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GermanShepherd

Joined: 09 May 2006

Posts: 5

Location: Indiana, USA

Forgive me if this has been asked before, but I tried searching the forums and the FAQs and didn't find anything.

Now, I signed up for GameTap a few days ago. There was that offer for a free month, and I decided to sign up to support Cyan with that other special offer coupon thingie. Anyway, at first, I wasn't sure how GameTap functioned... would games load from inside, or would you download them via GameTap and start them outside the GameTap interface?

Well, seems you have to start games from INSIDE GameTap. It'll minimize and start the game, thus requiring the use of some resources to run GameTap in the background. (Which I'm not too fond of, but oh well!)

Anyway, I know that international players will be able to use Uru Live without the GameTap service... Now, does that mean Uru Live can be started OUTSIDE the GameTap interface? ...and if international players can do that, does that mean that people who CAN use the GameTap interface are still forced to load Live from inside? Or will we also have the option of starting Live from outside GameTap?

I ask this because the GameTap interface is scarily resource intensive... at least on my computers, and my laptop doesn't like working with it. It's more of a convenience, really, than a technical issue, though. Just wondering if everyone will have the option of loading Live like a regular program, even if they've subscribed to the GameTap service?

Rusty_Russell

Joined: 25 May 2006

Posts: 9836

Location: Luton, UK

Quote:

Persons who live in a country where GameTap is available (Currently only in the US) will be required to subscribe to GameTap to become an Explorer.

Persons who do not live in a country where GameTap is available will be able to subscribe directly to Uru Live outside of GameTap

You have to go through GameTap in the US. Internationals as yet can't, so won't.

Maratanos

Joined: 10 May 2006

Posts: 3934

Location: Not Canada

That wasn't the question. The question wasn't whether or not you had to subscribe to GameTap in the US to play Uru Live. The question was whether or not it is necessary to run the actual GameTap program if you are interested in playing Uru Live with a GameTap subscription. And the answer is, I don't know. Its entirely possible that it is possible to run games you download through GameTap outside of GameTap, but GameTap PROBABLY runs games differently than the games would run themselves, to prevent people from downloading every game in the archive, then cancelling their subscription and keeping the games.

If you want a definative answer, though, you'll have to wait for someone from GameTap or Cyan to post here.

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Hastin

Joined: 09 May 2006

Posts: 74

Due to the way that it seems that Uru Live installs, I would assume that it will be outside of the GameTap client. However, you would use your GameTap login details to play.

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Kero

Joined: 26 May 2006

Posts: 1309

Location: In Maple syrup country

IMHO - I think Hastin may be right. I remember reading that there will be two types of players - Explorers and Visitors. In the US Explorers are registered members of GameTap and have full access to all areas of URU Live. Visitors - not registered GameTap subscribers - can enter the Cavern and have limited access to Public areas. This suggests that URU will be accessable outside of the GameTap client as Hastin states, but only registered GameTap subscribers can log in as Explorers. (Now how this will work is beyond me.)

Of course all of the above is pure speculation on my part. Also, this speculation does not apply to our friends outside the US. Hope Randomos reads this so that we can get the correct info straight from GameTap.

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bozistheboss

Joined: 11 Aug 2006

Posts: 22

They really do need to clear this up quickly. There's been widespread confusion on this board and a couple others I've lurked in on this very issue.

ironfixer

Joined: 05 Aug 2006

Posts: 20

Has anyone already signed up with Gametap played the other Myst games? I was just wondering how they ran if Gametap's client is resource heavy. Does it seem resource heavy to anyone else besides the original poster?

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Marten

Joined: 15 May 2006

Posts: 2169

Location: Washougal, WA

The real truth is: None of us knows the answer to your question, GS.

However, rather than sitting about asking how it will work, I have a better idea. Let's advocate how we want it to work. There are sympathetic ears at GameTap. We know they'll listen to our feedback.

Therefore, add your two cents here:
Suggestion: A way to launch Uru Live without the GameTap front-end

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goofy

Joined: 09 May 2006

Posts: 520

Location: relto

No offense to gametap people, but I hate thier interface completely. Its buggy and takes way to many resources and is not really needed.

I'm all for supporting URULive and Cyan, but if I have to use gametap to play it then I might not be playing. Rolling Eyes

If they create a separate URUlive client(outside of gametap) then most people will use that. I know I will.

if they make a smaller interface thats not much of a resource hog that would be much prefered. Something simular to Yahoo chat or simular chat programs. Nothing full screen. When I want to play URUlive or any other game I want to get into the game as fast as I can. Not have to wait for something else to load up and then wait for the game to load up. I accually timed it on my broadband connect and it took close to 5 to 10 minutes to load everything.(gametap then game).

Now when I log into UU it takes me less the 3 minutes to get into game. Which would you prefer.
Sorry, but untill gametap makes thier interface alot better nothings going to change my mind. The only games I want to play that gametap has are Myst games and URUlive. Thing is I already have everyone of them and I'm not interested in all that other stuff or the flashy interface.

Rusty_Russell

Joined: 25 May 2006

Posts: 9836

Location: Luton, UK

Kero, explorers and visitors only applies once you're in. It has nothing to do with how you get there.

Alahmnat

Uru Live Moderator

Joined: 09 May 2006

Posts: 1683

Location: Spokane, WA

Rusty_Russell wrote:

Kero, explorers and visitors only applies once you're in. It has nothing to do with how you get there.

True. However, there is something to be gleaned from the fact that you can play Uru Live as a Visitor for an unlimited period of time... either Visitors will have a stand-alone client that is specially made to be used exclusively outside of GameTap, while registering requires use of GT's interface, or Live can be accessed outside of GT's interface regardless, though membership itself requires a GT subscription in the US.

Honestly, I can see pros and cons either way this goes, but the biggest argument I can see GT having against logging into Live outside of GT's interface is that it allows users to bypass GT itself altogether, and GT may not be very appreciative of that, since they want to advertise to you to play more of their available games and watch more of their provided programming (some of which is actually entertaining, I must admit).

Speaking from personal experience, the system my wife is using GameTap on has done rather admirably with the service, and apart from one graphical glitch after quitting Worms Armageddon that prevented us from getting to the Exit button (which could likely be avoided if we didn't have the screen switching from Worms's resolution back to the desktop resolution, then back to GameTap's resolution within 5 seconds...), the service hasn't been laggy and it hasn't taken more than a minute or two to launch and get into a game except for the first time we launched it, which took about 10 minutes just to log in while it downloaded everything, plus the extended period of time it took to download games for the first time. Once they're downloaded, though, getting to them is pretty quick for me.

Rusty_Russell

Joined: 25 May 2006

Posts: 9836

Location: Luton, UK

I think the visitor boundaries are part of the game, not the getting there, like a barricade in Ae'gura.

StarLion

Joined: 10 May 2006

Posts: 339

Location: California, USA

I agree that Gametaps interface isn't the greatest, but it's designed not to hog recourses while your games run.

While the Gametap interface is up, it uses ~180 MB of RAM. Not exactly a lean program, but not exactly a system hog either.

When Gametap is minimized (which it does automatically when a game starts) it uses 3 MB of RAM.

Let me put it this way, once your game actually starts, the Gametap client is about as recourse hungry as Notepad Wink

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Cyan_Husky

Joined: 10 May 2006

Posts: 259

Location: Corona, CA

Heh, My jaw dropped when I read the first half of your post, but quickly rose back up when I read the rest. Laughing

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