Realm Works Kickstarter

[Troedel]

I would like to bring a little Kickstarter Project to the attention of all the gamemasters around here. Realm works is a nifty little tool to manage all campaign related stuff in one program, it can handle maps and reveal the partialy to the players, it´s even a great tool to create your own fantasy setting in a conveniet way.

All that is explained much better and in more detail on the kickstarter site. I´ve been in the initial closed Beta test group from the start and must say that it will be ( and is at the current state ) a great tool.

I´m in no way related to the creators other than mentioned above. This must sound as an advertisement and perhaps upon release the price will be a downer. I don´t know about that as nothing financial is out there. There will be a cloud service, cost unkown,too. If a post like this is unwanted let me know, I´m not sure it is

Just have a look and decide for yourself.

Realm Works - Streamlined RPG Campaign Tools by Lone Wolf Development — Kickstarter

[torstan]

I know the Lone Wolf guys very well (I grew up with one of them and introduced him to D&D... ) and I'm sure they'll put out a great product. Definitely worth looking into.

[Troedel]

Small World out there

[mearrin69]

I'll second this. I've been in the closed beta for a couple of months now and have very much enjoyed using the product. I've used it to input and flesh out my own setting and have recently begun entering information for a couple of future games I will run with my group. I have not tried out the player-sharing side of the application, but the campaign management portion is already quite powerful. I personally can't wait to see how the final product shapes up! Good luck to the LWD guys. I'll probably kick them some cash even though I believe my beta participation has already earned me a copy.
M

NB I've used everything from paper notes in binders to Microsoft's OneNote to NBOS' The Keep to organize my campaigns. RW is, by far, the most advanced, custom-designed tool I've seen so far. And it keeps getting better!

[torstan]

How's the map integration?

[mearrin69]

I think it works well. If you have a location topic (or a special location-derived topic like a settlement or region) you can add a map item as a snippet and then you can go load up a map image. On the image you can add pins for points of interest and link those to existing topics. You can also (haven't tried it) control how much of this players see if you decide to share it...so you can show only explored areas.

It's very cool as implemented already and I expect it'll get better. One thing I'd like to see, in addition to pins, is "areal features"...so, you could outline something like a forest or region and have it link to a topic and still have additional pins for points of interest within that area. Just a need I've run across.

One more, general feature, that I'm happy about is the auto-linking. When you make an entry it scans the database for things you've already created and suggests linking them. If I've got a person topic called "Torstan" and a sub-item there that says you created "Beautiful Map #37" and then I create an entry for Cartographers Guild as another topic and put Torstan under members, it'll ask me if I want to link to the existing Torstan topic. Not only that, but I think you can highlight a term and then create a new topic based on that word. Seems to me these features, and some others, the perfect campaign *creation* tool...above and beyond its data entry and management features.

As I write this I hope I'm not violating my NDA. The program is a beta and all features are subject to change...but I believe this basic functionality is likely to stay.
M

[Troedel]

Basicly you import a map as jpg. It is hidden in player view and you can reveal custom shapes to them. You can place pins on the map that can be linked to your content. Map zooming and panning is possible so even large maps with lots of details can be managed. I designed a region of my setting by taking a map, marked the points of interesst and fleshed out content, linked it together and went into further detail as I went along. It was fun doing it that way. Think of the Paizo Kingmaker map ( not the map, I don´t like that one ) but the marked plot hooks and landmarks.

@mearrin69 Any chance of getting your Lonewolf Forum name?

[mearrin69]

Here's a screenshot of part of my campaign setting entered into RW.
M

Edit: @Troedel: Same as here.

[Korash]

The initial price was alluded to, but do they actually have a price set yet or in mind? At work they are blocking shopping sites....

[mearrin69]

I don't know anything about price, actually. I believe they're still figuring it all out...though I really don't have any direct knowledge of this.
M