Since this is a recurring question here on the Paizo forums, I wanted to provide a quick status update on our efforts to port Hero Lab to the Mac.
We just completed the biggest phase of the overall porting process. All but one of the major risks and uncertainties have now been resolved, and we're pretty confident that the remaining one can be solved as well. We still have a lot of refinement work to do and a huge amount of testing. However, we're pretty much out of the woods at this point and the Mac port should be a reality around summer.
We've already got a huge number of users who have offered to help with Beta testing, so a big thank you to everyone who has volunteered to help!
We'll keep everyone posted as we continue to make progress towards release. In the meantime, may the dice be with you...
Awesome news.
As someone who just recently decided to purchase Hero Labs and run it through parallels, I've got one question though. Are you going to allow the license to be transferable between operating systems, similar to as if someone had simply upgraded their computer, or will there be a charge for it?
Given the cost of development, I can understand the need to recover some of that money, and wouldn't be opposed to paying a reasonable amount to upgrade my license to be cross-platform, that being somewhere around the cost to add an additional license to the account.
Are you going to allow the license to be transferable between operating systems, similar to as if someone had simply upgraded their computer, or will there be a charge for it?
This is the one remaining major uncertainty at this point. Our goal is to have no distinction between platforms for a product license, so a license can be used equally on Mac or Windows. However, that's a GOAL and NOT a sure thing yet.
We still need to go through the complex process of porting our licensing technology over to the Mac. If we're successful, then we'll be able to share licenses across the two platforms and folks like yourself will be able to simply move their license over to the native Mac version. If we can't pull it off, then we'll need to maintain separate licenses for the two platforms. In that case, we'll provide a low-cost mechanism to migrate existing licenses from Windows to Mac. At this point, we're 75% confident that we can port the licensing over successfully and avoid doing that.
Are you going to allow the license to be transferable between operating systems, similar to as if someone had simply upgraded their computer, or will there be a charge for it?This is the one remaining major uncertainty at this point. Our goal is to have no distinction between platforms for a product license, so a license can be used equally on Mac or Windows. However, that's a GOAL and NOT a sure thing yet.
We still need to go through the complex process of porting our licensing technology over to the Mac. If we're successful, then we'll be able to share licenses across the two platforms and folks like yourself will be able to simply move their license over to the native Mac version. If we can't pull it off, then we'll need to maintain separate licenses for the two platforms. In that case, we'll provide a low-cost mechanism to migrate existing licenses from Windows to Mac. At this point, we're 75% confident that we can port the licensing over successfully and avoid doing that.
Great news Rob! :)
Wonderful! I also recently purchasesd the program, and run it under Fusion on a Mac. My players run their copy on a pc. I hope the portfolios will be seamless for both platforms, so I can review their characters after they level up.
I hope the portfolios will be seamless for both platforms, so I can review their characters after they level up.
The saved portfolio file format will be identical, so GMs and players on both platforms can freely move the files back and forth. This is also important for GMs who might use a PC for game prep and a MacBook at the table (or vice versa).
Sign me up on that there Beta, hoss. :)
I am one of the people thàt have been asking for a mac version and rob if one wanted to help in th beta testing how do you go around it?
An other thing, in a earlier post you mentioned that the reason behind the long proccess for mac version was that you created it so that it could work on Ipod/ipad devices aswell, is this the case or?
I am one of the people thàt have been asking for a mac version and rob if one wanted to help in th beta testing how do you go around it?
Our first round of testing outside of the company will be severely limited in number and will include folks like the staff of some of our licensors (e.g. Paizo staff). The second round of Beta testing will really depend on how the first round goes. Since we're still not ready to even start the first round, it's way too premature for us speculate on - let alone announce - any definitive plans for the second round of testing. As we know more, we'll make announcements in various places to keep everyone apprised. As for signing up, keeping an eye on our support forums is definitely your best bet.
An other thing, in a earlier post you mentioned that the reason behind the long proccess for mac version was that you created it so that it could work on Ipod/ipad devices aswell, is this the case or?
That's not an accurate interpretation of my earlier posts, so allow me to clarify. We are pursuing a low-level, native port to the Mac. Because we are doing that, we will be able to re-use the resulting code in a subsequent port to the iPad. However, this does NOT immediately yield a product that also runs on the iPad. It is simply not possible to run a Mac program like Hero Lab on the iPad. The user-interface still needs to be completely re-designed (and re-implemented) to work smoothly on the iPad, which is a significant amount of work. So our Mac port is an important stepping stone on the WAY to an iPad version, but it is not the complete process. After the Mac port is completed, we can then focus on the iPad port, which will build upon major portions of the Mac port. I hope that helps clarify things. :)
This is awesome. I look forward to being able to buy the Mac port in the future. :D
Thank you very much for all of the effort you're putting into this.
We've already got a huge number of users who have offered to help with Beta testing, so a big thank you to everyone who has volunteered to help!
I would also like to volunteer to do Beta testing! Looking forward to the OS X version!
I was all excited to see this at the top of the forums thinking that there was an update.
~sadface~
Just wondering if there is any new information with the Hero Lab for mac? i would love to use this program more but i only have a mac.
We're working hard to get it into Beta testing in the upcoming weeks. Assuming the Beta period goes smoothly, we hope to have it officially released before the end of the year. Of course, this is all contingent on there not being any major surprises along the way....
I have three Macs and would like to run this on all of them. But there's no way I'm giving you $60 to run one app on three computers. That's not the way the Mac ecosystem works. Ditch that silly "one computer == one license" clause and I'll consider thinking about it. Put it on the App Store and I will think about it—provided a full-featured demo, of course.
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I have three Macs and would like to run this on all of them. But there's no way I'm giving you $60 to run one app on three computers. That's not the way the Mac ecosystem works.
Yeah I think it's more like "One license for a thousand dollars, next major versions (bi-annually) will require an upgrade at 90% purchase price, but it's got brushed nickel window dressing and sweet icons so it's totally worth it" if you're looking at a mac ecosystem.
That being said, I'd love to see them loosen the restrictions on the number of devices, and it's good to see macs get some love.
Evidently you haven't actually looked at Mac app pricing. :) I don't mean the big names like Photoshop or Logic; I mean the everyday apps for non-professionals like iWork ($20/each app) or GarageBand ($15). Then, updates are always free. And App Store apps can be installed on as many Macs as you have; you just need to associate an Apple ID. In-app purchases tend to be much smaller than what's being asked here for what will be the equivalent, too.
I have three Macs and would like to run this on all of them. But there's no way I'm giving you $60 to run one app on three computers. That's not the way the Mac ecosystem works.Yeah I think it's more like "One license for a thousand dollars, next major versions (bi-annually) will require an upgrade at 90% purchase price, but it's got brushed nickel window dressing and sweet icons so it's totally worth it" if you're looking at a mac ecosystem.
Except that's not how make programs work, that's how all programs of that level work (especially when you're talking about things from Adobe and the like).
It appears some of the details aren't clear regarding how Hero Lab's licensing mechanism works and why it's done this way. So please allow me to clarify here.
It's one license *number* per computer. However, there is no need to re-purchase the product for each computer. When you purchase Hero Lab, you are issued an initial license number. You are also granted a *second* license number for *free* as part of your purchase. You can purchase additional linked (or secondary) license numbers beyond the starting pair for $10 each, to a maximum of four total license numbers (computers).
All these linked license numbers provide access to all of the content purchased for the first license number. So if you chose to add the Advanced Race Guide when it comes out, you would purchase the add-on once and it would be available across all the linked license numbers. If you later added an additional linked license number, it would have access to everything you've already acquired for your existing license numbers.
Please note that the Hero Lab licensing mechanism works the same on the Mac as on the PC. This allows license numbers to be easily transferred between Mac and Windows computers, as well as allowing users to run Hero Lab on a combination of Mac and Windows systems if they choose. We don't work through the App Store because that would preclude our ability to provide seamless support of both platforms for users who have hybrid environments or switch platforms when upgrading their systems.
I hope this helps to clarify things. If there are questions, please post them and we'll do our best to get them answered for you.
I am waiting for this with great anticipation.
I use this program alot and own both a Mac and a PC so I'll be glad when the Mac version comes out. What's the latest ETA on it anyway? The last I heard was sometime in March I think.
An updated Mac Beta was released on Friday. This new Beta includes support for OSX 10.5 and addresses some of the issues previously reported in the initial Beta release. We're on track for an official release in March. There should be more concrete information included in our monthly newsletter at the end of February.
Good to know. I be saving up to purchase a Mac version.
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Are you going to allow the license to be transferable between operating systems, similar to as if someone had simply upgraded their computer, or will there be a charge for it?This is the one remaining major uncertainty at this point. Our goal is to have no distinction between platforms for a product license, so a license can be used equally on Mac or Windows. However, that's a GOAL and NOT a sure thing yet.
We still need to go through the complex process of porting our licensing technology over to the Mac. If we're successful, then we'll be able to share licenses across the two platforms and folks like yourself will be able to simply move their license over to the native Mac version. If we can't pull it off, then we'll need to maintain separate licenses for the two platforms. In that case, we'll provide a low-cost mechanism to migrate existing licenses from Windows to Mac. At this point, we're 75% confident that we can port the licensing over successfully and avoid doing that.
I really hope that the license is transferable between operating systems. I currently own hero lab and use it on my Windows desktop but have a macbook that I take when I play away from home.
I just noticed this very thread a few minutes ago and was in the process of reading it.
In subjective time TWFTMV (The Wait For The Mac Version) lasted all of two minutes. What a harrowing time-compacted drama ;-) !
Happy to try the demo right now. This could make me DM Pathfinder, at long last.
I'm so very, very happy.
Thank You Lone Wolf!!!
*Parallel's Windows partition DELETED and Hero Lab for the MAC installed*
Thank You Lone Wolf!!!
*Parallel's Windows partition DELETED and Hero Lab for the MAC installed*
Based on comments I've seen in numerous places, I think there are going to be a *lot* of other users doing the same thing this week. :)
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Seems pretty darn good. I went ahead and bought the full version and, if all goes well, most of the extra data sets some time this week. Quick math - looks like buying absolutely everything will cost $150. Not cheap, but not bad either for data sets covering just about everything Paizo has published in the last 5 years.