General FAQ on installing, Accounts & Guide for Download-Content (on the PC Version)

Since both Criterion and EA fail till now in providing proper Information for the masses of PC Players out there, (besides some small Twitter bits that came just today after the Update), i decided to spend some minutes of my lifetime to possibly make your life a little easier, by describing on how to access the new Download Content (Legendary Cars, Toys, Boost Specials) and give a little advice on the Installation process with the EADM & the EA Account.

 
- First thing is you need to have your game installed and your progress saved in case anything went wrong, before you do any update.

Your saves are located under:

C:\Documents and Settings\[YOURNAME]\Local Settings\Application Data\Criterion Games\Burnout Paradise (Win XP)
or
C:\Users\[UserName]\AppData\Local\Criterion Games\Burnout Paradise\Save (Vista/Win7)

Always secure your savegames because the game doesn't do that for you, it has just one savefile, and when this is lost or destroyed you have to start over again.

The game could crash and you loose your save, or even if you are reinstalling (don't forget to deauthorize your installation in case you do that), you can just copy it back,
its allways a good idea to have your game progress saved!

- Second thing is, to play online you had/have to register an EA Account and create a "Persona", a kind of nickname under which you play online (much like the gamertag/PSN ID on Consoles).

Be prepared to remember the account login (usually an E-Mail address) and passwords for this EA Account and the Persona you play Burnout with too.

This is the Page where you can create the EA User Account

The persona you can create when you are logged into the EA Account, and this persona is then used to log in into Burnout to play online.

- Also in this EA User Account you can not only create and manage your persona's (for different games)
but also you can add contact information and also Credit Card data (in the EA Account-Manager page),
because this Account is also used whenever you buy something in the EA Store

If you choose to already fill out this contact information you can use it later for your purchase
of the add-ons for Burnout Paradise, but it is not necessary if you don't want to.

- now to the actual game itself... When you install Burnout Paradise - The Ultimate Box on your PC,
it asks you in the last step before finishing if you want to install the EA Download Manager (EADM)
This Download Manager can be used to get the add-ons. But it is not necessary if you use the way i will describe further down. (Thanks to Rakul Nitescar for mentioning this!)

If you choose not to install it (like i did, because i am used to install my patches manually) you can install it even on a later point.
You can reinstall it from your Original DVD or you can download it here and install it.
A help Page for the EADM can be found with this LINK.

- Some words i have to share about this EA Download Manager thing.
It starts itself normally every time you boot your PC and uses your resources and bandwidth,
you can easily disable this behavior, when you access the options of the application via right click on the icon in the bar when its running, and disable the tick on "Starting with Windows". Just remember to fire it up whenever you might need to use it, like for the Burnout Addons.
Also it needs to have accsess to the web, therefore you have to allow access through your firewall if you have one running, or it wont work.

- When you are using EADM, you have to log into it to access its features.
This Login is the same as your EA User Account (Email & Password) that you registered on the EA Account website mentioned above.

- Then you have to register your Burnout game with the EADM so it knows that you own the game and looks for your updates. (the code is on the back of your Manual when you have bought a physical copy, and its the same you needed to enter when you first installed your game)
One benfit you have when you register the game with the EADM, is that you cant loose the game because it offers a digital download you can allways use when your disk is broken or lost.

- If you choose NOT to install the EADM you can still get the Patch Update!
Instead of starting your Burnout Paradise Game with the BurnoutParadise.exe you can use the BurnoutLauncher.exe (found in your installation folder) and it will prompt you for the Patch exactly like the EADM does.

- Okay... Now you registered everything, have your passwords and account names ready and secured your savegame.
And you have (eventually) the EADM running and online (green icon not grey) and you are logged in in it.
Everything is ready for the download of the update and the purchase of the add-on content.

- Start your Burnout Paradise like you normally do. The EADM should stop the gamestart and tell you that there is an update (patch) available.

OR

Start your Burnout Paradise with the BurnoutLauncher.exe (found in your installation folder) and it should prompt you the same way to your Patch.

Agree to get it and the download will start, depending on your connection it goes fast or slow and eventually finishes.
After the download is complete the Patch Procedure should automatically begin, just click agree if you have to.
when that is finished your game should be patched to the latest version so you can access the new content.

- Start Burnout Paradise, this time the EADM shouldn't interfere (if its running), and when you start the game you have to log in again with your Persona from the EA Account.

- When you have done that you can finally access the updated In-game Store.
There should the new DLC be listed, that is:
Legendary Cars, Toys Complete (the only one with the toy bike), Toys 1 and 2, Boost Specials
and the hideous Time Saver pack (... that no one really needs I guess)

- The Prices may vary in different countries for me they where in Euros.
7,99 for the Legendary Cars, and the same price for the Boost Specials
12,99 for the complete Toys Package, and 5,99 for the Toys 1 & 2 packages each.
4,99 for the Time savers package...

I think its not really cheap overall but... oh well, we all have to feed our addiction dont we?

- To buy now this new DLC you have to klick on it in the Store and go to the details and there you click on the Buy now button thing or just press Enter again.
This will open up a new in-game Browser Window (much like the one you get from criterion for news and stats with every gamestart).

- there you have to sign in with your EA Account (mail & password) and if you havent created one jet you could do that now too, but most likely you have one and just can log in.

- Then you have to choose your payment options, if you filled that out already once for your EA Account on the main accounts website it should be listed, if not you can enter your data there for one time use or for multi time use.
Be aware of the information you choose to share, for me one time use is preferred becouse the data gets deleted again (so they say).

- The only payment options that i saw where Credit Cards (that could be different in other regions), fill out your data and accept.

- The page should redirect you to the store and when you leave it and enter Paradise City,
you should have the options for the new cars you have bought on the first screen.
(where you used to choose between the cars and the bikes)

- Enter the Garage and see the reflection of your smile in your new bought cars paint

- After this you can safly disable (or uninstall) and forget the EADM if you don't want to use it for other things.
However it could be you need it when a new Patch (that isn't available for download elsewhere) or DLC for Burnout Paradise on PC is available.
Although the above described method with the BurnoutLauncher.exe might work then too, there's no telling jet.

- If the Patch gets available separately, then the EADM procedure, or the gamestart with the BurnoutLauncher.exe, can be left out completely, and you can buy it just from the in-game store after you have installed the patch manually.
UPDATE: It is now aviable standalone here: http://tinyurl.com/dg3kjf

- After your Purchase you get a confirmation mail to the E-Mail account that is connected with your EA Account.
You should keep that Mail in case you have any issues with the DLC you bought at any time (reinstalling... whatever).

- If you have updated the Game to the new Version, but your Friends havent, then you are not able to play online together, everyone needs to have the same Version installed!
Another small thing i noticed is that the Online Game Options Page (where the number of your online challenges are listed, ect.) now shows the Icon you can choose in the Criterion Games Network Page.

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Whew... that was quite a thing to write and for you to read, i hope you learned one or 2 things or it helped you in any way,
The whole thing with the different Accounts, Persona's, passwords and additional EADM is quite complicated,
but when you know how it works and what you have to do, it works fine and without a problem, so it did for me.

In my Opinion the lack of information on how to do this things should be embarrassing for Criterion and EA,
all they did was saying... its available... BUY IT.... they really could do better i am sure,
maybe they get a FAQ for us done sometime but it should be ready when the stuff is available.

I guess, the procedure will be mostly the same as soon as the Island gets available for us PC Users too.

If you have additional questions or just want to say thanks just post =)

... i am off with my new Toy P12 now..... 

UPDATE: Criterion made the Patch aviable now to get without the use of EADM or Steam!

CrashTVJez
PC Cars Update is available here, if you're not using Steam or the EA downloader - http://tinyurl.com/dg3kjf

17:14  26-03-2009