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kbs666
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Old January 26th, 2019, 05:17 AM
Charging users for websites is almost always a non starter. I've seen it work in a few very niche circumstances where there wasn't any work around or free alternative but for this I could bash together a script to do roughly what they're talking about in roughly an hour using the tools already in our hands. It would look rough and there'd need to be some serious tweaking but it'd be there. And there are lots and lots of free web hosting out there for the size and amount of traffic we're talking about.

So they're really stuck with either ads, a very low fee just for the GM mostly to be on their site or to fold it into the cloud storage sub.

my Realm Works videos
https://www.youtube.com/channel/UCZU...4DwXXkvmBXQ9Yw
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AEIOU
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Old January 27th, 2019, 01:16 PM
True @kbs666, but charging for websites is very viable even in this niche. World Anvil is raking in money hand over fist using the web model (estimates are $50-75k/month based on their past patreon numbers). They offer full css and bbcode support so that material displays as the user wants it to. They embrace their community and actively engage it on a DAILY basis rather than alienate it, ignore it and then communicate only when backed into a corner. They've made amazing progress with a ONE PERSON dev team. Their to-do list is completely based on the community's requests with those that spend the most have the most say -- you know, customers rather than random could-be users.

A web model can definitely work but in most cases it's a non-starter. It really depends on the company and whether than can embrace and work with their community.

EDIT: Forgot to add that they have a free model that gives access without full customization. So anyone can try before they buy. Or have access to a selection of the paid-for tools.
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kbs666
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Old January 27th, 2019, 02:12 PM
I haven't looked at World Anvil in a long time. I'm reluctant to get into anything where the pricing model involves such low limits on storage at such high costs per year. I know you're also paying for the dev but...

my Realm Works videos
https://www.youtube.com/channel/UCZU...4DwXXkvmBXQ9Yw
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AEIOU
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Old January 27th, 2019, 02:24 PM
RealmWorks will have monthly costs too soon. And then the pressure will really be on LWD to deliver monthly value.

Also, keep in mind that World Anvil doesn't auto-link or do many of the things that RealmWorks excels at and that many of us take for granted. They each have significant pro's/con's. While they both "manage campaigns" their approaches and development decisions are distinctly different.
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Silveras
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Old January 27th, 2019, 05:50 PM
In summary:
  • All other big development was put on-hold until the Content Market is released. Small improvements would be included as the opportunities occurred.
  • Web access is a major project, among the on-hold elements.
  • The plan has been (and not changed that I know of) that once the Content Market is released, another survey of the users would be conducted to help identify the priority of the big projects.

Last edited by Silveras; January 28th, 2019 at 11:10 AM. Reason: danged tyos
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Bidmaron
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Old January 28th, 2019, 03:00 AM
There are enormous technical hurdles for a web version that tracks with the GM’s current version. They would either have to switch to a different database engine that supports live edits from the GM’s client and then serves the players and GM from this central cloud database (which would nearly guarantee that you must have internet connection to use the program at all), or they would have to go with a GM-hosted server database, which I doubt their database engine handles either.
My guess is that the web version either won’t be live (will use last refresh of GM data to their cloud) or we won’t see the web version for many years to come. If they use the former then it will be no better than the current player version ( probably worse since most web clients still suck compared to a dedicated computer-based non-web client.

Last edited by Bidmaron; January 28th, 2019 at 03:03 AM.
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Merion
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Old January 28th, 2019, 05:04 AM
Quote:
Originally Posted by Bidmaron View Post
If they use the former then it will be no better than the current player version
You're mostly correct except for the last part. The Web Access version has a few advantages over the player version:

a) First and foremost, it's platform independent! That means players can read up stuff on their phones or macs or wifi-enabled microwaves.

b) It's free, or at least that's how I understood it. If not, it should be cheaper than the player version or be paid be the gm or something.

c) GMs may profit too. down the line they planned to make edits available for the web client. Would be nice if I could add things that pop into my head right away, instead of having to note it on paper and wait til I get home.
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kbs666
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Old January 28th, 2019, 05:44 AM
Quote:
Originally Posted by Bidmaron View Post
There are enormous technical hurdles for a web version that tracks with the GM’s current version. They would either have to switch to a different database engine that supports live edits from the GM’s client and then serves the players and GM from this central cloud database (which would nearly guarantee that you must have internet connection to use the program at all), or they would have to go with a GM-hosted server database, which I doubt their database engine handles either.
My guess is that the web version either won’t be live (will use last refresh of GM data to their cloud) or we won’t see the web version for many years to come. If they use the former then it will be no better than the current player version ( probably worse since most web clients still suck compared to a dedicated computer-based non-web client.
LWD never said or implied it would be live to the GM's edits. Just to the GM's most recent sync.

my Realm Works videos
https://www.youtube.com/channel/UCZU...4DwXXkvmBXQ9Yw
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Bidmaron
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Old January 28th, 2019, 03:22 PM
Yes, KBS I believe you are correct that they did not say it would be live but people are probably expecting that. It is, after all, what you really need to run a game remotely using realmworks.
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Maidhc O Casain
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Old January 28th, 2019, 05:52 PM
But RealmWorks was never meant to be used to run a game remotely. Not only did they never say it was meant to be used 'live,' I think I recall them saying explicitly that it's not meant to be used that way. In fact, it's not really meant for 'running a game' at all, I think. It's meant for organizing and managing game setting information. Certainly there are people using it at the table to run their games, but I don't think it's the best tool for that purpose.

It is the best tool out there, IMO, for organizing and managing game setting information. Even in it's current incomplete state.
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