Make Plutonium easier to install

Dynamiquel

I would like to say thank you so much for Plutonium! I am only making this thread because I want Plutonium to be the best it could be.

I have noticed that downloading and installing Plutonium for Black Ops 2 is not the simplest thing to do. I have to tell my less tech-literate friends how to install it. I believe it should be simplified so average users can easily install the game.

The downloading procedure is unnecessarily complicated
When I press the 'BO2 Download' button, I should not be sent to a forum that provides way too much information and the actual files I need to download are just hyperlinks.

Pressing the 'BO2 Download' button should present a popup dialogue with two buttons and a hyperlink.

The first button should say something like "Download Plutonium" and should download the 'privy.exe' file.
The second button should say something like "Download Plutonium for Steam users" and should download the 'plutonium.exe' file.
The hyperlink should say something like "Having problems with the installation?" and should redirect you to the forum, which contains the extra information.

The installation procedure could be simplified
The installation procedure is not as bad as the download procedure but it could still be improved. I will list proposals in order of importance.

Firstly, an actual Installer GUI should be used for 'privy.exe'. The installer should allow users to choose where to store the game (with a default 'C:/Games/Call of Duty Black Ops II' path), and an option to create a Start Menu and Desktop shortcut for 'plutonium.exe'.

Secondly, 'plutonium.exe' should at least try to find the Black Ops 2 folder, with the option to manually set it if it couldn't be found or the user for some reason has multiple Black Ops 2 installations. This could be something as simple as checking if the following folders exist:

C:/Games/Call of Duty Black Ops II
D:/Games/Call of Duty Black Ops II
S:/Games/Call of Duty Black Ops II
C:/Program Files (x86)/Steam/steamapps/common/Call of Duty Black Ops II
D:/Program Files (x86)/SteamLibrary/steamapps/common/Call of Duty Black Ops II
S:/Program Files (x86)/SteamLibrary/steamapps/common/Call of Duty Black Ops II

Thirdly (I don't think this would be possible if your intention is to keep the Plutonium launcher as legal as possible), the 'privy.exe' option should be removed entirely from the Download page. All users should have to download an installer which essentially installs the Plutonium launcher in its own folder (such as 'C:/Program Files (x86)/Plutonium'. However, I'm pretty sure it already does this in AppData). Similarly with the first proposal, the user should be able to choose to add Start Menu and Desktop shortcuts (or just force it).
The Plutonium launcher should provide an option to download a fresh install of Black Ops 2. This could either be done through 'privy.exe' as a separate process in the background, or within the launcher itself. When doing this, the user should have the option to choose where the Black Ops 2 installation will be.

Mr. Android

The fact you repeatedly called piry.exe "privy.exe" is the exact reason we provide links to install instructions instead of download links.

The install instructions should be read to avoid errors later which cause us more work by people not reading them and then asking questions we have already answered.

Most of your suggestions are already planned in the new launcher, it's just pretty low on the priority list.

Dynamiquel

Sorry, I forgot exactly what it was called. I didn't recheck it.

I do understand your point about people with issues just asking repeated questions.

I understand that install instructions are important but they can become overwhelming for people who are not used to modding. It also removes the attention from what is most important - the files. I just think they should at least be some sort of balance.

From the current install page, you already provide a lot of the solutions after the downloads. I guess instead of proving a link to the install instructions (since as you say, most users may just ignore it and proceed to ask questions), you could place the install instructions directly below the download buttons. This way users are less likely to ask repeated questions but still priorities the files.

Download Plutonium for Black Ops 2 (T6)

Steam owners

This section is for users who already own and have Call of Duty: Black Ops 2 installed on their computer.

Download Plutonium for Steam owners

Install instructions

Place the plutonium.exe file wherever you want and open it.
In the Plutonium Launcher, select either T6 Multiplayer or T6 Zombies, then click SETUP.
Choose the folder containing your installed copy of Call of Duty: Black Ops II (by default, this would be C:/Program Files (x86)/Steam/steamapps/common/Call of Duty Black Ops II).
Press PLAY to start the game.

Non-Steam owners

This section is for users who do not have Call of Duty: Black Ops 2 installed on their computer.

Download Plutonium

Install instructions

Place the piry.exe file where you want Call of Duty Black Ops 2 to be installed, then open the file and wait for the download to complete.
Once the download completes, in the same folder, find the plutonium.exe file and open it.
In the Plutonium Launcher, select either T6 Multiplayer or T6 Zombies, then click SETUP.
Choose the folder where you placed the piry.exe file.
Press PLAY to start the game.

Guides

More detailed installation guide
Custom Games with Friends
Setting-up a Server
Run in LAN mode or with Anti-cheat disabled
Controller Support
Loading Custom Camos

Having installation issues?

Windows Defender or another anti-virus blocks or removes the file

If you're using Windows Defender, run this file as an Administrator.

If you're using different anti-virus software, go to your anti-virus settings and add the 'blocked'/'removed' file as an exclusion.

A SmartScreen popup appears

Click the more information button and then click Run Anyway.

Unable to load import...

Unable to load import

If you recieve this error, then you selected the wrong Call of Duty: Black Ops 2 folder in the Plutonium Launcher.

Content deadline exceeded

If you get this error when updating the Plutonium Launcher, then this is because a download took too long.
Download this file, put it in the same folder as plutonium.exe and then run it. It will run the app with a longer download timeout.

Issue not listed here?

Go to Common Problems and Solutions to find more solutions. Please check that your problem hasn't already been solved before posting anything!

FragsAreUs

I mean the fact that https://forum.plutonium.pw/topic/2819/how-to-install-update-plutonium-t6 is explained very well its just that people cant read/ refuse to read it and then ask for help, it is already very easy to install if you read it all the way and have pictures for everything.

Dss0

Sure it could be improved here and there but people still won't read it. If you want to play bo2 mp for free you gotta put a tiny bit of effort and brain power into it.
IW4x for example does it pretty much like you described in your first post with a very simple guide that asks you if you have the game or not and then instantly displays download links but guess what.. ppl still don't get it because they have some sort of issue with reading and understanding 2 lines of text.

Dynamiquel

FragsAreUs Yes I agree that that post is helpful. I wrote this thread before knowing that page existed. But as I said, (I'm not sure if this is intended,) that post is not what is given to users when they press the Download button. You can only find that page when you go to the forums (which isn't ideal - who would check the forums for basic install instructions?).

When users press the Download button, they are sent to the Changelog page - which isn't layed out nicely and has way too much useless info (for new users).

FragsAreUs

Dynamiquel wait so you mean when you go to #readme you dont see

which does not take you to a change log? so idk what you are clicking on

Dynamiquel

FragsAreUs I'm referring to the download button on the Plutonium website. The download button all users will see when they Google "plutonium".

The image implies the user is coming from Discord. As a user, why would you join a Discord server before installing the app? That makes no sense.

FragsAreUs

Dynamiquel even then it is still very easy to read what is said there just people refuse to read

Dynamiquel

FragsAreUs The Changelog is not easy to read.

The first several lines are useless to a new user. You're wasting their time and losing their attention.

Plutonium T6 has been updated to r791!
We have rewritten the client with a new codebase made from scratch.
Expect slow download speeds for the first day as everyone will be downloading.

Changes:

Piry.exe is no longer used, The Plutonium Launcher (Plutonium.exe) is used instead.
Plutonium.exe will be used to authenticate your forum user account and launch the game.
AntiCheat has been enabled. (This is the same anticheat as IW5, as always it won't catch everything but should help.)
Various crashes and exploits have been fixed.
Unlock All is now done by opening the console and typing unlockall You do not need to restart.
ServerList is now opened by pressing F10 or Home.
Discord Rich Presence has been added.
You now start the game with the Plutonium Launcher (plutonium.exe) which auto checks for updates when it starts, getting you up to date. Do not use t6rmp.exe or t6rzm.exe!

How to update:

Browse to http://cdn.plutonium.pw/updater/plutonium.exe and download the file. If your web browser blocks the download or removes it then you will need to tell your web browser to ignore the detection and keep the file. When asked in the launcher to select a folder, select your Bo2 folder.

And then the line after that is:

I don't have Black Ops 2 installed???

But at no point after that does it even say what to download if you already have BO2 installed from Steam. Sure, you could assume that you need a file called 'plutonium.exe' but to even get that file, you need to go to the I dont have Black Ops 2 installed??? heading, which they wouldn't have read because you told them not to.

There are paragraphs. It's ideal to split paragraphs into lists as it makes it easier to read (for instructions)
The error solutions are so close to the end of the installation guide, that users may just think it's part of the guide and just think "ugh. so much text. cba".
Spacing is awful.

All in all, terrible UX for a download page. As a Changelog page, it's fine.

Dynamiquel

Dss0 I agree that two lines of text is the minimum you should expect from a mod. It's not supposed to be a single click install like most games.

Sure, you'll have people that won't read it simply because they can't be bothered reading at all (these people are just not fit). But that's not everyone. You will also have people that will put some effort in reading it. And you'll have others that put even more effort in it. Everyone has different limits and you should try to get as many people as possible. I would like to think any improvement will help bring in just a few more people.

They have definitely been some guides in the past that had so much text that I just thought "nope".

Do you know why IW4x decided to provide links instead of downloading the files through the app?

FragsAreUs

Dynamiquel I mean still does not defeat that people can just spend the time and look around on the forum and go to the bo2 client support for stuff, you are like the first person to ever complain about this as the change log post also has a youtube video put together by a fellow community member. like stated yes maybe it can be tiddied up a bit but will some effort you can find other posts like one written by h3xic that also covers the install for bo2 its just called looking majority of people just come straight to the discord and we for the most part have to redirect them to the readme that is on the discord anyways and people still dont want to read it so they go watch some shitty trickshoter's youtube video on how to install and then people come back bitching on why x and y dont work. At the end of the day there is really no point on trying to do something that people 80% of the time wont read.

Dss0

Dynamiquel said in Make Plutonium easier to install:

Do you know why IW4x decided to provide links instead of downloading the files through the app?

Because the old updater broke and the staff members who have/had access to that either didn't care or vanished. But there will be a new updater for iw4x soon. Also IW4x still operates at 0 expenses so they don't own a cdn or any expensive hosting solution.

One thing i do agree on is that the download button on the homepage should bring you directly to the install guide instead of the changelog @Mr-Android

Mr. Android

To be fair, I also agree that the download button should link to the install guide instead of the changelog. I'll look to get that changed.

The reason for the way it works currently is because the changelog was up to date whereas the install guide was not when we released our new T6 update but since then, the install guide has caught up.

Edit: The download button for BO2 now links to the install guide instead of the changelog.