Starfinder - Classic Support - Please Read
 

Hey guys,

I apologize in advance if this is breaking a rule or similar as there are other pre-existing Starfinder threads. However this subject is very important to me, to the point that after years of using your product I created a forum account solely to pass on this feedback.

I really wish you guys would re-think your position on Starfinder support in Classic. I am grateful that over the years HeroLab has incorporated a bunch of amazing in play features, even without incurred price upgrades. Sadly, I feel you are losing view of what defined your software initially.

While I do not claim I speak for others, I feel a decent portion of your userbase will agree with me. I purchased HeroLab, the "Award-winning character management software for RPGs" with the sole intention of using it as advertised; Character Creation & Management

While your intended features sound amazing and inclusive (Spaceship combat, party loot distribution, party assets etc), it comes with a heavy cost. You have decided to ostracize a portion of your user base who simply want to pay for a great tool to create characters, no different than any other system you support at present.

At the end of the day, I don't care if my Character Generator has the ability to simulate Space Combat, as long as it gives me my adjusted modifiers. I want it to create characters, and I {and many others} are literally trying to throw money at you [$20-30] while you look the other way.

You have supported us for years with many different [and even obscure] systems, why are you failing loyal customers now, solely due to the inability to implement features that do not define your base product.

Well said.

Just thinking of all the money they won't make this month because Starfinder isn't already up on Classic makes me cringe.

Thankfully there is some support for making characters with the Pathfinder Community Pack. ShadowChemosh has added some adjustments that will help with this, I do get however that official support would have been glorious, the way Starfinder works just wouldn't be what we would want fully out of it. Granted though at the end of the day I am just a user throwing in my two cents.

To be perfectly clear I have added support for GM's only. This allows conversion of a Pathfinder monster into a Starfinder monster. In addition I have all the Starfinder weapons.

For full details see THIS post.

But its for GMs not players. ;)

Keep in mind that Lone Wolf doesn't get access to Paizo's material any earlier than we do.

Actually not true. The amount of time often is not set but the bigger the book the more lead time they get. Even 3PP's where allowed early access with a NDA to Starfinder and with needing more time to "code" I am sure they got it months ahead of time.

Things change. As a GM, the promise of what comes with HLO is what I've wanted HL to be. This loyal customer is thrilled about the future and the new base product.

not a fan of more monthly subscriptions so i will be giving herolab online a pass.

I don't' see how LWD makes enough money to give me what I want without some monthly subscription fee. Personally, I like what DnD Beyond is trying to do in terms of pricing. You can buy content like a core book, an adventure path, are just the race/class packs that you are actually going to use. That content is then yours. It is a one-time fee.

The subscription is not necessary for most players if they don't mind some advertising on the page. But if you want to make unlimited characters, if you are a DM and want to share your content with your players and have access to their character sheets, you need a subscription.

Other things that would make a subscription more palatable would be premium support and integrations with third-party platforms like VTTs.

I don't know if I'll subscribe to HLO or not. I'll have to wait to see the cost and what it offers. I don't see myself playing Starfinder and from what I've read, HLO is only going to integrate with RW via a URL link, so I don't see anything yet that will entice me away from what I'm already doing.

But Starfinder is very popular and slick online tools for players and GMs of that system could bring LWD a lot of new customers. If they can't support the development of Starfinder for both HLC and HLO, which Rob clearly stated that they can not, then the decision to push HLO is likely the right strategy and will be a net gain. Besides, if the community really wants Startfinder support in HLC, then they can build it, just like they did with D&D 5e.

Completely agree with the OP. Seems like they are losing sight of what got them where they are today.