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Let me say from the start, I'm no software engineer. Just someone who uses a lot of software. Lately I've been putting a lot of hours into Realm Works and enjoying all its features, but one thing I've been uncertain about is the database management and distribution process. To my understanding, the process right now is this: a GM creates a realm, syncs to the cloud, and then players sync to that to view the realm.
Assuming I understood that process correctly, it seems then that if players were to make changes to the realm database, they would need to sync those changes with the cloud for the GM to see, correct? Now imagine if the GM has made updates to the database - does that work get overwritten when the player syncs to cloud? Or vice versa, are the player's contributions lost when the GM syncs his updated local database for next week's session?
Or is the database being "merged" each time we sync? If so, then maybe it's not a problem for multiple syncs to be occurring to the cloud database.
Either way, some sort of permissions system would need to be put in place which could let GM's define exactly what topics/categories the players could and could not affect. A beefy undertaking, no doubt, but one that is likely necessary if the software is to exist as something more than the superb organizational tool for GM's that it already is.
It almost seems that in order for Realm Works to function the way people are wanting it to function, you would have to ditch the local database workflow entirely for an online/cloud-based database, that players and GM's would have simultaneous access to and throw out the syncing process altogether. Much like an MMO, you would have your software installed locally, but all changes to the database would be occurring on a set of servers maintained by LWD.
But again, I don't make the software, so forgive me if I'm spouting complete and utter rubbish. Just my 2 cents.
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