Solution?

[Nofrills]

I have an idea where I want to host a RPG site/forum. But somehow, I want the site to offer the ability to have VT. I have been searching over the internet and there really doesn't seem to be anything out there for hosting games from sites to run.

So I thought about purchasing a bunch of licensed software (FG) along with the floating lisense. When a request came my way on the boards that a group wanted to run a game, I would "loan" the GM license to one, while the floating license would satisfy their players.

But with somthing like this, as I am the owner, I would need a way to reclaim that GM license anytime I deemed.

Is anything like this possible with your software?

I was thinking that the license for this software needs to be verified over the internet. The owner, Me, would have the ability to log into my online account and view all license on my account. I would be able to suspend, cancel or make new ones to replace cancelled ones.

I would think with this ability maybe my idea about having a site the ability the loan these license out will generate more publicity and sales for you?

You could even charge the owner a monthly rate for this service.

Any thoughts?

[Sigurd]

What you're talking about is way outside the model envisioned for this game. The prices for a license here simply don't reflect an online role playing game.

To be clear. There are no floating licenses for this application at this time. Smite Works is contemplating something but as far as I know this is only for clients.

Lending out licenses is currently not allowed by the EULA for this application. They have been very reasonable with us customers, its fair that we be reasonable with them. The situation you mention would be interesting but it would basically represent you distributing the game.

The game is built on a server\client model - it doesn't have web interface. If you wanted to run a game hookup website to facilitate players meeting and perhaps interacting with DMs that could be very useful

I dont know if any of the other VTTs would be closer to your model. Have you considered running a Neverwinter server?


Sigurd

[Nofrills]

I appreciate the time and your answer. I am a little amazed that with the internet playing a major part of many of our lives and such things as Play By Post being so popular, I can not see why a company hasn't cashed in on the time by making a software like I mentioned above.

I understand everything you have said. I do own NWN (1,2). That just isn't what I was looking for.

With the countless add-ons for PHPBB and VBulletin forums, I again would have thought someone out there would have designed such a piece of software by now.

Maybe I will make it a project of mine to do so.

[Sigurd]

Its a great project idea. Its just hard to commercialize it.

FG is very well designed over all. You buy the server. You buy the client. Once that's done its your bandwidth and your friends calling. Smite works isn't necessarily involved - personally I think, that's the gold standard for ongoing game design.

I think an online site would be a monumental undertaking. Where would you find that many DMs for one thing. The cost of the licenses is eclipsed by the time I've spend making adventures and running them. In your shoes I'd consider - how expensive are the licenses and what would be the game plan to support a site simply giving the program away.

There are role playing games from web sites but I think they'd have to support themselves with subscriptions or advertising. Both of these things I'm not too keen on.

If you do take it on as a project, I wish you luck.

[Spyke]

Your model is pretty close to what GhostOrb was pitching for a few years ago, about the same time that FG was released. Unfortunately, the model just didn't stack up, the software never reached a final release form, the subscription model was blown away by the one off pricing of programs like FG, and GhostOrb vanished.

They managed to get (IIRC) about 700 subscribers on board before this happened (I was one) and even with that level of interest they didn't seem to have the resources to make it work. I'm not saying it can't work, but I think GhostOrb demonstrated that it's far from easy.

Spyke

[Valarian]

It also sounds like the Digital Gaming Table that Wizards of the Coast are trying to develop as part of the Dungeons and Dragons Interactive (DDI) functionality.

[Nofrills]

Well I am not given up hope. Even if it isn't as elaborate as FG with all its' pretty bells and whistles, I still think it is doable. I am going to see about making out a design schematic for it.

Will start out with a glorified play-chat design and will go from there. It will have the ability to have such things as character sheets, dice rolling and such. But the majority of the game is going to look and feel like a normal chat area but caterred for RPG.

It will be my starting point.

[richvalle]

Why not use one of the free VT's out there? Maptool is free. It looks like Kloogewerks has floating licenses that the server side buys.

There is always openrpg as well. I'm sure there are others but those are the ones I know about. I've not really followed the options once I settled on FG 3 years ago. :)

rv

[Spyke]

One site that might be doing something similar to your idea is RPGTonight (https://www.rpgtonight.com/).

Spyke

[Nofrills]

Spyke I will check out that page. I appreciate your honestly in helping everyone!

Means a lot!

[Tenian]

FUMCon has a pretty nice comparison chart:

https://www.fouruglymonsters.com/community/fumcon/fc-vtt

It's a shame you didn't post this a few weeks earlier, you could probably have attended demos for many of the games.

[Spyke]

Spyke I will check out that page. I appreciate your honestly in helping everyone!

Means a lot!Those of us marked as Sages aren't employees of SmiteWorks. Having said that we all think Fantasy Grounds is a pretty special piece of software, well worth the price asked, with significant advantages over the free competition. It's not generally the done thing to direct users away from a product on that product's own forum, but in this case you are looking for functionality that FG doesn't have, so I think it's OK to point you somewhere else that might suit you.

And as Tenian's noted, the information is widely available once you know where to look.

If you want an active dialog on comparisons between VTs, I'd suggest joining Four Ugly Monsters and getting into a discussion there.

Spyke