Fathom Synth Development Thread

[heks]

Change your menu on your website as well:
Buy leads to https://www.fathomsynth.com/buy which only has the Pro version under it and nothing else. You might want to have it lead to https://www.fathomsynth.com/products so new buyers are at least aware of the versions. You should add a table with version comparisons and show this at every versions page (Mono, Pro and Vector).

Then the upgrade process. It is indeed a bit confusing. I understand that Vector is the version I want and I need to use the same email as I used to purchase in the first place. That much is clear to me.

Please run the installer to verify that the server has your email in the system.

Which one?

We will not be issuing refunds based on promises, only if the server has a record of your purchases.

Email us at support@fathomsynth.com requesting a refund by using the title “Fathom Vector Refund”. Be sure to do this BEFORE you buy Fathom Vector.

Include your PayPal email.

Refunds are only available through PayPal. We will respond with your total purchases and expected refund. Your total purchases include Fathom Pro, All Upgrades and all Sound Banks purchased using that email.

Make the purchase only after you receive our email response to confirm you will get a refund, otherwise you may not get one.

1. Send email from account used to purchase to support@fathomsynth.com with title “Fathom Vector Refund” and include Paypal email.

2. Wait for response from support@fathomsynth.com.

Go ahead and Purchase Fathom Vector using the same email.

Be aware that if you purchase using PayPal your refund will be quicker since we will not need to transfer funds before sending it to you.

After your purchase clears we will issue your refund through PayPal. Depending on your purchases your refund will extend up to the price of Fathom Vector. Obviously it will not be greater than that amount.

3. Buy Vector

4. Receive refund

Dam bought without contacting support,,, never saw that

[jbraner]

Yes - this is confusing.
If you just want to upgrade to ver 3 (not vector) from 2.33 - do you still need to run the installer?
I ran the installer but then realised that I didn't have my order number handy so I couldn't register it. I went back and got my order number - but it seems to run fine anyway.
So, is the registration only necessary for Vector, and not ver 3 "Pro"?
Or should I go register anyway?
PS - (If we do register) can you tell us where it stores the license.txt file? (so we can save a backup copy)

[carrieres]

yes, Everett, please, write something easier to understand (don't forget your non anglophone clients)

[biscuitdough]

First off, I've been out of the plugin synth world for most of the past year, and I'm looking forward to upgrading Fathom and creating some new sounds.

I will say, there's so much effort and care put into the product itself, it would be a good idea to put similar effort into presentation and marketing. If you look at Serum and Synapse Audio's sites, they're simpler and more organized. Even the sites for Rapid and Spire, which have a closer feel to your current site, are way more stripped down and direct.

It might be good to have a tutorial video for installation or upgrading. Conversely, the site can probably dedicate less real estate to Pro support and Pro AVX upgrades, since what you want is 1. existing users to upgrade to Vector and 2. new users to buy Vector. Not saying you shouldn't support existing users, but you want the site to be a marketing tool first, since existing users are already connected to you for support.

The Home and Menu pages can probably be consolidated into one, and the Buy page needs a lot of work - it should probably have Vector as the first link, whereas currently it doesn't even mention it.

[FathomSynth]

Blaster, Yes that is essentially correct.

Yes, you need to guy the upgrade for 3.0 if you have 2.32, unless of course you really don’t want all the new features and improvements.

No, if all you want is 3.0 without Intel AVX you do NOT need to run the installer, just buy the update like you normally would.

Where is the license? The installer shows you where the license file is located:
C:\Users\MyUserName\AppData\Roaming\FathomSynth\License.txt.

“Write something easier to understand”, See below, I’m happy to, but please tell me what you want changed.

biscuitdough, I’m happy to change the instructions, sorry, I’m not changing website navigation. The button for the AVX instructions is on the upgrade page where it belongs. I don’t actually want it more prominent than that since it is for existing users and we don’t really need new users to even see it unless they really go poking around.

Rivanni, This actually has nothing to do with Marketing. Mareting is what a company would do in order to get new users. New users can not use any of these options as they are only for existing users. The free AVX release is only for existing users who have supported us for so long and that goes also for the Fathom Vector rebate as well.

We have been discussing this procedure for months among existing users.

I’ll repeat here what I said in the other thread. I’m always happy to admit my mistakes and fix them. However, general statements such as “this is confusing” or “dreadful website” literally gives me nothing I can change.

If you want changes made to the instructions I am more than happy to do that and it literally takes me seconds to change it, but you have to be specific otherwise there is nothing I can change.

The process itself is really not that complicated.

1. If you are an existing user who wants free Intel AVX just email me so I can send you the download link.

2. If you want Fathom Vector and you are an existing user you are rewarded by getting a refund for all the money you ever spent on Fathom including upgrades and sound banks.

However, to do this you must follow the instructions otherwise I simply have no way to get you your refund.
https://www.fathomsynth.com/avx

3. Fathom Pro does NOT require the installer install.exe. Both Fathom Pro AVX and Fathom Vector require getting a local license by running Install.exe which comes with those releases. Just follow the instructions in Install.pdf.

Install.exe and Install.pdf were tested with 20 beta testers and they all had no problem getting it done. Running Install.exe and getting your license literally requires pressing one button and waiting a few seconds.

Don't forget, this complexity is only here in order to give you free stuff and refunds if you have supported us. The purpose is not to make things difficult for anyone.

If anyone wants the simplest possible option they are of course more than welcome to simply buy the new product like you normally would for any other company.

[plexuss]

I had 2.3x and wanted to move to Vector. I also found the layers of instructions and the copy writing very confusing. I bought the 3.0 upgrade for $5 and emailed you requesting Vector.

I also prepared an email listing all the issues I found with the instructions but I deleted it because I thought you'd probably not be interested. I was right.

You need some help with web copy writing and making instructions clear.

[FathomSynth]

You should be fine with vector, everyone so far who has emailed me is entitled to the refund, some users for quite large amount.

Again, if there is something specific you want changed in the instructions, let me know and I'll change it right away.

[Biscotto]

New User:
Purchase Fathom Pro V3.0 for $25 or Vector for $125

Existing users:
Upgrade to Fathom Pro AVX for free (Existing users only)
Upgrade to Fathom Pro v3.0 for $5
Upgrade to Vector for $125 minus “All Previous Purchases” (from the very first one).

[jbraner]

Hi Everett,

No, if all you want is 3.0 without Intel AVX you do NOT need to run the installer, just buy the update like you normally would.

So, Fathom Pro ver 3 becomes Fathom Pro AVX when you license it?
Or is it a different dll from "non AVX" Fathom Pro 3? (there is no indication that I can see...)
I bought the $5 upgrade from 2.33 to 3 - and now I've licensed it, so I *think* that's Fathom Pro AVX now...?

I'm not trying to be a wise guy - just trying to work out what's going on

EDIT:
- The installer puts the 32 bit version and the 64 bit version in the same folder - I'm assuming I can delete the 32 bit one.
- After you install your license, and hit "next" the installer just stares at you - I just closed it down as it wasn't doing anything.

[FathomSynth]

Yes, you can delete Fathom32 if you are on Windows 64.

Yes, good question.

Actually the normal Pro update and Pro AVX are different builds. Sorry, I did that to make life more difficult on the hackers so they can't hack Pro into AVX unless they actually acquire the AVX build.

If you want AVX for free, just email me and I will send you the download link. Provided you are an existing user in our server data base you get it right away.

[biscuitdough]

biscuitdough, I’m happy to change the instructions, sorry, I’m not changing website navigation. The button for the AVX instructions is on the upgrade page where it belongs. I don’t actually want it more prominent than that since it is for existing users and we don’t really need new users to even see it unless they really go poking around.

I was actually suggesting you make the upgrade stuff a little less prominent, sorry if I wasn't clear. I would lose the initial landing page where you choose between "menu" and "upgrades". Instead, land everyone on what the current "home" page is. The "upgrade" tab is redundant since that's already available on the "support" page. And generally try to make the site simpler, and make Vector more prominent.

You couldn't go wrong by studying the navigation of Serum's and Rapid's sites. Just the navigation - your graphics are better.

I really hope Vector is a huge success for you and I'm looking forward to getting done work today and firing it up!

[bmanic]

Like I wrote in the other thread, this whole process is extremely convoluted and the website equally so.

It should be this simple:

New user:
1) opens https://www.fathomsynth.com/
2) Immediately is presented with the products that are available, with a quick overview of what they are and what they do
3) Choose product, go to relevant 'BUY' option
4) Pay for product and create a USER AREA account
5) Download purchased product from user area

Done.

Old user:
1) opens https://www.fathomsynth.com/
2) goes to USER AREA, where you get information of a new available upgrade with a quick overview of what it is and what it does.. and why it would be worth upgrading
3) Click 'Buy upgrade' button and pay for upgrade
4) Download purchased product from user area

Done.

This is 2020 shopping in a nutshell and virtually every single established brand or indie developer delivers things in this way (or some similar way).

Your website feels like it's stuck in the year 1998, with a tiny bit fancier graphics and layout.. but yet falling into all the old 'Bad Web Design' problems of the late 90's.

[zzz00m]

I’m not changing website navigation.

I really wouldn't like to see you do that anyway. Let a professional website designer and/or UX specialist help you. It would probably not be a big project and or very expensive, but allow someone to streamline it. You have very nice graphics, and it is visually inspiring, but it is a drag to navigate.

I don't mean this in a negative way, but being a super application developer doesn't usually make a good web designer. Different skill set.

Within your synth, you are the master and apparently a genius. But there are certain standards and conventions that the mainstream has come to expect when navigating a website in 2020.

Look this is intended to be honest and constructive, because I really like this synth. And 3.0 is really great! Much lower CPU usage even without AVX activated! Congratulations!

[heks]

Old user:

2) goes to USER AREA, where you get information of a new available upgrade with a quick overview of what it is and what it does.. and why it would be worth upgrading

I didnt know there was a user area, where do you find that?

[courtjestr]

Old user:

2) goes to USER AREA, where you get information of a new available upgrade with a quick overview of what it is and what it does.. and why it would be worth upgrading

I didnt know there was a user area, where do you find that?

I don`t think bmanic was saying there was a user area, he was saying there should be a user area.