Never thought I'd have to ask but... How do I start this game?!

[Tomsgate]

Hi all,
Well that's a first: I just bought ED along with the season pass on Steam and installed the 20Gb of data. Press "Play" and... nothing! Task manager shows EDlanch.exe opens up and closes again, no error message, nothing. We're off to a great start...
So after some digging it appears that this seems to be quite a common issue (wow!). Needless to say it isn't a great way to experience a new game. Restart, use EDlaunch.exe without Steam in admin mode or not, repair .net and visual, update gpu drivers, disable antivirus, restart router... nothing helps. Interesting, especially since my rig runs every other game just fine. i7, 1060, 16gb ram, nvme ssd, win10... all good.
More digging in the logs folder and client log indicates it's an authentication issue. Hmmm...

20190926.074145: { "action" : "LogStarted", "date" : "20190926", "time" : "074145" } ;
20190926.074145: { "action" : "ClientVersion", "application" : "0.4.6591.0", "path" : "D:\SteamLibrary\steamapps\common\Elite Dangerous\EDLaunch.exe", "modification" : "25.09.19 17:06:53", "date" : "20190926", "time" : "074145" } ;
20190926.074146: { "action" : "RequestingSteamAuthentication", "date" : "20190926", "time" : "074146" } ;
20190926.074146: { "action" : "RegistrationRequired", "date" : "20190926", "time" : "074146" } ;
20190926.074146: { "action" : "AuthenticationRejected", "user" : "", "date" : "20190926", "time" : "074146" } ;

I'm at a loss here so any help would be appreciated

@frontier Elite support (I opened a ticket): Guys, it would be nice if your customers could play what you sell them. And without having to open tickets and post on forums. It can be done. Put your game face on please! No need to tell you what a lousy experience it is to spend 50€, download for hours and not being able to see the splash screen of the game. And not even a visible error message to rely on for help (without going into log files). Seriously!

ps: demo works (that's something I guess) and EliteDangerous64.exe runs fine... up until it kicks you out asking to run the game through the launcher.

Sorry for the rant... I'm just frustrated right now.

 

[metatheurgist]

Try running as admin?

 

[Para Handy]

Could this be of assistance?

Link your Frontier account to your Steam account.

Should you need to link your existing Frontier account to your Steam account, please follow these steps: Step 1: Open Elite Dangerous via the Steam client. You will be greeted with two options, '...

support.frontier.co.uk

(You might find open boxes/windows behind what you see on screen.)

As long as you end up with a Frontier Account, linked to you Steam account then the validation code systems should work.

I have been playing this game for years and recently bought another account on Steam and it took me ages to actually find the correct validation method.

P.S. As our @metatheurgist says - run as admin can help - I think thois depends on where Steam installs your game my Steam version doesn't have "run as administrator" but my non-Steam does need that set for EDLaunch to run the game (otherwise the play button just goes away then comes back again after a bit - but the game doesn't run).

 

[Factabulous]

Kinda sucks that the revamped new start experience seems to be hidden behind a really bad installation experience. Hope they get some time to work on that because it gets much more fun once you can actually install.

Good luck OP!

 

[Tomsgate]

Try running as admin?

Thanks for trying. And no, it doesn't work. Neither Steam not EDlaunch in admin mode.

Restart, use EDlaunch.exe without Steam in admin mode or not,

 

[Tomsgate]

Could this be of assistance?

Link your Frontier account to your Steam account.

Should you need to link your existing Frontier account to your Steam account, please follow these steps: Step 1: Open Elite Dangerous via the Steam client. You will be greeted with two options, '...

support.frontier.co.uk

(You might find open boxes/windows behind what you see on screen.)

As long as you end up with a Frontier Account, linked to you Steam account then the validation code systems should work.

I have been playing this game for years and recently bought another account on Steam and it took me ages to actually find the correct validation method.

P.S. As our @metatheurgist says - run as admin can help - I think thois depends on where Steam installs your game my Steam version doesn't have "run as administrator" but my non-Steam does need that set for EDLaunch to run the game (otherwise the play button just goes away then comes back again after a bit - but the game doesn't run).

Thanks for trying. Well, you got me a little closer... But no cigar yet. At least I can now play in VR mode (it's the only of the 3 options that works, the other two just quit as previously explained). But hey, I'll settle on this as long as the Frontier Elite team send me a free VR headset (maybe a Steam v2). How about it?

On a more serious note, I couldn't link the accounts as described in the link you sent me since I don't even get to see the first popup. But:
I went into the Frontier store and linked my Steam account there. Still tells me I own no products but now the VR mode actually starts. Lol!

At this stage maybe I should give Star Citizen Alpha a go...

Will try some more. Shame Frontier, shame...

 

[Para Handy]

I forgot to also link this different support KB page, it might be relevant:

When I login I see "Please purchase / redeem Elite Dangerous to continue" :: Frontier Customer Support

A message stating

support.frontier.co.uk

Good luck

 

[Tomsgate]

I forgot to also link this different support KB page, it might be relevant:

When I login I see "Please purchase / redeem Elite Dangerous to continue" :: Frontier Customer Support

A message stating

support.frontier.co.uk

Good luck

Thanks again but here's the rub:

STEP 1. LOG OUT OF THE LAUNCHER
Run the Elite Dangerous base game (not Horizons) in Steam to load the launcher, select the Options tab then Log Out Machine.

I don't even get to the Launcher!!! This bloody thing won't launch. I've never seen it yet!

Here's what I can pick when I hit Play on Steam. The 2 first options don't work, back to desktop. The VR now works, with all the limitations that go with it especially since I don't have a VR headset...

 

[Para Handy]

Thanks again but here's the rub:

STEP 1. LOG OUT OF THE LAUNCHER
.....

Here's what I can pick when I hit Play on Steam. The 2 first options don't work, back to desktop. The VR now works, with all the limitations that go with it especially since I don't have a VR headset...
.........

I don't even get to the Launcher!!! This bloody thing won't launch. I've never seen it yet!

But you specifically state in your OP that " demo works (that's something I guess) and EliteDangerous64.exe runs fine.... " - so you must have the launcher to see the demo button.

 

[Tomsgate]

Kinda sucks that the revamped new start experience seems to be hidden behind a really bad installation experience. Hope they get some time to work on that because it gets much more fun once you can actually install.

Good luck OP!

Thanks mate! You got that right...
Big props to you all for trying to help though. Much appreciated!

 

[Tomsgate]

But you specifically state in your OP that " demo works (that's something I guess) and EliteDangerous64.exe runs fine.... " - so you must have the launcher to see the demo button.

Nope. Went into the demo folder and started it manually from there... Same for the game .exe, ran it manually.

EliteDangerous64.exe runs indeed, it builds shaders and textures, I get to see the ED logo animation... and then this. Game over.

 

[metatheurgist]

You never want to launch EliteDangerous64.exe directly. The program you want is EDLaunch.exe, Which should be in the EDLaunch folder directly above Products.

 

[Tomsgate]

You never want to launch EliteDangerous64.exe directly. The program you want is EDLaunch.exe, Which should be in the EDLaunch folder directly above Products.

I know that. But it doesn't work! Return to desktop, no error, no popup, nothing.I believe I mentioned this before.
Sorry, you're trying to help... Thing is, I have been on this for hours now. I've done all the obvious. I need A fix to the authentication rejected issue via Steam (I think).
My guess is this only happens to new players on first login after Steam purchase and after the latest patch... But it's just a guess.

 

[Tomsgate]

OMG... I found the solution: https://steamcommunity.com/app/359320/discussions/0/611702631219061038/

"Install Microsofts .Net Framework 4.5 if it is not already installed.
On C:\Program Files (x86)\Frontier\EDLaunch you will find a file named EDLaunch.exe.config. Firstly, make a backup this file by copying it to another location such as your desktop. (Please adapt the location if necessary)
After that open the EDLaunch.exe.config file with a text editor such as Notepad. You'll see a line with something similar to:
<supportedRuntime version="v2.0.50727"/>.
Replace the "v2.0.50727" with "v4.0"."

I'm speechless... Well, at least it works now. Pfff...
Can't wait for the next bug to show up. And I haven't started playing yet.

Good luck commanders. We're going to need it.
Thanks again to all those who tried to help me!

 

[Para Handy]

A Steam thread from 2015? Wow - how the v4 became missing from your startup must be the mystery. In my files (Steam and store-bought) we see:

<supportedRuntime version="v2.0.50727"/>
<supportedRuntime version="v4.0"/>

I wonder why that second line isn't there for you.

BTW - Microsoft NET is listed as one of the issues in common launcher problems:

How to fix common problems with the Elite Dangerous launcher :: Frontier Customer Support

Troubleshooting steps for the most common problems with the Elite Dangerous launcher.

support.frontier.co.uk

 

[Tomsgate]

A Steam thread from 2015? Wow - how the v4 became missing from your startup must be the mystery. In my files (Steam and store-bought) we see:

<supportedRuntime version="v2.0.50727"/>
<supportedRuntime version="v4.0"/>

I wonder why that second line isn't there for you.

BTW - Microsoft NET is listed as one of the issues in common launcher problems:

How to fix common problems with the Elite Dangerous launcher :: Frontier Customer Support

Troubleshooting steps for the most common problems with the Elite Dangerous launcher.

support.frontier.co.uk

Oh it's there... but I had to remove the first one. No idea why. Anyway...

 

[Para Handy]

Oh it's there... but I had to remove the first one. No idea why. Anyway...

Perhaps because your machine doesn't have NET Framework 2 installed?

From my registry:

HKEY_LOCAL_MACHINE\SOFTWARE\Microsoft\NET Framework Setup\NDP:

So perhaps F D needs to address the issue of needing v2.0.50727 if it actually runs the game OK without it being on the machine and that might stop a lot of the launcher issues we see on this forum.

Maybe some technical guru could advise. (General observation)

Glad you are up and running - now you just need to climb the overhanging slope that is the game's "learning curve".

Remember that there is a lot of friendly help in the newcomer's forum - feel free to ask anything about the game in there without fear of flames.

EDIT: It might be worth you adding the info about you getting the thing running to your open support ticket?

 

[Tomsgate]

Perhaps because your machine doesn't have NET Framework 2 installed?

From my registry:

HKEY_LOCAL_MACHINE\SOFTWARE\Microsoft\NET Framework Setup\NDP:

Correct. I checked and only have v4.0 installed. Launcher runs fine now. I agree, this should be fixed, wasted a lot of my (and your) time on this.
At least an error message related to this missing package would have helped tremendously...

Glad you are up and running - now you just need to climb the overhanging slope that is the game's "learning curve".

Remember that there is a lot of friendly help in the newcomer's forum - feel free to ask anything about the game in there without fear of flames.

Thanks. I just spent the better part of an hour mapping my HOTAS... only to rebind most of it while going through the initial training. Ufff!

I think I'll go through some pro tips regarding the binding of certain features: it's hard to know what's important enough to end up on the stick/throttle and what isn't.
Also, I noticed that some buttons can be assigned to multiple commands depending on context (like UI) but the binding screen doesn't tell you which ones. And the buttons on throttle and stick have the same names. You also can't "search" for a button to review its function. No graphic display of your bindings. You cannot print, load or save configs as far as I can tell. At least there's some explanation of each function but I find all this very tedious. I'm quite familiar with sims including earlier Frontiers, I was hoping this had improved... Oh well, guess it's part of the fun. Hum!

EDIT: It might be worth you adding the info about you getting the thing running to your open support ticket?

I did that right after posting the solution here. I also posted a link to this thread in the ticket. No need to have the devs waste any more time on this. I have a vague feeling that they have other bugs to iron out, looking at some forum posts :/

 

[Tomsgate]

Ok, after going through all this mess of getting the game to run, and struggling with key binding I did the initiation flight (which really helps) and all I can say is this:

I just (auto)landed on a rotating station bathing in the glow of a thousand stars after flying through hyperspace and orbiting by a sun... on the sound of the Blue Danube (Ooooh...2001).

Oh my f***ing god. I wish I hadn't had to go through the previous ordeal, and some things feel very barebone but... This is amazing! I'm absolutely in love. Tears of joy right there!

Right. Now all I need is to revive ancient Frontier Elite reflexes and disable Flight assist... But maybe not today

 

[Para Handy]

Good to read all that. Welcome to a new obsession.

Re printing out your controls - use the EDRefCard site, it does a really good job (oh and don't keep copies of your binds file in the same directory - stops changes being saved):

EDRefCard

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