Floating licenses and affiliate program

zWolf, I am sorry if I came off as suggesting that GMs shouldn't have the option of paying for the floating licenses. That was not my intention. The debate started, for me, over whether the floating licenses should be free or not. In the original example of how the floating licenses would be set up the GM would be the only one paying. There was an opinion that this would cost a GM quite a bit and so the floating licenses should be free. I, personally, think it makes sense for there to be a minimal cost, for reasons I have already stated. My solution, for a GM that didn't want to pay for floating licenses, was that the players should pay for the floating licenses but if it can be set up to work either way then that would be the best of both worlds.

Ultimately, for me, it comes down to finding a way to give people a true demo of the product so they can decide if they want to buy without giving away the product for free or putting the cost solely on the GM.

-Tristram

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Originally Posted by Tristram

Sigh:rolleyes: ...of course it is ok to want free stuff. This is the age of the entitlement generation after all. And there are some nice, free VTTs out there. I, personally, support the idea of having a minimal cost to prevent some from taking advantage of SmiteWorks since I think they've earned some payment for what they have given all of us gamers. I am sorry if my posts have not been clear in showing that what I am not "cool" with is GMs paying being the only option. It makes more sense to me to have the Players pay for the license but if the GM chooses to be the one that pays then that is ok too. I hope that clears my position up for you? If not, at this point, it is probably best to just agree to disagree. I don't think that a social occasion need become warfare.

-Tristram

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I agree with you 100%, there should be the option for a GM to buy a floating license (not rent it), and the option for a player to buy his own license. But seeing as the full license as it exists now will connect to a game, and the limited functionality that one gets with the lite license as it is now, I see no reason for anyone to honestly buy the lite license. I however encourage all of my players to purchase the full license, and hope that smite works chooses to support the purchasing of floating licenses.

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Originally Posted by Tristram

zWolf, I am sorry if I came off as suggesting that GMs shouldn't have the option of paying for the floating licenses. That was not my intention. The debate started, for me, over whether the floating licenses should be free or not. In the original example of how the floating licenses would be set up the GM would be the only one paying. There was an opinion that this would cost a GM quite a bit and so the floating licenses should be free. I, personally, think it makes sense for there to be a minimal cost, for reasons I have already stated. My solution, for a GM that didn't want to pay for floating licenses, was that the players should pay for the floating licenses but if it can be set up to work either way then that would be the best of both worlds.

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As I understand the proposal, the DM buying / renting floating licenses just provides players who have not purchased a license the option to join games that the DM with Floating licenses is hosting.

A player that wishes to pay for his own light can join the DM's game with out using one of the floating license 'slots'.

That means that the player CAN play like your hoping... like he can right now.. in other words nothing will change on that front. The only thing that is added, is the option for GM's to pay for Players to join.

It makes the cost actually reasonable instead of un-reasonable were the DM to have to buy a new light license every time a new player joined his game.

The benefit to smite works comes in that more players will be exposed to their software, and if the players want to play in any games where the DM's don't provide floating licenses, then those players will need to buy at least a light license. it all sounds wonderful to me. I just can't wait for it to become a reality.

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Originally Posted by Tristram

Ultimately, for me, it comes down to finding a way to give people a true demo of the product so they can decide if they want to buy without giving away the product for free or putting the cost solely on the GM.

-Tristram

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on this, I think that as it is currently proposed, the cost would fall squarely on the DM's shoulders - as he would have to pony up the 5 bucks (or what ever,) for the floating license that would allow a player to join his game.

However, it does sound like a great suggestion that perhaps the full DM license include one floating license for free or something. That would satisfy your request for sure, allowing DM's to demo the games for people.

It was a Demo that finally sold me on the product! so it certainly sounds like a sound business investment, good idea.

thanks,

zWolf -out.

How about this:

I know the main concern from the company here might be that by offering the floating license option, they would be going through a bad marketing decision, since I believe, most of their revenue comes from lite licenses (being natural since there are probably more players then GMs)

I wonder, maybe they could sell floating licenses, but limited offers...

What I mean is: offer the option to buy floating licenses for a limited time, or maybe a limited number of licenses, for a limited time.

Maybe open up this option from time to time, as they see fit.

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Originally Posted by Ged

...We are planning a subscription based floating license system.

...As I said, this will probably not receive everyone's cheer, but it is a way we could go ahead with floating licenses as well as give some protection to the GMs purse. There are technical as well as legal issues with the model we have to sort out before even beginning to implement any of this. We also have other things in the pipeline before any of this, but we wanted to share some thoughts already early on. We would like to hear any comments or feedback, those will be read and considered (and if the feedback is unanimously condemning, we might still pull the whole idea).

Thanks in advance,

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Ged,

I know that it has only been a month, but, on the flip side, it has been a month and there has been feedback here on the forums regarding the suggestion... I'm just wondering after a month of evaluating the communities comments and feedback, how does the team feel about the whole idea?

is it still something that your looking to go forward with?

If yes, can you give a 'ball park' estimate as to when, the community might see it's implementation? i.e.

1) sometime this month.
2) a target release of 3rd quarter 2009.
3) sometime next year.
4) we plan to release it simultaneously to the release of wizards VTT ...in other words, *never :- P *



thanks for any input sir!


zWolf -out.

I think its great that people get their say. And I'm grateful to Smite Works for making this so public and giving us such freedom to tell them what to do. They really are being very open minded.

I just want to say, because in their place I'd hate to have to say this myself, that there are realities and goals that we as customers are completely not party to.

I don't think anyone on this list wants to harm the company that brought us this product.

We realize that you're talking about the details of an idea, not a plan, and certainly not a promise.

We know there are issues, like piracy, profit, etc... that frankly we don't have to worry about but you do.

As vocally as we may talk about 'our solutions' to this situation we know we're only talking but you'd be doing. Smite Works is going to see any financial impact - not us.


I hope these views are generally held. We appreciate you hearing us and we love the program.


Sigurd
(who has said his piece in this thread)

Amen Sigurd

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Originally Posted by Sigurd

We know there are issues, like piracy, profit, etc... that frankly we don't have to worry about but you do.

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That was kinda my idea behind an affiliate program. If we stand to make a gain, even a small one that doesn't really matter much in the end.., something like token sets (I would be willing to donate some BTW) or other small addons even, I think the average user would be a little more aggressive with ant-piracy. At that point the pirate is not only stealing from smite works, but potentially steeling an affiliate sale from each and everyone of us.

Its also part of the idea behind the floating license structure, if it has to be passed through the SW server, it will be more difficult to pirate. However, I think the "rental" structure that has been suggested will have the opposite effect and will end up encouraging piracy more.

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Originally Posted by Sigurd

We know there are issues, like piracy, profit, etc... that frankly we don't have to worry about but you do.

As vocally as we may talk about 'our solutions' to this situation we know we're only talking but you'd be doing. Smite Works is going to see any financial impact - not us.

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Actually, we do see the financial impact. A cash starved SmiteWorks isn't as proactive on development and support. A bankrupt SmiteWorks means a product with no future - or at least a very very uncertain one. Wanting SmiteWorks to be as profitable as possible is enlightened self-interest.

-Kevin McD

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Originally Posted by zWolf

I know that it has only been a month, but, on the flip side, it has been a month and there has been feedback here on the forums regarding the suggestion... I'm just wondering after a month of evaluating the communities comments and feedback, how does the team feel about the whole idea?

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The feedback hasn't been discouraging enough to make us scrap the idea :) However, to your disappointment, I cannot comment on the hows and whens at this point. We haven't done anything concrete on these regards yet.