RPM Pré Beta Discussion...

[Luke]

Re: Test with Players!!!

the screen refresh took several seconds
I have been able to identify several bottlenecks and greatly sped them up. It should make a particular difference on your slower machine.
There will also be certain optimizations that I will probably leave right until the full beta, when features are nailed down.

1. Grab Battlemap sometimes causes the program to fall over if the map is not displayed on the screen.

New features often bite like that. I'll look into it.

2. Sometimes the weapon used field is not cleared properly, and you end up with a PC supposedly using a bite/claw attack.

??? That's s new and strange one on me. You may may to review your creatures...

3. you need a multiple targets option on the Battlemap ,(acleric was attempting to turn the ghouls)

To select multiple targets in that fashion, you currently need to use the target selection tab. Currently, using mouse map clicks only gets you one target. In the next release, you'll find that you can also multi-select creatures directly from the main list window and apply damage to them, regardless of initiative processing.

4.When in combat you need some system to indicate if the currently displayed character has attacked and if so how many times, I found that when I was distracted, I could not determine if the creature on the screen had already attacked.

Everything is optional, but if you use the Initiative/round buttons correctly, you don't need to remember anything. The "Start First Round", "Select Current Initiative Creature", "Current Creature Done", and "Next Round" buttons do all that you need.
For multiple attacks, RPM knows you have multiple attacks, and keeps the "Done/Next" button enabled, until you run out of attacks (so there's nothing to remember).
Those buttons, combined with possible use of the "Repeat" button (ie. repeat same attack on same creature as in my last round), should mean that you can play out several rounds of combat with minimal computer interaction.

If you're doing it "the hard way", it'll definitely slow down you tabletop play.

5. A warning if you are attacking a creature already dead/unconcious.

Already onto it. Expect it in the next release. You only need that if you're working directly off the BattleMap, since the other lists show tha current status and hit points very clearly.

6. I found that I had to keep reinputing weapons and target information for the players, because I lost it all when they had to make a saving throw against paralysation.

Well, there is a single mouse click to "Target with current attack", so it shouldn't be that bad. Regardless, I take your point that a save shouldn't wipe your current action. I'll get onto that.

7. You can attack without having a weapon/attack chosen, this will register a hit but do no damage, this is especially irritating with point 6.

If you do have an attack of some form available, it should be automatically selected for you. If you don't have a *target* selected, it won't throw up the damage window to damage the target. I have seen and am fixing issues related to when the target is not selected as you expected. This can happen if you don't cleanly generate the encounter as per the tutorial. Nevertheless, it should and will be corrected.

Thanks for your input Nick.
Some good ideas there!
I'll also check out the possibility for more performance optimizations before the next release, since it'll obviously help you at the gaming table.

Regards,

 

[nickT]

Crumbs Luke don't you ever sleep!

Whatever time I send a message, you seem to reply in minutes, I thought the 12hr time difference would have had much more affect on response times by you

Everything is optional, but if you use the Initiative/round buttons correctly, you don't need to remember anything. The "Start First Round", "Select Current Initiative Creature", "Current Creature Done", and "Next Round" buttons do all that you need.

I am fairly obviously doing something wrong then! I will look into it.

Back from taking kids to school, so on with my list.

1. Distance moved should give a cumulative value, (with the option of resetting/zeroising), to allow you to move round objects on the map. (i.e. 15ft to the corner and then a further 5ft along the corner.)

2. Heal option. Is this fully implemented yet? note the mispelling
Teat Calthrop wound, (Very freudian )

2. Tried to add item to Jamis created Character ands sometimes got 'Couldn't add Item already exists?' message. (Sometimes! that word is the bane of a programmer's life)

3. Could you implement a 'right click' option on creatures on the battlemap, to display hitpoints and status. I had a situation where a halfling bowman was looking for the weakest ghouls to pick them off, and I had to check a creatures number and refer back to the list to determine how injured they were.

4.When clicking to select a target it is possible to move it accidentally.

5. You will need some option of altering the creature colours on the battlemap to avoid colour clashes with the background.

6. option of other picture formats in addition to BMP, especially JPEG and GIF.

7. Give the saving throw screen the option of calling the condition set up screen, so I can attempt a saving throw against paralysation and then set up the condition if I fail. Also allow the setting of the rounds timer on conditions. (I don't know whether the last has been done, but I couldn't work out how to set the number of rounds paralysed if it has!)

8. Maintainance.
I was in the Maintainance 'Players' section, and highlighted all the players in preparation to deleting them, but when I clicked on the delete key I only managed to delete the last player selected.

9. After exporting the creature list, I found that I was now listing all creatures, while the display options stated that I was displaying only those in the current adventure. clicking on the current adventure option and reapplying it solved this problem. but I have found a similar fault with the display options in several different places.

10. Having used the program with players I feel the need for marking 'Dead/unconcious' creatures on the map even more keenly, if you could use transparency to give them a ghostly look, it would be terrific.

I am glad that my last message full of doom and gloom did not dishearten you, I was quite worried that you would read that and decide to 'jack it all in'. I feel that it would be a great loss if you didn't carry on with RPM.

I will go over my previous notes and make a list of things I have pointed out that are still outstanding, I realise that some of them, will not be implemented in the near future, (some of them most likely never) , but if I do that I can keep straight what I have said and we won't overlook a bug we have already identified.

Cheers NickT

 

[Luke]

Crumbs Luke don't you ever sleep!

Whatever time I send a message, you seem to reply in minutes, I thought the 12hr time difference would have had much more affect on response times by you

Is this better? Night-time is when I get to program on RPM.

1. Distance moved should give a cumulative value, (with the option of resetting/zeroising), to allow you to move round objects on the map. (i.e. 15ft to the corner and then a further 5ft along the corner.)

You people really do want everything for nothing!
What you're asking for would require me to work out the cumulative distance for each mouse movement. It would be useful, for skirting around areas, but it's a "future" feature that I wont do for a while.

2. Heal option. Is this fully implemented yet? note the mispelling
Teat Calthrop wound, (Very freudian )

Yep. A successful heal now automatically changes the target's "Dying" condition to "Stabilized".

2. Tried to add item to Jamis created Character ands sometimes got 'Couldn't add Item already exists?' message. (Sometimes! that word is the bane of a programmer's life)

Known issue. Think it's been fixed now.

3. Could you implement a 'right click' option on creatures on the battlemap, to display hitpoints and status. I had a situation where a halfling bowman was looking for the weakest ghouls to pick them off, and I had to check a creatures number and refer back to the list to determine how injured they were.

Still clunky. I'm currently experimentting with a status window that simply updates the name/Active/Hp as you move the mouse over creatures.

4.When clicking to select a target it is possible to move it accidentally.

Will look into it.

5. You will need some option of altering the creature colours on the battlemap to avoid colour clashes with the background.

So you're using proper maps with this? This gets hard. I'll think on it some.

6. option of other picture formats in addition to BMP, especially JPEG and GIF.

Pthffft!!!
Have you tried simple cut and paste? Windows already knows how to convert these. If you [Ctlr-C] on your JPEG/GIF/whatever, then "paste" into the map, it should work.

7. Give the saving throw screen the option of calling the condition set up screen, so I can attempt a saving throw against paralysation and then set up the condition if I fail. Also allow the setting of the rounds timer on conditions. (I don't know whether the last has been done, but I couldn't work out how to set the number of rounds paralysed if it has!)

Hmmm. Somebody's thinking! That save idea sounds good.
The timer stuff is basically all there, but unfinished. I think it's got a pretty good design design behind. The acid test I have to date is that a monk's stunning blow must deliver the "Stunned" condition to the target, until the same initiative point in the next round.

8. Maintainance.
I was in the Maintainance 'Players' section, and highlighted all the players in preparation to deleting them, but when I clicked on the delete key I only managed to delete the last player selected.

Correct. There is no general ability to multi-select items in a list, then delete them. The Multi-delete on the Creature List is a special right-click option.

9. After exporting the creature list, I found that I was now listing all creatures, while the display options stated that I was displaying only those in the current adventure. clicking on the current adventure option and reapplying it solved this problem. but I have found a similar fault with the display options in several different places.

Will look into it.

10. Having used the program with players I feel the need for marking 'Dead/unconcious' creatures on the map even more keenly, if you could use transparency to give them a ghostly look, it would be terrific.

But them you'll confuse them with ethereal creatures. Seriously, It is important, and I'll probably start drawing "Inactive" creatures in blue.

I am glad that my last message full of doom and gloom did not dishearten you, I was quite worried that you would read that and decide to 'jack it all in'. I feel that it would be a great loss if you didn't carry on with RPM.

Ho ho ho! I've put a year into this so far, and in the big picture, the points you mention are really quite minor. Whilst there's always the chance that life's priorities may change, and I decide that spending so much time on something that 95% od downloaders never bother to provide feedback on isn't worth it, I'd like to see it "finished".

Regards,
Luke

 

[Ds Da Man]

Just wanted to give feedback and say I cant wait till finished project complete. You have an awesome program, friend!

 

[toe]

Downloading

Thanks Luke for letting me test this program, i'm currently downloading it.

Just wondering does this prog allow home made classes. or other 2nd ed classes ie arcane archer.

we are using three non 3rd ed classes in our two games now.

i'll get back on and post a few questions more once i get in and have a go.

Tony.

 

[kilthar]

Weapon Creation

Only had a brief look at program thus far....

I noticed when creating weapons, there was no selection for weapons made with special materials. i.e. Silver, Adamantine, Mithral, Darkwood etc.

I don't know if this has been discussed at all (my apologies if it has)

 

[bloodymage]

RPM Pre-Beta

Just downloaded the Pre-Beta a coupla days ago. Played around with it yesterday, started going thru the tutorial since you specifically want feedback on that (though I don't use a computer in-game). Got to the Spot check for Elf 3 and got stuck. Following the tutorial, the Done/Next button wasn't active. Also I couldn't make sense of which hobgoblin was supposed to be making a Hide roll. I tried half a dozen times to get it to work like the tutorial and couldn't. I got it to work (still couldn't figure out the hobgoblin thing), but didn't really know what I was doing! Luke, I think I warned you. You've got a tester here who learns by being hit over the head with a stick and trial and error (mostly error!). I got brains, but I ain't no computer guru! I'll set it up again tomorrow and see if I can fumble through it.

Aside from that, I'm still anxious to learn how to set up my campaign, adventures and encounters with RPM. Even if I don't use it in-game, the planning features are invaluable to me.

 

[Luke]

Re: Weapon Creation

Just wondering does this prog allow home made classes. or other 2nd ed classes ie arcane archer.

Very definitely. I've gone to great pains to ensure that everything is configurable in RPM. Adding your own classes, items, spells, races etc etc is all part of that. I recommend you create your own "source" category, and file your campaign-specific stuff under it.
You actual script that drives the core rules is modifyable as well.

I noticed when creating weapons, there was no selection for weapons made with special materials. i.e. Silver, Adamantine, Mithral, Darkwood etc.

As per the DMG, variations for these material types are available under the item categories of specific armor and specific weapons.

Originally posted by nickT
the screen refresh took several seconds
B]

Nick, you should see quite a speed increase with the new release

 

[Luke]

PreBeta update 3 available!

PreBeta update 3 (PreBeta v1.2) is being released to the PreBeta testers.
Thanks again guys for your feedback, and the very positive comments.

You should find that basically any bugs reported to me are fixed, and most feature requests have been implemented. In short, expect to see it working faster and better, and if you had a problem, expect to see it fixed. Otherwise... let me know !

There are many little fixes, but, in summary, the main points are:

Speed
There were a couple of complaints where slower machines were used. This related primarily to creating creatures and preparing an encounter round. I've managed to get a significant speed increase.

BattleMap
A little update window displays the name and status of creatures as you move the mouse over them, as requested. Also, we now use a color coding ( green=party, red=opponent, blue=diasabled/dead ).

Combat Management
Minor issues that caused headaches have been fixed. Working your way through the rounds is now pretty slick and quick. Work has been done for proper sorting and selection of the next initiative creature, selecting and processing actions, confirming critical threats, rolling correct critical damage, and successful heal checks now turn "Dying" creatures "Stable" (a window also pops up confirming their own chance to stabilize between rounds, or lose 1hp).

Groups
A highly accurate and comprehensive algorithm now calculates the EL (encounter level) of groups. This works much better than the DMG table, which is very limited. Very useful when preparing an appropriately difficult encounter for the party!

Top Recommendation
Whether preparing an adventure, or playing in-game, get used to making double-clicks on the BattleMap to add creatures, and select "By List Grid". This offers unparalled speed for quickly creaturing large encounter groups for mixed races and classes. RPM will "randomly" spread them on the map, ready to go!
If necessary, from there you can go and tweak any special equipment, skill, feat or spell requirements.

Regards,

 

[Squadleader]

dam ausome betea 3 update - had a quick look at it this morn

dam love the changes, and the import feature should be very usfull

i have been getting some errors - but will look at it more better when i get home from work.

sweet work Luke