Hero Lab Online

[HippyCraig]

So is there anymore information about this other than a one line statement in the newsletter?

 

[Togainu]

It is actually mentioned twice in the newsletter:

Hero Lab Online. There aren’t a lot of details right now, but keep an eye out for upcoming news about our plans to bring Hero Lab to all users!

Which doesn't give a lot of info on it and:

Lone Wolf is headed to Gen Con in August and we can’t wait to see you there! We hope to have some fun new items to share with you such as the Realm Works Content Market and our latest project, Hero Lab Online.

Which likely means "we will be tight lipped and hope to have something to show at that point". So no doubt you will be able to find any info on that now.

 

[daplunk]

It's been called Hero Lab online. . .

We kinda knew they were up to this already though right. I assumed they were doing something when they advertised for that Web Developer role a few months back.

Going to be really interesting to see what they do and how they do it. In it's current state Hero Lab benefits alot from not being an online tool but there's a few features I can think of that would absolutely be possible with a web version.

We've heard that the 'android users will hopefully rejoice' so that would be a significant benefit. My whole table would use HL if Android was an option.

I'm really hoping they bring the power of Hero Lab in line with the accessibility of other tools starting to hit the market.

DnDBeyond.com for example is looking to be a direct competitor that was showing an edge simply because it's sexy and well... they have a WOTC license. Hero Lab will need to jump a few leaps ahead from where it is now to stay competitive in the D&D market once they launch.

They still have the Pathfinder market well and truly in their pocket and one can assume they will lead the charge on Starfinder.

This to me says they understand that the market is shifting rapidly and they need to embrace change (most likely significant change) in order to stay competitive.

Personally I'm really curious to see what they do. They have two really solid products that we know now are both going online and it's going to be interesting to see what they do with both of them.

Like... imagine if you could create a monster in Realm Works and then not have to create it in Hero Lab. What if the abilities just mapped across and displayed in Hero Lab allowing you to create the monster in Realm Works, store your database of monsters in Realm Works and just sent them to Hero Lab for combat management.

#day_dreamin - but seriously... that would be cool.

 

[HippyCraig]

I wasn't sure if the web developer was for web version of RW or not. I hope we get to keep the same functionality that we do with the client side being able to modify and create custom content for Hero Lab.

Maybe they will have a central place to upload such custom community content so it can easily be shared through the web.

Unless the client side will still be there and you can just upload your profile files to a cloud service they provide, Dropbox will no longer work with iOS the way LW is using it anymore. And maybe the apps garden walled apps will go away in favor of a web app.

Hope to learn more at GenCon! That means I will be stopping by the booth to ask a bazillion questions, just kidding, a few at least.

 

[BJ]

I wasn't sure if the web developer was for web version of RW or not. I hope we get to keep the same functionality that we do with the client side being able to modify and create custom content for Hero Lab.

Maybe they will have a central place to upload such custom community content so it can easily be shared through the web.

Unless the client side will still be there and you can just upload your profile files to a cloud service they provide, Dropbox will no longer work with iOS the way LW is using it anymore. And maybe the apps garden walled apps will go away in favor of a web app.

Hope to learn more at GenCon! That means I will be stopping by the booth to ask a bazillion questions, just kidding, a few at least.

We look forward to seeing you at the booth and answering your bazillion/few questions.

And I promise when I have more in depth info, I'll create a thread about it here on the forums.

 

[HippyCraig]

Thanks, you guy are always helpful and patient, especially at Con's as I know your booth is always busy!!

See you at GenCon!!!

 

[Exmortis]

Will this impact the already dreadfully late Ream Works features?

I do question yet a new product, when Hero Lab UI and features are woefully behind the times and Ream Works still to have delivered Content Market... How many years late?

Or is HLO slated to replace Hero Lab as we know it? That would be interesting, if we do not have to buy it all again for a new cooler interface.

 

[Farling]

Will this impact the already dreadfully late Ream Works features?

Several times LWD have said that the HL and RW development teams are completely independent.

 

[daplunk]

Is HL == HLO though

 

[Paragon]

Or is HLO slated to replace Hero Lab as we know it? That would be interesting, if we do not have to buy it all again for a new cooler interface.

Some might find it interesting; I'd find it obnoxious to be dependent on an online connection to be able to use it effectively.

 

[Tekwych]

No interest what-so-ever in an Online only system. I want something that runs on my device and stores my data in my storage systems. I also need something that is system agnostic, I can not use RW as it requires Windows and can not be ported to other systems.

 

[Exmortis]

Several times LWD have said that the HL and RW development teams are completely independent.

And this kind of response is why we have the issue.

IF they have money for developers on a totally new project, then they had resources to assist where RW is dreadfully behind. I know the next statement, more does not always equal faster, but we are not looking at a large team here.

I am not against the idea of HLO, I am wondering why those resources couldn't have been used to help RW meet is deadlines...Years later. Or update HL, however if HLO is the next logical step in its evolution, that great, but does not change my statement or sediment.

 

[Toblakai]

No interest what-so-ever in an Online only system. I want something that runs on my device and stores my data in my storage systems. I also need something that is system agnostic, I can not use RW as it requires Windows and can not be ported to other systems.

HeroLab is not system agnostic currently, HeroLab Online will be system agnostic though.

Or by "System Agnostic" do you mean it needs to run on "my system"?

 

[Tekwych]

HeroLab is not system agnostic currently, HeroLab Online will be system agnostic though.

Or by "System Agnostic" do you mean it needs to run on "my system"?

System Agnostic is the ability for the app to be run natively on any Operating System. This will require separate compiles and installers but offer the best system performance all around. The output of the app must be transferable from one OS to another without modification.

Hero Lab and Army Builder both meet those requirements but Card Vault, which seams to have been abandoned, does not.

While Realm Works is, theoretically, an online system the framework it is based on is proprietary code that requires the Windows OS to function properly. You can not use RW unless you first emulate Windows. This will always cause performance issues.

This best User Interface experience will always be when every native function of the users chosen GUI just work and the app becomes an extension of that GUI, not some skewed or perverted amalgamation that does not fulfill the desires of the publisher or the user. Proper use of generic code and allowing APIs to do their job in the compile allow for an app that, while taking about 15-20% longer to develop, will reach 100% of the platforms out there and be as much as 40% more efficient to maintain.

 

[Farling]

This best User Interface experience will always be when every native function of the users chosen GUI just work and the app becomes an extension of that GUI, not some skewed or perverted amalgamation that does not fulfill the desires of the publisher or the user. Proper use of generic code and allowing APIs to do their job in the compile allow for an app that, while taking about 15-20% longer to develop, will reach 100% of the platforms out there and be as much as 40% more efficient to maintain.

A lot of random percentages in there matey

HL doesn't reach 100% of the platforms out there since there is no linux variant (or Android).

Also, testing across many different OSes requires way more than 15-20% extra work since build and test environments are required for each of those environments. Maybe you were thinking 15-20% per additional OS that is required to be supported?

 

[Silveras]

While Realm Works is, theoretically, an online system the framework it is based on is proprietary code that requires the Windows OS to function properly. You can not use RW unless you first emulate Windows. This will always cause performance issues.

Realm Works is NOT what any reasonable person would call an on-line system.

The user experience is 100% a windows desktop application.

The server features are such a small proportion of the application's use, I'd say it represents less than 5% of a typical user's experience.

 

[Tekwych]

If you just write the code needed for your app. Leave all UI, printing, saving, etc to the APIs and CSS then a single code base can be run through a modern compiler and get three or more finished apps on the other side.

You are right, no Linux bit there are at lest two compilers that will take Macintosh code and recompile to Linux if it is well written.

If RW is that much a windows product then it makes my point even more. The frameworks that were chosen to build RW only forced limits onto who could buy and use the product while offering no advantages in the long run. Front end coding was reduced (unless you hire developers that are experienced in cross platform) while maintenance time and cost actually go up as you try to chase another companies maintenance schedule. And this while some potential sales are lost through unsupported devices.

 

[Toblakai]

Blah blah blah

So where's my android version then??

 

[Farling]

If you just write the code needed for your app. Leave all UI, printing, saving, etc to the APIs and CSS then a single code base can be run through a modern compiler and get three or more finished apps on the other side.

With these sorts of systems, a massive amount of coding goes into the UI. The core app here is mostly just a database.

 

[Tekwych]

So where's my android version then??

Android is, far and away, the most costly in time and resources for us to support because of poor maintenance of the OS and number of version in large scale use. When corners have to be cut Android is always the first to go.

With these sorts of systems, a massive amount of coding goes into the UI. The core app here is mostly just a database.

Exactly. And with proper coding a database can be read on any stream unless you cut corners and use a framework that is propitiatory.