didn't buy the sub I was considering the last days. If you get rid of ARC or make it 100% optional -> I'm gonna get a sub.
WHY THE HELL IS THE ARK YOUSING MY BROADBAND WHEN NO ONE PLAY THE GAME ......
I only got slow broadband and when someone surf on internet , its lagging , like hell.
Well the comuter only youst to play game on , so i install a firewall + malware traker.
And WOW .... intresting program this ARK is , and i also find a intresting file on the hardrive
abigone ,, and it whas hide file.
Well i open this file tomorrow and se what is in it.
it will ? , where does it say that please as I have not read all 42 pages
DELTA PRICE RISING
New players definitely will not know all they need to play the game is the game client files.
Hopefully, it never gets to the point where they make it compulsory in one way or another.
But unfortunately, without a direct hosted client download (it's hidden or it's been removed), our access to STO without using Arc will be problematic.
Or impossible!
My advice, make sure you have the game client now, so you can avoid using Arc in the future.
Otherwise, your one and only option will be to use the Steam direct download.
Bees like honey, they don't like vinegar.
Everytime someone makes a character that is an copy of an existing superhuman, Creativity is sad
And for the record at least one avid gamer has never played a game offered by Steam (or Origin, etal). I used to spend a few hundred a year on computer games but the gaming industry has shot itself in the foot as far as I'm concerned with its recent trends. My last expenditure was the STO prelauch LTS and I considered it a gamble that, to be honest, I will most likely never do again.
I was one of the first to try Steam, and I am going to blame them, because in the beginning Steam was a bug riddled mess and is no more secure now than it was then. It still gets TRIBBLE, your information still gets stolen. But it was a success because at the end of the day Valve demonstrated a concern for their customers far and above what Perfect World is remotely willing to consider.
The entire point of Steam is to control who gets their IP merchandise and when. But Valve knows they're TRIBBLE you by making it's game discs essentially license keys, forcing you to download a game and preventing you from having it on any physical media. So they do whatever they can, bending over backwards to provide the best value they possibly can, at arguably some of the best prices online.
The reason Origin and Uplay have failed so miserably is because both were created with no intent to provide greater value to the consumer.
Look no further than EA's on again-off again CEO John Riccitello talking about how it was insane for digital merchandise to be sold at normal retail prices, and then look at the completely unchanged prices on Origin. And even Ubisoft, while nowhere near as draconian or malevolent as EA, utterly failed to compensate the players for the inconvenience created by Uplay with anything of any real value that would make people actually want to install it.
Looking at their history, can you see Perfect World, a company with a track record of customer service and respect roughly on par with Electronic Arts, managing to pull off what both EA and companies with much more goodwill towards their consumer base have failed to do?
Steam doesn't take up tons of memory as it runs in the background. Steam doesn't install plugins to an incredibly vulnerable and exploitable part of windows. And I guarantee you that the "promotions" promised to ARC users will have nowhere near the amount of value Steam offers with simple DLC packs.
And these are exactly the type of issues I was talking about. Besides of being nothing but bloatware, Arc will actually affect the performance of the PCs of many players here.
Some obviously will experience lag and slow boradband like the man I'm quoting here.
Since it's confirmed it uses your broadband, it will create issues to people that are on a monthy limit.
Running in background with the huge system requirements (for something as trivial as it is) will deteriorate the game performance for people with older or weaker setups that play and enjoy the game on low setings. Arc will make the final footstep overboard for them.
This would all be cool and we could all say that "Technology evolves" and weaker and older setups can't hold back the progress, if this was something that would enhance the game. Arc will do no such thing, so basically it will punish people with limited boradband, slower connection or weaker PC setups basically for nothing!
Is there any point to the discussion at the moment? I'm not sure anymore. The fact is that - Arc is already mandatory. We can try to spin it one way or another, but if any new person trying to play STO has to use Arc and if every current player that needs to reinstall because of an issue or bought a new PC and wants STO on that one has to install through Arc, then it's pretty much mandatory. You will excuse me if I'm not buying that "Arc is not mandatory for the time being".
The cold fact is that people who don't use it are becomming a dying breed, bacause at one point or another, everyone will need to reinstall or face an issue and then - "oh hello, madatory Arc!".
So again, I'm just going to ask the question - Is this how you want to treat your customers? Do you really believe that you'll achieve longetivity and success for the game with actions like these and forcing something on the playerbase?
I hope you guys have some some sort of psychic metric that allows you to see how many new people wanting to try STO were discouraged when the saw Arc on the page and decided not to bother with the game.
Please come back here afterwards sir, and share what you found out. I'm quite interested about it.
Even as a PR guy you can't seriously be trying to spin it into a way that makes it seam like people will be happy having to install some bloatware.
Vornek@oberlerchner123 - Join Date: July 2008
Let us add LTS' to that wish... ...mmkay
Well i can say this , where i live i can go public whit thing whithout geting ban etc.
What i find what ARC doing on you computer and wright it here....
I will broke this bigtime.....
"Perfect World Entertainment Community Rules and Policies"
I dont whant to blame Cryptic fore this one .........bout PWE kiss my...
If i cant get back the Cryptic launcher im done whit this game.