|
At the moment, the choice is really basic.
If you want to play Starfinder or Pathfinder (2e), they're only available on Hero Lab Online.
If you want to play other systems, such as Pathfinder (1e) or D&D 5e, they're only available with Hero Lab Classic.
They recently launched a new version (Shadowrun I believe), and I'd guess new stuff will be HLO as opposed to classic, but am not really sure.
.
.
The server access for HLO isn't really that expensive.
But a sticking point for a lot of people is that you need online access.
My phone (and basically everyone with a plan [as opposed to pay as you go] in Canada will have) has unlimited data, provided there is cellular coverage.
Requiring online access, for very small amounts of data, isn't a huge deal to me.
But it is to many, apparently.
.
.
Given Paizo is not releasing more Pathfinder (1e) books, and that is the system we're using for the foreseeable (I'd guess two decades to go through un-run adventure paths, many of which are 3pp, plus any campaigns we create ourselves...)...
That indicates the Lone Wolf won't get a lot of my money.
I love the products that Lone Wolf provides, and hope that Pathfinder 1e is added to Hero Lab Online in the future.
$2/mo or $25/yr seems reasonable to me, for the extras that Campaign Theater will provide for my gaming group.
I'm most interested in being able to apply group buffs/debuffs to everyone, rather than doing an adjustment for each of the 7 PCs, and numerous pets or NPCs guiding them somewhere etc; dump everyone into a group, and be able to AoE buff (or debuff) them.
Combine that feature with a live URL of the character, that the VTT points to. Then I can have a Transfiguration (Spheres of Power, Life Sphere) applied to four characters in the party... which increases (at our Caster Level) current and maximum health by +75.
Being able to do the buffs, class features, and such, within Hero Lab... where everything (both beneficial and harmful) stacks correctly, and without needing to adjust anything within our VTT, but having it accurately reflect current stats for everything.
That is worth $2 per month to me easily.
Plus, (picking a number out of the hat here) if I am one of say 500 people who are playing and sticking with Pathfinder (1e)... and who feel that $2 per month is reasonable for that service, then that's an extra $1000/mo to keep Lone Wolf in business, over and above whatever they're making selling new content for more recent game systems.
|