What I would like to see from WOTC - Downloaded from the Wizards Community, all coding removed by Solauren

What I would like to see from WOTC

Post/Author/DateTime Post
#1
ronnaldo1749
Nov 15, 2008 8:34:56 I am DM'ing for two groups right now and enjoying the heck out of it. For the first while I was getting better and better at it each time we met. Rules that forced me to stop the flow of the game became ingrained in me and my players, I became more efficient at managing fights (as did my players). But now i've sort of plateaued a bit. The things that frustrate our sessions now seem to be insurmountable given the current crop of tools out there. So Here is what I would love to see released as a digital tool from dndinsider.

The Official WOTC 4e Encounter Manager

This little program would allow you to import from the monster manual any of the monsters, or allow you to create your own (using the monster builder already out there). It would also allow you to import PC's from the character builder, and once all of the appropriate objects are imported you would be able to run the encounter from this tool. It would order the combatants by initiative (either auto-rolling or entering it manually). And once the battle was joined it would track all conditions. This is the single most frustrating part of DMing and playing 4e (don't get me wrong...I'm still loving it). If a monster has a special ability that grants it's allies a power bonus to attacks until it's next turn is over the program would keep track of it and when it expired. If a player has multiple conditions on them the program would make sure you didn't gyp them a saving throw or an attack bonus because you forgot to write it on your combat card or just can't decipher what you wrote 6 turns ago. This type of tool would obviously be very complex but if done right would impact my game tremendously and perhaps make D&D more accessible to the casual gamer.

Anyways .. what do you think?
#2
ronnaldo1749
Nov 15, 2008 17:26:38
nevermind...

Is it that bad of an idea?
#3
BrannonB
Nov 15, 2008 19:21:18
The Official WOTC 4e Encounter Manager

Sounds useful if you're using a laptop at the table.

My solution is to make the players track:
1. Any conditions they inflict on monsters.
2. Any beneficial conditions granted to them by other players.

As DM, I track:
1. Conditions inflicted on the players by the monsters.
2. Beneficial conditions granted to monsters by one another.

Players are obviously motivated to make sure that the monster they immobilized does not get to move on its turn, and to remember when the cleric gave them +1 to their attack rolls, so they tend to pay attention to this stuff, and it works out okay :-)

It greatly reduces the bookkeeping I have to do, and distributes the burden of remembering each item to the person who gains the most from doing so.
#4
ronnaldo1749
Nov 15, 2008 23:03:47
Sounds useful if you're using a laptop at the table.

My solution is to make the players track:
1. Any conditions they inflict on monsters.
2. Any beneficial conditions granted to them by other players.

As DM, I track:
1. Conditions inflicted on the players by the monsters.
2. Beneficial conditions granted to monsters by one another.

Thx for the tip...That would help things, I'll have to try it. Still if the aforementioned software existed....I'd sure love to use it;)
#5
BrannonB
Nov 15, 2008 23:38:51
Thx for the tip...That would help things, I'll have to try it. Still if the aforementioned software existed....I'd sure love to use it;)

Indeed, but you'll find your players working harder to help after this happens:

WIZARD: "Wait! That monster that killed the fighter last turn shouldn't have been able to reach him because I had immobilized it!"

DM: "Too bad you didn't mention that when the monster moved."

FIGHTER: *punches the wizard*

:-)
#6
darkbane235
Nov 16, 2008 0:58:06 Someone in my group is actually programming (or has programmed) an encounter builder. He is also including the ability to input basic information such as monster stats, status effects, automatic ongoing damage deduction, and player information. You can also input initiative values and it will go in the correct turn order and notify you who is next.

It's still being worked on, but I've strongly encouraged him to put it online for others to provide input once its in a stable form. (Right now somethings can be kind of wonky)
#7
ronnaldo1749
Nov 16, 2008 20:26:48
Someone in my group is actually programming (or has programmed) an encounter builder. He is also including the ability to input basic information such as monster stats, status effects, automatic ongoing damage deduction, and player information. You can also input initiative values and it will go in the correct turn order and notify you who is next.

It's still being worked on, but I've strongly encouraged him to put it online for others to provide input once its in a stable form. (Right now somethings can be kind of wonky)

If you come up with something i'd definitely take a look at it...i'm kind of techy and I think that something like this would be worthwhile. The advantage of it being something that WOTC makes is that the program could import objects directly from the Character builder and from their Monster builder or library of monsters in the monster manual.
#8
Mock
Nov 16, 2008 22:28:51 Although it wasn't designed for this (well, not specifically this), MapTool (a virtual tabletop program) might do some of it:

1. Initiative Tracker
2. Monster stats (HP, defenses, etc)
3. Macros to do things like take damage / heal damage, etc, automatically indicate when the creature is bloodied, and so forth.
4. States: image overlays that indicate things like ongoing damage, slowed, immobilized, etc. (which can be automatically applied by macros) - giving you a visual reminder about who has what conditions.
5. A map, if you're interested (although for this use, it's not necessary)

What it would not do is automatically expire certain conditions, which is probably the biggest thing you'd want. Nor would it import from the monster manual.

Another option might be to do something like this in Excel or another spreadsheet program.

Still, it would be nice to have an integrated tool from WotC to work with their other tools.
#9
serphet
Nov 16, 2008 23:00:21 http://rptools.net/doku.php

init tool does this pretty damn well.
#10
Mock
Nov 17, 2008 7:26:28
http://rptools.net/doku.php

init tool does this pretty damn well.

Ha! I totally forgot about InitTool.
#11
Steely_Dan
Nov 17, 2008 8:16:49
Is it that bad of an idea?

No, he/she has obviously been banned and is now under-the-bridge-dwelling with a new sock-puppet.

…We all know what he/she used to be called…the avatar gives it away.
#12
ronnaldo1749
Nov 18, 2008 19:17:49 ah..this thread got moved ;) That's ok...thx for all the replys and the pointer to inittool. I'll have to check it out.

Post/Author/DateTime	Post
#1 ronnaldo1749 Nov 15, 2008 8:34:56	I am DM'ing for two groups right now and enjoying the heck out of it. For the first while I was getting better and better at it each time we met. Rules that forced me to stop the flow of the game became ingrained in me and my players, I became more efficient at managing fights (as did my players). But now i've sort of plateaued a bit. The things that frustrate our sessions now seem to be insurmountable given the current crop of tools out there. So Here is what I would love to see released as a digital tool from dndinsider. The Official WOTC 4e Encounter Manager This little program would allow you to import from the monster manual any of the monsters, or allow you to create your own (using the monster builder already out there). It would also allow you to import PC's from the character builder, and once all of the appropriate objects are imported you would be able to run the encounter from this tool. It would order the combatants by initiative (either auto-rolling or entering it manually). And once the battle was joined it would track all conditions. This is the single most frustrating part of DMing and playing 4e (don't get me wrong...I'm still loving it). If a monster has a special ability that grants it's allies a power bonus to attacks until it's next turn is over the program would keep track of it and when it expired. If a player has multiple conditions on them the program would make sure you didn't gyp them a saving throw or an attack bonus because you forgot to write it on your combat card or just can't decipher what you wrote 6 turns ago. This type of tool would obviously be very complex but if done right would impact my game tremendously and perhaps make D&D more accessible to the casual gamer. Anyways .. what do you think?
#2 ronnaldo1749 Nov 15, 2008 17:26:38	nevermind... Is it that bad of an idea?
#3 BrannonB Nov 15, 2008 19:21:18	The Official WOTC 4e Encounter Manager Sounds useful if you're using a laptop at the table. My solution is to make the players track: 1. Any conditions they inflict on monsters. 2. Any beneficial conditions granted to them by other players. As DM, I track: 1. Conditions inflicted on the players by the monsters. 2. Beneficial conditions granted to monsters by one another. Players are obviously motivated to make sure that the monster they immobilized does not get to move on its turn, and to remember when the cleric gave them +1 to their attack rolls, so they tend to pay attention to this stuff, and it works out okay :-) It greatly reduces the bookkeeping I have to do, and distributes the burden of remembering each item to the person who gains the most from doing so.
#4 ronnaldo1749 Nov 15, 2008 23:03:47	Sounds useful if you're using a laptop at the table. My solution is to make the players track: 1. Any conditions they inflict on monsters. 2. Any beneficial conditions granted to them by other players. As DM, I track: 1. Conditions inflicted on the players by the monsters. 2. Beneficial conditions granted to monsters by one another. Thx for the tip...That would help things, I'll have to try it. Still if the aforementioned software existed....I'd sure love to use it;)
#5 BrannonB Nov 15, 2008 23:38:51	Thx for the tip...That would help things, I'll have to try it. Still if the aforementioned software existed....I'd sure love to use it;) Indeed, but you'll find your players working harder to help after this happens: WIZARD: "Wait! That monster that killed the fighter last turn shouldn't have been able to reach him because I had immobilized it!" DM: "Too bad you didn't mention that when the monster moved." FIGHTER: punches the wizard :-)
#6 darkbane235 Nov 16, 2008 0:58:06	Someone in my group is actually programming (or has programmed) an encounter builder. He is also including the ability to input basic information such as monster stats, status effects, automatic ongoing damage deduction, and player information. You can also input initiative values and it will go in the correct turn order and notify you who is next. It's still being worked on, but I've strongly encouraged him to put it online for others to provide input once its in a stable form. (Right now somethings can be kind of wonky)
#7 ronnaldo1749 Nov 16, 2008 20:26:48	Someone in my group is actually programming (or has programmed) an encounter builder. He is also including the ability to input basic information such as monster stats, status effects, automatic ongoing damage deduction, and player information. You can also input initiative values and it will go in the correct turn order and notify you who is next. It's still being worked on, but I've strongly encouraged him to put it online for others to provide input once its in a stable form. (Right now somethings can be kind of wonky) If you come up with something i'd definitely take a look at it...i'm kind of techy and I think that something like this would be worthwhile. The advantage of it being something that WOTC makes is that the program could import objects directly from the Character builder and from their Monster builder or library of monsters in the monster manual.
#8 Mock Nov 16, 2008 22:28:51	Although it wasn't designed for this (well, not specifically this), MapTool (a virtual tabletop program) might do some of it: 1. Initiative Tracker 2. Monster stats (HP, defenses, etc) 3. Macros to do things like take damage / heal damage, etc, automatically indicate when the creature is bloodied, and so forth. 4. States: image overlays that indicate things like ongoing damage, slowed, immobilized, etc. (which can be automatically applied by macros) - giving you a visual reminder about who has what conditions. 5. A map, if you're interested (although for this use, it's not necessary) What it would not do is automatically expire certain conditions, which is probably the biggest thing you'd want. Nor would it import from the monster manual. Another option might be to do something like this in Excel or another spreadsheet program. Still, it would be nice to have an integrated tool from WotC to work with their other tools.
#9 serphet Nov 16, 2008 23:00:21	http://rptools.net/doku.php init tool does this pretty damn well.
#10 Mock Nov 17, 2008 7:26:28	http://rptools.net/doku.php init tool does this pretty damn well. Ha! I totally forgot about InitTool.
#11 Steely_Dan Nov 17, 2008 8:16:49	Is it that bad of an idea? No, he/she has obviously been banned and is now under-the-bridge-dwelling with a new sock-puppet. …We all know what he/she used to be called…the avatar gives it away.
#12 ronnaldo1749 Nov 18, 2008 19:17:49	ah..this thread got moved ;) That's ok...thx for all the replys and the pointer to inittool. I'll have to check it out.