Well, no, that was silly. The application arguments go after the class

name.

src/java/com/threerings/getdown/data/Application.java

@@ -164,7 +164,7 @@ public class Application
      */
     public Application (File appdir, String appid)
     {
-        this(appdir, appid, null, null);
+        this(appdir, appid, null, null, null);
     }
 
     /**
@@ -177,8 +177,10 @@ public class Application
      * the primary application.
      * @param signers an array of possible signers of this application. Used to verify the digest.
      * @param jvmargs arguments to pass on to launched jvms
+     * @param appargs arguments to pass on to launched application
      */
-    public Application (File appdir, String appid, Object[] signers, String[] jvmargs)
+    public Application (
+        File appdir, String appid, Object[] signers, String[] jvmargs, String[] appargs)
     {
         _appdir = appdir;
         _appid = appid;
@@ -187,6 +189,9 @@ public class Application
         if (jvmargs != null) {
             _baseJvmArgs = jvmargs;
         }
+        if (appargs != null) {
+            _baseAppArgs = appargs;
+        }
     }
 
     /**
@@ -567,6 +572,11 @@ public class Application
             }
         }
 
+        // add the launch specific application arguments
+        for (String arg : _baseAppArgs) {
+            _appargs.add(arg);
+        }
+
         // look for custom arguments
         fillAssignmentListFromPairs("extra.txt", _jvmargs);
 
@@ -1461,6 +1471,7 @@ public class Application
     protected ArrayList<String> _appargs = new ArrayList<String>();
 
     protected String[] _baseJvmArgs = new String[0];
+    protected String[] _baseAppArgs = new String[0];
 
     protected Object[] _signers;
 

src/java/com/threerings/getdown/launcher/Getdown.java

@@ -88,10 +88,11 @@ public abstract class Getdown extends Thread
 
     public Getdown (File appDir, String appId)
     {
-        this(appDir, appId, null, null);
+        this(appDir, appId, null, null, null);
     }
 
-    public Getdown (File appDir, String appId, Object[] signers, String[] jvmargs)
+    public Getdown (
+        File appDir, String appId, Object[] signers, String[] jvmargs, String[] appargs)
     {
         super("Getdown");
         try {
@@ -120,7 +121,7 @@ public abstract class Getdown extends Thread
                 "\nis invalid. The directory must not contain the '!' character. Please reinstall.";
             fail(errmsg);
         }
-        _app = new Application(appDir, appId, signers, jvmargs);
+        _app = new Application(appDir, appId, signers, jvmargs, appargs);
         _startup = System.currentTimeMillis();
     }
 

src/java/com/threerings/getdown/launcher/GetdownApp.java

@@ -55,7 +55,7 @@ public class GetdownApp
         if (StringUtil.isBlank(adarg)) {
             if (args.length < 1) {
                 System.err.println(
-                    "Usage: java -jar getdown.jar app_dir [app_id] [jvm args]");
+                    "Usage: java -jar getdown.jar app_dir [app_id] [app args]");
                 System.exit(-1);
             }
             adarg = args[aidx++];
@@ -68,9 +68,9 @@ public class GetdownApp
         }
 
         // pass along anything after that as jvm args
-        String[] jvmargs = null;
+        String[] appargs = null;
         if (args.length > aidx) {
-            jvmargs = ArrayUtil.splice(args, 0, aidx);
+            appargs = ArrayUtil.splice(args, 0, aidx);
         }
 
         // ensure a valid directory was supplied
@@ -106,7 +106,7 @@ public class GetdownApp
         log.info("---------------------------------------------");
 
         try {
-            Getdown app = new Getdown(appDir, appId, null, jvmargs) {
+            Getdown app = new Getdown(appDir, appId, null, null, appargs) {
                 @Override
                 protected Container createContainer () {
                     // create our user interface, and display it

src/java/com/threerings/getdown/launcher/GetdownApplet.java

@@ -60,7 +60,7 @@ public class GetdownApplet extends JApplet
             // a third party to insert a trusted certificate. This should be replaced with
             // statically included trusted keys.
             _getdown = new Getdown(_config.appdir, null, GetdownApplet.class.getSigners(),
-                _config.jvmargs) {
+                _config.jvmargs, null) {
                 @Override
                 protected Container createContainer () {
                     getContentPane().removeAll();