Paradox Launcher, why is this a thing?

[john2376]

Since I once again got going with this game a few days ago I had to start using the game's Stellaris.Exe file to start the game, as the launcher causes my screens to freeze, anyway, I noticed that the game since the last times I played now doesn't start the game, instead a Launcher is started showing me the game but also some ♥♥♥♥ about games that isn't Stellaris, I assume in full that the game's publisher Paradox thought a launcher could be a cheap way of advertising other Paradox published game without having to spend more on advertising, and oh yeah, it also have a login option for paradox account, which I now realize after some searching that the game can be bought to and accessed solely by the Stellaris Launcher, but still, how hard could it be for Paradox to not cheap out and simply make a few lines of code added to when launching the game from Steam to using Steam popping up a option asking if launch Launcher or to start the game. Exactly like the one Elite: Dangerous has here on Steam when a user owning their only DLC starts the game, it asks if to start the standard game or the game with the DLC included. Why I don't get since the DLC is a functions-add on, but the simplistic solution is there, and it would lessen the sort of bloatware Paradox Launcher is, Steam IS the launcher already, We don't need a launcher for every single game or for every little publisher on the market.

[tempest.of.emptiness]

Your answers are right there in your own post. The launcher exists to serve ads and solicit account creation (aka fishing for personal information). Adding in an option to bypass the launcher would defeat the purpose of having one, so they aren't going to do that.

To be fair, they could also do those things in the game itself, so personally I appreciate that they have relegated them to a launcher. Also, having a launcher allows some useful features, such as being able to manage mods or adjust game settings (from outside the game).

[Elitewrecker PT]

First - the paradox account is optional
Second - it also serves as the DLC and mod activator/deactivator

Elite Dangerous still opens a launcher everytime with the game news...

[putty101]

Originally posted by tempest.of.emptiness:

Also, having a launcher allows some useful features, such as being able to manage mods or adjust game settings (from outside the game).

I'm sorry but no, they are not "useful" and therefore not "features". You can already manage the mods via Steam and how on earth is being able to change the settings of something you're not using useful? Even if it was it can be done via local files. I'm totally with john on this one. When a dev starts doing things for money to the detriment of their products they stop making money. I'd like to think better of Paradox and believe they develop games as passionate artists creating masterpieces that happen to make money, but even if they're a business that happens to make games compromising product quality for any reason is will only cost them.

Look at League of Legends, a bunch of guys that loved DotA so much they made a game and it was free, they just wanted to create the ultimate MOBA, and they did, which made them huge and crazy rich. Then they started making really bad changes to make a few bucks. Yes, it is still succsessful as a business, but you know their MOBA is a steaming pile of trash now worse than the 17 year old WCIII mod it was based off of.

[Elitewrecker PT]

"You can already manage the mods via Steam"

How exactly do you do that?

[Prometheus]

I am ignoring your wall of text because the human brain actually has trouble parsing such things with no breaks. I will answer the question in your title though.

Its because of multiplayer. There was no way to get people who bought the game from different sources (Steam, GOG, PDX store, etc) into multiplayer games together before the PDX launcher.

[tempest.of.emptiness]

Originally posted by putty101:

how on earth is being able to change the settings of something you're not using useful? Even if it was it can be done via local files.

It is useful to be able to change the settings before you are in the game because sometimes the settings can prevent the game from running. For example, an unsupported resolution might be set, causing the game to display improperly, in such a way that it cannot be changed from within the game. It is true that it is possible to can handle these problems by editing game files, however that is inherently risky, because an error in the edit can have even worse consequences. So, from a user-friendly-ness standpoint, as well as from a technical-support-not-having-to-deal-with-bizarre-scenarios-created-by-editing-errors standpoint, it is much better for a launcher to provide an interface for controlled changes to the game files to facilitate correcting settings problem when they arise.

Originally posted by putty101:

When a dev starts doing things for money to the detriment of their products they stop making money. I'd like to think better of Paradox and believe they develop games as passionate artists creating masterpieces that happen to make money, but even if they're a business that happens to make games compromising product quality for any reason is will only cost them.

How does the launcher harm the game in any way? I could see complaining that it is annoying to have to click one extra button to get to the game, but typically the only interaction someone is going to have with the launcher is that one click. Once you are in the game it has no effect whatsoever. Your experience playing the game is identical to what it would be if the game didn't have a launcher. I'm just not seeing how having a launcher is detrimental to the product in any significant way.

[Napalm42]

The official stated reason is so that a launcher doesn't have to be developed for each game, basically a unified platform. It'll be standard for all future released. It does have its issues and there is a team apparently working soley on it.

[putty101]

Promethian multiplayer working is not dependent on a launcher, do not conflate correlation and causation.

Tempest if you're not comfortable changing a text file and if you think the only impact of a launcher is clicking an extra button then you deserve one.

Napalm a game doesn't need a launcher, and Steam is a unified platform that has a very well made, very well supported launch function.

[tempest.of.emptiness]

Originally posted by putty101:

Napalm a game doesn't need a launcher, and Steam is a unified platform that has a very well made, very well supported launch function.

Steam does provide you with a button to launch the game, so you could think of it as a launcher, but it doesn't provide a UI for modifying game settings. It does let you manage mods, but only in the coarse sense of installing or uninstalling them. Being able to disable installed mods (without the need to re-download them to re-enable them) or adjust load order (not sure if that last one is a feature Paradox supplies, but some other games with their own launchers do) is not something that Steam does. There's also no interface in Steam to log into your Paradox account (for example).

So while it is possible to look at Steam as a launcher, it doesn't provide all of the features that Paradox (and other developers) want to provide to their players, and providing those features is best done by adding their own launcher to their game.

Originally posted by putty101:

Tempest if you're not comfortable changing a text file and if you think the only impact of a launcher is clicking an extra button then you deserve one.

I'm fine with editing text files, but I have worked in support and know that many people are not (even if they think that they are).

Aside from the extra click, what negative impact do you feel the launcher has? You and others in this thread have come out strongly against the launcher, but I haven't yet seen any specific mention here of *why* it is bad. Telling me that I deserve a launcher doesn't have much impact when I don't know that it is hurting me. Please dispel my ignorance, if for no other reason than to give your attempted curse its intended sting.

[trainee killer]

The new launcher crashes with an error on startup. Anyone else experiencing this? I am running Steam OS. I have reinstalled with no luck.