Couple Pre-Purchase Questions

[Syllus]

I've been looking at VTT software trying to find a good one for our needs and this one looks really nice. However I have a couple of questions about it first.

1. Ultimate License: Can this be installed on both a desktop PC and a laptop simultaneously?

2. Ultimate License: Our group has a somewhat different play style then most normal groups I have been in. The group consists of 3 experienced DM's and 6 other players. To make this work (the sheer number of people who play in our group can make a normal game run for 2 years or more), we "rotate seats" every couple of months. Meaning, I may start the game and DM it for 2 months, and then one of the other 2 DM's will take over and run it for a few months before passing it to the 3rd DM, and then back to me, wash rinse repeat. Kind of like that game people play where one person starts the story and then you go around the circle and each person adds a line to it and together you come up with one big story.

Now I am fully willing to spend $150 to have an unlimited seat VTT for our group to play on... but I am not willing to spend near $500 for it... If i purchase the ultimate license, how does that license work? Meaning... when I am done with my phase as the storyteller... can the next DM in rotation "log in on his machine with the DM account" and run it from his comp and the rest of us log in as players (or if it works off of a license file can the file be transferred to his machine or even run on both simultaneously etc etc)?

Whatever the mechanics... the question is... if i buy the ultimate license for our group... can 3 of us DM off of it (depending on who's turn it is to be DM at the time)

3. Ultimate License: If I buy the ultimate license for our group, can the other 2 players who rotate in as DM during the campaign work on their own maps and setup stuff while I'm DM'ing on the main DM license... ie setup their maps and story aspects with the player client or such.

4. Application Binary: Pretty sure I already know the answer to this, but is there a Mac version of FantasyGrounds?

Thanks

[Syllus]

Hmm nevermind. Found the answers to most of my questions in other forums. It is a shame that the licensing structure is so limited for fg... Doesn't look like I could even run it on my desktop and laptop without a separate license for each based on what I am reading so far.

With none of the other issues even considered, that alone is enough to push me towards another package. :(. A shame too as this one looks so nice. Ah well, thanks.

[cpbs]

Yes the licensing problem does not work so well with larger groups that you speak of but there other options that brings this down if there are multiple DMs.

If your group has 3 DMs, the DMs will at least need a Full Licences. This would allow all three potential DMs to play and host the campaign. All you would need to do is transfer the campaign folder to the DM that would be running it.

As well if you have select group of people that do not DM, meaning they only will be players you said 6, there is the lite license which is cheaper. So if you buy your lite licences and your full licenses together then you get a really good bundle discount.



Fantasy Grounds II Full License (DM & Players) 3 $39.95
Fantasy Grounds II Lite License (Players ) 6 $23.95
Bundle discount: $100.61
Total: $162.94

Which is only about $13 more then the Ultimate. I hope that helps in your decision and if not I hope you success in your online DMing :).

cpbs

[Syllus]

hmm that does make it much more manageable money wise... I do not want to require any of them to buy anything as not everyone is in that position in these days and times and I did not want to spend a fortune on it but this may work out. Still there is the issue of not being able to run my full version on my desktop and laptop together that I am not too fond of (though this by itself is not necessarily a deal breaker... especially when the software looks this good)... or is there a solution for this as well?

And ty for the info.

[cpbs]

License wise the program will not allow you to login through one computer and then log into another using the same license on the same game. It will throw up a licensing conflict as it will recognize its the same license. Now Fantasy Grounds does allow you to have multiple instances of Fantasy Grounds on the one computer that it is installed on.

[See attachment bellow]

As well.


1. LICENSE GRANT. SmiteWorks, Ltd. grants you a license to use one copy of the version of this SOFTWARE on any one system for as many licenses as you purchase. "You" means the company, entity or individual whose funds are used to pay the license fee. "Use" means storing, loading, installing, executing or displaying the SOFTWARE. You may not modify the SOFTWARE or disable any licensing or control features of the SOFTWARE except as an intended part of the SOFTWARE's programming features. This license is not transferable to another organization. You may transfer a license to another individual once if the software has not been used on any system, and you are the original license holder as defined above. You may transfer the license to another system for your personal use as long as the SOFTWARE is not used or installed on multiple systems.

So although the software will not allow you to technically login using the same licensing key in the same game using two different computers. It will allow you to play/host different games on your computer as long as your computer has the power and memory to do so.

I hope that clarifies some more for you :).

[joshuha]

Still there is the issue of not being able to run my full version on my desktop and laptop together that I am not too fond of (though this by itself is not necessarily a deal breaker... especially when the software looks this good)... or is there a solution for this as well?

And ty for the info.

Well not at the same time. However, strictly be reading the actual EULA you could uninstall and reinstall it onto another computer you own. However, in effect since the software only allows one installed system to be able to connect per license you could have it installed on both computers and just "transfer" the license between systems.

https://www.fantasygrounds.com/filelibrary/license.txt

[Griogre]

Also the FAQ says:


Can I run the software on two computers with one license, e.g. at work and at home?
The EULA states that you have a license to use one copy of the software on any one system and that the license is not transferable to any other system. In other words you are not allowed to install the software on several computers. The software itself cannot tell what computer it is running on and as long as no two players in a game are using the same license, the software will assume the above to be true.

[joshuha]

Well the not transferring part of the FAQ is on a general sense. The actually EULA does say:

"You may transfer the license to another system for your personal use as long as the SOFTWARE is not used or installed on multiple systems."

Which means technically you should be uninstalling it as you move between computer systems but as the FAQ says it can't tell unless 2 systems are trying to connect to the same game.

[RKBrumbelow]

The rule expressed by Smite has been that the license belongs to the owner of the first computer it is installed on and is then non transferable (Meaning you can't then transfer the license to someone else) However it has been said several times you can install it on more than one computer the only problem would be if you tried to run it on more than one computer simultaneously. I do not even think the server would let more than 1 iteration of the client's serial number connect at one time.

So you can install it on several machines so long as you use 1 license number per machine in use at one time.

You cannot have a single full and 8 lites or a single Ultimate and 8 lites and swap license numbers between GMs

That all being said I have been very vocal about t this in other threads but. Do not purchase an ultimate license if there is more than 1 GM in your group. It is effectively the same cost to buy 5 Full licenses as to buy a single Ultimate. (6 dollar difference if I recall but I am too lazy to look right this minute) You should buy 3 fulls and 6 lites thats $162.94 vs one Ultimate at 149.95 and then later needing to have everyone buy lights and fuels themselves.

That would be 14.82 for each lite and 24.74 for each full which I have to say is not bad at all.

[Moon Wizard]

Unofficially, I know that many users keep a copy on both their desktop and their laptop, for flexibility of development or for travelling. Given that a license can not connect to itself, it's not really a concern for us. The primary concern is license ownership.

A license can connect to itself when running on the same machine, which is very useful for ruleset and content development.

Regards,
JPG

[damned]

and if the actual group is 6 in total - not 3dms +6players then you only need 3full and 3lite - or if you really wanted to connect from your laptop too - then 3full +4lite - either path will keep you ahead when compared to ultimate.

$135 or $144 :)