Evolution (Project Cancelled)

[Jai Kel]

Huh? What?

I was watching this thread with great interest...

 

[kingpaul]

I have to echo Vascant's comments. I was rather surprised that none of the software pieces got a nod.

 

[Vascant]

I have to echo Vascant's comments. I was rather surprised that none of the software pieces got a nod.

In her own way, my wife put things in perspective for me...

Think of this as like "Best Action Movie" and the nominations are....

Along came Polly
Must love dogs
50 first dates

Going into this, I had one concern.. the huge following that PCGen must have at this point of maturity and figured them to be "the one to beat". As Paul pointed out, this isn't about any 1 product this is about the mindset of the industry because all of us software developers go thru the same motions, years to design and develop followed by more years to turn that vision into a stable and mature piece of software. In an age when more laptops and computers are at the gaming table, this years ENnies have commited a great shame in my opinion, software is not a viable accessory.

 

[Ashrem Bayle]

...software is not a viable accessory.

BULLSH*T!!!

I game using a laptop, PDFs of books, electronic dice rollers, and a HDTV as a battlemat. Vascant, I'm both surprised and disappointed that you are dropping Evolutions. I for one was looking forward to it.

NPC Designer has been a godsend to me, and I was very much looking forward to your next little gem.

 

[Steel_Wind]

I think there is a bias against software products being perceived as "real gaming stuff".

It's quite odd really, given the fact that the sales levels (and dollars involved) in Dundjinni and CC Pro blow virtually every other non WotC or Paizo product out of the water.

But discussions of a book that sell 5,000 copies or less - and .pdfs that sell a few hundred at most - gets primo forum space to discuss them while hardcore tabletop RPG computer accessories are banished to a sub-topic.

Generally speaking, the mere existence of this forum to discuss utilities such as these and not on the main discussion forum itself speaks volumes on its own.

It's one thing to banish a discussion of WoW to the software section; a discussion of CCPro3, Dundjinni or utils of this kind deserves the exposure of the general forum.

If I started a discussion of NWN on the main forum, it would probably be banished here - notwithstanding the fact that NWN is D&D roll your own 3.0 - (about to be 3.5 with NWN2) and can be played online with a DM moderating play in more or les exactly the same way as happens in traditional play. Fantasy Grounds? Even more so.

I think it is a mistake and contributes to the bias against computer products for something like the ENnies.

My suggestion is that the ENnies create a separate gaming software award category for 2007.

 

[Mercule]

BULLSH*T!!!

Ditto.

My dollar expenditures since December have been very nearly equal between gaming software (CMP datasets and the new CC3) and gaming books. Granted, some of that is because I've back-filled my collection datasets to match the D&D books I own.

Still, I'd gladly purchase a dataset for each and every book I buy. In a way, software has become so significant to the way I prep my game that there is an added level of legitimacy to a book that has a dataset, in much the same way (though, to a lesser extent) that the WotC name adds legitimacy to a product.

Edit: I'll also add that I've purchased more software products to support my d20 and fantasy games than I have ALL OTHER non-WotC products combined.

 

[Vascant]

It's quite odd really, given the fact that the sales levels (and dollars involved) in Dundjinni and CC Pro blow virtually every other non WotC or Paizo product out of the water.

.....

My suggestion is that the ENnies create a separate gaming software award category for 2007.

While I can speak for other products, NPC Designer has sold over 3400 to date so no matter what the ENnies may think or state.. I view it as a success.

I do think the damage has been done though, I was given more then enough warning to keep my pride intact and not enter the ENnies. Next year even fewer will enter, given the time it takes to create software some will probably not even dare attempt.

I do agree completely about the biased nature of the forums, a while back I tried to promote a seperate forum for gaming software applications but it barely was heard. Evolution alone has been a year in design and functionality coding plus another 6 months now into the project itself, finally reaching a stable alpha version for testers. I expected at the very least another 18 months until I would be happy with it.

 

[Vascant]

I game using a laptop, PDFs of books, electronic dice rollers, and a HDTV as a battlemat. Vascant, I'm both surprised and disappointed that you are dropping Evolutions. I for one was looking forward to it.

At present I am only closing it to the public, the Alpha Testers are still getting their versions as we work towards the milestones. After all this did not change my needs to for good software, just the extent of the hassles and hoops I am going to jump thru. Besides, there isn't much that relaxes me more then a good day of coding I have not let down NPC Designer users yet nor do I plan on starting now.

 

[Elodan]

At present I am only closing it to the public, the Alpha Testers are still getting their versions as we work towards the milestones. After all this did not change my needs to for good software, just the extent of the hassles and hoops I am going to jump thru. Besides, there isn't much that relaxes me more then a good day of coding I have not let down NPC Designer users yet nor do I plan on starting now.

Color me confused. I bought NPC Designer and was really looking forward to getting my hands on Evolution. Are you saying, I'm never going to be able to use/buy it?

 

[Ruined]

Color me confused. I bought NPC Designer and was really looking forward to getting my hands on Evolution. Are you saying, I'm never going to be able to use/buy it?

My solid guess would be that you will see Evolution down the road just as planned. You just may not see much about it here. Today's a bad day, as you can imagine. If you periodically check in at rpgattitude.com and I'm sure you'll see news about it. I'm eagerly looking forward to its release, myself.