Ok this makes it clear that arc will go mandatory soon even as soon as season 8 despite the hundreds of people have said no to it. Looks like this sabbatical due to a computer issue is going permanent.
NO TO ARC
Vice Admiral Volmack ISS Thundermole
Brigadier General Jokag IKS Gorkan
Centurion Kares RRW Tomalak
[SIGPIC][/SIGPIC]
In regards to my question about ARC remaining open after launching a game, thank you very much Dezstravus for your time and effort in answering this and all other questions.
Seems it will eventually be inevitable in the future for gaming companies to have Steam'like software for thier games. To quote a Ferengi:
Rule of Aquisition 74: Knowledge equals Profit.
For ARC to remain open, there is likely some statistics been collected somewhere, be it local or at the servers. Yes, one can opt in or opt out. Why does it still need to be on when I opt out is what I do not understand. Perhaps it is tied to the way the game communicates with the server to reduce lag, perhaps not. I am not a computer expert. I do not object to this as it allows you to improve some players', new ones in particular, gaming experience.
But to be fair, an option to close it would be very much appreciated. I dred the day when I have to launch more than 2 different softwares to play my games as it is now. Steam->Ubisoft->Game...you get my point. Perhaps this provides a layer of security for my digital items, perhaps not. Or it reduces running of bots and cheatware, I certainly do not know.
I really hope somewhere along the line that your design team do reconsider adding such an option but this is merely wishful thinking. But of course, you would expect me to accept it eventually if I want to continue playing my games. Again, I quote:
Rule of Aquisition No1: Once you have their money, you never give it back.
All those digital assets like Starbase Investments mean nothing to me. When it is time to let it go, I have the willpower to do so. I am very much content that I have paid for my personal enjoyment. You might be wondering why on earth will a software left running in the background would cause problems for some people.
To me it is about privacy. It is not the resources it consumes on my system. If I opt out to the collection of improvement statistics, the software should close itself and leave the game to run after I have updated the game, read through the patch notes, quickly read through the news to see if anything intrests me, then launch the game.
Then again, you might ask, why should I object to improving your services so that it benefits me. Well, I do not use all your services. I play specific games which have bug reporting systems built in within the game. Outside the game, there is really nothing important I need improving. Then and therefor, I believe I am entitled to the option.
Currently, the initial goal we are tackling is getting all our websites into a single, unified infrastructure, and surfacing the website news through the new Arc client.
During the forum migration last year, many players lost their forum handles. I hope your website integration doesn't cause the same thing to happen again. Since we all post using PWE accounts now, I doubt it will happen again, but I'm mentioning it just in case.
To clarify, Arc is currently being designed with the intended user experience of remaining open after a game client is launched. Arc is meant to stay open in the background after a program is launched.
However, performance is incredibly important, and we are definitely taking into account the diversity of our players' hardware specs. With that in mind, we're specifically designing the application to use minimal system resources when running alongside the game application.
With this in mind, reports from players regarding whether or not this goal is achieved are very important. If Arc is genuinely slowing performance, consuming system resources, or impacting your game's framerate, then we definitely want to know about that. In situations like that, we'll be very interested in collecting detailed information from players (CPU usage, RAM usage, HDD accessing, etc) so that we can address the potential issues.
In conclusion, our strategy to ensure proper performance on all machines is not to design Arc with the intention of being closed after a game is launched, rather, to make it so lightweight that there is no need to close it in the first place.
I also think you should add the option to close Arc after the game launches. I think most players are fine with a unified launcher and patcher for all PWE games, but many of us have no intention of using Arc to browse the PWE website; we like using our own web browsers.
Even worse than Arc not closing after the game launches is if it didn't close after the game exits. I doubt most players would want Arc running in the background when they are not playing any PWE games.
woooottt wooooott Invader alert
Questions from Champions, since we don't rate a Dev thread about ARC and have a player one under general discussion.
I only play one game.
I have no interest in the other games. I certainly do not want to have ads for other games pop up when I launch the ONE game I play.
Can't even stand the other 2 Cryptic games, to each their own.
I have to social media usage.
I have no interest in surveys and special offers. The few that apply to champions I can find on the forums. Or will the forums be only available through this unwanted addition
Any news we get(when we actually get any) is usually in the front page of the game.
My computer is turned off when not in use and all programs closed. If this does not close, it will be removed.
If it is required to stay open while I play the game, it will be removed.
I have tried ARC, when I had to reinstall Champions after updating Windows.
I uninstalled it the next day and went back to running the launcher direct.
I have a cheap TRIBBLE computer, I do not have any programs running in the background if I can help it especially not one which doesn't do anything becasue they make the game run slower.
You are going to monitor performance to see how "Lean" it is. And if nobody opts in to giving performance data from their computer? then what?
So how come you're over here now instead of on the NW forums?
I only play one game.
I have no interest in the other games. I certainly do not want to have ads for other games pop up when I launch the ONE game I play.
Can't even stand the other 2 Cryptic games, to each their own.
Exactly what many of us are trying to say too. I bet that if such a survey was carried out, one would find that far more STO players come from a Old Republic, Star Wars Galaxies or BSG Online background rather than any other PWE games, and probably the same for CO players with DCUO and City of Heroes.
They need to understand that this "Perfect World game community" does not exist and does not need to be nurtured. As far as most of us are concerned, Perfect World are simply the people keeping this game financed.
With this in mind, reports from players regarding whether or not this goal is achieved are very important. If Arc is genuinely slowing performance, consuming system resources, or impacting your game's framerate, then we definitely want to know about that. In situations like that, we'll be very interested in collecting detailed information from players (CPU usage, RAM usage, HDD accessing, etc) so that we can address the potential issues.
To be brutally honest, I ONLY play STO, I have ZERO interest in playing anything else... I have a decent system and I found ARC to be a memory hog, as well as creating a negative gaming experience for myself. To that end I sought out the old launcher and now use that...
I've Also encountered where it was said that ARC would NOT be mandatory... Why the deception?
They have said "There are no plans to make ARC mandatory at this time".
I don't have to translate that for you, right?
It means it was only a matter of time.
There's not enough sugar on the planet to convince me that I should install this. They could give me everything in the C-$tore for free on every character for life, and I still wouldn't want ARC.
Well, I suppose if they give all of us computers capable of handling ARC that I can keep totally separate from the rig I paid good money for, I might go for it...
I'm giving you a peace feeler, here, PWE execs!
(Back in the real world: Let's see if they go for it. Their management skills seem to be somewhat lacking... )
For what it's worth, I find it significant that we've been told that we will be still able to "download and patch" STO via Steam... but nothing about playing it.
Combined with the IMO clear overall intent of this move, I suspect that if someone wants to actually launch and play the game, they will have to use Arc, and keep it on while playing - Steam users included.
"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!
Arc is really a bad idea, at least for STO and STO players.
Lots of players, myself included, only play one game from PWE, this game.
So I dont need any news, thx but i'll search them myself.
I dont need any game updates, thx again but i'll found them myself.
I dont need a program to reserve me HDD space for future PWE games, thx but i'll manage my own disk space.
I dont need Arc to tell me i cant download thru torrents if thats my favorite or even my only posible method.
And so on....
At least, if this will be forced upon us, make a core version of it, with just the functionality to launch STO and thats it!
Thinking about it, what will Arc do to fleets? I've seen a lot about individual users but STO has become more and more fleet based where some are dependent on other players . Fleet progression has already taken it's toll on some fleets and some have disbanded forcing players to join other fleets. Arc may not directly impact STO and some players but if a significant part of your fleet decides to call it quits and your fleet goes under then that will affect you leaving you finding another fleet from the bottom rung which for most will be a step back or maybe deciding not to go through that again and quit too.
This could happen anytime but Arc could serve as a catalyst for some that could affect others indirectly.
Hey elessym,
Our design goals are to make it so that Arc is empowered to download and patch all Perfect World games without the use of additional launchers, and to make it so that Steam users can download and patch our games without the need to download and install the full Arc platform. The specifics regarding how exactly this can be achieved are still in the brainstorming phase.
I guess that then depends on what steam users get that the full Arc doesn't. Would we still get the Booster software or just the means to launch STO and no mining?
ARC is a medical miracle! It's the cure for STO addiction.
"If you can't take a little bloody nose, maybe you ought to go back home and crawl under your bed. It's not safe out here. It's wondrous, with treasures to satiate desires both subtle and gross. But it's not for the timid." Q Join the 44th Fleet. [FED and KDF] Apply Online: startrek.44thfleet.com
Ok, so force us to use the Arc to patch and launch Star Trek Online then, if you're so desperate to implement it. And to have those seconds of advertising other PWE games to us. But I think, as others have pointed out, that most STO players won't be interested in any of the other PWE games.
They will rather look for other sci-fi games and not some average fantasy game to play.
Also I think that if you go through with this as you have described and keep Arc as a background running process "crapware, bloatware, data mining tool" while the game is running, you're gonna find that more players leave than what you had accounted for. And that complaints against Perfect World Entertainment will be filed to appropriate authorities. This Arc "platform" will only cause you unnecessary expenses and man hours.
I agree with what many others have posted here, that we don't need nor want another process being run while playing. Simple math suggests 1 more process = more computer resources being used.. We are only interested in playing Star Trek Online and use what tools there are already in-game and nothing else. And if you (PWE) are so ignorant to not listen to us now, all I can say is good luck.
I have tried ARC, and I uninstalled it due to multiple problems and concerns on how it was preforming and what it was up to and how it played around with my system.
I will continue to play with the launcher for as long as the PWE system allows me to do so or if PWE gives us a ARC free launcher. I doubt it, as it would most likely be tapped into ARC, one way or another.
On the day ARC becomes mandatory, I will move on and away from PWE games without a fuss or rant.
Atari got my $300, not PWE. Nor have I spent a single cent on PWE. So PWE lose out either way. I got my money back from Dilith mining and stipend's. That's how I got my Excelsior.
As much as it pains me to leave my Gorn, Caitan and Excelsior, I will do so with a heavy heart.
There are those who will use and even dare say embrace ARC, but I won't be one of them. I have stuck around due to the Trek, but even that can't keep me here when ARC comes.
The main thing is that everyone has the freedom of choice, to stay and use ARC or to leave and find somewhere else.
You could try installing the Steam version. That supposedly works 100% independently from Arc, which is allowing me to take an alternative approach.
Infinite possibilities have implications that could not be completely understood if you turned this entire universe into a giant supercomputer.
well as the player that plays this game on the worst pc ever i dislike the idea of arc i was FORCED TO INSTALL IT when i downloaded the game ever since then i use the normal luncher i dont want that thing i dont like it it is heavy, pointless and useless end of story !
Do the same people think STEAM is just as bad despite being the premier digital distribution platform?
This user does. When it ends up that a game is a Steam, Origins, BattleNet, etal (Arc) exclusive the distributors have instantly lost my business. I have games given to me as gifts and, not reading the system requirements before hand, have aborted the install when asked for my Steam account information.
This user does. When it ends up that a game is a Steam, Origins, BattleNet, etal (Arc) exclusive the distributors have instantly lost my business. I have games given to me as gifts and, not reading the system requirements before hand, have aborted the install when asked for my Steam account information.
Well, the fact remains that Steam is becoming more and more important for those who don't want to throw them away like that. :P
Infinite possibilities have implications that could not be completely understood if you turned this entire universe into a giant supercomputer.
Well, the fact remains that Steam is becoming more and more important for those who don't want to throw them away like that. :P
No disagreement with you there. IDIC. A question was asked and I answered according to my personal feelings. I have resigned myself to missing out on a lot of potentially good games, but if distributors want to alienate users like myself that's their choice.
I can't help thinkin' that all lifers whom are unhappy about ARC and other degredations of the service you subcribed to, should be seeking legal counsel... possible class action suit in this to get reimbursed for failure to maintain status Quo in a lifetime contract...
As my dear departed Momma used to say,"Folks only get away with what you LET them get away with"...
For me it is simple; 1) economics and 2) physics... 1) I am retired on a limited budget and my 5 yr old comp has enough problems with game, so... I won't be ABLE to play anymore once this change is enacted... and 2) My computer can't handle a program additional to STO running on it...it already has trouble if I run Ventrillo or TS3...constant screen freeze ups when in PvP or PvE with too much spam and weap fire on screen...
I hope the powers that be don't just use this as a way to lose a bunch of current players to make room for new players and THEIR subscriptions...!! LOL
Then again, over the last couple days, 2x I have been DC'd and had super slow loading causing,"Timed out connecting to server" repeatedly...last nite I spent 2 hrs trying to get back on before maintenence shutdown... For all I now, this is a result of this ARC integration and I may NEVER get back into the game and may have to use some STO friends I communicate with in RL E-mails to tell my hundreds of in game friends that I have been forced out and must move on...
I REALLY hope you folks listen to the community and rethink this idea... I have stuck up for and praised you folks for all yer hard work on this game while in game, ALOT...!! I have the greatest respect for what you are doing but hafta say... GOOD BUSINESS is about keeping the customer HAPPY... not feeling stressed, pressured and spied on...
Have a GREAT day Everyone...!! Live long and prosper...!!
Our design goals are to make it so that Arc is empowered to download and patch all Perfect World games without the use of additional launchers, and to make it so that Steam users can download and patch our games without the need to download and install the full Arc platform. The specifics regarding how exactly this can be achieved are still in the brainstorming phase.
Hmm, now you got me a bit worried again. Not 'the full Arc platform,' does that mean PWE will 'break' the (superior) STEAM way of applying patches, and have STEAM users download/install patches now via some redirected (local, minimal) Arc client?!
Honestly, I wish you'd just let the STEAM deal continue 'as is.'
Hmm, now you got me a bit worried again. Not 'the full Arc platform,' does that mean PWE will 'break' the (superior) STEAM way of applying patches, and have STEAM users download/install patches now via some redirected (local, minimal) Arc client?!
Honestly, I wish you'd just let the STEAM deal continue 'as is.'
Unless you have been running some kind of computer sorcery, Steam doesn't download or install patches to Cryptic games, allowing patches to be handled by the launcher. Changing from the current Cryptic launcher to an "ARC-lite" launcher will change basically nothing in that regard.
Someone remind me why everyone hates ARC again...? I don't use it (I installed via Steam and just run STO's launcher via shortcut directly from my desktop... and I rarely play Neverwinter.) but so far I see no issue with it.
Hmm, now you got me a bit worried again. Not 'the full Arc platform,' does that mean PWE will 'break' the (superior) STEAM way of applying patches, and have STEAM users download/install patches now via some redirected (local, minimal) Arc client?!
Honestly, I wish you'd just let the STEAM deal continue 'as is.'
As much as my "doom and gloom sensors" are blaring "skeptical", this statement gives me a modicum of hope...
Since Steam uses the Cryptic launcher for patching right now anyway, there's not a ton of difference between a steam-users patch and my straight-to-launcher patch...
However, since there will be a "launcher subroutine" built into ARC, and the rest of ARC's "for the player" features are repeats of Steam's, then making a separate "launcher only" App that steam-users call for the patch (open, patch, get game going, leave rest to Steam) is the most logical way to go during this conversion...
The "brainstormers" are probably hung up on a way to make sure that this "mini-launcher" only works for Steam users and can't be "TRIBBLE" and used by anyone else. Seems PWE is dead-set on the data mining (that steam probably lets them see from STO but not us launcher-only people) because the quickest way to "silence our whining" would be to offer this "new launcher" to all us STO peeps that are requesting just this...
Detecting big-time "anti-old-school" bias here. NX? Lobi. TOS/TMP Connie? Super-promotion-box. (aka the two hardest ways to get ships) Excelsior & all 3 TNG "big hero" ships? C-Store. Please Equalize...
To rob a line: [quote: Mariemaia Kushrenada] Forum Posting is much like an endless waltz. The three beats of war, peace and revolution continue on forever. However, opinions will change upon the reading of my post.[/quote]
Comments
Star Trek Online, Now with out the Trek....
Vice Admiral Volmack ISS Thundermole
Brigadier General Jokag IKS Gorkan
Centurion Kares RRW Tomalak
[SIGPIC][/SIGPIC]
Seems it will eventually be inevitable in the future for gaming companies to have Steam'like software for thier games. To quote a Ferengi:
Rule of Aquisition 74: Knowledge equals Profit.
For ARC to remain open, there is likely some statistics been collected somewhere, be it local or at the servers. Yes, one can opt in or opt out. Why does it still need to be on when I opt out is what I do not understand. Perhaps it is tied to the way the game communicates with the server to reduce lag, perhaps not. I am not a computer expert. I do not object to this as it allows you to improve some players', new ones in particular, gaming experience.
But to be fair, an option to close it would be very much appreciated. I dred the day when I have to launch more than 2 different softwares to play my games as it is now. Steam->Ubisoft->Game...you get my point. Perhaps this provides a layer of security for my digital items, perhaps not. Or it reduces running of bots and cheatware, I certainly do not know.
I really hope somewhere along the line that your design team do reconsider adding such an option but this is merely wishful thinking. But of course, you would expect me to accept it eventually if I want to continue playing my games. Again, I quote:
Rule of Aquisition No1: Once you have their money, you never give it back.
All those digital assets like Starbase Investments mean nothing to me. When it is time to let it go, I have the willpower to do so. I am very much content that I have paid for my personal enjoyment. You might be wondering why on earth will a software left running in the background would cause problems for some people.
To me it is about privacy. It is not the resources it consumes on my system. If I opt out to the collection of improvement statistics, the software should close itself and leave the game to run after I have updated the game, read through the patch notes, quickly read through the news to see if anything intrests me, then launch the game.
Then again, you might ask, why should I object to improving your services so that it benefits me. Well, I do not use all your services. I play specific games which have bug reporting systems built in within the game. Outside the game, there is really nothing important I need improving. Then and therefor, I believe I am entitled to the option.
Thank you.
During the forum migration last year, many players lost their forum handles. I hope your website integration doesn't cause the same thing to happen again. Since we all post using PWE accounts now, I doubt it will happen again, but I'm mentioning it just in case.
I also think you should add the option to close Arc after the game launches. I think most players are fine with a unified launcher and patcher for all PWE games, but many of us have no intention of using Arc to browse the PWE website; we like using our own web browsers.
Even worse than Arc not closing after the game launches is if it didn't close after the game exits. I doubt most players would want Arc running in the background when they are not playing any PWE games.
When any game "STO" is running, you cannot close Arc.
Join Date: Tuesday, February 2, 2010
Questions from Champions, since we don't rate a Dev thread about ARC and have a player one under general discussion.
I only play one game.
I have no interest in the other games. I certainly do not want to have ads for other games pop up when I launch the ONE game I play.
Can't even stand the other 2 Cryptic games, to each their own.
I have to social media usage.
I have no interest in surveys and special offers. The few that apply to champions I can find on the forums. Or will the forums be only available through this unwanted addition
Any news we get(when we actually get any) is usually in the front page of the game.
My computer is turned off when not in use and all programs closed. If this does not close, it will be removed.
If it is required to stay open while I play the game, it will be removed.
I have tried ARC, when I had to reinstall Champions after updating Windows.
I uninstalled it the next day and went back to running the launcher direct.
I have a cheap TRIBBLE computer, I do not have any programs running in the background if I can help it especially not one which doesn't do anything becasue they make the game run slower.
You are going to monitor performance to see how "Lean" it is. And if nobody opts in to giving performance data from their computer? then what?
So how come you're over here now instead of on the NW forums?
Get the Forums Enhancement Extension!
Exactly what many of us are trying to say too. I bet that if such a survey was carried out, one would find that far more STO players come from a Old Republic, Star Wars Galaxies or BSG Online background rather than any other PWE games, and probably the same for CO players with DCUO and City of Heroes.
They need to understand that this "Perfect World game community" does not exist and does not need to be nurtured. As far as most of us are concerned, Perfect World are simply the people keeping this game financed.
To be brutally honest, I ONLY play STO, I have ZERO interest in playing anything else... I have a decent system and I found ARC to be a memory hog, as well as creating a negative gaming experience for myself. To that end I sought out the old launcher and now use that...
I've Also encountered where it was said that ARC would NOT be mandatory... Why the deception?
I don't have to translate that for you, right?
It means it was only a matter of time.
Well, I suppose if they give all of us computers capable of handling ARC that I can keep totally separate from the rig I paid good money for, I might go for it...
I'm giving you a peace feeler, here, PWE execs!
(Back in the real world: Let's see if they go for it. Their management skills seem to be somewhat lacking...
http://sto-forum.perfectworld.com/showthread.php?t=897361
http://sto-forum.perfectworld.com/showthread.php?t=897371
Visit my youtube channel http://www.youtube.com/user/Akurie369?feature=watch
Captain Bi Shonen's official Thread! http://sto-forum.perfectworld.com/showthread.php?p=22866531#post22866531
Combined with the IMO clear overall intent of this move, I suspect that if someone wants to actually launch and play the game, they will have to use Arc, and keep it on while playing - Steam users included.
Hhmmm...
Plus http://co-forum.perfectworld.com/showthread.php?t=230611&highlight=installer
or http://co-forum.perfectworld.com/showthread.php?t=225321&highlight=installer
Lots of players, myself included, only play one game from PWE, this game.
So I dont need any news, thx but i'll search them myself.
I dont need any game updates, thx again but i'll found them myself.
I dont need a program to reserve me HDD space for future PWE games, thx but i'll manage my own disk space.
I dont need Arc to tell me i cant download thru torrents if thats my favorite or even my only posible method.
And so on....
At least, if this will be forced upon us, make a core version of it, with just the functionality to launch STO and thats it!
This could happen anytime but Arc could serve as a catalyst for some that could affect others indirectly.
I have no problems with Arc, then.
Well we shall see.
Join the 44th Fleet. [FED and KDF] Apply Online: startrek.44thfleet.com
Ok, so force us to use the Arc to patch and launch Star Trek Online then, if you're so desperate to implement it. And to have those seconds of advertising other PWE games to us. But I think, as others have pointed out, that most STO players won't be interested in any of the other PWE games.
They will rather look for other sci-fi games and not some average fantasy game to play.
Also I think that if you go through with this as you have described and keep Arc as a background running process "crapware, bloatware, data mining tool" while the game is running, you're gonna find that more players leave than what you had accounted for. And that complaints against Perfect World Entertainment will be filed to appropriate authorities. This Arc "platform" will only cause you unnecessary expenses and man hours.
I agree with what many others have posted here, that we don't need nor want another process being run while playing. Simple math suggests 1 more process = more computer resources being used.. We are only interested in playing Star Trek Online and use what tools there are already in-game and nothing else. And if you (PWE) are so ignorant to not listen to us now, all I can say is good luck.
Sincerely
You could try installing the Steam version. That supposedly works 100% independently from Arc, which is allowing me to take an alternative approach.
Infinite possibilities have implications that could not be completely understood if you turned this entire universe into a giant supercomputer.
end of story !
TL;DR : ARC is heavy, pointless and useless
[SIGPIC][/SIGPIC]
This user does. When it ends up that a game is a Steam, Origins, BattleNet, etal (Arc) exclusive the distributors have instantly lost my business. I have games given to me as gifts and, not reading the system requirements before hand, have aborted the install when asked for my Steam account information.
Well, the fact remains that Steam is becoming more and more important for those who don't want to throw them away like that. :P
Infinite possibilities have implications that could not be completely understood if you turned this entire universe into a giant supercomputer.
No disagreement with you there. IDIC. A question was asked and I answered according to my personal feelings. I have resigned myself to missing out on a lot of potentially good games, but if distributors want to alienate users like myself that's their choice.
As my dear departed Momma used to say,"Folks only get away with what you LET them get away with"...
For me it is simple; 1) economics and 2) physics... 1) I am retired on a limited budget and my 5 yr old comp has enough problems with game, so... I won't be ABLE to play anymore once this change is enacted... and 2) My computer can't handle a program additional to STO running on it...it already has trouble if I run Ventrillo or TS3...constant screen freeze ups when in PvP or PvE with too much spam and weap fire on screen...
I hope the powers that be don't just use this as a way to lose a bunch of current players to make room for new players and THEIR subscriptions...!! LOL
Then again, over the last couple days, 2x I have been DC'd and had super slow loading causing,"Timed out connecting to server" repeatedly...last nite I spent 2 hrs trying to get back on before maintenence shutdown... For all I now, this is a result of this ARC integration and I may NEVER get back into the game and may have to use some STO friends I communicate with in RL E-mails to tell my hundreds of in game friends that I have been forced out and must move on...
I REALLY hope you folks listen to the community and rethink this idea... I have stuck up for and praised you folks for all yer hard work on this game while in game, ALOT...!! I have the greatest respect for what you are doing but hafta say... GOOD BUSINESS is about keeping the customer HAPPY... not feeling stressed, pressured and spied on...
Have a GREAT day Everyone...!! Live long and prosper...!!
Hmm, now you got me a bit worried again. Not 'the full Arc platform,' does that mean PWE will 'break' the (superior) STEAM way of applying patches, and have STEAM users download/install patches now via some redirected (local, minimal) Arc client?!
Honestly, I wish you'd just let the STEAM deal continue 'as is.'
Unless you have been running some kind of computer sorcery, Steam doesn't download or install patches to Cryptic games, allowing patches to be handled by the launcher. Changing from the current Cryptic launcher to an "ARC-lite" launcher will change basically nothing in that regard.
As much as my "doom and gloom sensors" are blaring "skeptical", this statement gives me a modicum of hope...
Since Steam uses the Cryptic launcher for patching right now anyway, there's not a ton of difference between a steam-users patch and my straight-to-launcher patch...
However, since there will be a "launcher subroutine" built into ARC, and the rest of ARC's "for the player" features are repeats of Steam's, then making a separate "launcher only" App that steam-users call for the patch (open, patch, get game going, leave rest to Steam) is the most logical way to go during this conversion...
The "brainstormers" are probably hung up on a way to make sure that this "mini-launcher" only works for Steam users and can't be "TRIBBLE" and used by anyone else. Seems PWE is dead-set on the data mining (that steam probably lets them see from STO but not us launcher-only people) because the quickest way to "silence our whining" would be to offer this "new launcher" to all us STO peeps that are requesting just this...
To rob a line: [quote: Mariemaia Kushrenada] Forum Posting is much like an endless waltz. The three beats of war, peace and revolution continue on forever. However, opinions will change upon the reading of my post.[/quote]