Allowing to manually log-in with the Steam version

First, I'm really glad that GGG made it possible for steam users to log-in directly while using their Steam account. That's a small thing but still it's great to not have to remember different login. (Not that I have multiple account, but I mean that MMO with a launcher which require a log in can be a pain sometime when you got an account in 30 different MMO with a different password & account name for each.)

But it comes with a big flaws which, recently, show up even more : Whenever Steam is offline or in maintenance, it's impossible to log-in with the Steam version as long as the Steam client is in offline mode.

During those time, the only way player can log in on Path of Exile is whenever they got the 2 installations on their computer. Right now, whenever Steam is offline or have technical difficulty, the client will not allow the Steam version of PoE to log in as it will have difficulty to communicate with the Steam server.

So, it would be wise to add an additional button for the Steam version which would allow the player to log-in by entering his information manually. (Like a bottom button in a corner which tells "Log in manually".

One point that I understand can make it hard is the updates. It would require that the manual log in to check if the player's version is the latest since the Steam version update through steam directly. That's an issue which I understand really complicate the process of what would be, normally, such a simple task. That's is why I propose that the button maybe should only appear if steam server is not accessible. (like a fail-safe method if the main access doesn't work) Only then would a version check be done and if the player don't have the latest version, it would require him to wait for Steam to be back online.

But at least, if there are no update, the player wouldn't have to wait for Steam to be online. Recently, Steam have been the subject of many cyber attack which have rendered the server unstable or simply offline for hours and even days.

there is a solution, if you have a normal poe installation (in case you don't just make one) just copy the pathofexile.exe into your poe steam folder so it sits beside the pathofexilesteam.exe.

this way you only need to maintain one folder (which steam does automatically). place a link to the pathofexile.exe on your desktop and use it to start the game whenever steam is down.

never tried it myself but other players like dreggon did it succesfully.

I can confirm that this do work.

Now, maybe it should be added to the Steam version automatically.

Since it got a work-around, I would like to share what I did.
(Thought I think this could still be implemented in the Steam version.)

Until it gets done, if it gets done, the most simple way of doing this is as following :
- Download the installer from this website.
- Launch it and, when asked the location, give the PoE location in the Steam sub-folders
- Launch the pathofexile.exe once.

After, I changed the name of the file for "Path of Exile Steam Offline.exe"
I added it in the Steam library as a None-Steam game and set the same category as the Steam version. Both are now one above the other in my steam library.

If Steam is Offline (which occur now once or twice per month for 4-20 hours) and if I wish to play, I still launch Steam in offline mode and use the new shortcut I added.