How to swap DM?

[qwortec]

I tried searching the forum here but didn't have much luck with what I assume is a common issue:

My group wants to have another player DM our game. Usually I DM and I have an ultimate license with additional 5e content books, but after several years of being the only DM I would like to play as PC. How can we go about getting the license moved over to another player? We currently use Steam version of FG but are open to whatever we need to do to change this.

[RoleforFun]

You can't. Your only option is to have someone else do a monthly sub or purchase the Ultimate license, then purchase whatever content they want to use and share for their campaign on that license. The license agreements only allow for one single user with each purchase of content, so no content-swapping to other DM's is allowed. Sorry bud.

[qwortec]

Right, I get that that's the official rule. However, it's completely unreasonable to ask someone to shell out hundreds of dollars just to swap the GM. Can we swap Steam account logins or anything to get around this?

[RoleforFun]

I don't think anyone is going to be able to help you "get around" licensing rules and terms of agreement in an official forum. Remember, this is not just Smiteworks' policy but also part of their licensing agreement with publishers. Be aware, if you do what you're attempting, and you get caught breaking the license agreement and terms of use, it's very possible your account will get locked out and you will lose access to all the content you do have. I understand your frustration as well, trust me. There's just nothing that can be done about it.

[qwortec]

Yeah, if they locked my account I feel like I'd be OK with that. I've used this software for 4 years now and I still find it janky as hell. I've grown disillusioned with FG and Smiteworks over the years. If they try to make me spend another $400+ to have another person GM a game, well they can kindly go to hell.

[RoleforFun]

That's all fine and good, but I think the problem is you're viewing it as you not having access to your own content as a player, rather than someone else purchasing the ability to use content for themselves to be a GM. You bought a license and content because you wanted to GM, and you knew that when you did so. It's not like anyone "pulled a fast one" and said you could share your content then suddenly disallowed it. These were always the rules, and that's what the money went to. Anyone else that wants to permanently have the content and be the GM is welcome to do so. After 4 years, perhaps all the players can pitch in for the content if the other person really wants to be a GM. That seems reasonable since everyone benefits (since the GM shares the content with their players in each campaign). I'm not sure if you're attempting to complain or legitimately problem-solve here. The answer is established, it is what it is.

[Trenloe]

I've grown disillusioned with FG and Smiteworks over the years. If they try to make me spend another $400+ to have another person GM a game, well they can kindly go to hell.

I know that no one wants to spend extra money. But, being realistic about a niche company trying to survive and grow (because most of us want Fantasy Grounds to be here next year, and the year after and...), what are your issues?

SmiteWorks have been instrumental in getting D&D 5e on VTTs in general, and also lead the way in getting the price of WotC VTT material reduced from the same cost of the printed material.

As Catalyst20XX mentions the cost and licensing is driven by the end publisher. SmiteWorks don't hide the fact that you can't transfer your purchases - it's in the FAQ/EULA and there are public threads on this forum where people are asking the same questions.

As a player, you will be able to access your library modules (if the GM allows it), but if the GM wants material, and also wants to share it to others who don't have it, then the new GM will have to purchase it themselves - as well as get an Ultimate license (maybe a subscription - depending on how long they'll be the GM). I'm sure there's no need to spend $400+ if the only the material that the GM really needs to run the game is looked at. And, as usual, you can always manually enter data that is perhaps only a small section of a larger product - saving the purchase of that product. Getting a license subscription, a couple of GM products (campaigns are pretty much self contained, so the MM and DMG are not required unless making up custom content), the PHB is always handy to have.

Plus, there'll be a big sale around Black Friday...

[Ken L]

I know that no one wants to spend extra money. But, being realistic about a niche company trying to survive and grow

FG currently is doing the former (surviving) and not growing by double and triple milking the cow. I've been in and seen companies do this in software, it's usually a sign they have a product problem where new users are an issue, and milking current users is the solution.

[Trenloe]

FG currently is doing the former (surviving) and not growing by double and triple milking the cow. I've been in and seen companies do this in software, it's usually a sign they have a product problem where new users are an issue, and milking current users is the solution.

I'm not sure what you're saying here. Are you saying FG isn't growing because they are "double and triple milking the cow", or that they aren't growing because they aren't double and triple milking the cow? I'm confused by the wording of your statement.

[qwortec]

I get that it's niche, and that's why I've always been OK with the prices. When they got WotC to allow content that was amazing and I happily spent the money on that content. I have no problem with this.

I've run games for probably 10-12 different people and I've never had a single campaign run smoothly. Crashes, lag, suuuuuuuuper lag to the point that we can't play, bad UI, etc. etc. I've found a lot of workarounds thanks to this forum and in general the program has been good, just lots of annoyances. That's fine, it just gets grating after a while, especially when you bring in a new person and have to go through all of the programs eccentricities, then troubleshoot issues like why their brand new gaming PC running the dice rolling at 10fps. Like I said, I get it sorted, but it always feel so amateurish. I've been waiting for the Unity build for years but I've kind of given up on that.

But! It's a niche product space, and the conveniences make those problems less painful. I don't want to sound like I'm just shitting on it. I've gone out of my way to defend it and recommend it to others.

This is kind of the last straw though. I want to play as a PC. I'm fine with another player buying/subscribing to a standard license to run the game, that would be totally reasonable. However, I own 5e content that makes the GM'ing much nicer (DMG, PHB, etc.) and would like them to have access to it. If we were sitting around the table, I could lend them my books. In FG though, I can't lend them my books. Why not allow the program to see that one of the players in a session owns the material and therefore can share it with the group? Why should it force the GM to buy that material again to use it when another player already bought it? It's not like we didn't pay for all of the material. Forcing people to purchase additional copies feels sleezy.

The reality is that if I want to play my next campaign with another GM, we'll either have to find some illicit workaround to get them run my ulitmate license, or we have to swap to another VTT. I don't like either of those options. I would happily pay a reasonable fee to not have to do that. However, saying that the other GM has to purchase a STD license AND either buy the content books or manually input everything even though I have already bought that content and will be playing in the same sessions is not reasonable. I'm saying, take my money Smiteworks! I'll pay to have someone else run my game! But by locking the content I purchased from the game I'm playing in just because I'm not the GM, you've basically told me that you don't want my money and you don't want me to continue to support your product.