Realm Works Feature Survey – Charting the Future

[Avi]

Originally Posted by Nemesis

Except that we haven't actually seen the survey results. That's what LWD tells us what the results are. We're just have to take their word for it. Which I don't.

This is just plain rude...
The conversation up till now was harsh/strong/"in your face" but mostly civil.

LWD are not a bunch of liars, and if you think so your place is not on their list, as anything they say will be suspect by you.

[weogarth]

Originally Posted by Nemesis

Except that we haven't actually seen the survey results. That's what LWD tells us what the results are. We're just have to take their word for it. Which I don't.

Definitely uncalled for. I think Rob was more than kind in actually justifying this with a response. Personally, I would have rather him spent the time working on the marketplace.

To a far lesser extent, I've been in Rob's and Liz' shoes, and it wasn't fun for me. I can only imagine what it's like for them. I know there are strong feelings but NOTHING will be gained but stomping on their morale.

[Nemesis]

Well, LWD sold me a piece of software with a critical functionality, that is expected to be part of every modern piece of software, missing (namely "export") without even mentioning that it wasn't there. So I'm a bit hesitant in trusting them, as I've been burnt once already.

[Farling]

Originally Posted by Nemesis

Well, LWD sold me a piece of software with a critical functionality, that is expected to be part of every modern piece of software, missing (namely "export") without even mentioning that it wasn't there. So I'm a bit hesitant in trusting them, as I've been burnt once already.

And the survey (which you don't believe) indicated quite clearly the size of the market which really wanted the "export" facility.

[Nemesis]

@ Rob:

Alright, here's what right now makes it difficult for me to fully trust LWD. The reasons are two-fold:

1. You do the survey, which is in itself a good thing as it allows users to vote on the features they'd like to see in the software. The problem is, some of the these features were promised a long time ago (see Dubya's posts) and even advertised as selling points for the software. But then the results of the survey are not used as a strict development plan but are just a guideline and the wording in the update at least sounds a bit like the features people voted on might be moved up and down if it's covenient to do so. Then why do a survey at all, if the results are just a general guideline and you reserve the right to change the position of features on the list? It just feels off (and I know other people have commented on this as well already).

2. The fact that journals came off on top of the most-wanted list just seems a bit too convenient. LWD is a business and they have to make money, so the features that are most beneficial to LWD as a company are those that either expand the user basis or will get more people to spend money on the software. Neither calenders nor export (or a lot of the other features) do that, but journals do. They only work with Player Edition, which in turn requires cloud services, which in turn is something you have to pay for. So basically the feature that's on top right now is the one feature that will actually earn LWD money if it's implemented, while the people who already paid for the software and have no interest in the cloud-based features are left by the wayside (and just to clarify, I worked for a software developer in the legal department for several years, I know the business and I completely understand that LWD of course needs to earn money to pay the bills - that's just how a business works). Maybe that's coincidence, maybe I'm overly suspicious, but it just feels odd to me.

Pair these two facts with my above mentioned feeling of being burnt by the fact that a (at least to me) crucial function was missing without that fact being mentioned anywhere, makes me suspicious.

I realize that this is not gonna make me any friends on the forum and that for you reading this must be hurtful, but that's the way I feel about this matter right now.

[Acenoid]

Good posts here all around
I think that LWD should concentrate now on setting things into motion and go through the list and we will see where we end up.

I'm sure that many ppl will be positively surprised, even it requires them to "come back" from paper/other software in the meantime.

I also hoped for some features which are now far on the horizon, but as long as the product is successful and growing, I hope that we are getting closer to this function at least.

[enrious]

I'm sad to see Calendars not in the top-3 and not sure about Journals, but mine is but a single voice. There are enough other things on the roadmap that I or my players will benefit from, just as there are things that I'm not sure we really will that are on there, which suggests to me that it's just about right for me - design and implementation is quite often feature compromises bundled together.

I also admit that I haven't really looked at any marketing material and so was completely unaware that Realm Works has been listing Exporting and/or Printing materials as a built in feature - where did I miss that?

As it is, since joining a drinking club while waiting for RW to go out to the early-access KS backers to now, I've really only see RW's list of features (working features mind you) only increase. Steadily.

Mind you, not as fast as I'd like and likely not as fast as rob and the LW folks would like, but I can point back to the release notes for every version and know that the releases have been relatively frequent and also include new features that I wanted or never knew I did until I tried them.

From my perspective, things are better than they were two years ago...and two months ago. But then, I'm not seeing a snapshot of RW - I'm seeing the Journal.

[Mmurphy]

I have stopped using Realm Works completely. Until the items that I want are in it, I find it to be too much of a distraction at the table to be useful. This is my personal opinion and I will still tell people about it if they seem interested but for my taste, it is easier to just fake it. I do not GM with any pre-planned plan--I have everything I need (maps, images, etc) as files on the computer and pull up what I need when I need it. The characters can take a job or not for all I care.

I was using Realm Works to track what has happened after each game for a bit but stopped because it really was only for me.

I am a kickstarter backer so LW already has my money and I have a lifetime top tier cloud service so I am not worried too much. I will just wait until a few more features are incorporated (like the "The grande temple of Jing") etc.

[AEIOU]

I hate to admit it but my RW entry stopped a month ago. Until I can share content with myself so start new campaigns fresh it's pointless. And until I can export I'm really not sure why I'm bothering. Maybe I'll get back to it in a few weeks/months. I'm tired of waiting and don't have the energy to complain.

I too have lifetime top tier cloud service. I hope Rob is paying attention to his strongest advocates and most vocal supporters. We're frustrated.

[kad]

Over the course of the three weeks that the survey was live, we had just shy of 1000 people complete the survey! Nearly 85% of the respondents were current Realm Works users, and about 15% were prospective users.

I find myself wondering what percentage of the total number of current users (by license sales) the 85% "current user" respondents is. Not that I expect LWD to reveal how many copies they've sold, that's not something small businesses usually do. But it would be interesting to know.

-Keith