Realm Works Special News Update

[Chemlak]

Looking forward to seeing what "much more" there is, then! If anyone's going to shatter my preconceptions of corporate waffle, it's LWD.

Also, glad to see I was right about copy/import/export, that's a huge deal, since it will (apparently therefore) let us users share stuff offline.

Further, on the topic of "double-edged sword", the question of copyright is going to come up, and I'm sure you've thought of it, but I'll say that we're thinking of it, too.

All that said, GO TO BED! Unless you're currently in Europe, Africa or the Middle-East, you should be asleep!

Aside: There's only one thing I'm well-known for around here (that I know of), so does that mean I might have to change my utterly unofficial title in the not-too-distant?

[rob]

@Chemlak: Yes, the export/import mechanism WILL allow users to freely share stuff offline. That's both a benefit and liability, on many different levels.

Yes, copyright protection is a key concern. All the content we provide will be very secure and tied to individual user accounts, so users won't be able to re-share anything we sell. We'll also be making it possible for users to secure what they create, although that can't be as sophisticated. The mechanism we let users employ will utilize password-based encryption, but that won't stop an unscrupulous user from giving away the file and password. That's one of the key liabilities of doing it this way instead of always orchestrating it through the server.

I'm sure there will probably also be some users who enter copyrighted material and share it. If it's done offline, we won't be able to control it and intercede on behalf of a publisher (like we would if we controlled it all through our server). Fortunately, based on our experiences with Hero Lab, I don't think this will be a major area of concern. We've had lots of users purchase data packages from us that are also available through community support (all OGL), so it seems that users are generally happy to pay for stuff if the quality and utility is good.

Your self-anointed title of "Chief Calendar Champion" is still safely intact. We're not implementing calendars yet. However, being in Europe does highlight one particular drawback with respect to using Realm Works, especially as it pertains to real world dates. <hint> <hint>

As for bed, these are the core hours for my "second job". My "first job" (or "day job") is coordinating all the business stuff, solving technical challenges with team members, and everything that requires communicating with others during the day. My "second job" (or "night job") is doing big chunks of the development work for RW, which can best be done when everybody else is sleeping. So that's what I'm doing every night. Right now, I'm allowing myself to get distracted with forum posts, which I will probably be kicking myself for tomorrow.

Thanks!

[Tharmiones]

Originally Posted by Chemlak

All that said, GO TO BED! Unless you're currently in Europe, Africa or the Middle-East, you should be asleep!

Actually it's noon right now in europe and at least my game session is starting in a few hours so no more sleep.
Can't wait for more information. Wish I had already chosen the Beta Team Level during Kickstarted instead just Alpha Wolf.

[Chemlak]

Originally Posted by rob

Your self-anointed title of "Chief Calendar Champion" is still safely intact. We're not implementing calendars yet. However, being in Europe does highlight one particular drawback with respect to using Realm Works, especially as it pertains to real world dates. <hint> <hint>

Altered... date... format...

*swoon*

Also, I'm lazy, so changing my title isn't something I'm really all that fussed about hurrying to get done.

Believe me, I'm a very happy grinning chappy right now.

(Just need an announcement about a deal with WotC for 3E FR for RW and I'll do my best Cheshire Cat impression.)

[rob]

Got it in one!

Quick disclaimer: This one's not in yet. We've determined how to resolve it, so it SHOULD make it in. The caveat is if there's a wrinkle in the guts of the calendar mechanism that invalidates the approach we've identified and that we never saw coming. Barring that unlikely event, it should be in sometime this coming week.

[Exmortis]

HOLY crap on a stick!

Copy, export, sharing player content? /THUD......
.
.
.
Sorry fainted there!

So looking forward to these features, I have got so much time and effort in entering classic modules, which may have looked rather foolish, now looks like time well spent!!!!

Rob, a point of note. If you keep the same level of quality for RW that you have for HL, and support RW player work like you do HL, we will all be happy to buy our products from LWD. No company I have ever dealt with supports the community work as much as LWD does, even going to as far to warn authors when major changes could cause issues and offering solution?

LWD may not be big in size, but its big on delivery within its capability, and that's what keeps me here.

I have one question, which if its actual answer is forth coming, please feel free to wait. But I am assuming that we will be able to buy what seems to be a "rules wrapper" for our custom work. That is to say, my Telon campaign is rules agnostic, with exception to race design, so I could buy say Pathfinder and 5e rules and apply them to two copies of the realm (since we can make a full copy soon)?

Never been so happy to see winter....

[rob]

Originally Posted by Exmortis

I have one question, which if its actual answer is forth coming, please feel free to wait. But I am assuming that we will be able to buy what seems to be a "rules wrapper" for our custom work. That is to say, my Telon campaign is rules agnostic, with exception to race design, so I could buy say Pathfinder and 5e rules and apply them to two copies of the realm (since we can make a full copy soon)?

Mostly yes, with some big caveats and certain critical limitations. There are some strict rules that you'll need to follow, and it's even possible that you've already violated those rules without even knowing it. This is something that has changed in some fundamental ways from the original plan with our revised approach, and there are some pain points involved in making the shift. This is a subject that we'll definitely need to outline in more detail in a future update. So stay tuned.

[Chemlak]

Originally Posted by rob

Got it in one!

Quick disclaimer: This one's not in yet. We've determined how to resolve it, so it SHOULD make it in. The caveat is if there's a wrinkle in the guts of the calendar mechanism that invalidates the approach we've identified and that we never saw coming. Barring that unlikely event, it should be in sometime this coming week.

I have every confidence that you have Top Men working on it. Top Men.

Originally Posted by Exmortis

HOLY crap on a stick!

Copy, export, sharing player content? /THUD......

I know, right?!

[Exmortis]

Originally Posted by rob

Mostly yes, with some big caveats and certain critical limitations. There are some strict rules that you'll need to follow, and it's even possible that you've already violated those rules without even knowing it. This is something that has changed in some fundamental ways from the original plan with our revised approach, and there are some pain points involved in making the shift. This is a subject that we'll definitely need to outline in more detail in a future update. So stay tuned.

Coolio. Thanks for the reply, I will look forward to this information as it comes.

Its not by any means a deal breaker, it was just something that sounds pretty damn awesome. End of day, if we can buy rules as add ins to mechanical reference, Bestiaries as importable works, then I d be extremely happy.

But I own HL and nearly every Pathfinder add in, so really not a big deal if my realm has broken core rules. I personally will be always using HL for character and encounter management. When ready, it will have a blank .por for players to use, so HL is configured properly, as well as my Telon.user file, with my custom version of the Vanguard races.

Back to my regularly scheduled RW work. With I6 Ravenloft 90+% done, I am mired in the reworking of T1-4 Temple of Elemental Evil to match my now governing style I have developed over time entering so much work.
**Side note Should have started with a smaller module like U1 Sinister Secret of Saltmarsh. It was really easy to go back and update/tweak, ToEE is a fracken mammoth, and requires a fair amount of work.

[jkthomsen9]

Very happy to hear this news. Looking forward to an early Christmas.