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New dev blog: The Eve Online Launcher: T-minus not that much

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CCP Cascade
#141 - 2012-03-13 00:22:37 UTC
Oxigun wrote:

1) This Launcher, will it be associated with one client or will it be a standalone application that just points to one of my many Eve directories? Or will I end up with as many Launchers and i have eve clients?


You will have one Launcher for each client install. When you start your client, the Launcher for that client will start up. There are multiple settings that you can play around with to make it work in the best way possible for you. I would advice you to use junctions instead of installing the client multiple times.

Oxigun wrote:

2) If I want to patch a second install, after the first one has been patched, how do I do that with the Launcher?


0. Patch available and you want to patch your 4 clients
1. Start client #1 and let it patch your client - Wait for it to say "client ready" and light up the play button
2. Open settings for the Launcher
3. Go to the Patches tab
4. Click Export
5. Choose a location to export to, but try the default unless you have a reason not to.
6. Close your Launcher
7. Start client #2, #3, #4 - The Launcher for those will open
8. Open settings for each launcher
9. Go to the Patches tab for each Launcher
10. Click Import
11. Import the file you just exported
12. Let it patch
13. Done.

Oxigun wrote:

3) If something goes wrong, can I still copy/paste an entire EVE folder and simply run that client with new settings?


Yes.


Oxigun wrote:

4) For Launcher 2.0, could you please work on a supported multibox solution? It would be great if I could specify my client preferences (e.g. [windowed 1024x768, all graphics to low] or [full screen 2560x1600, full detail]) and select the account I want launched. If the Launcher stays open, great, rinse, repeat...


This is something people have been requesting. It might demand a bit of work but it is a much better way for us to support some kind of template system in the Launcher, where you can create and save launch templates (graphic settings, screen location etc) and launch those, than it is to support all kinds of ways people can come up with running multiple clients.


Oxigun wrote:

Oh, and one more thing: Please do not hide behind your little "unsupported" finger. I have received more "the power of two" ads from CCP than I have fingers (and toes). If you really don't want me to quintuple-box, just let me know and I'll change some of my subscriptions....


We are not hiding behind it and I am sorry if it came across that way. I was trying to make you understand our perspective and what issues we are faced with when making changes, the reasoning behind our approach and what our intent is for the future.

Associate Technical Producer - Core Technology Group
Oxigun
Halliburton Heavy Industries
#142 - 2012-03-13 01:18:30 UTC
Thank you! I appreciate the detailed response.

GL with the patch and I look forward to more improvements in the future.
Celeritas 5k
Connoisseurs of Candid Coitus
#143 - 2012-03-13 03:16:53 UTC
I haven't read more than a few pages of the thread so sorry if this has been beaten to death, but the launcher looks like a fantastic opportunity to add support for multiboxing-- profiles for different monitors with different resolutions tied either to account, selectable on startup, or best of all selectable on the fly by hotkey or easily accessible menu (Say I'm running a mission on my bear, then a fleet forms up and hey look, troupe of squids need killin', better swap my fw/evil pirate over to the spotlight!). The ability to switch between these configurations freely without having to use an ultramon key command and a resolution change in the settings menu would be amazing.
Bruce Blacky
Blacky Invention Research Development YinYang
#144 - 2012-03-13 10:23:57 UTC
sounds great.

i just hope it will also run with Linux/ Wine

keeping my fingers crossed.

Bruce
CCP Donut Golem
C C P
C C P Alliance
#145 - 2012-03-13 11:05:44 UTC
Celeritas 5k wrote:
I haven't read more than a few pages of the thread so sorry if this has been beaten to death, but the launcher looks like a fantastic opportunity to add support for multiboxing-- profiles for different monitors with different resolutions tied either to account, selectable on startup, or best of all selectable on the fly by hotkey or easily accessible menu (Say I'm running a mission on my bear, then a fleet forms up and hey look, troupe of squids need killin', better swap my fw/evil pirate over to the spotlight!). The ability to switch between these configurations freely without having to use an ultramon key command and a resolution change in the settings menu would be amazing.


Thanks for the ideas.
Fara'a
Kingsparrow Wormhole Division
Birds of Prey.
#146 - 2012-03-13 12:05:13 UTC  |  Edited by: Fara'a
Client update was unsuccessful

now what?

ok, took a couple of restarts but got it working.

Hate it or love it, the underdog's on top, And I'm gonna shine until my heart stop.
DeODokktor
Dark Templars
The Fonz Presidium
#147 - 2012-03-13 13:21:52 UTC
Love the new launcher.
It says it patched my game, but when I click'd Launch the client asked me to install a patch.
*WIN*

I never thought CCP would figgure out how to add an extra click or mouse movement to everything, but your doing pretty good!...
From two clicks to login, to 3. Schwing!..

Look forward to future updates.
Dominiks HandelsHeldin
Hedion University
Amarr Empire
#148 - 2012-03-13 13:39:48 UTC
How do i update the launcher? I am currently stuck with 1 updated client with launcher version 1.04 and one client with launcher version 1.05. I can't access Settings in 1.04 to export the update to the other client :(
Bent Barrel
#149 - 2012-03-13 16:25:39 UTC  |  Edited by: Bent Barrel
why does the launcher automaticaly start to patch the client ? it did not ask me if I wanted to ... kinda goes contrary to the export/import patch theory ....

EDIT: had a look at the settings ... WHY THE HECK IS AUTOMATED PATCHING THE DEFAULT ????

EDIT2 :-))) Is there an option to just ask the launcher to download a specific patch ? Let's say I delete the patches after application but I happen to need to get one for a friend with a slow network ?

EDIT3: the new launcher is less than a half-arsed solution ...

1. client updates are not part of the launcher
2. the default setting is to patch automatically while the old client always asked if I want to
3. I CANNOT EXPORT PATCHES WITHOUT INTERNET CONNECTION !!!! Came home from work, wanted to export the 1.5 patch for my home computer, Launcher does not start without internet connect. I know, I know, I can connect the laptop to the net but I just want to export a bloody offline file to an USB stick !!!!

SUMMARY: less functionality than the old system.
Grey Stormshadow
Sebiestor Tribe
Minmatar Republic
#150 - 2012-03-13 19:13:29 UTC
Ok I expect to see function really soon which updates all my clients when I run single instance of the launcher.

Using current export patch / import patch is way too complex method to manually transfer the patches. This should be automatic process where launcher examines all the installed clients, downloads and applies the patches in one go and lets me choose which clients to launch simultaneously. Then it should shut down.

Get classic forum style - custom videos to captains quarters screen

Play with the best - die like the rest
Bent Barrel
#151 - 2012-03-13 20:51:39 UTC
Grey Stormshadow wrote:
Ok I expect to see function really soon which updates all my clients when I run single instance of the launcher.

Using current export patch / import patch is way too complex method to manually transfer the patches. This should be automatic process where launcher examines all the installed clients, downloads and applies the patches in one go and lets me choose which clients to launch simultaneously. Then it should shut down.


How do you get the Launcher to NOT start downloading a new patch automaticaly ??? There's no option to turn this off, so even if you do import patch, it is already dling one ...
Lolmer
Merciless Reckoning
#152 - 2012-03-13 23:34:57 UTC
Lolmer wrote:
CCP Atropos wrote:
Lolmer wrote:
Today when trying the new launcher I see a newly coloured screen (Crucible colours instead of blue), but when I click "Play" I get the Crucible logo, and then nothing, it just exits. This last worked when the launcher was first announced on this Dev Blog.

OS X 10.7.3 x86_64
MacBookPro6,2
nVidia GeForce GT 330M 256M

Out of interest, what version of the Launcher are you using? It should say in the top of the window when it starts.


Says "EVE Online Launcher v.1.0" at the top and doesn't try to patch (though the first time I launched it did some patching).


Tranquility release worked flawlessly and is at 1.04. The Singularity patcher finally updated to 1.04 (stayed at 1.0 with no new updates until the 1.5 release today) as well instead of being stuck at 1.0, but launches me into Tranquility rather than Singularity. So perhaps the Singularity Launcher got to 1.0 and switched over to Tranquility, which didn't have the new Launcher and had nothing to launch/update.

Neither of these updated to 1.05 and I just ran them before posting this.
Vigoth Ritic
Frozen Corpse Inc.
#153 - 2012-03-13 23:51:41 UTC
What ther hell do ccp do in the test patch?.. This is the worse launcher i have ever seen, its slow on response, slow to patch, OMG this is just as worse as the stupid CQ idea!
FIRE THE CEO, FIRE THE PROGRAMMERS!!!
Vexy NiLakum
Imperial Shipment
Amarr Empire
#154 - 2012-03-14 03:28:45 UTC
CCP Atropos wrote:
Vexy NiLakum wrote:
The following hasn't been addressed by the blogs yet, and I would be glad if CCP Dev could clarify the following points. Thank you.Big smile

My concern about the launcher is ability to run it when Windows UAC (User Account Control) are turned on to full protection mode. We all know that Eve Online game files are located in %program files (x86)%\CCP which is a protected location, and only accounts with admin token are allowed admin rights.

Therefore, for launcher to be able to patch game files, launcher would need to be elevated with admin consent and token. After the patching is done, and launcher patches the game, evefile.exe (the game itself) will start and inherit all properties of it's parent process including admin token.

This means that eve online client will be elevated and have full admin rights to the system. This is clearly not desired effect, as such security rights shouldn't be necessary to play the game.

This is of course, is the most likely scenario how the launcher normally work if developed without security in mind. Does CCP addressed this issue in any way? Such as, does evefile.exe disallow admin token to be attributed to it, or launcher insures that evefile.exe does not start with full admin rights.

Thank you for your time. Big smile


TL;DR; How does the new launcher accommodate some of us, who are conscience about windows security... or are we ignored?


We did take security into consideration, and liaised with the Security team here at the company. Precisely due to these issues, we're going to be changing the way that we suggest the user install EVE, to not be within a system managed folder, such as Program Files. It's not in the first release, but will come shortly after.


Thank you for your reply, I appreciate it.

After patching today, I noticed that launcher was trying to elevate itself and run with argument "lowerfolderpriv". Figuring out that it will lower security on the current client folders located inside program files, I have cancelled the elevation. I have then followed your advice, and move my eve client somewhere else, outside system protected forlders.

I am pleased that launcher does not need admin permissions and is smart enough to figure out when it needs to elevate (to correct permissions) or simply run with basic permissions. Big smile

Thank you for thinking about UAC and engineering solution that works with it. A lot of other companies and developers simple give up, or users run into too many issues, and end up disabling UAC all together.

Fly safe!! Bear
Scrapyard Bob
EVE University
Ivy League
#155 - 2012-03-14 04:00:29 UTC
Celeritas 5k wrote:
I haven't read more than a few pages of the thread so sorry if this has been beaten to death, but the launcher looks like a fantastic opportunity to add support for multiboxing-- profiles for different monitors with different resolutions tied either to account, selectable on startup, or best of all selectable on the fly by hotkey or easily accessible menu (Say I'm running a mission on my bear, then a fleet forms up and hey look, troupe of squids need killin', better swap my fw/evil pirate over to the spotlight!). The ability to switch between these configurations freely without having to use an ultramon key command and a resolution change in the settings menu would be amazing.


You can do that today by setting up junction points, and dedicate each junction point to a specific resolution and set of graphical settings. I run (3) junction points.

(1) 1600x900 with full graphical prettiness including the hangar/CQ
(1) 1400x900 with slightly less pretties for the 2nd account
(1) 1024x768 with everything turned off for the tertiary account(s)
Omega Flames
Caldari Provisions
Caldari State
#156 - 2012-03-14 12:06:27 UTC
CCP Cascade wrote:
Thanks for not shouting at me and being constructive!

That makes a lot of sense, now to figure out how to give you this functionality without actually having to duplicate all this redundant data. Hmmmm.

If anyone has any ideas or suggestion, post away!

It's very simple actually. just have 1 file where all the user changeable settings are stored in. Things like location of ingame windows, video settings, etc. Make your .exe be able to have an option pointing to a particular settings file. Something like ("C:\Program Files\CCP\EVE\eve.exe" -s settingsfile1.ini) would be the new pointer for a shorcut on the desktop/start menu. I don't use any program myself that opens windows to a certain monitor but that might do it.
Levaria
Incertae Sedis
#157 - 2012-03-15 15:19:18 UTC
Oh Lawdy.. The launcher is causing massive lag and stuttering for me when it starts patching... In addition the patching process has now become painfully slow with the new launcher. I was able to update eve literally within seconds and maybe a minute or two for the massive patches and expansions....Ive been stuck under 10% for over 7 minutes now...sigh....
Jumfat Kohlah
Dark Sacred Night
#158 - 2012-03-15 16:12:32 UTC
1) When will the launcher in its default state be able to launch both Sisi and TQ client installs?

Required answer: Date (expected) or ...we are never going to do it

2) When will you modify the install so that we can specify where we can have ALL Eve related files on custom drives

Required answer: Date (expected) or ...we are never going to do it

Thx
Xercodo
Cruor Angelicus
#159 - 2012-03-15 17:41:15 UTC
https://forums.eveonline.com/default.aspx?g=posts&m=334158#post334158

One of you devs supported it back in November, so i figured it was worth a repost in here...

The Drake is a Lie
Scatim Helicon
State War Academy
Caldari State
#160 - 2012-03-15 20:11:05 UTC
Levaria wrote:
Oh Lawdy.. The launcher is causing massive lag and stuttering for me when it starts patching... In addition the patching process has now become painfully slow with the new launcher. I was able to update eve literally within seconds and maybe a minute or two for the massive patches and expansions....Ive been stuck under 10% for over 7 minutes now...sigh....


Pretty much this. Races to 15%, and sits there doing nothing, disconnecting all my other internet applications while it does so.

Thanks a lot for this.

Every time you post a WiS thread, Hilmar strangles a kitten.