Chrome 42 phases out NPAPI, so BF4 is all messed up

[TERRA-NOVA]

So from what I understand Chrome 42 has stopped supporting NPAPI, I don't really know what that means but it has messed up the BF4 web launcher. You can re-enable it but Chrome 43 will completely stop it.

 

https://threatpost.com/google-shuts-off-npapi-in-chrome/112295

[thorpj]

NPAPI (Netscape Plugin API) is a plugin that is used by the ESN/Uprise created Battlelog. The plugin causes a lot of issues (source: Google). The plugin has been disabled now, but can be reenabled. By September 2015, it will be completely disabled in Chrome.

 

This explains why EA (via Uprise) have decided to make a new server browser for SWBF. Not because they want to improve the experience, but because they have to.

 

What is also amazing is how EA, DICE, and Uprise did nothing about this issue until Chrome 42 was released. The removal of the NPAPI plugin was announced a year ago

 

Lifehacker and Venturebeat both reported on this. The VB article provides more detail:

 

"Google today provided an update on its plan to remove Netscape Plugin Application Programming Interface (NPAPI) from Chrome, which the company says will improve the browser’s security, speed, and stability, as well as reduce complexity in the code base. In short, the latest timeline is as follows: Block all plugins by default in January 2015, disable support in April 2015, and remove support completely in September 2015.

 

For context, Google first announced in September 2013"

 

That last bit...

[Inkz]

InBf4FireFoxMasterRace               even if it is true, lol.

[silberdrachi]

InBf4FireFoxMasterRace               even if it is true, lol.

 

wootwootfirefoxftw

 

also, wow thats fucking bad... i feel like someone had to have looked at this and thought "hey that seems like something we should handle in the future" and then promptly forgot it.

[Sanctuary2808]

It affected any game that uses a browser to start the game, Nexon games are a good example.

[Mushious]

Hopefully this will force EA to develop a 64bit Battlelog plugin. I'm using IE to launch BFH at the moment, chrome causes random restarts.

 

Or maybe it'll encourage them to get rid of Battlelog all together for launching the games, it's a heap of junk.

 

InBf4FireFoxMasterRace               even if it is true, lol.

 

Waterfox master race.

[thorpj]

wootwootfirefoxftw

 

also, wow thats fucking bad... i feel like someone had to have looked at this and thought "hey that seems like something we should handle in the future" and then promptly forgot it.

InBf4FireFoxMasterRace               even if it is true, lol.

 

We all have our choices to make. I'm sticking with Chrome, so EA are dealing with that.

 

Also silberdrachi, lol, i can imagine some exec at EA getting an email about NPAPI, but because he's an exec, he doesn't know what it means...

 

Besides, NPAPI is a mess and a security risk. Firefox should disable it as well.

It affected any game that uses a browser to start the game, Nexon games are a good example.

You'd think devs would take a little more care about something like this. It implies that they don't really care if people can play their game.

[bcredeur97]

give us an in-game battlelog and this can all be solved FOREVER... just sayin'

[thorpj]

Hopefully this will force EA to develop a 64bit Battlelog plugin. I'm using IE to launch BFH at the moment, chrome causes random restarts.

 

Or maybe it'll encourage them to get rid of Battlelog all together for launching the games, it's a heap of junk.

 

 

Waterfox master race.

64bit isn't necessarily going to fix the problem. IE is your problem lol

 

They have to get rid of Battlelog, because it's not going to work come september.

 

 

I think the big question here is, what's going to happen to BF4. Perhaps EA are going to end support in september, so that we can all get on the SWBF hype train

[Mushious]

64bit isn't necessarily going to fix the problem. IE is your problem lol

 

They have to get rid of Battlelog, because it's not going to work come september.

 

 

I think the big question here is, what's going to happen to BF4. Perhaps EA are going to end support in september, so that we can all get on the SWBF hype train

 

IE serves me better than the system randomly crashing and rebooting when I open a new tab (thanks Chrome).

[Trik'Stari]

EA's mentality: "Oh, this will make our games not work in about a year? GREAT! Then we can take our sweet fucking time fixing it (if we even consider doing that) and our customers will buy the new game that works! And we didn't even have to shut down the servers this time!"

[thorpj]

IE serves me better than the system randomly crashing and rebooting when I open a new tab (thanks Chrome).

Sounds like a pc issue to me..

[Kamina]

They are even removing java support.

 

God dammnit now I hate chrome. 

[AxelRantila]

As one of my friends said; many plug-ins are outdated and it might be time to move on to better alternatives. And I kind of agree with that, so I don't necessairly have an issue with what Google is doing

 

Now lets hope that we drop Flash videos in favor of HTML5 sooner rather than later

[thorpj]

They are even removing java support.

 

God dammnit now I hate chrome. 

Nobody likes java.

 

Everytime i have to install it on something and i see the "Java is installed on billions of devices" image, i think "Yeah, Java is the reason billions of devices got hacked lol"

[jaggysnake57]

chrome is starting to piss me off.....they seam to be getting more buggy and are dropping support for things left and right.....looks like i may be switching to firefox

[deviant88]

Good job Google force them to upgrade their software.

Ive been using chrom64 beta 42 for a long time with no issues,and recently it updated to 43 no issues so far except i didnt check BF4 for a while not sure if it works.

[SirRoderick]

Personally I'm still baffled as to why we need a browser based launcher in the first place, JUST DO IT IN THE GAME...

 

Seriously, I stopped playing my free version of BF cause of that nonsense.

[thorpj]

chrome is starting to piss me off.....they seam to be getting more buggy and are dropping support for things left and right.....looks like i may be switching to firefox

They're dropping support for plugins like NPAPI to prevent bugs.

[AlexGoesHigh]

I think the big question here is, what's going to happen to BF4. Perhaps EA are going to end support in september, so that we can all get on the SWBF hype train

i really doubt they shut down bf4 or even any game that uses battlelog like MoH:WF, my guess is they probably switch to in game server browser and leave battlelog as a stat tracker, the consoles versions already have it, so its not like they have to develop it from scratch, these games are too popular to get shut down, at most they kill MoH, and even bf3 but the later i really doubt it

 

or maybe they find out a way too still have battlelog as it is using other things that isn't NPAPI

Hopefully this will force EA to develop a 64bit Battlelog plugin. I'm using IE to launch BFH at the moment, chrome causes random restarts.

 

Or maybe it'll encourage them to get rid of Battlelog all together for launching the games, it's a heap of junk.

 

 

Waterfox master race.

battlelog has supported 64bit browsers shortly after google update chrome to use 64bit on compatible system, now idk if the plugin they want you to install is still 32bit or has a 64bit version but that plugin either way has supported 64bit browsers for a while, it has worked for me with both chrome and opera, i would try waterfox and IE now if i had the game installed and i don't feel like waiting 3 days just to test that

[Eroda]

maybe this is the truth behind why battlefront is ditching battlelog for something ALL new , maybe they plan to roll this out game wide 

[thorpj]

maybe this is the truth behind why battlefront is ditching battlelog for something ALL new , maybe they plan to roll this out game wide 

That is exactly why they're making a new server browser. Because Google are the best

[spwath]

Hopefully this will force EA to develop a 64bit Battlelog plugin. I'm using IE to launch BFH at the moment, chrome causes random restarts.

 

Or maybe it'll encourage them to get rid of Battlelog all together for launching the games, it's a heap of junk.

 

 

Waterfox master race.

Maxthon master race

[Skrekkur]

Just in case you didn't know already, battlelog now works pretty well without any plugin. 

 

I guess they might have gone with a custom URI scheme and let the origin launcher register itself for it, which would in turn be able to launch the bf4 executable, but have not confirmed it though. 

Anyways not sure why they even needed a plugin to begin with. 

[Trik'Stari]

They need to just use an in game server browser like.....I dunno, every other game out there? BFBC2 used one, CoD uses one.....what is the point of the web browser launcher?