What is a Lightweight CAD?
If you've come across the term lightweight CAD in our documentation or on our website and wondered what it means, it's quite straightforward. A lightweight Computer Assisted Dispatch (CAD) system is a simplified, user-friendly tool designed to enhance your roleplay experience.
At OnClock, our mission is to create intuitive tools with simple yet powerful features. Our CAD system is stripped down to the essential functions, making it easy to use. Want to assign a vehicle to a call? Simply navigate to the dispatch page and drag and drop the vehicle onto the call card. Our design, inspired by a Trello board, is as simple as that.
Our design philosophy is simplicity and efficiency. You won't need to spend hours configuring the system, and your players will appreciate the straightforward interface. We understand the need for more complex CAD systems, but we believe in providing a product that can serve as an easy first step into using a CAD for your community, or a lightweight alternative if you're looking to avoid bloat and setup time.
If you haven't tried OnClock yet, start now for free. Explore our other features like our punch tool, or continue reading to learn more about how we compare to more complex systems and why we chose to design our CAD this way.
Why Choose a Lightweight CAD?
While no technical limitations are preventing the creation of more complex CAD systems, we've chosen to keep OnClock simple. We believe there's a niche for a less complicated product. Fewer features don't necessarily mean a lesser product. It allows us to focus on what truly matters and keep improving.
While we may not be as deeply integrated into your server and game as some systems, like SonoranCAD, we believe there's a place for us. For some communities, the complexity of setting up, managing, and using these systems can be daunting, making OnClock a better choice. If you're seeking a fully immersive experience that mirrors real-life dispatchers and officers, a more complex system might be better. But if you want a similar system without the lengthy setup process, OnClock is for you.
Our own experience on a GTA V roleplay server where a complex CAD was introduced, showed us that sometimes less is more. We saw a significant drop in active personnel per day, and those who stayed found it challenging to accomplish tasks. This experience was one of the factors that led us to create OnClock the way it is.
In conclusion, while there's a place for fully featured CAD systems or heavy CAD, there's also one for simpler, lightweight CAD systems. The choice depends on your needs and your player base. If you want a system that's easy to set up and user-friendly, we recommend a lightweight CAD. OnClock is perfect for you. Get started in minutes now for free!