How versatile is Realm Works Licence Agreement?
 

I'm looking at obtaining RW's GM and a player bundle packages and wanted to know before perchasing how versatile the licence Agreement is before I may waste money.

I can only play online and because of this limitation, I am at a disadvantage to much agreements. Unlike normal gaming groups whom meet at a place that can use certain equipment, my users will be from places I haven't visited and wont use the same equipment twice.

Then there is the whole online decay of groups that is all to common, you find a player who loves the concept then something happens and they leave the group.

It might be weekly, daily or something inbetween, but if I have five packs, how quickly am I able to transfer them (legally) to another player to utilise a "Player Account"?

They don't really envision the transfer of player accounts at all.

While I understand that, its a shame, as it means I am unable to utilise their services. Thanks thou for the answer.

Technically, the player account is linked to a username and password. For someone to have access to the account, they have to have the username and password. Once they have the username and password, they have full control of the account. Ergo, they can change the username and password.

Once you give someone else the key, you no longer have exclusive control of the lock.

EDIT: They can change the password, not the username.

The forthcoming web access might solve some of your issues. My understanding from earlier posts by LWD staff is there will be limited free access to Realms through the web along with more complete access for users with a full player license. In your case it would allow players to get some utility from the platform without having to outlay any money. If they like the software and want to invest in the campaign, they could then buy a full license. They licenses aren't tied to specific Realms, per se - the GM invites players to join the Realm. That means that a player license is usable for any number of Realm Works games as long as the player gets an invitation to join.

Web access will be coming after the Content Market, but all evidence points to it being a pretty near term release after the market is online. Realm Works may not be the best fit for you right now, but I would suggest keeping an eye on the site and revisiting the idea once some of the new infrastructure is in place.

For what it is worth, I would not ever think of dropping Realm Works at this point, even if it had no player view. I find it way too useful for my GM organization. Admittedly, your remote online play model is different than mine, but there is a lot of utility to be had in the base program. Also, RW is not a VTT, so you'll probably need another program to handle maps and the like anyway. I would suggest that you don't write off the program just yet, particularly with the upcoming additions due later this year.

The player license allows someone to use the player edition to play in ANY realmworks campaign(s) into which they are invited.

As GM you decide which players are allowed to see your realmwork campaign.

If a player leaves, then you can revoke their access to your campaign.

If a new player joins, then you can invite that player to access your campaign from their copy of realmworks.

It is really up to the players to own a player edition of realmworks. LWD only provide a convenient discount for a group of players to each purchase a player edition license slightly cheaper than if they each purchased it individually.

If players are using internet cafes, or something similar, then you will have to wait for the web version to become available. Although the player edition isn't intended to be a LIVE REVEAL of information; it is designed for players to be able to use the information as a reminder of what has happened in the past.

But he's asking... If I purchase a bunch of player licenses and hand them out to players in my campaign, can I regain control of the licenses I purchased if a player leaves my game.

The probable answer is... NO!

If you are lucky, remember the account name and password... and the guy you gave the account to hasn't changed the password... then you might get lucky and be able to change the password and give it to someone else.

But most likely, the minute you gave the account info to someone else then they would change the password so they would retain control and be able to use it in other peoples games.

Now, if tell your players to pony up and buy a player license themselves in order to play in your game then you as the GM you don't have to worry about it if they leave the game.

As mentioned; when the free web version comes out, then only the GM need worry about a paid version.

There's a simple fix to this. The password reset should be triggered via email. That was the Dm maintains ownership of the email account t and any attempt to change the password would need to go through them.

I'm curious how DMs would take advantage of such a scheme. Do you buy your players' handbooks, dice, etc.? I don't mean this as a challenge. I'm sincerely interested. I would be hesitant to purchase a pack of player licenses, even if I did have total control over the accounts/licenses after handing them out.

With the current group that I DM for, they just wouldn't use it. Most don't want to spend time on the game between sessions, which is currently the main purpose of the players' version. For my current group, RW is solely a means for me to manage my campaign. If it was really important to me to have a group of players invested into keeping up with all the plot elements and session details to the level where they would really be able to take advantage of the player view, then I would require them to buy it as a prerequisite of playing in my campaign.

As DM, the only thing I require my players to bring is snacks and drinks to share. I don't even require that they have the rule books. I have extra sets of dice, pencils, etc. I have a binder with quick look-ups to commonly consulted tables and the Players Handbook to reference. If a player wanted to come with nothing but a bag of chips and soda, they could.

But buying software for the players would be a step too far for me.

How common is this? How many of you buy RW, HL, or VTT licenses for your players?

Some VTTs have a GM license option which lets them run a game and have the players connect for free - I'm thinking in particular of Fantasy Grounds' "Ultimate" license. If the GM buys the regular license, then each player has to have his or her own license to play. However, if the GM buys the "Ultimate" license, then the players can use the free version of the client to connect to that GM's game. I like this tiered option, because it lets each GM/group decide on their own how to handle it.

-Ian