SWG - LaunchPad Patch Nitemares: "Edge of Forever" Follow

I speak to you today of an experienced (non-noob) computer user & EQ / SWG Veteran. I've been lurking around sony online games since the first release of psx1 at E3 and been playing EQ since 2003. I've had SWG since beta. I've also been playing AO (Anarchy Online) since that released too. I can't say I have much love for any other online rpgs. Those are the only ones I play or would like to play.

But this SWG thing has got me so freaking angry. I tried station launcher beta and that thing bites so bad, so much worse than launchpad. I've never had any problems with LaunchPad ever, not till now.

I can't use LaunchPad to patch EQ, I just use the the exe file, so that problem area doesn't bother me, because that problem fixes itself, and patches fine.

SWG on the other hand, where do I start....hmm.

First of all, I play on dial-up, and yes it's not a joke, I'm serious. Why? Because I'm a cheap sob and it makes me apreciate things more. Anyways, I lost all my cd's, so I have to keep backups on everything on an external HDD and prey that I don't delete the setup files one night when I'm intoxicated. Actually it works pretty swell, no swapping cd's or anything. But when you have to re-install a game like EQ or SWG, or AO even, it's ur worst nitemare.

Most of the people not on a DSL or some type of broadband will have problems at that point, which brings me to the main topic.

I found an easy way for people on dial-up to re-install SWG and not use LaunchPad until it's absolutely unavoidable.

What you do is find a trial of the game you want to reinstall, and since for most games on a subscription basis make you download the entire game to install it, because there's a slight chance that they might encourage you to become a regular user.

So since you can't find trials just anywhere of SWG that you can resume your download or use download accellerators, I'm going to provide the propper link.

Get a fileplanet.com account, it's free, and if you use their download manager, you could resume your downoad of the trial endlessly, even if you get dissconnectioned or your system has to restart/reboot.

It's a 3.5 gig file, it's not going to happen overnight, but atleast you won't have to restart every time you get dissconnected or your system crashes.

The main reason why I had to resort to this method, is because LaunchPad just goes on forever, sometimes starting over, downloading files I've already downloaded, basically, it doesn't look like I'm going to ever be able to play SWG if I just patch normally.

So here's what you do ever you download the trial from fileplanet, you install it, and since 90% of the 5 gig installation is installed by the trial, then this way I figure there is no way the LaunchPad can ***** up and get it wrong this time.

Here's the link for the SWG Trial on fileplanet: "http://www.fileplanet.com/169782/download/Star-Wars-Galaxies-14-Day-Trial".

And for those of you who have trouble with the Patcher/LaunchPad still, because you lost your cd's like I did or you did digital download (which is also a nitemare!).

I've provided instructions for re-installing EQ & SWG.

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[b]LaunchPad / Patcher Installation Instructions for EQ & SWG: [/b]

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EverQuest

1. Use the link below to download the EverQuest.zip file to your Desktop:
http://help.station.sony.com/cgi-bin/soe.cfg/php/enduser/fattach_get.php?p_tbl=9&p_id=16165&p_created=1134756016

2. Create a new folder for your EverQuest game to be installed into:
A. Double-click on My Computer
B. Double-click on Local Disk (C) (You may need to click on "Show the contents of this disk")
C. Double-click on Program Files (You may need to click on "Show the contents of this folder")
D. Click on FILE-->New-->Folder (at the top of the window) and name the folder EverQuest

3. Move the patcher into the EverQuest folder by double-clicking on EverQuest.zip.
4. Right-click on EverQuest.exe and choose "Cut"
5. Switch to the EverQuest directory you just made, and right-click inside it. Choose "Paste"
6. Right-click on EverQuest.exe that is now inside the EverQuest folder you just made, and choose "Send to Desktop (create shortcut)"
7. Delete the file EverQuest.zip from your Desktop, then double-click on Shortcut to EverQuest.exe
8. This will patch all of the files for you.

Star Wars Galaxies

1. Install Launchpad if you don't have it already, http://patch.station.sony.com:7000/patch/launchpad/Install_LaunchPad.exe
2. Go to your Launchpad folder, C:\Program Files\Sony\Station\Launchpad. Right click on launchpad.exe and choose send to --> desktop.
3. Next, create a folder in C:\Program Files called Star Wars Galaxies
4. Go to your desktop, right click on that icon and choose properties.
5. In the target box, enter this exactly with quotes and all: "C:\Program Files\Sony\Station\Launchpad\Launchpad.exe" /game:starwars
6. In the Start in box, put this in, quotes and all: "C:\Program Files\Star Wars Galaxies"
7. Click on Apply, then Close.
8. Double-click the icon and the game will download.

I know, so you're like, what if you go through all that and your ISP is still krap, like you have People PC or NetZero?
I got that covered too. I use BasicISP.net, it's 5 bucks a month and no software required, and unlimited time online, and I got the dialer setup to reconnect automatically, so I'm always online. Works well for keeping downloads going forever. SMILEY

If you would like to get my ISP, then go to BasicISP.net and sign up, they're nationwide in USA and have Canada dial-up numberas as well. Their internet supports all platforms.

I'm not going to include modem tweaks, because that really isn't related to this topic.

I would also like to add, that Sony told me that I have too many applications running, which would be bugging the patcher(s). I said ok, I relogged removing all startup programs using msconfig from the "run" command from the start menu. Sure enough when I loaded the patcher, it acted the same way.

I emailed Sony again, now they said I had spyware taking my bandwidth, which I knew that was bs because I'm not a noob. But I downloaded a free virus scanner from "http://free.avg.com/ww.download?prd=afe" and spyware remover from "http://www.spybot.info/index2.html". I did all that and nothing changed. I have no viruses or spyware, but my patcher still doesn't work properly. It just downloads the same files over and over and goes on forever.

After all I've said, my final verdict on anything remotely related to LaunchPad, never loose your cd's or make backups, because they're patchers stink and u have to pretend that they're stupid if you're doing a clean install.

Don't shoot the messenger, I'm just sharing information. If I knew all this before, I would have spent so much less time reading forums and more time gaming. Game on!




Edited, Jul 13th 2008 10:48pm by daemonrebel

I can't remember what i set it to. But there must be a way of looking the launchpad config file and maybe tweaking it. I have to look at my installation directory and see if I can troubleshoot. Thanks for the tip.

I tried that, it didn't work. I tried both with it on and off and the thing still functions repetitively. I've complained to sony but they can't figure out why my patcher doesn't work the way it's supposed to, other than the reasons I mentioned earlier. They seem to think I'm running too many applications, but that shouldn't have anything to do with the patcher downloading the same files over and over. I been at this for over a month now. Till then I'm using the fileplanet download manager downloading trial.

Hmm... Well I have the orginial SWG: Empire Divided Disks... Everytime I try to start up the game... the Launch Pad will fail to load... and the icon given by the game disk that should be launch pad is suposivily "invaild" or "cannot open" Has Station changed things on SWG so much that I have to buy the new games now? I cant get on Station threw SWG and I want to start playing again. Your links you game me never worked either =\

any suggestions?

its more than likely the old empire divided disks are so far out of date their no longer supported.. unfortunately, the only answer probably is to download the trial and use that, bit of a pain i know, feel sorry for the dial up guy too... dial up isnt really supported anymore, i think they kind of assume everyone has broadband, which is mostly true, its unfortunate, but more and more i think you'll find that a broadband connection is a requirement to play an online game :/