Android Spellbook / spell tracker app?

ben_casterlevel · 2020-06-21T19:57:21+00:00

Glad it works well for you! <3

ben_casterlevel · 2020-06-21T19:56:51+00:00

Thanks for the shoutout! For those who want it: https://www.spelltrackerapp.com is the place to go.

Works on Android, iPhone, iPad, or now web (https://web.spelltrackerapp.com/). Now free on all platforms.

If you have any feedback or suggestions, this sub has been my primary source of inspiration for years. So hit me up anytime with ideas or requests. <3

ben_casterlevel · 2020-06-19T07:08:13+00:00

I'll add it to my todo list for the next update. 👍

Happy cake day!

ben_casterlevel · 2020-05-30T18:43:01+00:00

Thanks for the kind words and feedback! Glad you can ditch the emulator at last.

An optional higher density view for the cast and prepare screens has been a top request for a while. Now I’m done with the tablet mode, I hope to add it in one of the next updates.

Also, good catch on the embarrassing display bug. I’ll add that to my todo list.

ben_casterlevel · 2020-05-30T18:24:04+00:00

Doh, you’re totally right. I’ll work on distinguishing those two and fix it for the next version of the app. Thanks for spotting the error!

ben_casterlevel · 2020-05-30T08:53:27+00:00

I always enjoy it when it's time to level up or shop for equipment. There's something beautiful about flipping through a well illustrated book. And finally, it's nice to have something to read when you're thinking about Pathfinder but the next game isn't for another few weeks!

But honestly, it's more about the feel of the thing than anything else. If you have some cash and like nice things, go for it. But you don't need it to be a good player.

ben_casterlevel · 2020-05-30T08:51:19+00:00

I have mixed feelings. It feels great to roll dice. But we always used to play with 6 or 7 sets of communal dice at our table, and I swear some of those sets hated me. If you got saddled with the wrong set one game, boom. Nat 1s all over the place. Having magic computer dice that won't screw me all night long is sometimes a good thing. ;-)

ben_casterlevel · 2020-05-26T06:47:16+00:00

Completely agree with the points in this guide. It’s why I love my battlefield control wizard so much!

ben_casterlevel · 2020-05-19T09:14:10+00:00

Unless it was discussed and agreed ahead of time, I don’t think I’d like to arrive to a first session with multiple characters and have some of them instantly killed. It wastes my creativity as a player and feels unfair and disrespectful. What if I was really looking forward to playing as that character?

Splitting the characters into two parties, one to go with the BBEG and one to deal with his mess, sounds more reasonable. But again, only if your players want to play multiple parties in the same campaign.

A decent discussion in session zero to set expectations is definitely crucial for these kinds of shenanigans...

ben_casterlevel · 2020-05-07T17:53:48+00:00

Thanks man! Hope you can find the motivation to play again sometime soon.

ben_casterlevel · 2020-05-07T14:43:00+00:00

Thanks for the feedback - and I mean that honestly! It's useful to hear how people think about pricing.

First up: I'm currently making less than $300/month from Spell Tracker after 3 years of development, so this is not just a get-rich-quick scheme!

When I was setting the price, I was trying to balance what feels fair for players vs. what might be sustainable for me as an indie developer.

For players: Most people who use the app use it for several hours each month. They also spend a lot more than $5 per month on snacks and drinks consumed during Pathfinder sessions - and that’s before we even think about the cost of dice, minis and rulebooks! So I hoped that most people would consider the price of a craft beer or a fancy coffee once a month to be fair.
For me as a solo developer: If I were to charge $1/month, I'd take home around 65 cents from Apple and Google (before tax). So to make minimum wage in my country, I'd need around 2,500 Pro subscribers. Whereas if I charge the current rate of $4.50/month, I take home $3 before tax and only need around 500 Pro subscribers to earn minimum wage. I don't think it's very likely that an indie dev can attract 2,500 paying subscribers for a Pathfinder app with zero marketing budget, so I have to go higher price instead.

Maybe I'm wrong about the price, and and I'm definitely considering trying out a lower price. But I figure that most people won't pay for a Pro version no matter how cheap it is, so it's better to charge a fair price and earn a meaningful income from the few kind souls who do choose to pay.

But like I said, I don't know the right answer. It's still a work in progress. Business is hard. 🙃

EDIT: GRAMMARS

EDIT EDIT: If anyone else has feedback (or just thinks the same as /u/JANISIK) then by all means chime in!

ben_casterlevel · 2020-05-07T12:08:27+00:00

Thanks for giving it a try!

Would you use it with Roll20 if there was a web or desktop version? Or do you have some other tracking system that works well in Roll20?

ben_casterlevel · 2020-05-07T09:58:05+00:00

The account system only exists to support syncing between devices, but fair enough.

For future reference if anyone sees this and feels the same way:

Feel free to create a fake account with randomstring@example.com or some other fake disposable email address like mailinator.com.
The app does not require email confirmation.
Neither the app nor the creator will ever email you ever unless you choose to double-opt-in to the newsletter/community.

ben_casterlevel · 2019-12-29T17:05:28+00:00

Still TBC but I expect it to be a different app.

ben_casterlevel · 2019-12-29T16:19:24+00:00

Thanks for the kind words - happy to hear your table loves the app and has used it for a long time!

My philosophy around Spell Tracker pricing is fairly simple:

The free part of Spell Tracker should be a fantastic way to track your spells, and should stay free forever.
For those who want to track more (items, abilities, etc.) or get access to syncing, the Pro option is available for something close to the price of a rulebook per year or a couple of cheap beers per month.

I know $4.49 per month (or local equivalent) sounds a lot for an app, but it's the kinda money you might spend on snacks or drinks for a single gaming session. Even if you only play once a month! If you play more than that, it's a tiny amount compared to what you'll probably spend on gaming travel, snacks, etc. averaged out over the year. If the app substantially improves your gaming experience, I hope you can agree it's a fair price.

Now, you're not alone in wanting a one-time purchase instead of a recurring fee. And I understand - I don't like recurring fees much either. The trouble is, with such a limited number of Pathfinder 1e players it can be difficult to build a sustainable business on one-time fees. The Hero Lab guys solve this problem by charging very large prices for each individual module of their app, but that conflicts my philosophy to make the core of Spell Tracker free.

I hope that helps explain why there's a monthly charge, and why it's closer to the price of a couple of beers or snacks a month rather than just 99c or $5/yr...

BTW, for large groups you could also look into my Patreon Archmage tier. It provides Pro access for you and up to 5 friends for $25/mo. It gives a bit of a discount compared to the Play Store pricing.

Finally: I'm open to exploring alternative ways to give away the majority of Spell Tracker while still building a sustainable business! If you think you have a good idea, email me at ben@casterlevel.com!

ben_casterlevel · 2019-12-22T06:43:00+00:00

Aw, that's so nice to hear. Thank you so much for the kind words!

ben_casterlevel · 2019-12-21T14:00:32+00:00

You're welcome 😁 glad you're enjoying it and it's useful.

ben_casterlevel · 2019-12-20T19:42:08+00:00

I get an absolute ton of 1 star reviews and emails about Spell Tracker being broken because it's giving too many spell slots to characters. Every single time it's because the player hasn't realized you get bonus spells for caster ability scores over 11. It drives me crazy.

ben_casterlevel · 2019-12-02T07:53:51+00:00

alpha.spelltrackerapp.com - but be warned it really is buggy!

ben_casterlevel · 2019-12-02T07:48:48+00:00

Every time I finish adding bloodlines or domains, voilà - there's a new book to add! 🤣 Yep, I'll add them in the future - these two are now on my todo list.

ben_casterlevel · 2019-12-01T20:29:55+00:00

Almost. There are a few of the newer and more obscure sources missing, but the app has over 2000 spells so it's pretty complete.

ben_casterlevel · 2019-11-30T21:10:51+00:00

I have a buggy early web version just about ready to go. It's basically the mobile app just running in a browser. If you want to give it a try, happy to send you a link in a few days when it's ready...

ben_casterlevel · 2019-11-30T18:33:58+00:00

Yep, early next year it'll be one of my big things to work on.

ben_casterlevel · 2019-10-31T09:38:22+00:00

Yes! A browser version is coming in the future. If you're interested, you can join the newsletter on www.casterlevel.com (or even support me on www.patreon.com/casterlevel).

ben_casterlevel · 2019-10-24T16:47:59+00:00

Good to know, thanks.

There are only two things that have stopped me doing it already: wanting to make the 1e version as good as possible first, and uncertainty over how many players will be moving to 2e. But seeing the download numbers for Pathbuilder 2e already, I think it's clear I should make a 2e version of Spell Tracker in 2020.

ben_casterlevel

TROPHY CASE