Can't run Epic Games version without Epic Launcher anymore.

[Max Shadow]

I grabbed the game for free a few days ago. Yesterday I could play it just fine running the exe directly (no need to run it through Epic Launcher). However, it doesn't seem to work anymore. When I try to launch it, it shows the app icon on the task bar for a few seconds and then dissapears. It doesn't even show the game window, it crashes at startup. It only works when running it through Epic Launcher.

The reason I need to run it from the EXE is that I need Steam Controller Support to make it recognize my generic usb controller correctly. It doesn't work when I try to run the exe as a non-steam game. It sucks because I play it on VR, so using a controller is pretty much mandatory.

I start a discussion here because Epic Launcher doesn't seem to have a proper community forum or anything like that yet.

[Empanadas de Dulce de Leche]

Opprinnelig skrevet av Duncan:

Epic's game platform is still heavily in it's infancy and is bound to have tons of issues. I'd say stick to Steam for another year or so till they iron out some bugs. I don't plan on leaving anytime soon as I just don't like epic games. I feel the same about them as I feel about battlenet, uplay, origin and many other launchers newer to the market. They're all massive let downs and jokes that try to be something they aren't. Once a satisfying replacement comes along I'd probably jump ship but so far I haven't seen a need to.

The only gaming platform I use seriously, after Steam, is GoG. DRM free, optional client with cloud saves and achievements (again, optional), Steam connect, and the best of all, FEELIES!!![tvtropes.org]

[Axum]

With DRM in Subnautica now, there is only one way to get the Steam Overlay working for the moment.

1. shut down the Epic Launcher

2. add Epic Games Launcher as a Non-steam game

3. Launch the Epic Games Launcher from steam, the overlay should hook to the Epic Games Launcher

4. Start Subnautica, the overlay will follow it to the game

[flexy123]

Before I give you the tip how you can launch the game WITHOUT the Epic game launcher, here my notes:

1.) You got the game for FREE (and it's effing awesome!!) in exchange for that the Epic launcher comes up. Obviously EPIC hopes that the free games helps them to make some sales and they use it to "promote" the Epic launcher.

2.) Yes of course DRM always sucks, but personally I had no problems with the Epic launcher. I don't "like" it, but as said it didn't cause me any problems.

THIS IS FROM REDDIT, so credit goes to shdwphn from reddit!!

*** HOW TO START GAME WITHOUT THE EPIC LAUNCHER ***

1. Open "C:\Users<windows_username>\AppData\Local\EpicGamesLauncher\Saved\Logs\EpicGamesLauncher.log" in your favorite text editor.

2. Find the line similar to the following...
[2018.12.23-05.32.56:378][115]FCommunityPortalLaunchAppTask: Launching app 'C:/Epic Games/Subnautica/Subnautica.exe' with commandline ' -AUTH_LOGIN=unused -AUTH_PASSWORD=<an_encrypted_hash> -AUTH_TYPE=exchangecode -epicapp=Jaguar -epicenv=Prod -EpicPortal -epicusername="<your_epic_username>" -epicuserid=<an_encrypted_hash> -epiclocale=en-US'

3. Use the info there to build the command line for your new Subnautica shortcut. It should look something like this...
"C:/Epic Games/Subnautica/Subnautica.exe" -AUTH_LOGIN=unused -AUTH_PASSWORD=<an_encrypted_hash> -AUTH_TYPE=exchangecode -epicapp=Jaguar -epicenv=Prod -EpicPortal -epicusername="<your_epic_username>" -epicuserid=<an_encrypted_hash> -epiclocale=en-US


You can now use that shortcut to launch Subnautica without having the Epic Games Launcher running in the background - not even as an icon in the system tray.

***

Notes: Know that when you make the desktop shortcut, the characters you can use are limited. If your path to the game is too long, not all of this might fit into the shortcut. (My path is short, "G:\subnautica\subnautica.exe" so everything fits with 4-5 chars left. (Tip: If your path is long and you find it doesn't fit to make a shortcut, you should also be able to write a small batch file and then start game via the batch file)

Technically, what this does is start the game WITHOUT the EPIC launcher, but of course it doesn't remove the DRM. You basically pass your EPIC account/passw to the *.exe and then start the game. (The DRM/Epic account check is obviously done within the game itself, doesn't need the launcher)

Anyway, it works great for me like this.

Edit: I am not playing this from Steam, but it SHOULD be possible to add the same information into the game when you start it from Steam. This should also make it so the EPIC game launcher doesn't come up.

[Max Shadow]

Opprinnelig skrevet av flexy123:

Before I give you the tip how you can launch the game WITHOUT the Epic game launcher, here my notes:

1.) You got the game for FREE (and it's effing awesome!!) in exchange for that the Epic launcher comes up. Obviously EPIC hopes that the free games helps them to make some sales and they use it to "promote" the Epic launcher.

2.) Yes of course DRM always sucks, but personally I had no problems with the Epic launcher. I don't "like" it, but as said it didn't cause me any problems.

THIS IS FROM REDDIT, so credit goes to shdwphn from reddit!!

*** HOW TO START GAME WITHOUT THE EPIC LAUNCHER ***

1. Open "C:\Users<windows_username>\AppData\Local\EpicGamesLauncher\Saved\Logs\EpicGamesLauncher.log" in your favorite text editor.

2. Find the line similar to the following...
[2018.12.23-05.32.56:378][115]FCommunityPortalLaunchAppTask: Launching app 'C:/Epic Games/Subnautica/Subnautica.exe' with commandline ' -AUTH_LOGIN=unused -AUTH_PASSWORD=<an_encrypted_hash> -AUTH_TYPE=exchangecode -epicapp=Jaguar -epicenv=Prod -EpicPortal -epicusername="<your_epic_username>" -epicuserid=<an_encrypted_hash> -epiclocale=en-US'

3. Use the info there to build the command line for your new Subnautica shortcut. It should look something like this...
"C:/Epic Games/Subnautica/Subnautica.exe" -AUTH_LOGIN=unused -AUTH_PASSWORD=<an_encrypted_hash> -AUTH_TYPE=exchangecode -epicapp=Jaguar -epicenv=Prod -EpicPortal -epicusername="<your_epic_username>" -epicuserid=<an_encrypted_hash> -epiclocale=en-US


You can now use that shortcut to launch Subnautica without having the Epic Games Launcher running in the background - not even as an icon in the system tray.

***

Notes: Know that when you make the desktop shortcut, the characters you can use are limited. If your path to the game is too long, not all of this might fit into the shortcut. (My path is short, "G:\subnautica\subnautica.exe" so everything fits with 4-5 chars left. (Tip: If your path is long and you find it doesn't fit to make a shortcut, you should also be able to write a small batch file and then start game via the batch file)

Technically, what this does is start the game WITHOUT the EPIC launcher, but of course it doesn't remove the DRM. You basically pass your EPIC account/passw to the *.exe and then start the game. (The DRM/Epic account check is obviously done within the game itself, doesn't need the launcher)

Anyway, it works great for me like this.

Edit: I am not playing this from Steam, but it SHOULD be possible to add the same information into the game when you start it from Steam. This should also make it so the EPIC game launcher doesn't come up.

That worked, thanks a lot for posting that here!

[Leafynite]

i found something interesting.... i went into my file explorer and typed in subnautica and i found a file called $R2795FZ it had the icon of the game on it. so i clicked on it and it launched the game from that. so the DRM free one is still on your pc? possibly?

[Leafynite]

Opprinnelig skrevet av Leafynite:

i found something interesting.... i went into my file explorer and typed in subnautica and i found a file called $R2795FZ it had the icon of the game on it. so i clicked on it and it launched the game from that. so the DRM free one is still on your pc? possibly?

nevermind....

[Lady Southwark]

Opprinnelig skrevet av flexy123:

Before I give you the tip how you can launch the game WITHOUT the Epic game launcher, here my notes:

1.) You got the game for FREE (and it's effing awesome!!) in exchange for that the Epic launcher comes up. Obviously EPIC hopes that the free games helps them to make some sales and they use it to "promote" the Epic launcher.

2.) Yes of course DRM always sucks, but personally I had no problems with the Epic launcher. I don't "like" it, but as said it didn't cause me any problems.

THIS IS FROM REDDIT, so credit goes to shdwphn from reddit!!

*** HOW TO START GAME WITHOUT THE EPIC LAUNCHER ***

1. Open "C:\Users<windows_username>\AppData\Local\EpicGamesLauncher\Saved\Logs\EpicGamesLauncher.log" in your favorite text editor.

2. Find the line similar to the following...
[2018.12.23-05.32.56:378][115]FCommunityPortalLaunchAppTask: Launching app 'C:/Epic Games/Subnautica/Subnautica.exe' with commandline ' -AUTH_LOGIN=unused -AUTH_PASSWORD=<an_encrypted_hash> -AUTH_TYPE=exchangecode -epicapp=Jaguar -epicenv=Prod -EpicPortal -epicusername="<your_epic_username>" -epicuserid=<an_encrypted_hash> -epiclocale=en-US'

3. Use the info there to build the command line for your new Subnautica shortcut. It should look something like this...
"C:/Epic Games/Subnautica/Subnautica.exe" -AUTH_LOGIN=unused -AUTH_PASSWORD=<an_encrypted_hash> -AUTH_TYPE=exchangecode -epicapp=Jaguar -epicenv=Prod -EpicPortal -epicusername="<your_epic_username>" -epicuserid=<an_encrypted_hash> -epiclocale=en-US


You can now use that shortcut to launch Subnautica without having the Epic Games Launcher running in the background - not even as an icon in the system tray.

***

Notes: Know that when you make the desktop shortcut, the characters you can use are limited. If your path to the game is too long, not all of this might fit into the shortcut. (My path is short, "G:\subnautica\subnautica.exe" so everything fits with 4-5 chars left. (Tip: If your path is long and you find it doesn't fit to make a shortcut, you should also be able to write a small batch file and then start game via the batch file)

Technically, what this does is start the game WITHOUT the EPIC launcher, but of course it doesn't remove the DRM. You basically pass your EPIC account/passw to the *.exe and then start the game. (The DRM/Epic account check is obviously done within the game itself, doesn't need the launcher)

Anyway, it works great for me like this.

Edit: I am not playing this from Steam, but it SHOULD be possible to add the same information into the game when you start it from Steam. This should also make it so the EPIC game launcher doesn't come up.

Hi,
I was looking to add Subnautica (not Epic Games Launcher) to my Steam games library as a non Steam game. For the love of god I couldn't find a 'Subnautica.exe' file anywhere on my PC.

Just to add, for some users on Windows 8.1 when you open EpicGamesLauncher.log, you'll see something like:

[2018.12.26-16.16.20:900][968]WinPlatform: Creating shortcut. LinkPath: C:\Users\<Your Name>\Desktop\Subnautica.url LinkTargetPath: com.epicgames.launcher://apps/Jaguar?action=launch&silent=true LinkWorkingDir: D:\GAMES\Epic\Epic Games LinkDescription: Launch Jaguar.
(Like many, I keep games on my D: drive)

The Subnautica desktop shortcut URL in properties -> Web Document tab will look something like this:
"com.epicgames.launcher://apps/Jaguar?action=launch&silent=true"
Where the start of the URL looks like it has been cut off/shortened.

Yes, the game is currently free and that is great at Xmas, however, the UX of the Epic launcher is poor and needs rapid investiment. - Thanks, Senior UX Research & Insight

[Sebine]

Protip:

Get rid of Epic Games.



I saved the worst for last. Oh boy what a mess the Epic Games Store is. Tell me, has anyone actually read the TOS? No? Well, we still have a problem. According to even the TOS, Epic Games Store is literal spyware. They're not even trying to hide it. Their TOS states they have the right to monitor you and send the data to their parent company. And who is Epic's parent company? The Chinese dev that's known for spying for the Chinese government. Tencent. The same Tencent who's working hand in hand with the Chinese Government to work on tools to spy on their own citizens. Escentially Epic Games is owned by the Chinese Government. What better way to monitor people than by videogames and a Steam like program people usually never close? The TOS somehow even manages to get worse the more you read it.




"4. User Generated Content​

Any content that you create, generate, or make available through the Epic Games store application shall be “UGC”. You hereby grant to Epic a non-exclusive, fully-paid, royalty-free, irrevocable, perpetual, transferable, and sublicensable license to use, copy, modify, adapt, distribute, prepare derivative works based on, publicly perform, publicly display, make, have made, use, sell, offer to sell, import, and otherwise exploit your UGC for any purposes, for all current and future methods and forms of exploitation in any country. You may not create, generate, or make available any UGC to which you do not have the right to grant Epic such license. In addition, you may not create, generate, or make available any UGC that is illegal or violates or infringes another’s rights, including intellectual property rights or privacy, publicity or moral rights. Epic reserves the right to take down any UGC in its discretion."

Literally says "hey give us the ability to exploit your works". Before you state Steam says the same, let me quote someone here on the difference.

"So basically, Steam's EULA is restricted to content uploaded to Steam, and Valve is only allowed to use the content for the purpose of Steam promotion.

​

Epic's EULA is not restricted at all, may apply even to recordings of games played on the Epic store uploaded on Youtube, and may be used for literally any ♥♥♥♥♥♥♥ thing Epic wants to. You could upload a mod for the original Unreal to the Epic Store, and by doing so you'd grant Epic the rights to sell the mod and make money off of your creation. By making a Let's Play of a game hosted on the Epic Store, you'd grant Epic the right to monetize your video. Valve is simply not allowed to do that with their license."

Remember, this is all in the TOS, so that means simply making an account there means you agree to everything. Quite funny how no one is covering this, but instead is covering "Why you should ditch Steam and switch to Epic Games Store, totally not a paid review".

[miklkit]

I'm wondering if this will get deleted.

[Max Shadow]

Opprinnelig skrevet av miklkit:

I'm wondering if this will get deleted.

Why would it be deleted? Nobody is breaking any rule as far as I know.

[darkdisciple1313]

Opprinnelig skrevet av Max Shadow:

Opprinnelig skrevet av miklkit:

I'm wondering if this will get deleted.

Why would it be deleted? Nobody is breaking any rule as far as I know.

Farting in an elevator isn't breaking any rules in most places, either, but it still stinks when it happens.

INB4--he who smelt it, dealt it, yeah yeah yeah

[puteraslayer]

Opprinnelig skrevet av DEEDEESBEAK:

It doesn't crash for me with that method and I wasn't concerned with Steam overlay. I just wanted to access it through my Steam library and not have to start another client. It works just fine for me. I also use an XBONE controller with no issue.

Do you have to log in to EPIC store?

[flexy123]

Wow..just adding "-EpicPortal" works as well.

[Leafynite]

so i re-added subnautica to my steam library and under the set launch options i put in "-EpicPortal" there and it worked thank you guys

[Sh4dow]

thanks, -EpicPortal and -vrmode none