Pathfinder for Hero Lab Online

[bruuuuuu]

There are lots of features on the "soon" list, which have been there for months. For myself, the ability to log multiple devices in simultaneously is on the top of the list. I have the maximum number of additional licenses in HLC, which they've said will transfer, but after months there is still no way to do this, and no way to just purchase additional simultaneous logins for HLO. Frankly, for me, this is a make-or-break. I'm willing to wait additional months, but find my confidence in the product shaken with each additional passing month in which this feature is not made available and is not even mentioned as a currently-under-development item.

I don't want to abandon the HLO product. It shows great potential. I'm using it now, but it's much less useful to me than it would otherwise be, and that won't work (for me) in the longer run.

[wheredoigo]

Originally Posted by bruuuuuu

There are lots of features on the "soon" list, which have been there for months. For myself, the ability to log multiple devices in simultaneously is on the top of the list. I have the maximum number of additional licenses in HLC, which they've said will transfer, but after months there is still no way to do this, and no way to just purchase additional simultaneous logins for HLO. Frankly, for me, this is a make-or-break. I'm willing to wait additional months, but find my confidence in the product shaken with each additional passing month in which this feature is not made available and is not even mentioned as a currently-under-development item.

I don't want to abandon the HLO product. It shows great potential. I'm using it now, but it's much less useful to me than it would otherwise be, and that won't work (for me) in the longer run.

I don't want this come out as an excuse for the developers, but I get the feeling that Pact Worlds and Dead Suns content pushed at least some of the items on the roadmap to the side. In that same vein the upcoming Armory book and Pathfinder 2nd Ed. are both likely impacting ongoing improvements and new functionality implementation to some degree. To me that is perfectly acceptable.

All that said it would be nice if the Future Roadmap post was updated more frequently. It hasn't been updated since January. I think that a lot of the concern that is posted here comes from uncertainty. I know that Lone Wolf is a smaller company and I do not know what their internal policies are regarding how much information they share, but just an update saying "here are some of the improvements we have put on hold while we focus on having the Armory book ready on release day." would go a long way in reassuring those that are looking for it.

[thaX]

This is a list of stuff you can't do.

Putting your own pic in for the Portrait, Printing the character using normal character sheet, printing character using self made/user made character sheet, Saving a character on one's own computer, using the client offline (on one's own computer instead of server), adjusting scripts to accommodate user made entities/adjustments of houserules, access to other licenses from Classic already bought and paid for, access to the program from an interface that works outside of a browser (PC/Mac), ability to add in/adjust magical items to fit campaign, ability to run in play adjustments at the table (offline, as most Wi Fi is paid only, especially at conventions), able to print directly to PDF (Using CutePDF or another client?)...

I am sure there is more, this is just off the top of my head. I am on it now and will be testing out some of the things myself. If it is like the Demo of the Classic version, I won't be able to print anything anyways, but I need to finagle around the program (client?) to see how it is.

[wheredoigo]

Originally Posted by thaX

This is a list of stuff you can't do.

Putting your own pic in for the Portrait, Printing the character using normal character sheet, printing character using self made/user made character sheet, Saving a character on one's own computer, using the client offline (on one's own computer instead of server), adjusting scripts to accommodate user made entities/adjustments of houserules, access to other licenses from Classic already bought and paid for, access to the program from an interface that works outside of a browser (PC/Mac), ability to add in/adjust magical items to fit campaign, ability to run in play adjustments at the table (offline, as most Wi Fi is paid only, especially at conventions), able to print directly to PDF (Using CutePDF or another client?)...

I am sure there is more, this is just off the top of my head. I am on it now and will be testing out some of the things myself. If it is like the Demo of the Classic version, I won't be able to print anything anyways, but I need to finagle around the program (client?) to see how it is.

At least one of the things you've mentioned might not even be possible given that Hero Lab Online is a web program. I don't know how Lone Wolf Development could implement "access to the program from an interface that works outside of a browser (PC/Mac)". It is Hero Lab Online. It is browser based. My limited understanding of programming/web development leads me to think this would require a separate program for both Mac and PC (potentially IOS and Android as well) that can access the server. That would be counterproductive to their reasoning for going online. One of the reasons they chose a web based program so they wouldn't have to create programs for multiple platforms.

Custom character portraits and offline mode are both on the roadmap as future enhancements. Printing directly to PDF is already available. I print all of my players' character sheets to PDF to save as backups at each level. For now I am adding custom character portraits by printing to PDF, adding the image to the sheet, then printing it.

Access to previously purchased HLC licenses will be implemented as new systems are converted over to HLO. Until then you still have access to everything you have already purchased in HLC. Even after new systems are implemented you will not be required to convert over to HLO, so you can stick with what you like if HLO never improves to an acceptable level to you.

[vardeman]

Originally Posted by wheredoigo

At least one of the things you've mentioned might not even be possible given that Hero Lab Online is a web program.

And THAT is the issue. It's a web program. Someone before said desktop programs are dying. This is why. Companies are moving to fully web-based strategies before they are able to handle everything that a desktop program can handle.

All I want to do is create and reference my Starfinder characters from my computer without having to worry about whether or not I have a good wifi connection. With what has already been implemented, HLC would have been a far superior solution. But they say no, we need shared resource management (starships). Where is it? Still to come... soon... ish... maybe...

Access to previously purchased HLC licenses will be implemented as new systems are converted over to HLO. Until then you still have access to everything you have already purchased in HLC. Even after new systems are implemented you will not be required to convert over to HLO, so you can stick with what you like if HLO never improves to an acceptable level to you.

And yet I can't do that with Starfinder because... starships...

[Toblakai]

Originally Posted by vardeman

Companies are moving to fully web-based strategies before they are able to handle everything that a desktop program can handle.

The thing is they needed to start somewhere. If they hadn't of started when they did, they were going to lose out to other online systems that have character management as secondary to VTT support. But those VTT companies are continuing to invest in character management features, causing LWD to lose market share. It was effectively change or die a slow death.

[vardeman]

Originally Posted by Toblakai

The thing is they needed to start somewhere. If they hadn't of started when they did, they were going to lose out to other online systems that have character management as secondary to VTT support. But those VTT companies are continuing to invest in character management features, causing LWD to lose market share. It was effectively change or die a slow death.

How is HLO going to work with VTT? It isn't. So your argument is specious.

[ShadowChemosh]

Originally Posted by vardeman

How is HLO going to work with VTT? It isn't. So your argument is specious.

Actually its not in the least. On the road map for HLO is web services or APIs that not only allow VTT integration but also other services. One of those would be Realm Works or even home grown apps that could communicate via the API.

Server based software opens up allot of possibilities for the future.

[wheredoigo]

Originally Posted by vardeman

And THAT is the issue. It's a web program. Someone before said desktop programs are dying. This is why. Companies are moving to fully web-based strategies before they are able to handle everything that a desktop program can handle.

All I want to do is create and reference my Starfinder characters from my computer without having to worry about whether or not I have a good wifi connection. With what has already been implemented, HLC would have been a far superior solution. But they say no, we need shared resource management (starships). Where is it? Still to come... soon... ish... maybe...




And yet I can't do that with Starfinder because... starships...

So why are you even bothering with HLO then? It sounds like it isn't what you want. You are obviously a fan of HLC, but that isn't the direction Lone Wolf is going. HLC will still be there for what you have already purchased so you aren't losing anything there.

I am sorry that Lone Wolf is going in a direction you aren't fond of, but I don't see them changing course. You could go with PCGen. Their development has slowed down due to lack of people to code and test, but you could help with that.

[Toblakai]

Originally Posted by ShadowChemosh

Actually its not in the least. On the road map for HLO is web services or APIs that not only allow VTT integration but also other services. One of those would be Realm Works or even home grown apps that could communicate via the API.

Server based software opens up allot of possibilities for the future.

This in addition, you don't need to use the VTT portion to use the character portion. IF one of the VTT companies produced a character builder that was almost as good as HLC but offered real time adjustments to a party of PC's, i.e. buffs/de-buffs, PF AP encounters and resource tracking I would have a hard time not switching to it.