Issue I'm a little worried about with licensing.

darksandman · Post by **darksandman** » Wed Nov 14, 2007 1:45 am

So, I had my reservations about entering the vt world. I have been reading about the online games and lurking the forums of these and other boards, but I never came to this forum topic!!!

Heruca, you are awesome to create a prog like this. The reason I went with your program was the fact that you are the most involved with almost everything. No other product I know gives away customer service like you seem too. I figured if BG didn't have all the features of the others, it will soon. This guy is on the ball.

But...After reading this, I wish I didn't purchase your product two days ago.

I have a laptop I take to my gaming area. I use my desktop to make download all my stuff, and I downloaded a crapload of stuff. My desktop is just enough to get by. I put the demos on each one to test them out. It was all great. Then, I bought the software and it told me to wait for the code.

Now I'm sunk.

Now I can't use the software with my gaming group. (I don't have a dongle, exterior hard drive, or whatever supercommando thingy whoppy.)

Another thing is, what happens when you are not here? Happened to me once before. Buy online software, get dreaded code, hard drive hiccups, go for new code, no sign of company or programmer, watch as website deteriorates and finally goes away.

You are the Heruca. Your fanboys are in need. Make something happen. Can we get a second GM license at half price? My wife almost divorced my last week when I purchased two star war rpg books, your gm prog, and floating licenses!

Help me Heru, your my only hope....

DarkSandman

darksandman · Post by **darksandman** » Wed Nov 14, 2007 1:47 am

Whoops, laptop is just enough to get by small hard drive and small processor. Desktop is a bossmob.

~DarkSandman

Post by **Omnidon** » Wed Nov 14, 2007 4:11 am

I'm sure heruca will be able to work something out.

As far as heruca disappearing, he's been very reliable. I've never seen him leave for more than a few weeks, and he always gives warning ahead of time. If he did have to disappear long-term, I bet he'd make BRPG free to use while he was away. He ran a free-for-everyone promotion during his last trip.

Balesir · Post by **Balesir** » Wed Nov 14, 2007 9:05 am

heruca wrote:Suppose that I gave a second license key to anyone that requests it and has already purchased a GM Client. That would give users the flexibility to install BRPG on both their laptop and their desktop PC, which I imagine is the main reason people have a gripe with the current licensing scheme.

For example:
Joe's Desktop PC has a serial number of 111111.
Joe's Laptop has a serial number of 222222.
Joe could theoretically use his laptop to connect to his desktop PC's host, since there is nothing in either license key to indicate that they belong to the same person.
However, subsequent releases or patches of BRPG would match up serial number 111111 with 222222 and forbid a connection between those two systems (because the program now knows that both serial numbers belong to the same person). Joe is still free, however, to host games for other people using either computer.

What do you all think?

Since I am imminently to be in posession of a shiny new desktop PC (

) this topic is becoming of interest to me, since I may well want to switch running my regular game from my laptop to the new desktop...

Does this last bit mean that, while I could activate the license on both laptop and desktop, I could not use one as a 'player' machine with the other as 'GM'? I have several floating licenses and it would be very nice (for testing, local players and other stuff) to be able to connect the laptop to the desktop with a floating license OR use the laptop as the GM machine (if I happen to be away from home). Please explicate!

Post by **heruca** » Wed Nov 14, 2007 10:02 am

darksandman wrote:I have a laptop I take to my gaming area. I use my desktop to make download all my stuff, and I downloaded a crapload of stuff. My desktop is just enough to get by. I put the demos on each one to test them out. It was all great. Then, I bought the software and it told me to wait for the code.

Now I'm sunk.

Now I can't use the software with my gaming group.

No, you're not sunk.

License page says wrote:Customers who purchase a GM Client are entitled to a second free license code. This is provided because some GMs like to prepare their games on one computer (say, a desktop PC) but actually run their game sessions from another computer (say, a laptop).

darksandman wrote:Another thing is, what happens when you are not here? Happened to me once before. Buy online software, get dreaded code, hard drive hiccups, go for new code, no sign of company or programmer, watch as website deteriorates and finally goes away.

I'm away a couple of times a year, for 1 to 3 weeks. I always give advance warning of my planned absences, and sometimes set the software to be free while I'm away. If I ever give up on selling my software, I'll probably release a final license-free version.

Can we get a second GM license at half price?

I'm afraid not. The second GM license is going to have to remain free.

Wouln't want to cause the wife any further grief.

Post by **heruca** » Wed Nov 14, 2007 10:06 am

Balesir wrote:Since I am imminently to be in posession of a shiny new desktop PC ( ) this topic is becoming of interest to me, since I may well want to switch running my regular game from my laptop to the new desktop...

License page says wrote:Both the GM Client and the Player Client license allow you register the program on any of the supported platforms/operating systems, but the software will thereafter only run on the specific computer it is authorized on. After authorization, if you want to switch computers or platforms you can. You simply need to request new license activation codes (your old activation code will be disabled). The new activation codes are free. You do not need to buy a license again.

Just send me an email when you decide you want to switch comps, and I'll issue you new codes, with the Floating Licenses attached to your new "main" computer. Your old codes would simply be disabled.

darksandman · Post by **darksandman** » Wed Nov 14, 2007 11:57 pm

Now I know why I bought Battlegrounds.

Heruca not only gives great customer support, makes fine programs, but saves marriages!!!

The Star Wars Legacy campaign will now continue in virtual...(I even have someone else buying a player license now!)

Heruca for President

~DarkSandman

mushoku · Post by **mushoku** » Fri Feb 22, 2008 9:01 pm

As I am reading this, I notice a few things that lead me to think that BRPG must be able to connect to the internet in order to validate every time it is run. Is this true?

Post by **Omnidon** » Sat Feb 23, 2008 12:59 am

mushoku wrote:As I am reading this, I notice a few things that lead me to think that BRPG must be able to connect to the internet in order to validate every time it is run. Is this true?

No, BRPG licenses are currently tied to your hard drive and can be used offline. If you switch hard drives, you can always request a new license.

Some people were requesting an option to use the internet to verify licenses, but I'm sure there will always be an option to run BRPG offline.

Post by **heruca** » Sat Feb 23, 2008 2:11 pm

An internet connection is not necessary, but if one is available, it can use it to detect settings for various features, such as looking up the latest software versions, checking for a "Free Use" promo, etc.

tenkar · Post by **tenkar** » Sat Mar 01, 2008 9:11 pm

The other option is to use a portable hard drive... easy swap between devices and only one code required... unless you are like me and just updated your portable HD

nightwalker450 · Post by **nightwalker450** » Tue Jun 03, 2008 4:34 pm

Question of the Floating Liceneses. Floating licenses only uses those of the GM? I was wondering if there was another player, who had GM client and Floating Licenses if theirs would be able to be used, or if only the host could provide Floaters.

I'm looking forward to getting this product, I just need to show it to my gaming group in a couple of weeks. By far yours is the most extensive, and best supported from all I've read.

Post by **heruca** » Tue Jun 03, 2008 4:55 pm

Welcome, nightwalker450.

Unfortunately, only the host's Floating Licenses may be assigned to unlicensed clients. The player connecting with a GM client can't somehow share his own FLs. I can imagine that being a bit of a sore point, though, for groups who like to switch GMs a lot.

I'll be sure to give BRPG v2 the ability for anyone to host the game, and assign GMing priviledges to a connected user after joining. That should at least partially address the issue.

nightwalker450 · Post by **nightwalker450** » Mon Mar 23, 2009 11:12 pm

I was wondering if anyone had tried running this off of a jump drive? Not actually hosting, but just building their encounters.

nortonweb · Post by **nortonweb** » Mon Mar 23, 2009 11:31 pm

I use a thumb drive yeap. Works fine.. its a bit slow when you try to purge media but apart from that no problem at all.
That's for building encounters and testing. I've not run a game off of it yet.

nightwalker450 · Post by **nightwalker450** » Mon Mar 23, 2009 11:59 pm

Cool, thats my main question. Thinking about getting another GM license and put it on a thumb drive.

I'm about to take a break from GMing, but another player who is close by is GMing alternate weekends. Currently, we just swap an external HD (with all the floating licenses attached), but the person to take my GMing place though doesn't live so close, so thinking of giving him the thumb drive to build with, then when we game (in person), he just copies his stuff onto the external HD and we go from there.

Post by **heruca** » Tue Mar 24, 2009 12:28 am

Nightwalker, have you already claimed your free GM Client license?

nightwalker450 · Post by **nightwalker450** » Tue Mar 24, 2009 10:24 am

Yep, I have one on my desktop. So even if someone else has the external HD, I can continue to work on my campaign.

Also because it allows me to test out the newest versions without the limits (so I can check encounters that i've already built).

Motdc · Post by **Motdc** » Wed Mar 25, 2009 9:55 pm

Woah, did I read that right? You can assign a licence to a flash drive, and also it runs well? That's a great option!

Post by **heruca** » Wed Mar 25, 2009 10:49 pm

Is map load time an issue with flash drives?

Syllus · Post by **Syllus** » Thu Feb 25, 2010 1:47 am

I just want to get confirmation on this, as if it is in fact the case, then it solved my one and only issue with purchasing this software. Can I assign gm and floating licenses to a flash drive and it will then work on any computer I plug it into?

The group I play with consists of 9 people. (large group for a tabletop I know) We have 2 campaigns running, one that I DM, and another player DM's the other... we take turns running our campaign in "chapters" each of which lasts roughly 1 - 1.5 years, then the other will run the next portion of his, wash rinse repeat.

I have spent the last several days evaluating this software and to be quite frank... I love it! My one and only concern is that in order to have a fully functional gaming setup which relied on this software we would need 1 GM client and 8 floating licenses (most games would only take 1 GM license and 1 floating license as we get together and this would then just become the ultimate dynamic play mat with bonus features, but there are times when it is inconvenient to get together (biggest problem with such a large group) and sometimes there are gaps of a month or more between play sessions, where as, if we could run the clients from home and use VoIP as a play option, then those gaps would be MUCH smaller. However my concern wasnt in the cost of the GM license and the 8 floating licenses... it was in the part that looked like we would actually need 2 gm licenses and 16 floating licenses, so that both me and him could run our campaigns from it.

If I can indeed just purchase 1 GM license and 8 floating licenses and register them all on a large flash drive and we can use it on either one of our laptops for DM'ing while the other 8 log in with demo apps consuming floating licenses... then I am sold, as this is by far the best VTT I have looked at so far.

So... can I get an official confirmation on this? You got a big potential order pending on it.

Post by **heruca** » Thu Feb 25, 2010 2:44 am

Welcome, Syllus.

There doesn't appear to be any problem with running BRPG from a flash drive, and AFAIK, a number of users are using BRPG in precisely the manner you describe, and aren't reporting any issues.

I tend to recommend a portable external hard drive, for speed purposes, and would recommend against a slow USB 1.0 pen drive. But most modern USB 2.0 drives should fare just fine.

You should test your device of choice (using the free Demo) in two ways:
1) Application launch time
2) Map loading time (preferably with a 4000 x 4000 pixels map, such as the Grass map that comes with BRPG).

If your drive's performance is acceptable in those two tests, you should be fine.

Also, if you intend to place such a large order (e.g., 1 GM and 8 Floating Licenses), please contact me by email first, as I would be able to offer you a "bulk discount".

Another benefit to this approach is that any artpacks you buy will be usable by both GMs, so you won't need to buy two copies of each artpack.

Lastly, I would recommend that each GM have their own BRPG installation on the drive. They'll both use the same license info, but that way each GM can maintain their own independent collection of media assets. On the other hand, if both GM are running adventures in the same game world, using mostly the same media assets, a single BRPG installation would suffice.

Syllus · Post by **Syllus** » Thu Feb 25, 2010 3:22 am

Thanks for the welcome and the confirmation. I have spent the last several hours testing back and forth between Hard drive installation and USB drive installation. The hard drive is a slight bit faster but I use that for other things as well and can not give it up for months on end while the other DM is running his campaign. I have a newer 2.0 flash drive with pretty good data transfer speed and it seems to be doing fine on the demo. I will definitely be sending you an email shortly about the bulk licenses.

Thanks again

Urlord · Post by **Urlord** » Thu May 10, 2012 1:45 am

Why not scratch the current licensing model for something a bit more simple and palatable - Something like this:

BRPG GM Demo: Full Featured for 30 days.
BRPG GM License: $39.00 (must validate against a license server like Minecraft does)
BRPG Player License: Completely Free

A full featured 30 day demo would give users a chance to really test the application to see if it will work for them. I personally don't think it will work for me because I travel and I am not sure I can use it through hotel firewalls (as a GM that is). But, I can't even fully test it given the current limited 45 minute Demo.

You can make additional money on the Art Packs and Official Adventure Modules sold on consignment (50% to you) through your site.

By validating against a License Server, you don't have to worry about how many machines people have it installed on, because they can only use one at a time. You have to make sure the License Server has great up-time reliability. If people cannot play due to the License Server being down, you will tick folks off in a hurry.

By having Player Client's for free, it should increase your user base and your percentage of the market share. As players go on to become GMs, they will buy a copy as well. The goal should be to take users away from MapTool, OpenRPG and other free tools. That ain't gonna happen with your current model. You want to be the best application for the money and so much better that any Free VTTs out there.

This suggested model would also increase the number of active games in your Lobby and calendar. This will greatly increase the number of visitors to your site, hence, more customers.

I think you have the potential for a great product here. But your current license scheme is complex and scares people away because it says that you don't trust your customers. If you don't trust your customers, then they won't trust you either.

Post by **Omnidon** » Sat May 12, 2012 4:21 pm

I have always advocated free player licenses myself.
In my experience, the GM ends up footing the whole bill in the end anyway.

As for the licensing server, that was a planned feature originally, but due to various factors heruca never got around to it before becoming busy with other projects.

Hopefully if he creates a BRPG v2, it will be designed with a better licensing model from the ground up.

Battlegrounds Games

Issue I'm a little worried about with licensing.

Just Confirming...

Thanks

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