InitTool 1.1 Development Release Build 4

[jay]

There is a new release of Init Tool 1.1 available.

Highlights include new character sheet functionality that allows you to select things from a list to add or remove from a character. I used this in the Savage Worlds game settings file to provide lists of hindrances, edges & items. There are a lot of new utility functions to make using these easier too.
There are also a couple of performance fixes for IT start up and memory management of images. The local image caching is working and images are no longer loaded until they are needed.

Here's the change logs...

• IT-75 Added default columns back into group tool list.
• Added support for edges, hindrances, & items to Savage Worlds game file
• Fixed Reset Init Tool to work
• Fixed bug in saving Game settings files.
• Added new event: ADD_GROUP_COMBATANT and used it to remove modifiers during DnD between IT & GT
• IT-76 IT-74 RPIconFactory caching was broken. (thanks kat2cute!)
• Fixed bug where a change to the custom property list would mess up property values.
• IT-62 JavaScript wasn't reading some properties correctly and it was breaking the state changes.
• Added support to allow selection of items in a .rpdat file and have that selection add or remove records from a list.
• Moved modifier loading/clearing support from the game scripts to Utils
• Fixed bug in lessThanOrEqual function
• Added support that allows scripts to execute other scripts for things like feats changing how initiative is determined.
• Image properties no longer reference their icon's directly, they always access them through the RPIconFactory and its cache.
• Added inList RPScriptFunction
• Made CharSheetTable a Jide sortable table and added support to save all of the table settings.
• Removed graphics device call as it was waaaaaay toooo slooooow (thanks dorpond!)
• Fixed problem where scripts were getting corrupted variable bindings
• Added batch and shell scripts to run IT from the command line.

[Zandari]

Jay,
This is really starting to come together as my second favorite role-playing tool ever (after MT, of course). I have one comment, under ranged attacks, could you break out between missile and thrown? Some races get a thrown bonus (halflings, for instance) and the damage mod is from STR vs. DEX.

Zandari

[jay]

I have one comment, under ranged attacks, could you break out between missile and thrown? Some races get a thrown bonus (halflings, for instance) and the damage mod is from STR vs. DEX.

I will add a tracker for this. I'm going to spend a little time this next build upgrading the D&D support to include feats and items as well.

[kat2cute]

Thank you Jay!!! I gave it a quick run and there is none of the freezing or slowness issues. I also love that you made the unconcious, dead and dying states automatic. Really cool. I'll have to give it a real test run tonight during my campaign.

[kat2cute]

Ok, I have now playtested the system in-game. It is much faster than before, and hence useable. I never premake encounters, because usually I don't know what my players are going to face, or I change it slightly from previous plans anyways, so having it be fast to create is important. I unfortunately use a lot of obscure monsters from the Tome of Horrors that aren't in the lookup tables, so I was just using the create new combatant-add feature. I found a bug or annoyance that would be cool to fix for future builds. For premade/lookup table monsters, the scripting and hp system is very well designed and accessible. However for creating on-the-fly monsters, I couldn't find any scripting system nearly as easy to use, and so had to revert back to keeping track of hp in the notes section (as that was the only editable section on their description.) Could we see the same scripting and layout implemented in the add-combatant layout for NPCs?

[jay]

Ok, I have now playtested the system in-game. It is much faster than before, and hence useable. I never premake encounters, because usually I don't know what my players are going to face, or I change it slightly from previous plans anyways, so having it be fast to create is important.

Cool, I'm glad it is running better. I've been thinking about adding the ability to use a group set as a random encounter generator. Each group is a row in the table of encounters. You would assign a weight to each one them. The group combatants are what shows up in the encounter. The counts for the combatants can be either a number or a die roll script (i.e. 2d4). You could then press a button and have it generate an encounter for you. Would something like this be useful to you or anybody else?

I unfortunately use a lot of obscure monsters from the Tome of Horrors that aren't in the lookup tables, so I was just using the create new combatant-add feature.

I should start working on the data editors during this build or the next. Then you will be able to easily add monsters as needed.

I found a bug or annoyance that would be cool to fix for future builds. For premade/lookup table monsters, the scripting and hp system is very well designed and accessible. However for creating on-the-fly monsters, I couldn't find any scripting system nearly as easy to use, and so had to revert back to keeping track of hp in the notes section (as that was the only editable section on their description.) Could we see the same scripting and layout implemented in the add-combatant layout for NPCs?

If I understand what you are asking for, all you need to do is assign a combatant type when adding the combatant. What is displayed in the index card is tied to that value. After you press the add button and the 'Unnamed' row shows up then you go to the type column and click on it. You can assign it a NPC type to look like the monster manual or a Player type to look like a character sheet. Does that do what you are asking?

[Zandari]

Jay, another spot I found. Under the D&D 3.5 settings, you have the "Sleight of Hand" skill based on Intelligence, it should be based on Dexterity.

Zandari

[dorpond]

Jay, another spot I found. Under the D&D 3.5 settings, you have the "Sleight of Hand" skill based on Intelligence, it should be based on Dexterity.

Zandari

"Ahhhhh!!!! Gandolf picked my pocket again!!"

[kat2cute]

If I understand what you are asking for, all you need to do is assign a combatant type when adding the combatant. What is displayed in the index card is tied to that value. After you press the add button and the 'Unnamed' row shows up then you go to the type column and click on it. You can assign it a NPC type to look like the monster manual or a Player type to look like a character sheet. Does that do what you are asking?

Ok, that pretty much fixes it. All I was doing was giving them a name, I didn't have time to give them any stats, but if all I have to do is specify a NPC category, I suppose I can take the time for that. It might be nice if the default category was NPC though, because usually people will make their PCs in a group editor anyways, and only ever add NPC combatants.

I also think I managed to get it to crash once, but it was really quick to close and it's slightly possible I might have hit the close button

Another not bug but less-than-convenient thing I noticed was assigning and using the base and roll hp scripts on the index card. First, it would be really nice if there was a script on this card to input a dice roll for hit dice, rather than having to go deep into the editor to have it (roll hp) from a dice input. Also, inputting anything at anytime in the (base) script on the index card seems to override the hitdice (roll hp) script. In fact, even after going into the monsters edit stats and erasing the base (or assigning it to 0), the (roll hp) function still isn't working to roll hitdice. And inputing a value in (base) doesn't even show up until you use the (roll hp) function. Hmmm, and the (roll hp) function doesn't seem to be working to roll a dice roll manaually edited in properties (ex: 2d6+1) even when I haven't messed with base on a creature yet. This is probably a bug after all.

Cool, I'm glad it is running better. I've been thinking about adding the ability to use a group set as a random encounter generator. Each group is a row in the table of encounters. You would assign a weight to each one them. The group combatants are what shows up in the encounter. The counts for the combatants can be either a number or a die roll script (i.e. 2d4). You could then press a button and have it generate an encounter for you. Would something like this be useful to you or anybody else?

On a separate topic, I don't quite understand the logistics of your random encounter generator. It sounds like you would be preparing a group full of all the possible monster, and it would roll them up for you. But the size and strength any random encounter group requires input of the PC party level (plus this sounds suspiciously like pre-planning an encounter to me). I would definitely try it if it was there, but not sure how much I'd use it.

[jay]

Jay, another spot I found. Under the D&D 3.5 settings, you have the "Sleight of Hand" skill based on Intelligence, it should be based on Dexterity.

I'll fix this in the next build

[Pyroman]

Fixed bug in saving Game settings files.

I still have a problem saving game settings. I make a change to the d20fantasy.rpgame rules and attempt to save, I get "There is no table named 'Level'"

Also, if I, instead, click 'save as' and attempt to create a new file the dialog appears and allows me to input a name but no file is created.