Answers to Assorted Cloud Service and Sync Questions

[Gord]

Thanks for the clarifications Rob. I'm amazed you found a quiet moment to get it all done in such a clear and concise manner for the most part. Somehow I doubt if this was done while the new kidling was being bounced on your knee.

[RampagingHoardes]

Originally Posted by RampagingHoardes

Rob,

Thanks for taking the time to give us an update on how this will work as it has addressed many concerns. There are however a couple things I wasn't clear on and maybe I missed it; if so I apologize.

1. I have grown comfortable using the update service and would like to keep it (if I can figure the funds out) for catastrophic backup purposes. However I do not think I wish to expose my content to the web. Am I required to do this if I subscribe to web services? In other words will my data be automatically accessible via the web or can this be opted out of? Do we have control? What protections will there be in place to deal with Hackers? Once this goes live will all the data suffer the same vulnerabilities no matter whether we choose to subscribe or not?

2. If I understand correctly if you discontinue service you lose what you had on your servers although you have the content locally. Is the data wiped at your end? (if i have a catastrophic failure will the data be left from the point I quit subscribing) Either way what happens if you resume service?


3. Also it seems we can only transfer entire realms of data when this is implemented. Will we be able to transfer topics only at a later date? This would save an enormous amount of time with supplements used across realms. Or do you have to make a separate realm for each supplement and then share it? (which would mean lot of realms)


thanks

I know you guys are busy but was hoping Rob or someone from LWD may have a chance to address my questions? Maybe some of this hasn't been decided yet if so that is fine. Any clarification here would be great.

thx

[rob]

Sorry, I lost track of these the first time, so thanks for the bump...

Originally Posted by RampagingHoardes

1. I have grown comfortable using the update service and would like to keep it (if I can figure the funds out) for catastrophic backup purposes. However I do not think I wish to expose my content to the web. Am I required to do this if I subscribe to web services? In other words will my data be automatically accessible via the web or can this be opted out of? Do we have control? What protections will there be in place to deal with Hackers? Once this goes live will all the data suffer the same vulnerabilities no matter whether we choose to subscribe or not?

Your account has a login name and a password. Those same two pieces of information will be utilized to access the web-based interface when it launches. Just keep those details private and nobody will be able to even try hacking into your account.

Nobody will be able to view your material except the players you explicitly invite into your realm. That includes the web as well. Your revealed content will NOT be inherently visible to the world, like is done by some other web-based tools.

We've already got lockout logic in place after repeated failures to login. If a hacker actually tries to get into your account by guessing your password, they will quickly get frustrated. So just make sure your password is strong and there shouldn't be any issues.

Originally Posted by RampagingHoardes

2. If I understand correctly if you discontinue service you lose what you had on your servers although you have the content locally. Is the data wiped at your end? (if i have a catastrophic failure will the data be left from the point I quit subscribing) Either way what happens if you resume service?

This has been outlined previously, but not in this thread. The data will be retained on our servers for a nominal period of time. After that period expires, it will be deleted. This way, if someone lets their service lapse for a little while and then resume, everything can continue without difficulty. If the lapse is long enough, the user will need to upload everything to the server again. We have NOT determine an exact length of time that content will be retained at this point. It will probably be a month or two.

Originally Posted by RampagingHoardes

3. Also it seems we can only transfer entire realms of data when this is implemented. Will we be able to transfer topics only at a later date? This would save an enormous amount of time with supplements used across realms. Or do you have to make a separate realm for each supplement and then share it? (which would mean lot of realms)

Sharing subsets of content is part of the long-term plan, but that certainly won't be part of an initial release. If you want to pick and choose between what to share, separate realms will be the way it has to be handled initially, at least. There is no practical limit to the number of realms a user can create.

Hope this helps!

[Pollution]

@Rob, HUGE question.

Forget subsets, What about Realm Integration?

Example: 3 Storytellers for a LARP get together and author various parts of the realm they want to create. Each on his own.

ST-A creates the basic structure and shares it with the others. He then puts in the city background and the major players in the city.

ST-B creates a section covering disciplines and influences. He puts in the rules so that they can have quick access in case it's needed (also, they plan to put in all the players sheets so they can click to see power uses).

ST-C creates all the character sheets and imports them. The city's players and NPCs are now in the DB.

Each ST has only what they created. Other than the Structure that was created first.

ST-B&C shares their work with ST-A and everything gets integrated together into one Realm. That one realm resides on ST-A's PC, which goes to games for reference. ST-B&C do NOT share control anymore (we've talked about that) but rather have to use ST-A's laptop for access to GM only stuff. The purpose of this is to share the data entry work, not share control over the realm.

Yes?

Simpler way of putting it, can I "buy" from the Marketplace a PF Core realm with basic rules and category setups and then later pick up RotRL, merge it into my realm and have my story? Then later still, pick up Ultimate Equipment and merge it into my realm and have all the new stuff added as well?

So, not sharing Subsets, so to speak, but rather MERGE realms, so that rulebook A is in one package and rulebook B is in another?

[AEIOU]

I would think that merging is going to be necessary. I will want to download PF ruleset and merge that with my existing campaigns. The biggest issue in my mind will be conflict management -- how to deal with duplicate category names. I presume two separate topics will get created and it will almost have to be a manual copy/paste to merge the information. Unless copy/paste is disabled for purchased material....

[RampagingHoardes]

Originally Posted by rob

Sorry, I lost track of these the first time, so thanks for the bump...



Your account has a login name and a password. Those same two pieces of information will be utilized to access the web-based interface when it launches. Just keep those details private and nobody will be able to even try hacking into your account.

Nobody will be able to view your material except the players you explicitly invite into your realm. That includes the web as well. Your revealed content will NOT be inherently visible to the world, like is done by some other web-based tools.

We've already got lockout logic in place after repeated failures to login. If a hacker actually tries to get into your account by guessing your password, they will quickly get frustrated. So just make sure your password is strong and there shouldn't be any issues.



This has been outlined previously, but not in this thread. The data will be retained on our servers for a nominal period of time. After that period expires, it will be deleted. This way, if someone lets their service lapse for a little while and then resume, everything can continue without difficulty. If the lapse is long enough, the user will need to upload everything to the server again. We have NOT determine an exact length of time that content will be retained at this point. It will probably be a month or two.



Sharing subsets of content is part of the long-term plan, but that certainly won't be part of an initial release. If you want to pick and choose between what to share, separate realms will be the way it has to be handled initially, at least. There is no practical limit to the number of realms a user can create.

Hope this helps!

Yup that is what I was looking for, thanks for the info Rob