Player Client Questions

[Venger]

Hi

I've had RW for a while now. I had content organized ok for use at the game table, but not much of it wired up via plot or navigation maps.

I'm now wiring up the plots of our campaign because I'm looking at the Player client to gauge it's ease of use and player appeal.

If it's a pain, they won't use it, and I don't absolutely need it.
Its to enhance the player's experiences and access to game references and read embellished notes as if it were a story they are participating in, kinda thing

Is it true that notes from the players clients are not visible to the other players or the GM?

I have some content available to my players. So, after installing the client, please describe how to connect to my Realm.

Currently I have free cloud, but I know at some point I will need to rent cloud space. Not a problem.

But how/where do I go to view my time/usage/account what-evers?

As I reveal content, will I have to sync the Realm for players to see the latest and greatest over the internet?
(I think I know the answer to this one... heh)


When I get a new laptop I will be able to show live player updates on the gaming TV right?
.
My video card is wonky so now we have to do server-client network and 2 laptops for maptool, which I use for our VTT
Same will have to go for RW until I get a new laptop.

Anyway, that's all I can think of for now. Any tips and hints are greatly appreciated
Thanks

 

[Parody]

Is it true that notes from the players clients are not visible to the other players or the GM?

At present player notes are not visible to others.

I have some content available to my players. So, after installing the client, please describe how to connect to my Realm.

They install the client and set up an account.
You use the Create Invitation item in the Realm Options menu (next to the Realm in the Realms tab of the Launcher) to send them an invite using their Realm Works account name or email address.
They accept the invitation in the Messages section of the Launcher.
They sync their view of the Realm.

But how/where do I go to view my time/usage/account what-evers?

At present there is no way to see your remaining time. You can ask support if it's important. (I believe this is coming with the Content Market.)

As I reveal content, will I have to sync the Realm for players to see the latest and greatest over the internet?

Yes, in order for your players to see your changes you need to save, exit, and sync, then your players need to exit and sync.

When I get a new laptop I will be able to show live player updates on the gaming TV right?

You can use the Player View to show ongoing updates. You don't need a second monitor to try it, so if you want you can play with it with your existing setup to see how it works.

Hope this helps.

 

[Dark Lord Galen]

Yes, in order for your players to see your changes you need to save, exit, and sync, then your players need to exit and sync.


You can use the Player View to show ongoing updates. You don't need a second monitor to try it, so if you want you can play with it with your existing setup to see how it works.

Hope this helps.

To add to Parody's good advice, and to clarify....

When I get a new laptop I will be able to show live player updates on the gaming TV right?

Not exactly.. the key words here are"LIVE PLAYER UPDATES".
If you are referring to your updates, reveals, etc > What parody correctly suggests, utilizing the "PLAYER VIEW" currently only displays what you reveal combined with first activating the "Player View" button on the tool bar.

If your players play remotely, or add notes to their RW "view"> Unlike "Player View", any changes (currently anyway) that you make (or your players in the future) at your gaming table (or elsewhere) would still require you to sync for them to be seen in the "PLAYER MODE". So anything you reveal in "Player View" at the table wont be "viewable" to the players on their laptops, devices, etc until you (and they) sync.
Any notes, comments, etc your players make are currently not available in either view (as Parody already noted), and not likely to be available without a sync from both you (the DM) and the player(s) later. So it depends on what your hopes are for "Live Player Updates."

Player "View" assumes the players are physically present at the table. And since you make mention of a "gaming TV" (one could assume all of your gamers are physically present), my rambles could be to those following along that might attempt to utilize "Player View" in a remote sense (Which has been the cause of disappointment to some).

It would probably be prudent for you to review how both "View & Mode" are similar and different to insure it meets your goals.

Side Note... this is where it would be nice to have the instructional PDFs available on the forum for easy linking...

FWIW my 2cp
DLG

 

[Parody]

Side Note... this is where it would be nice to have the instructional PDFs available on the forum for easy linking.

Since everyone who owns Realm Works has the PDFs, just post the name and (if applicable) page number(s). We've been referencing books this way for a very long time. ;)

 

[Venger]

Thanks much guys, your replies were helpful and honest.
I think we will invest in player client capability. The cost is reasonable and it's worth giving it a chance.

Being able to see player generated notes though, I want to holla about that, it would seem to be essential to me.
I don't know the technicalities to implement that, maybe each player client has it's own DB back-end, while reading the Realm on the front end. Dunno.

While Live Updates would be cool, It simply does not take a very long time to Sync, even with my expanding database.

No blah blah about that, and in a nutshell, we have time to sync the realm between scenarios if it is necessary. We don't play at such a breakneck pace to make it a deal breaker.

Thanks for the replies

 

[Dark Lord Galen]

Since everyone who owns Realm Works has the PDFs, just post the name and (if applicable) page number(s). We've been referencing books this way for a very long time. ;)

True, Point Taken.

 

[Venger]

So one more question.

We are playing TOR (The One Ring, Cubicle 7)
I'm writing a visual basic app to help me with game related tasks.
It will be a stand alone executable (.exe)

Is there a way I can create a link to it and launch it from RW?

 

[Dark Lord Galen]

So one more question.

We are playing TOR (The One Ring, Cubicle 7)
I'm writing a visual basic app to help me with game related tasks.
It will be a stand alone executable (.exe)

Is there a way I can create a link to it and launch it from RW?

Depends, For myself, I just establish a link to my drop box (which is where I maintain things like random table generators, Weather generators, and Heraldry creators, etc.) ... this allows me to open independent of RW but not have to have a lot of "desktop shortcuts..

If your intent is to "execute it" within RW, I defer to Parody & others who are more knowledgeable on that approach.
DLG

 

[Farling]

So one more question.

We are playing TOR (The One Ring, Cubicle 7)
I'm writing a visual basic app to help me with game related tasks.
It will be a stand alone executable (.exe)

Is there a way I can create a link to it and launch it from RW?

If you want to launch a file within the program, then you can store the file within RW.

As long as clicking on the file outside of RW opens up your app automatically, then having the file stored in RW will allow you to launch the app.

 

[rob]

Player "View" assumes the players are physically present at the table. And since you make mention of a "gaming TV" (one could assume all of your gamers are physically present), my rambles could be to those following along that might attempt to utilize "Player View" in a remote sense (Which has been the cause of disappointment to some).

This is not entirely accurate. If you are playing remotely, "Player View" CAN be leveraged from many environments. Through Skype and similar tools, it's possible to share a monitor or window. You can potentially share the Player View window this way, allowing players to see your live updates to whatever content you've placed in Player View during the game.

As @DLG outlined above, this is distinct from players utilizing Player Edition and viewing all the content you've synced to the cloud.

It would probably be prudent for you to review how both "View & Mode" are similar and different to insure it meets your goals.

Sound advice. Anything you can see in "Player Mode Preview" is a preview of what the players will have available to them through the "Player Edition". In contrast, anything you put into "Player View" is visible live during the game through the window that Realm Works creates for that purpose. This window can be placed on any monitor connected to your computer.

 

[rob]

So one more question.

We are playing TOR (The One Ring, Cubicle 7)
I'm writing a visual basic app to help me with game related tasks.
It will be a stand alone executable (.exe)

Is there a way I can create a link to it and launch it from RW?

Just to clarify something stated by @Farling. You should NOT try to store the executable program within Realm Works. The trick is to save a data file that triggers your program to be launched by the operating system.

I assume your program will save its information into a file of some sort. Give it a unique file extension and then register your program with the operating system as being the default application for files with that extension. Then store the data file within Realm Works as a "foreign object" (advanced snippet type). When you open that file, Realm Works will hand it to the operating system, which will in turn launch your program.

If your program will be storing data in a database instead of a data file of some sort, you can use the above trick anyways. Just associate a file extension with your program and store an empty file with that extension in Realm Works. You don't have to actually save anything in the file. You can simply use it as a means of triggering Realm Works to launch your program.

 

[Chemlak]

Just going to note something:

Skype screen-sharing is an absolute godsend for using Player View online (just set it to share one window, which is the Player View window, and you're rocking), but in the interests of managing everyone's expectations: I was running Roll20 in Firefox (for some reason I've always had issued running it in Chrome), and Skype screen sharing caused Roll20 to lag horribly.

I haven't tested in other browsers (IE ain't getting installed on my machine, thanks, and the aforementioned Chrome problems), so I can't generalise, but it's something to be aware of.