Upcoming Update of the Game Launcher

[SteveTheCynic]

3 minutes ago, mwccwelder said:

Why don't you guys just switch to steam. the game is free download it saves all your characters just save you ui files and you can transfer them over. Pluses steam still updates the game alot faster than the new launcher and it will automatically install it.

1. In my experience, Steam is actually slower than the new launcher at updating.  In ascending speed, its "Old Launcher", then Steam, then "New Launcher".
2. Steam doesn't *immediately* run the update, so it's possible, especially if you launch SWTOR from the Steam-installed desktop link, to end up with SWTOR (the launcher, that is) running and blocking Steam from running the update.  In that case, when you press Play, SWTOR bails out when it sees that the server is on a different version.
3. (No, I don't let Steam run just because I booted up the machine.  Why would I want to do that?)
4. To use the Steam version of SWTOR, you have to link your SWTOR and Steam accounts, and it's one SWTOR account per Steam account, so if you have multiple SWTOR accounts, that can be a problem.
5. "it saves all your characters" is misleading and/or confusing.  The key point is that it's the same account on whichever launcher, using the same servers, so your characters are available both ways.
6. Most importantly, some folks have problems on Steam as well.

[-Fabien-]

1 hour ago, mwccwelder said:

Why don't you guys just switch to steam. the game is free download it saves all your characters just save you ui files and you can transfer them over. Pluses steam still updates the game alot faster than the new launcher and it will automatically install it.

=> I'm developer, and a bug, is a bug and for me it's not acceptable, and here it's a critical bug because it avoids to play a paid game (as intel alder lake)

=> steam is workaround but not for all players, and definitely slower

1 hour ago, SteveTheCynic said:

No, that would be a symptom.  The second process doesn't start until some time (not sure how long) after you press "Play".

It's almost certain that something in the first process launches it at some point after you press Play.

In debug, i see that the 1st process is launch after play button, confirmed by tracing process on steam. So supposed the first launch the second, and here first stop before.

I tried to launch this 2nd process before press play button, but it's not better, 1st process is closed "normally" (on windows event view there is no error information, just "process termination")

I've to try with full trace on wine with linux if Bioware doesn't want to help us. We need only a PTS version with trace on swtor process

[ZUHFB]

1 hour ago, -Fabien- said:

=> I'm developer, and a bug, is a bug and for me it's not acceptable, and here it's a critical bug because it avoids to play a paid game (as intel alder lake)

if anything it's a typo, and even if it ain't - fixing it for the 3 people that still use W7 is quite simply not worth the time. You as a player should also NOT want this to be fixed because as you said, we are paying for this game and I do not want to see my money spend on time fixing this, instead of creating content. 

If you want it to be fixed the text will go from W7 or higher to W8 or higher and bam, problem solved. Apparently. 

Edited November 6, 2022 by ZUHFB

[SAM_KOTOR]

5 minutes ago, ZUHFB said:

... fixing it for the 3 people that still use W7 is quite simply not worth the time... 
... and I do not want to see my money spend on time fixing this, instead of creating content ...

I'm on W10 and can't run the game since launcher was updated, so until it fixed, I have no interest in a new content 
PS Like I said before - now we start fighting each other over what OS we use...

[ZUHFB]

1 minute ago, SAM_KOTOR said:

I'm on W10 and can't run the game since launcher was updated, so until it fixed, I have no interest in a new content 
PS Like I said before - now we start fighting each other over what OS we use...

Yeah that's definitely an issue and they should work on that. Never said they shouldn't

[Szob]

15 hours ago, SAM_KOTOR said:

PS Like I said before - now we start fighting each other over what OS we use...

Exactly. OS version is irrelevant since similar errors are reported by users across the different OS platforms. The Steam error I got on Win7 was reported by Win10 users. So, it is basically the same bug effecting different Windows versions and it should be resolved regardless if they move away from supporting older Windows releases or not.

I only stick to Win7 on my gaming PC cause it runs the quickest (in my subjective opinion). Last 3 years I played on Linux with wine emulator, but it is a bit slower than on Windows. So I stopped playing on Linux due to slower graphics rendering. But if they do not resolve the bug within this month, I will install Steam on Linux along with Swtor and drop Windows entirely. For now I can only play on my laptop in Windows 10, but the screen is smaller and the game runs slower, so it is not as enjoyable as playing a destkop with good specs.

[OwenBrooks]

On 11/2/2022 at 12:39 AM, Szob said:

Same problem with the launcher here. Since the update. In fact, I started having launcher 206 error back in early September.  Now, I have the incorrect game version error when I log into the game and I cannot enter any operation or group content. Can only run on planets. I am on old, unupdated Windows 7 Pro and I do not have ANY virus software, Windows Defender is OFF, firewall down, DNS set to Google's 8.8.8.8 and the launcher is refusing to patch to correct version. I also deleted the BitRaider folder and the game does the veryfing bit, but still launcher does not get updated. And also if I download the installer I get the host_IEVersionFailure, so I cannot (re-)install the game. I am stuck with the launcher which allows me to log in to a character, but I cannot do any group content, just run around the Fleet.

Reference certificate errors and windows 7 , confirm you have service pack 1 installed , Win 7 Sp1 is needed installed due to certificates

Just be aware microsoft has also ended support for Win 7 SP1 so certs can also expire with SP1 too https://support.microsoft.com/en-us/topic/windows-7-sp1-support-notification-7e0bbdd4-4370-5631-dbc0-71f70051c9f8#:~:text=After 10 years of servicing,Windows 7 end of support.

Edit: REF host_IEVersionFailure
when deleting the bitraider folder if it exists you do need to delete the .version files as well, this is usually seen on existing installs that edited the client_setting file at some point between SSN and Bitraider

Edited November 7, 2022 by OwenBrooks

[OwenBrooks]

On 11/5/2022 at 8:20 PM, Kepaks said:

I don't use IE or edge so I don't care; but why we should take care for IE or MEdge when its time for instalation? We are using swtorexe file. I instal SWTOR a year ago and have no problems, now at begining of instal i have window with info Host_IEVersionFail, and someone post that this is about IE problem.

If this is an old install , delete any bitraider folders and any .version folders , this should allow the launcher to update correctly

Edited November 7, 2022 by OwenBrooks

[SAM_KOTOR]

43 minutes ago, OwenBrooks said:

"Check out My New Speeder http://www.swtor.com/sites/all/files/en/gameupdates/AprilFools2013/screen_01.jpg"

:)))))))))))

[-Fabien-]

 

7 hours ago, Szob said:

 

I only stick to Win7 on my gaming PC cause it runs the quickest (in my subjective opinion). Last 3 years I played on Linux with wine emulator,

Wine is not emulator ! 💔

i've no problem with wine (before new launcher ...), but it's slower now with steam, and hope a fix by bioware (not for linux, i've same issue on Windows 10)

[Szob]

On 11/7/2022 at 12:02 PM, OwenBrooks said:

Reference certificate errors and windows 7 , confirm you have service pack 1 installed , Win 7 Sp1 is needed installed due to certificates

Just be aware microsoft has also ended support for Win 7 SP1 so certs can also expire with SP1 too https://support.microsoft.com/en-us/topic/windows-7-sp1-support-notification-7e0bbdd4-4370-5631-dbc0-71f70051c9f8#:~:text=After 10 years of servicing,Windows 7 end of support.

Edit: REF host_IEVersionFailure
when deleting the bitraider folder if it exists you do need to delete the .version files as well, this is usually seen on existing installs that edited the client_setting file at some point between SSN and Bitraider

Yes, I checked and I have Win7 Professional SP1. I installed the 2 older certs the Linux forums mention are needed to run the game, but to no avail. The launcher refuses to update.

As for the REF host_IEVersionFailure error, it was popping up when I used the game installer. I updated the IE to version 11 and the error went away. But despite of this the installer failed to download the game probably due to the same certificate issue.

[Szob]

On 11/7/2022 at 7:03 PM, -Fabien- said:

 

Wine is not emulator ! 💔

i've no problem with wine (before new launcher ...), but it's slower now with steam, and hope a fix by bioware (not for linux, i've same issue on Windows 10)

Yeah, sorry WINE people. It is not an emulator indeed. I use it since back in 2000 and find it very useful.

But as you said with the consequtive updates the game was running slower and slower on WINE so I dropped it. When I started to play on Linux in 2019 I saw no speed difference, but now it is very visible and in quick combat like PVP it is apparent how slow it runs under WINE.

[Szob]

On 11/7/2022 at 12:14 PM, OwenBrooks said:

If this is an old install , delete any bitraider folders and any .version folders , this should allow the launcher to update correctly

Well, I did remove BR and all .version files and modified the launcher.settings not to use BR, but the launcher still does not update and gave me Unable to retrieve patch data (206) error. So, with Bitraider or without it still does not work on Win7 due to the certs in all probability.

[OwenBrooks]

3 hours ago, Szob said:

Well, I did remove BR and all .version files and modified the launcher.settings not to use BR, but the launcher still does not update and gave me Unable to retrieve patch data (206) error. So, with Bitraider or without it still does not work on Win7 due to the certs in all probability.

i havent seen your logs, however it is possible windows 7 has now gone the same way as XP and Vista , swtor has no control on Microsoft ending support for the OS , which in this case was in 2020 , game requirements will get reviewed now and i would expect from this that windows 7 will stop being listed 

Regarding Wine , it was never a supported OS , so its not on swtor to provide support , i am aware historiclly it was only the staging versions that worked

Edit: Bitraider was removed as an install option several years ago so should not be used anymore

Edit2: normally a 206 error can be from a net issue  , example https://answers.ea.com/t5/General-Discussion-Technical/Launcher-error-206-quot-Unable-to-retrieve-patch-data-quot/td-p/6193943

Edited November 9, 2022 by OwenBrooks

[JackieKo]

Hi everyone, 

A new patch is being released shortly. There were some key reports that helped us identify very specific issues that players were experiencing with the play button being grayed out. This issue was tied to account names that started with a hyphen. This was a very unique scenario and we appreciative of the players who continued to send us reports that helped us identify this problem. 

The new patch should be deployed within the next hour. 

 

[-Fabien-]

20 hours ago, OwenBrooks said:

Regarding Wine , it was never a supported OS , so its not on swtor to provide support , i am aware historiclly it was only the staging versions that worked

 

We don't need support for Wine, only for Windows of course.

1 hour ago, JackieKo said:

Hi everyone, 

A new patch is being released shortly. There were some key reports that helped us identify very specific issues that players were experiencing with the play button being grayed out. This issue was tied to account names that started with a hyphen. This was a very unique scenario and we appreciative of the players who continued to send us reports that helped us identify this problem. 

The new patch should be deployed within the next hour. 

 

Very Good News ! Thanks you

Edited November 10, 2022 by -Fabien-

[Screaming_Ziva]

1 hour ago, JackieKo said:

Hi everyone, 

A new patch is being released shortly. There were some key reports that helped us identify very specific issues that players were experiencing with the play button being grayed out. This issue was tied to account names that started with a hyphen. This was a very unique scenario and we appreciative of the players who continued to send us reports that helped us identify this problem. 

The new patch should be deployed within the next hour. 

 

I think this new patch broke something with launcher.  Every time I log in now, it downloads about 1g of data and installs it.  EVERY SINGLE TIME!

[SteveTheCynic]

30 minutes ago, Screaming_Ziva said:

I think this new patch broke something with launcher.  Every time I log in now, it downloads about 1g of data and installs it.  EVERY SINGLE TIME!

Does it really spend time to download a gigabyte of data, or does it merely *say* that it is doing so?(1)  (Run Task Manager, switch to the Performance view and select your network adapter, ***then*** run the launcher.  See what the graph says.)

(1) The new launcher has a "UX" (User eXperience) bug - it says that it is downloading a bunch of data, but in reality it is just verifying that the data is good without actually downloading it.  (Obviously, if the local data is bad, the launcher *does* download it...)

[-Fabien-]

New patch seems to be better (game launch) ... log "Variable USERNAME cleared." in past topic was now "Variable USERNAME set to '-Fabien-'"

but seems to be a leak on linux (i will try a full reinstall)

 

go to windows to test | this is the only valid test

edit : all is good on windows (after a full update), so thank you @JackieKo & your devs

 

 

 

Edited November 10, 2022 by -Fabien-

[-Fabien-]

Definitely ok on windows ... and Linux, thank you @JackieKo

Edited November 10, 2022 by -Fabien-

[Trlance]

4 hours ago, JackieKo said:

Hi everyone, 

A new patch is being released shortly. There were some key reports that helped us identify very specific issues that players were experiencing with the play button being grayed out. This issue was tied to account names that started with a hyphen. This was a very unique scenario and we appreciative of the players who continued to send us reports that helped us identify this problem. 

The new patch should be deployed within the next hour. 

 

Can't get to the game 2 week already and with steam the same. What about endless loading screen what you added to issue list weeks ago? Where is fix?

[OwenBrooks]

4 hours ago, Trlance said:

Can't get to the game 2 week already and with steam the same. What about endless loading screen what you added to issue list weeks ago? Where is fix?

Please make the post on AHQ and provide new dxdiag etc after updating your windows version 

There is a strong possibility your Geforce 240 video card has a hardware issue but want to rule out anything else

[Trlance]

4 hours ago, OwenBrooks said:

Please make the post on AHQ and provide new dxdiag etc after updating your windows version 

There is a strong possibility your Geforce 240 video card has a hardware issue but want to rule out anything else

Myself i can't do that. I tried twice and nothing. On Monday i will ask for help informatics, if they will not be able do it then what else is left for me? Fix from bioware.

[Andertyne]

15 hours ago, Screaming_Ziva said:

I think this new patch broke something with launcher.  Every time I log in now, it downloads about 1g of data and installs it.  EVERY SINGLE TIME!

I have this same problem. It seems that it re-downloads two files in the  Movies folder (sacrifice.bik and lec_intro.bik). I have also found out the reason why and can share to a support person if needed.

Edited November 11, 2022 by Andertyne

[OwenBrooks]

Some have found re-installing directx has helped those that have issue of nothing on pressing the play button 

see https://forums.swtor.com/topic/925289-launcher-issue-non-steam/?do=findComment&comment=9728492