Realm Works Player Edition Update

[DMG]

Originally Posted by jkthomsen9

Another question. I am a DM and a player. I have a friend who is a player in my game and I am a player in his game. We both own DM versions of RW. Will we both have to purchase player versions to play in each others realms, or can you use the DM version as a player version if you do not own the realm?

I think I remember seeing that a full version covers all the features of the Player version, so it'll function for both GM's & players.

It was a while back, but I'm sure that's what I read.

[rob]

A few important clarifications...

1. You CAN have multiple accounts tied to the same email address.

2. Our GOAL with Player Edition is that the players have the license and can then use it across multiple games they might play in. Those games might be run by you or someone else. As such, the PE accounts are completely independent of each other - and your own personal GM version.

3. When you buy a Player Edition license, you can do with it what you want. If you activate the license with an account you create and that is tied to your email address, you will ultimately have control of the license. You CAN then retain a certain level of ownership of the license. The caveat is that you would need to give the account name and password to a player in order for them to use it. Once you do that, the player COULD change the password and email address, effectively taking over the license entirely as their own. We will NOT be attempting to police this for GMs, as that's not the intent of the model. This approach would only work if your players are reasonable and don't turn out to be [insert derogatory term of choice]. From our perspective, it will work along the lines of what @Silveras outlined above, although reasonable players will allow other models of use.

4. As an adjunct to #3, it will be impractical for a player to use a different PE account within different games. A single Realm Works account can be associated with a given Windows user account on a computer, so accessing multiple accounts for different realms will require each player to setup different Windows user accounts in order to do so. That's not likely to work too well. Consequently, once a player wants access to a second game with a different GM, he will need his own license. So the GM-controlled license model will only work as long as your players are solely playing in games you run as GM.

5. In past threads about this subject (both here and elsewhere), many GMs expressed the desire to either purchase the licenses for their group or get the group to pool funds to purchase copies of Player Edition for everyone. The progressive discount model is specifically intended to support these GMs.

6. There is nothing stopping a gaming group from pooling funds to get the bulk discount for individual licenses for themselves. There is also nothing stopping a GM from buying a block of licenses for his group and then subsequently getting them to pay for them by collecting $1 per session from each player over the span of a few weeks. Heck, if your group takes up a collection for munchies during the game, just tack on $1 for a few sessions towards copies of PE and you're all set!

7. The GM Edition will work fully as a player for any games in which you play instead of run.

8. There will be an upgrade option made available for Player Edition accounts to upgrade to the full GM Edition at a reduced price. Nothing has been decided on the actual pricing for the upgrade yet. My best GUESS is that it will likely be $45.

Hope this makes things clearer!!

[ruhar]

As soon as I read the new email I sent a link to my players. I told them that I couldn't afford to buy the program for them, but if they buy it together they could get a decent discount and have their own copy. IMO that's a win all the way around. I'm not using my limited funds and the players can get a good discount working together. As a bonus I see that they will be able to upgrade to a GM Edition if they want. A bigger win. It's the route I suggest for GMs who have limited funds and/or are concerned about a player leaving and taking the program with them.

[Indus101]

97% there is great news. And thanks for the bundling. That's no more than our usual pizza and beer tab. Just waiting for the button that says "buy" now!

[Nikmal]

-deleted- Due to Wrong forum and thread.

[rob]

One additional clarification since this question has arisen before. We are NOT going to be pre-selling Player Edition online. When it's officially released, we'll begin accepting purchases online, but not until then.

It won't be much longer now, and having the pricing information in advance should make it easier to arrange things with your groups so that you're all ready to pounce when it becomes available.

[GThiel]

How will the GM version Interface with the Player Edition? I'm not referring to revealing things in the GM version but how will the Player log in and access it?

[Sleepwalk]

Great news about the Player Edition progress. I've been waiting for this so I can use Realm Works as the central hub for all my campaign information.

In regards to the pricing, will the per-player group price extend to more than 5 players? I've got 6 players in my campaign, would they be able to buy a bundle of 6 for $5-6 on top of the 5 copy bundle price? Or would they need to buy a 5 copy bundle for $30, plus an additional single copy for another $10?

[goldensword52]

Is a player version required to share the content I create on realm works with my players? Or will there be some sort of browser version that my players can use just to see what I have revealed to them, like a sort of wiki?

[EightBitz]

Originally Posted by goldensword52

Is a player version required to share the content I create on realm works with my players? Or will there be some sort of browser version that my players can use just to see what I have revealed to them, like a sort of wiki?

There will be a web-based player client. It won't be as functional, but we don't know what that means yet.