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Hey folks,
GenCon is crazy busy this year, but I wanted to take a moment to fill everybody in on an important announcement we made today and to answer two big questions that have been raised.
Let's start with the latter. The purchase model for Hero Lab Online will not be changing in any substantive way. Users will still purchase game systems and data package add-ons on a one-time basis, just like they do now. The only difference will be a low-cost, annual "subscription" fee to keep the servers running. That fee should be in the roughly $2/month range, and it will be the same price regardless of how much content you've purchased via the one-time model. The initial purchase of HLOnline will include a core game system of choice (just like the desktop today), plus 6 months of server access.
After Starfinder is solid and stable, we'll begin bringing the game systems from the desktop product to HLOnline. When that occurs, desktop users will have the OPTION to migrate over to HLOnline. Migration will incur a nominal, flat charge, which we anticipate will be in the $20 range. This amount will be the same, regardless of how many game systems and add-ons the user may own. It will also include 6 months of server access, which will represent a roughly $12 value. So the actual migration cost should be less than $10. And it's entirely optional. Users who wish to continue using the desktop product are free to do so.
And now for the important, new announcement...
In late September, we'll be launching Hero Lab Online for Starfinder as an Open Beta. We'll start out with a limited number of users and then increase that number in the weeks that follow. Character creation should be complete at launch, but starship creation and certain other features may not be fully in place at that time. As is customary with an Open Beta, everyone that participates will need to purchase the product to continue using it once the Beta period concludes.
Sign-ups for participation in the Open Beta will begin at some point in September. Stay tuned for complete details. They will be posted prior to the sign-up period and will appear in our newsletter, on our support forums, and across our social media feeds.
NOTE! I hope I've addressed some of the key questions being raised. Feel free to ask further questions. However, please do not expect any replies until after we get home from GenCon and get our legs bag under us, as we are up to our eyeballs right now with the show. We'll do our best to get you answers later this coming week.
Thanks for your patience and support!
-Rob
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