anti-piracy features updated

[wbcreighton]

I wonder how hard would it be to allow one unregistered copy of the program to connect to a Full license version ?

The reason I ask is because I own a Full license, and I had thought I would be able to show someone else how the program works, but the way it was explained to me is that I would need to uninstall the program, download and install an unregistered copy, in order to run a demo. Then I have to uninstall it, download it again and enter the license to have my Full license back again. So I have to go through a lot of hoops to demo the program, yet if I didn't have the Full version installed I could do it no problem.
Unfortunately the extra money to convert to an Ultimate license isn't worth it just to demo the program. Maybe if you could buy a floating license that allows 1 unregistered person to connect, I would definitely be interested.

Of course if I demo the program and the person buys the program, then Smiteworks is the beneficiary.

[dr_venture]

Let me also put in some support for the idea of some kind of demo mode for a real game experience... even for regular hosting licenses. For instance, have a demo user mode where the player can join any game for free, but gets an annoying message or a capcha or gets booted back to the 'choose a character' screen every half hour... something that makes it fairly easy to sit in on a game session and get a feel for playing, but *just* annoying enough to not want to have to put up with all the time. I bet I'd be able to turn some of my on-the-fence friends into purchasers.

[unerwünscht]

Just an idea... but one way to work the free demo mode would be to force it to connect through the FG server. I think it would be much harder to exploit if it had to go through you before it could connect to a GM. This would also allow you to add in banner ads and various other forms of revenue generation.

Please do not add banner ads to the payed versions... I hate those things.

[ronnke]

Please do not add banner ads to the payed versions... I hate those things.

Or make FG free and you pay the license to be able to turn off the ads.

I'd love to see Smiteworks win over more MapTools players. The primary reason that many looking to experiment with VTTs end up with MapTools, is because it is free. Then after a little while they become accustomed to the software, and simply stay with it. Some might try other VTTs, but most don't, and then you have the issues like, not everyone in the group can afford to or wants to pay, so to avoid breaking the group up, the default position stands.

Using FG for free, eliminates piracy, positions the software better against the competition, knocks down the barriers to entry, which all ultimately grow the number of users that can be turned into paying customers.

The great thing about advertising is that it's kind of win win. Most people, if they are happy with the software will at some point pay a license to turn ads off, plus they know it supports the developers to make their loved software even better. Those that don't buy a license still generate revenue through the advertising itself and also from the purchase of products from the shop. This is essentially the model MMO's are increasingly adopting with free to play, because they know that once they have the potential customer, they can then sell them on the value add stuff.

How many here would pay a license to remove banner ads, I know I would and I'm sure many other would too. If FG was entirely open source, I would even donate, to ensure further development, but that's just me.

Anyway, just spewing thoughts.

[Dakadin]

I am ignorant when it comes to how much they could possibly make using ads. After looking at the annual report, they would have to make up about $90k that they currently make selling licenses. That is about 85% of their sales so they couldn't really afford to do less than that. Hopefully someone on these forums can share their expertise for how much revenue these types of ads can generate but I would guess that it isn't going to be close to the amount.

I have an ultimate license so my players don't need a license to play in my games but I've bought licenses as Christmas gifts for my players. They were very excited. In fact most of them stopped to talk to me one on one to find out more information about what they could do with the licenses.

[ronnke]

They don't need to make their entire revenue from ads, as there are many like myself that will happily pay a license to be ad free. This could be easily determined from a poll of current users. Would you still pay a license to remove ads if FG was free?

I don't know the market when it comes to VTT's so intimately I'm not an authority on it, but the philosophy is that you get a smaller piece of a larger pie which brings you out on top.

eg.

Current method:
You sell 10 licenses from 15 users (2 users pirate, 3 play with a GM on an ultimate license).

Adware Method
You sell say 15 licenses from 50 users and get ad revenue from the rest. Those 50 people then go on to make additional purchases from the FG store.

Word of mouth is also the best form of advertising, 50 people spreading the word of how great it is to play online for free is a far greater force than 15 saying you need to pay at least $23.95.

The other benefit is you now have a situation where everyone can run a game, so they go off to their social outlets and say, "I want to try my hand at running a game, who is interested? I'm going to use Fantasy Grounds, it's really cool and it's free to use." Then suddenly you have more potential people that will adopt the software. Which is what happens with MapTools.

But, like I said, I don't know what the market can support, so I could just be speaking crap.

[Dakadin]

Good points ronnke. I do worry that the only way to know for sure is to take the gamble and just try it. The problem with that is what happens if the numbers don't turn out like they need them to?

One thing that might help would be to give full licenses the ability to have 1 unregistered user. This would all GMs to let 1 person try it. This would allow them to see if it in action before buying but still require licenses for the majority of the group. The extra license could then be used for another user. The issue I see from this approach is having more than one person wanting to be on the free license or begging to join with it.

[unerwünscht]

Dakadin, its easy to fix if the numbers do not work out. When FG Migrates to v.3 or v.4 they kill the ad supported model for the new version. There are also a million other ways to handle that situation. What we are talking about are realistic models to fight piracy while at the same time generate more users, and ultimately paying customers for Fantasy Grounds. So in the end none of the exact details we mention here are going to be the perfect solution for Smite Works, Doug is the only person who will know what is perfect for him. But I would say lets keep feeding them ideas. If they take them awesome, if they don't oh well.

[dr_venture]

I don't believe there is much money in targeted banner/electronic impressions advertising anymore except with very, very large numbers. Even though FG users commonly partake in long playing sessions, they also usually only play occasionally. Those that do play a lot would likely just buy the license, leaving the occasional players to make up the difference in banner impressions. I would imagine that the banner count wouldn't come anywhere even near to what would be needed to make any kind of serious income... low level ad impression numbers are just about nil profit, so it'd basically just be lost income for Smiteworks.

[joshuha]

I know this would probably never happen as it's too far from what is currently the model but I would to see the only license be the Ultimate model and it drop down to an expensive video game price ($60). With lots of Ultimate users hosting games (since its more affordable) then lots of players will come into the software. The question then is how to monetize those players since they aren't paying for a license. I think one great option would be easy gifting in the store to those who do have the Ultimate license. Want to play that cool adventure? Buy it for the GM! Want to play a super villain in a Necessary Evil campaign, Buy it for the GM! Make it so as they purchase it they have a drop down of all the registered Ultimate users who want to have gifting turned on are shown.

I think doing something like this would GREATLY expand the FG playerbase. The question is if the loss in revenue in the hopefully short term would be feasible. But I think the approach should almost be like a start up. Get them all using the software (all being the market of online tabletop gamers) and then sell them products/services as add-ons to monetize them.