Current state of the Warhammer 40,000 App?

[Axineton]

Just wondering the state of the app these days and if it’s worth using for list building? I have a few codes from codexes to use but if the app isn’t up to scratch I don’t want to use them. 
 

I have noticed there’s no native tablet app it’s just for phones. Is that a big deal? 

[BLACK BLΠFLY]

It’s great for rules but the army builder (AB) is garbage.

[RWJP]

I've had the same experience as BlackBlowFly. As a rules reference it's pretty solid. The army builder is pointless.

You might as well activate your codes so you can reference the rules through the app, but stick to Battlescribe for actually building armies.

[WrathOfTheLion]

How is the rules section now? Can I use it in lieu of the Codex (which I obviously have), or is it not quite there?

I know the intention/pitch was sort of a digital equivalent, so you had both a digital and physical copy.

Edited August 21, 2022 by WrathOfTheLion

[Axineton]

Cheers guys that’s all I really wanted to know. So carry on with BattleScribe then. 

[Lexington]

I’d honestly pay money to hear the full story on how a company of GW’s size managed to screw up an incredibly simple app so thoroughly.

[MARK0SIAN]

31 minutes ago, Lexington said:

I’d honestly pay money to hear the full story on how a company of GW’s size managed to screw up an incredibly simple app so thoroughly.

If they had Morgan Freeman narrate the story it would be an excellent thing to watch!

In truth there’s probably no great mystery, it’ll be one of the following or a combination of them:

1) They tried to do it on a shoe string budget

2) They tried to do it in-house with people who didn’t have the requisite skill/experience

3) They underestimated the scale of the project

4) They didn’t give them a realistic time-frame to develop it

 

What I’d like to know is why it’s been so long with so little progress on it. 

[Tyriks]

Didn't they say there was a big overhaul coming in May? Whatever happened to that?

[Ulfast]

I think that was the painting app.

[Tyriks]

No, it was the list building app. I found what I was thinking of:

 

Edited August 24, 2022 by Nemesor Tyriks

[Joe]

Wouldn't surprise me if the update was pushed back. That said, a good point of reference is to look at the Age of Sigmar application, which was largely worked on by the Games Workshop application developers rather than the contractor that produced the initial Warhammer 40,000 application - it's actually very solid by comparison.

[WrathOfTheLion]

My experience in the field (software dev, not mobile dev) is that contracting out work that you then have to expand upon and maintain pretty much always ends out poorly and a massive pain.

I still haven't gotten one such instance ripped out of something, and that was contracted out ten years ago.

But yeah, not that hard to get something like that. There'll be things like they delay the start of it while endlessly waffling, not commit to getting pieces that need done, done before chasing the next thing, doing stuff out of order, where sometimes there's pieces that aren't as 'business' important but critical to overall architecture to account for at the beginning, etc.

Edited August 24, 2022 by WrathOfTheLion
added more stuff

[Lexington]

4 hours ago, Joe said:

That said, a good point of reference is to look at the Age of Sigmar application, which was largely worked on by the Games Workshop application developers rather than the contractor that produced the initial Warhammer 40,000 application - it's actually very solid by comparison.

Huh, interesting! Everything I've heard from people who are somewhat "in the know" at least suggested that the 40K app was developed in-house. Never heard anything about outside contractors, but I guess it would explain a thing or two. Curious where you heard this?

[Joe]

Passing remark from AdeptiCon this March gone, however it's something I've heard people mention within and without for the last few years - it wouldn't surprise me if it's true, as they had a similar contractor-related issue when the website was re-developed way, way back.

[TechCaptain]

I have not many problems using the App both for rules and for Army Building. The main issues I have had, is some rules are buried in links or by book unless you know what your searching for, on the rule side and on the list side, it does horrible on attaching Warlord Traits, Exalted Court, and doing CP with all the special rules running around. 

Edited August 25, 2022 by TechCaptain

[Lord_Ikka]

On 8/24/2022 at 11:42 AM, TechCaptain said:

I have not many problems using the App both for rules and for Army Building. The main issues I have had, is some rules are buried in links or by book unless you know what your searching for, on the rule side and on the list side, it does horrible on attaching Warlord Traits, Exalted Court, and doing CP with all the special rules running around. 

Very true- just tried to make my Knight list and can't give my Warlord a Warlord Trait or an Exalted Court ability. Fun!

[Captain Idaho]

The Battlescribe app has an optional payment with adverts and apparently, according to a reference of the financials in the Battlescribe thread, it makes £120K a year.

I mean, GW being bigger and official could easily provide 40K the app for free. Or super cheap compared, for a service and break even with adverts and maybe just 99p a month like the AoS app.

There are plenty of other businesses who provide companion apps for free, so why GW charges I have no idea? It can't be the coat of upkeeping and development etc as the AoS is only 99p after all and has a lower clientele than 40K.

[Noserenda]

Its because subscriptions are insanely profitable

[WrathOfTheLion]

It's called recurring revenue, it's been pretty highly sought after over the past decade or so especially, because it means a steady flow of income which makes a business more stable. It has its ups and downs, but it's easier to quantify value with some income, whereas if free any business value is wholly indirect, only being able to be measured in how it affects other sales. Not my preferred licensing model, but it has its reasons as to why companies have chosen it.

[Captain Idaho]

I get what it is, but it's pure greed when you consider the AoS is 5 times cheaper.

Regardless, there must be a sweet spot where they'd get more subscribers and income at a cheaper amount than the higher price?

I dunno, I won't pay a fiver for an army builder app when I can get it free. I might pay a quid a month though.

[Inquisitor_Lensoven]

I just made a new account and can’t get logged in that seems to be the state of it

[RWJP]

1 hour ago, Captain Idaho said:

I get what it is, but it's pure greed when you consider the AoS is 5 times cheaper.

Regardless, there must be a sweet spot where they'd get more subscribers and income at a cheaper amount than the higher price?

I dunno, I won't pay a fiver for an army builder app when I can get it free. I might pay a quid a month though.

You're not paying a fiver for an army builder, and the 40k app doesn't cost 5x as much as the AoS app.

The 40k and AoS apps are included in the Warhammer+ subscription. That £4.99 a month is for everything. All of the Warhammer+ features AND the 40k app and AoS app.

Historically, the 40k app was £1.99 compared to AoS app at £0.99. And yes that sucked, but it was by no means 5x the price.

And in the end, the whole argument you're making is moot because it's all included in Warhammer+ now. There aren't separate subscriptions for the apps anymore.

[Captain Idaho]

As you said, the price of the 40K app is tied to Warhammer+ according to my app, seen below:

So it's £4.99 if I want an army builder from GW.

I don't want Warhammer+.

So again, I'd rather a free app or at most a quid 

[BLACK BLΠFLY]

I used Battle Forged last evening to make a 2000 point army and got it done in under five minutes… it has highly improved.

[Helias_Tancred]

Most companies GW's size and profitability (in its respective market) would provide their list-builder app for free, and have produced a better app, or made it a priority to improve what they have until it is better.

GW is an odd company. They fleece their customer base because ... they can, so they choose to.

They've always been an ethically challenged business since the heyday of Advanced Dungeons and Dragons (early to mid 80s)  when they had a track record of shafting their illustrators, and losing people to TSR UK, etc etc ... then years later when they went back and tried sending legal letters to their past illustrators acting as if they owned all of the illustrators work they did for them. ... which for a number of illustrators was entirely not true. (see the Gary Chalk case).

GW is a shady company. They've always been. Their amazing IP and quality of their models is what keeps them alive.