I just downloaded the game and I have my account setup and everything. But after I patch it, it still won't let me log on, keeps saying need patch. I'm brand new to the game so any help would be nice.

When patching from the downloaded version of the client it will need to restart the game and go back to patch some more a few times to get to the current version. So did you go through all the patching yet to get to 16.1.4 or did it just restart once so far? You can see your client version at the top of the log-in window. Aside from that did you use the right updates to patch if you downloaded them yourself (if you have the large client you must use the EP1 updates, with the small client use the non-EP1 ones, small is for fr00bs, large is for those with any of the expansions)? When patching you must move through each one from the version you have now to the most recent one, not just get the most recent one. Do you have a firewall or router that may be interfering with the game and/or patcher? Did you look over the support FAQ I listed the URL to below? If worst comes to worst just e-mail support, I've found they will get back to you in pretty decent time.

Your problem is one I haven't encountered and only just recently reinstalled and patched AO up. I found the best way was to get the client then download all the updates from the site from the version of your client and on. Then remove the patch folders from each of the update files and put just the files in those folders into one folder named "patches". Save a copy of that for possible future installs and copy the folder to the main AO folder on your system. When the patcher goes to update your client it will look for the files in the "patches" folder first and of course find them. When it asks you if you want to save a copy of the files say no then let it go to work. As noted earlier it will need to restart a few times when it gets to certain stages but it shouldn't take too long before it's at the current version.

http://www.anarchy-online.com/content/support/faq/

Same thing happened to me.  I downloaded the client but it also said I need the patches.  I sent support several e-mails but never got any answers to this problem so I didn't bother with the game after that.

I figured if the games support didn't bother to answer me even after several letters then this is probably how they are in the game.  Not a good sign.  I certainly don't want to join a game with support as bad as SWG.

You said the big client is for those with the expansions.  Yet, this is the one thats been recommended to be used when you begin to download.  It says to use the large client.

Also there is a long list of what look like patches.  Do you have to download each and everyone?  It seems awfuly long and time consuming especially as long as that list is.

The small client is about 800MB-900MB and the larger about 1.2GB or larger. Due to the size the version available for download will generally be an older one so it has plenty of seeders. Currently it looks like the one available is 16.0.0 so you would then need to patch from that to 16.2. The patcher will likely need to restart at least once along the way. Support in AO has always worked very well for me, but if you sent them a number of the same e-mail you may have shot yourself in the foot as that is not something businesses like to see people do.

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You said the big client is for those with the expansions. Yet, this is the one thats been recommended to be used when you begin to download. It says to use the large client.

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Huh, where are you getting it? On the AO site it gives you the option to get which ever you want (URL below). Well you can play the base version with the large client, it's just a bigger download. The large one would also let you use the 14 day SL trial available at MMORPG.com but once that's over you need to pay to continue playing with that account.

http://www.anarchy-online.com/content/downloads/tryout/

You can let the patcher get the patches and use them or you can download each of them from the AO site but you only get the ones to update from the version you have to the current version on the servers, not all of the patches in the list from 11.x on. Also if you download them yourself from SL/15.x on there are two of each update (ex. 16.0.0 - 16.0.1 and 16.0.0_EP1 - 16.0.1_EP1). The ones ending with EP1 are for those with the large client, the ones without are for those with the small client. If you were to download each patch file from the AO site then to go from 16.0.0 to 16.2.0 you would need to download ten patch files for the client version you're using. As noted in my last post along the way the patcher may need to restart one or more times as it patches from your current version to the version on the servers when it hits certain updates. So there is no problem if it restarts and says you need to patch some more. Then in the bar at the top of the log-in window it shows what version your client is at and what version is in use on the servers, until those match you will need to patch further.