Some good news. I am upgrading my calculators (checking them first to make sure again they are bug-free) and preparing them in java script. That means they should be much easier to navigate and much faster to load and calculate.
There is also a possibility that I could prepare an app for smartphones combining all my calculators and guides. It will probably have to be priced somehow, but I can promise it will be very cheap (somehow similar to the cheap apps you can get on iphone, which go for less than 1 euro).
However, I would like to know first if there are any people interested in such an app. I value my time, so please if you are interested vote in the poll below. Thanks!
*** Unfortunately some evil forces were constantly deleting votes (they were disappearing) so I decided to use a different poll app, to stop it. PLEASE VOTE AGAIN!!! ***
Would you be interested in getting my calculators and guides on your smartphone?
If you pick other, then specify in comments please.
Additionally, if you would like me to create a new tool that you think would be useful for others, please make a comment here with your suggestions. It can be a new calculator or guide or...
Additionally, if you would like me to create a new tool that you think would be useful for others, please make a comment here with your suggestions. It can be a new calculator or guide or...
Hey GROM, it's been a long time since I've actaully commented here. Still refer to this website every now and then and I think all of this would be a great idea to get. I might buy the app, depends if I have the money or not, but I most likely will. :)
ReplyDelete~LIEUTENANT CAKE
Hi mate, do not worry about the price, it wont be high. The reason for this poll is to see how many people are interested. I will have to prepare materials for the app but somebody else will be involved in coding. Therefore some financial return for the invested time is necessary.
DeleteGrepolis charge for advisers, and most of the top players pay for gold on monthly basis. My app will be one time investment. Anyway at the moment we are only planning and nobody knows how much actually we should ask for it once its ready.
Maybe you could suggest what you consider a fair price.
I love your programs and guides I would definitely buy them on andriod.
DeleteI'd pay $1.99 US for it without blinking
Hey I use your stuff a lot and an Android app would be awesome. I would pay $1.99 US without thinking twice.
ReplyDeleteHey Grom,
ReplyDeleteNot sure how else to contact you. It seems like the unit calculator and the advanced unit calculator have been down/deleted for the past week. Curious if you are trying to update it like you mentioned in the above post or if there is an issue with it?
I've tried to look for other unit calculators that are similar to this one and haven't been able to find any.
Anyways, thanks so far for your great work!
Hi Chambe,
DeleteI have taken down those calculators because I did not like the fact that people keep downloading it. You see, I spent a lot of time preparing those tools and I did not ask anything in return. However I wanted them to be used on my website, since I am the author. That of course creates extra traffic on my website and sometimes it transfers into a little bit of money from ads (if someone clicks on them, which I have never forced people to do).
This is why I disabled the "download" button on my calculators. However some people do not care about any of this and they had a chick to post comments on my blog explaining how to go around and still download the file, even though they knew I purposely disabled this function. On another note I keep finding my articles on another pages/blogs copy pasted without any reference to my website or even my nickname... If it is already on a website I see no reason to copy those articles unless one try to take a credit for them.
Anyway, I am working on moving my calculators to a new server, where all calculations will be done on it (.NET), so nobody will be able to copy them without making an effort of re-creating the formulas. However, it will also be much faster and I hope easier to navigate. At the same time I might be able to prepare them for smartphones but will look into that once the new website is ready and working. Of course that required me to invest money to pay for a domain, server space, .NET developer for his work etc so I will have to make it a paid access restricted page, in order to cover my costs and maybe the time I spent creating it. I do not want to restrict the access to anyone and the cost will be very small but I am not willing to pay for it from my own pocket and make it free.
If people were not mindlessly copying and downloading my stuff (without considering to even mention who the author is) or if there were some who would help me to create the content, then it would stay for free, but unfortunately I was kind of forced to move my tools to a more secured (but paid) environment.
If you need donations to help continue running the calculator and/or other websites that you have published, I would be happy to contribute. I wasn't aware that people have been so carelessly stealing your work. That's a shame.
ReplyDeleteHowever it works out, I hope that you end up getting what you need and want, since you have been a great help to thousands of Grepolis players, no doubt.
This is very nice of you. We will see how it goes with the paid access to my calculators. I can already say that if it works you will see a totally new calculator, which I think will beat the ones I have already made.
DeletePS I have a donate button on my side (right top corner) but no one has ever used it but even clicking some ads helps.
I will try to keep adding new stuff to the website and upgrading tool I have already made but everything takes time as I do it only when I have a spare moment.
GROM, do you know when these will be back online as they have helped me out greatly!!
ReplyDeleteI have some troubles currently and depend on .net developer who helps me only when he has a spare moment. A new server is running and my domain is ready as well. I paid another developer to prepare some stuff on the server but it seems he has not finished his work, even though he collected payment...So at the moment I am chasing some people. Also I bought a software which supposed to convert my calculators into a much quicker version but it does not work as intended - I sent email, waiting for the company response.
DeleteHopefully I will be able to finish it within week or two but really hard to say.
Hi GROM. Awesome blog you've got here. VERY, VERY useful.
ReplyDeleteI also love the idea of an app and I have a little idea.
I currently develop Android and BlackBerry apps. If you make the android app, I could easily help you make a BlackBerry version of the app. I could even help with the initial Android app as well.
I love grepolis and something like this would be awesome. Im not looking for any sort of payments or anything like that either.
There are obviously more details and questions you might be thinking of but I couldn't find an email which to contact you about so have to keep tis short.
If you're interested and would like to discuss further, let me know which email I can contact or you can reach me at saapps@hotmail.com
cheers
Hey again GROM, i commented earlier about helping with the app but looks like the comment hasnt been published yet but reading that youd be looking to employ someone to make the app, I think Id be able to develop for you for free.
ReplyDeleteBut I'm only a hobbist dev so the developing might take a bit longer and depend on the complicity of the app (but if its only 'calculators' and fumctions, it wouldnt be too bad)
This way others could also get the tool for a lower price or even free.
Again, let me know if ure interested :)
Thanks a lot for this offer. I will surely contact you soon. I wish there were more people willing to create content/tools for this page. As I said on many occasions it is only my hobby and I have fun preparing tools or writing guides but recently really lack time to do it. If I wasn't working full time, exercising, spending time with my fiance, buying house etc. then I would finish those tools much quicker. Any help is always welcomed.
DeleteI know you've had a lot of offers for help and I'm not sure where you're at with this, but I'd be happy to help you out (gratis) if I can. I'm a .Net web developer and I do this stuff all day.
DeleteI love these tools. I had started a similar spreadsheet when I found them and quickly switched over. I have looked for a link to a paid service, is that not set up yet? Should I just donate directly? It's very frustrating planning attacks without the calculator once you get spoiled. :)
ReplyDeletelascaux@swbell.net