Want to buy, but...

[Helker]

But I need to ask one question first :)

I would like to get one full license and some lite licenses for my players. The problem is that my players change from time to time. Do I have to buy a new lite version each time a player change, or can I transfer the license to the new player?

Thank you.

[richvalle]

I think, legaly, the 'old' players would have to uninstall the software and then the new players install it.

Other then that, you should be able to.

Though if by 'time to time' you mean 'week to week' I think you should just buy enough copies for all the players. Trying to manage who has what lincense at what time would become a nightmare.

rv

[Hamish]

I think, but I'm not sure, that the license agreement states that once a key has been used on one machine, it cannot be used on another machine, even if it's uninstalled from the first one.

How that works when I buy a new PC to replace the old one.... I don't know.

[Sorontar]

Indeed I do believe that is the gist of it but there is no way for it to enforce this , all it can do is ensure that a key is only connected once to a session.

So if you do get a new PC then just re-install and use your key, sorted.

[Ged]

The license agreement was updated a bit when FGII was released to reflect the problem Hamish brought up. Now the relevant part says:

"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."

Edit: In other words, when buying a bundle of licenses, the licenses can be transferred to another person once. And if you update or change your personal system, you can remove Fantasy Grounds from the previous system and install it to the new one.

[Sigurd]

Helker, If I were you I'd examine the notion that as DM you have to pay the way for all your players. You already do lots of work to supply them with a setting etc... they can poney up a couple of bucks for a client license at least.

If you dm online you will likely find a whole raft of players who will join your game if its anyway convenient to them. Players who have the lite of full version.

Do you pay their gas to get to games now?

Personally, I reccommend everyone ignore the lite version and get full licenses. You never know when someone wants to try their hand dming or when the current DM deserves a break. The lite versions are not upgradeable and the full is not that much more.


Sigurd

[Griogre]

Have to say I agree with SIgurd. Let your player buy their own licences. If they are not committed enough to drop so cash then usually they won't show up anyway.

[Elf]

Have to say I agree with SIgurd. Let your player buy their own licences. If they are not committed enough to drop so cash then usually they won't show up anyway.

I second that... It is not your job to pay their way, you invest enough time to prepare the adventure and run the sessions.

[Mellock]

If you want to play a limited set of adventures for an everchanging group of players, that would make sense, no? -- people come to you, you use the license for a few sessions, then shift them to the next group...

I knew a DM once who didn't let you make another character. You died in the game (or didn't show up), you didn't have a reason to stay. Another player would get a chance at his table. He ran a pretty good game, had plenty of players lined up, and his players took *great* care to roleplay well and show up.

So I can think of a few reasons to want to stay in control of the licenses :)

[Sigurd]

Except that you aren't in control of the licenses. They are on player machines and you need player cooperation and honour to have them deinstall on their machine so you can redeploy that license.

The player that drops out of your game may not deinstall the license especially if its a freebee and the DM's credit card is tagged with all the purchase data. Whats it to them?

Of course all players here are more honourable than that but it bears thinking about.


ps.

(I like the image of your tough ruled DM - I bet his players had fun.)

[Valarian]

Helker, If I were you I'd examine the notion that as DM you have to pay the way for all your players. You already do lots of work to supply them with a setting etc... they can poney up a couple of bucks for a client license at least.
That's all well and good, but if you want to convince new players to use FGII, or want to game with your existing group, you more often than not have to fork out on the licenses as GM. I did, thankfully the dollar/sterling rate was favourable so I got the bundle for around the price of a new PC game (though not as favourable as at present).

The whole license aspect here would be made a lot simpler if you had the ability to register a number of lite licenses with the full licensed product. Then, if an unlicensed player connects, they would temporarily use one of these registered licenses. This way you could accommodate players that have FGII already, and a number of those who want to give it a go before buying equal to the number of additional licenses registered by the GM. Not all players are ready to fork out even £10 without trying first. I know there's the demo, but as a GM you can't give a good representation of what FGII can really do on the demo - only go through the basics. Sometimes this is enough, sometimes not.

[Mellock]

Except that you aren't in control of the licenses. They are on player machines and you need player cooperation and honour to have them deinstall on their machine so you can redeploy that license.


Heh, well, no... hence the *wanting* to stay in control of the licences :) But indeed, there's no better way to keep people honest than letting them pay for their own license.

[Elf]

...
The whole license aspect here would be made a lot simpler if you had the ability to register a number of lite licenses with the full licensed product. Then, if an unlicensed player connects, they would temporarily use one of these registered licenses. This way you could accommodate players that have FGII already, and a number of those who want to give it a go before buying equal to the number of additional licenses registered by the GM. Not all players are ready to fork out even £10 without trying first. I know there's the demo, but as a GM you can't give a good representation of what FGII can really do on the demo - only go through the basics. Sometimes this is enough, sometimes not.

That is a good idea, I for one would buy a GM and floating licence for that very reason... I know it has been discussed before, I think the consensus was that it was hard to code and the devs were focusing on other areas at the moment.

[Valarian]

As I've mentioned before (https://www.fantasygrounds.com/forums/showthread.php?t=3439), as this fits in with the current licensing structure, it shouldn't be too difficult to add in to the existing code.

e.g. (pseudocode of login additions)


IF player is licensed THEN
allow connection
ELSE IF player is unlicensed THEN
check full version license store for available number of lite licenses
IF license is available THEN
temporarily assign license to incoming player connection
allow connection
OTHERWISE
refuse connection
END IF
OTHERWISE
refuse connection
END IF