Feedback: NCsoft Launcher

My CoH install was originally a US installation that was later migrated to the EU servers. As a result, it appears that the NCsoft Launcher gives me...



I want to remove the US version listing (in red) and the only option to do so is "Uninstall". Would this wipe out needed files for my EU installation as well?

You can right click on each one (or click on the down arrow) and get to the Properties page and compare the "Install Location". If they are installed to the same location, then yes, uninstalling the US version will 'wipe out needed files' for your EU installation. If they are installed to different locations (most likely), then it would be safe to uninstall your US version.

I have been using the NCsoft Launcher for over a year, maybe even two. At the time Mark was determined to install the Test Server, and came across the launcher in his efforts. He liked it so much, he installed it on my computer.

I have never had a problem with it.

Lisa.

Subjective feedback: The NCSoft launcher is bulkier and slightly less convenient than cohupdater.

Cohupdater consists of 2 files (an exe and a DLL) which can simply be copied to a new machine and run. It's been ages since I've "installed" city of heroes, I just copy the piggs and the updater to a new computer and let it fix up the rest.

The NCSoft launcher consists of 62 files spread out among 19 directories, and depends on the .NET framework being installed (less of an issue on Win7, but can be with XP machines). By default it wants to be "installed" rather than simply copied. Its default install directory lives outside of the CoH directory, so it won't be copied along with the game installation.

After playing around with it some, it doesn't appear to depend on any particular registry keys too much, and can probably be forklifted to a different computer, probably even to within the CoH install dir. That makes it a little more palatable, but it's still annoying -- see my bug report about it complaining about admin rights every time it's run.

I normally don't run the updater anyway (I have some scripts that synchronize my costumes / powercust / keybinds across computers, and they need to be able to reliably detect when the game exits), only running it when I need it to install an update. In that regard the NCSoft launcher really isn't any worse, as I'll just be bypassing it most of the time anyway.

I can see myself getting used to the NCsoft Launcher. But postponing the Beta Event to the night of the launchday for this seems REALLY dumb to me.

I had CoHBeta trying to install the last time Beta was opened for the i20 test event and it didn't finish installing in time. Then it did install. Now I'm using the new launcher and it won't work with the beta(it's listed but Play Now did nothing. I put a thread in Player Help that got ignored before finding this). I thought I'd try deleting the CoHBeta directory and redo'ing it from the launcher with fresh file downloads.....but low and behold the launcher won't accept my -beta flag from any of my desktop shortcuts to rebuild it....so I'm probably going to miss the testing again .

Edit: Just thought to try adding -beta to the "advanced command" thing in the NC Launcher...it booted my default City Of Heroes install then gave me "Error Parsing beta1" and crashed >.<

10 50's To Date! Check out Titan Sentinel; it got my CoH presence synced online

If you're using NCsoft Launcher to get into City Of Heroes Beta, you do not need the -beta flag. You are trying to launch the "CITY OF HEROES BETA" game entry in the Launcher?

yes. But clicking "Play Now" after selecting Beta only did the "checking for updates" popup starting process the new launcher does, then the popup goes away, and the cityofheroes.exe process was never started(Adding -beta to my CoH in the Launcher was only an attempt to re-install beta since I deleted it).

But I deleted the CohBeta directory so beta no longer appeared in the launcher at all and I couldn't figure out how to re-install it.

Then I copied my test directory and renamed it CoHBeta and the Launcher had beta again, but it said it found errors (of course, it was test not beta's files) and is fixing them. It's been fixing for 40 minutes and only at 21%. It might work when it's done, but by then it won't matter anyway.
(The Beta event started a halfhour ago and I don't have i20 beta access otherwise(kinda a shame though because when I login to the test server/test new content at these DevMeetingBetaEvents I actually pay attention and report bugs not just go "oooo look at me I can play the new TF first" lol))

10 50's To Date! Check out Titan Sentinel; it got my CoH presence synced online

Okay. Here's my feedback.

It's crap.

That whole .NET base requirement? Kills Linux compatibility.

Maybe I haven't been loud enough to get the point across.

There's better ways to tick your players off than forcing crap software on them.

.NET IS CRAP SOFTWARE.

Somebody in Paragon Studios needs to get up the guts to turn and tell NCSoft HELL NO to using .NET.

Do the launcher in QT/Webkit.

It will be more flexible.

It will be platform-neutral.

It won't knock out existing players.

You can turn around official OSX compatibility without having to jump through more hoops than a Circus Lion.

More Feedback:

I already hate the new placement of the EULA. Before accepting it before each playsession was a matter of a doubleclick. Wedging it between login and the server selection AND making it non "enterkey-able" is awkward and annoying to accept each launch.

Not directly related to the launcher, but the EULA was moved because the old launcher is (very unfortunately) said to be going obsolete.

10 50's To Date! Check out Titan Sentinel; it got my CoH presence synced online

Is there a way to change the game language without changing it "globally"? (i.e. without changing it in the NC Launcher options).

Because I'm a french player, so when I play on the live server (Vigilance), I most of the time use the french language. But when I play on the test server, I always play with the game in english, because 90% of the time, patch on the test server aren't translated in french, so it's basically impossible to play. I have the same problem when I want to go play on Union.

With the NCSoft Launcher, I have to change the option everytime I switch live/test, and restart the Launcher. It's way more complex that it was in the previous launcher, where we just had to click on one button to change it, while launching the game.

So, is there a parameter to add to the command line, like "language=FR", that could "force" the game to start in a specified language? That would be very useful.

Oh, and by the way, when you change parameters, and you click on "Restart now", it doesn't restart the program, you have to do it manually...

Subjective Feedback: The icon sucks.

Objective feedback: none to give, since I can't get the new installer to run under Linux. This is a change that literally prevents me from every playing this game again.

Subjective feedback? I can string together some pointy-sounding epithets, but I think that "prevents me from ever playing" about sums up how overjoyed I am with this change. Please consider allowing us to continue to use the old launcher.

Objective Feedback: Unless I missed it, it needs to be made clear, that, the launcher can be closed when the game is launched so it is not running in the background. Opening links based on browser preference is a sound decision.

Subjective Feedback: I like the use of greys and blacks for the launcher making any images put on the splasher far more vibrant. I also like the list of games subscribed too, as it makes it easier to keep track of NCSOFT games you are playing.

I would think it needs to be made clear that most of the players (I.E. PAYING CUSTOMERS) do not want this "Launcher".

It seems the biggest consolation is that the program has an option to shut itself down after being run. I suppose it's nice that the program that doesn't need to run in the first place can shut itself off after performing a function that isn't required.

Personally, I have been running CoH very happily without extra crapware for more than 7 years. NCSoft seems to think that I'll have some interest in their other MMORPG's. I can assure them that I do not nor will I. Although BS like this is certainly an encouragement to take my business elsewhere.

But in keeping with silly things, I'm going to go download a menu program and bury my shortcut to Word in it. That way I have to run a menu program, dig down to Word to click it rather than just double-clicking a single Word icon. This makes SO much more sense.....

(This is a classic example of why you never want programmers and marketing people "thinking" together.)

I use STEAM, and use a MAC. I am having trouble trying to figure this open beta stuff out. I would like to use the Ncsoft launcher but i cant seem to find a way to use it? Can someone help me with all this crazy stuff! Can someone also tell me when i20.5 comes out on live servers?