How the Latest Game Launcher singlehandedly killed my interest in logging in...

[Arsen Cross]

Why have I waited so long to post about this? Because I went without the ability to play Elite for around a year and I'm still without my joysticks etc so I wasn't here when the new launcher was actually released - I was on hiatus.

Why was the old launcher better?

The older launcher was better for me because it indirectly supported alternate accounts. I could simply make a copy of the EDLauncher.exe file, change its name (say, to the commander name I planned to log into with it) and when it launched it would store credentials based on that launchers unique executable name. I could have one launcher for each of my accounts and avoid going through the 2FA process each time I wanted to switch to another account.​

​

So why is the new launcher bad?

Because it no longer allows this ability. All copies of the launcher use the same credentials so it is no longer possible to avoid repeatedly performing 2FA on every account switch.​

I typically only play my main but I have several fleet carriers I manage and I bought them with the intent to manage them for group activities. Real life hit me in the gut shortly after their purchase and then when I had access to game again (albeit without my flight equipment) I got hit with nonsensical 2FA loops to just try and manage some carriers and given I've been playing long enough for my interest to be more focused on community work than progressing my character this kind of killed my interest since I was already "out of the loop" due to inactivity and had no desire to jump through hoops to play how I want.

So question - is there a new method for managing multiple alt accounts from one computer now?
and a hope - Frontier... can you provide official alt support, please?

 

[Factabulous]

Because it no longer allows this ability. All copies of the launcher use the same credentials so it is no longer possible to avoid repeatedly performing 2FA on every account switch.

Untrue, works the same as before.

 

[Jack Winter]

FWIW, I manage my accounts by duplicating the launcher just like I did with the old one..

 

[Arsen Cross]

Untrue, works the same as before.

Can you explain how? Something has to be different because I attempted to do it the exact same way I had before but all copies of the launcher are tied to whichever account logged in last. If this is still possible, please help me Factabulous-wan-kenobi... you're my first hope.

 

[Arsen Cross]

Ok so I should have checked to see if Frontier fixed it since the last time I tried a few months ago. It seems like the launchers are now properly differentiating between each others saved credentials - to the point that they appear to now see the original credentials saved from each clone of the launcher before the launcher was updated.

Guess it shows how little faith I had in Frontier actually fixing it - but I'm glad they did.

 

[Helmut Grokenberger]

It works the same way it always did - make as many copies of the launcher as you need, name them accordingly, start them, log in. The new launcher saves its credentials and settings in %localappdata%\Frontier_Developments_Ltd in one directory per copy.

All I can think of: If it doesn't work for you, try logging out and closing the launcher before you make a copy. And make sure you make an actual copy, not a link.

 

[Helmut Grokenberger]

Ok so I should have checked to see if Frontier fixed it since the last time I tried a few months ago. It seems like the launchers are now properly differentiating between each others saved credentials - to the point that they appear to now see the original credentials saved from each clone of the launcher before.

Guess it shows how little faith I had in Frontier actually fixing it - but I'm glad they did.

The new launcher worked like this from day one. Source: I've used launcher copies on the day the new launcher was deployed.

 

[Factabulous]

Yeah it always worked - right from day one. PEBCAK issues abound with this game

 

[Helmut Grokenberger]

be aware that you cannot launch Steam or Epic CMDRs with a launcher copy - those must always be launched from Steam and Epic, respectively.

 

[Arsen Cross]

Yeah it always worked - right from day one. PEBCAK issues abound with this game

Well, as someone in tech I can't discount PEBCAK entirely but given the fact that I'm not having to make any changes from how I implemented it and now the launchers are behaving as expected now and weren't before makes me think there was an issue. It doesn't matter though because I'm just happy I'm not having to 2FA loop and ultimately that's more important than my pride.

Thanks for saying it works as expected. Should have tried it again before opening my mouth.

 

[Arsen Cross]

be aware that you cannot launch Steam or Epic CMDRs with a launcher copy - those must always be launched from Steam and Epic, respectively.

Yeah, I wrote the forum post on that when they came out when I was farming alt accounts on them.

 

[[VR] Goooost]

FDev doesnt want you to have alt accounts. I had one of them gaslight me saying it wasnt even possible. If they could, they would stop you from even having two separate installs of the game on one computer. Why? Because they suck like that.

 

[Galactic Fork]

FDev doesnt want you to have alt accounts. I had one of them gaslight me saying it wasnt even possible. If they could, they would stop you from even having two separate installs of the game on one computer. Why? Because they suck like that.

Why would they not want you to buy more than one copy of the game? Also the original post was premature because it's working as they wanted now.

 

[Helmut Grokenberger]

FDev doesnt want you to have alt accounts. I had one of them gaslight me saying it wasnt even possible. If they could, they would stop you from even having two separate installs of the game on one computer. Why? Because they suck like that.

Hanlon's Razor. The support agent probably didn't know better, which is a shame, as usually they are very helpful and knowledgable.

All evidence points to the contrary, from the (admittedly, clunky) ability to run multiple CMDR logins from copies of the launcher - something that was carried over when the launcher was redone - to the CM staff actively advertising running discounts with "time for an alt?".

Also, you do not need multiple installations. If you have a Steam CMDR, you only need the Steam installations. You can make copies of the launcher installed by Steam and run standalone Frontier CMDRs from there. Sharing your installation with Epic needs a bit of work, but can be done. I only have a Steam installation but also two standalone and one Epic CMDR.

 

[[VR] Goooost]

Hanlon's Razor. The support agent probably didn't know better, which is a shame, as usually they are very helpful and knowledgable.

All evidence points to the contrary, from the (admittedly, clunky) ability to run multiple CMDR logins from copies of the launcher - something that was carried over when the launcher was redone - to the CM staff actively advertising running discounts with "time for an alt?".

Also, you do not need multiple installations. If you have a Steam CMDR, you only need the Steam installations. You can make copies of the launcher installed by Steam and run standalone Frontier CMDRs from there. Sharing your installation with Epic needs a bit of work, but can be done. I only have a Steam installation but also two standalone and one Epic CMDR.

None of this sticks out to me as frontier wanting people to run alts. It still feels like they've put up every roadblock they can to stop it from being something the average player can figure out.

 

[Planewalker]

None of this sticks out to me as frontier wanting people to run alts. It still feels like they've put up every roadblock they can to stop it from being something the average player can figure out.

They have not. There is a "Log out" and "Log in" option on the launcher.

Alts is no issue for them as long as you bought the license. (heck, on console you can switch account NP)


OP found out it works as he wanted so all is well.

 

[Jack Winter]

I'd think it's fair to say that the Frontier launcher ought to remember several accounts, and let the user switch easily between them.. But this workaround works, so..

 

[Rat Catcher]

and now the launchers are behaving as expected now and weren't before makes me think there was an issue.

I think the original issue was entirely at your end as I have been running my 4 accounts from launcher copies and have only needed to recreate them once each launcher update. they have all launched as expected once this was done.

Glad they are working for you now, though.