Setting up MT for Hero System campaigns

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pmbruner
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Setting up MT for Hero System campaigns

Post by pmbruner »

I am currently working on creating some a base Hero System campaign file.

Things I am working on:
1) Creating MT tables to automate things like Hero hit locations.
2) Defineing Hero System token properties
3) Writing a macro tutorial, to show Hero GMs and players the syntax for rolling Skills, SvS, RsR, Attacks, Effects... etc in Hero terms
4) A tutorial for using IT with Hero. And once incorporated into MT update the tutorial

Based on current progress there will be about 30 pages of tables resulting in about 20 total macro buttons...

Many of the tables are nested, which means that one roll will access a table which may cause a second roll on a subtable, which could result in a third roll on yet another subtable.

All of this is invisible to the user once the tables are setup. Simply call the top level table with the /tbl TableName command, or put it in a macro buttonm then click the button.

Once I have these done I will provide both the word file so you can cut and paste the tables without having retype them, and I will provide a base level Maptools campaign file with all of the tables already in place. The base campaign file will also have standard Hero token properties defined. Then to create a custom Hero campaign just drop in your maps, tokens, and create your macro buttons to call the existing tables. Remember to use Save As and give your campaign a name so you don;t overwrite the base file.

If the GM provides the table names to the players, then the players can also call the tables in their macros and chats.

I will post these files here, on the hero boards, and make them available as downloads on my personal site "The Corsairs Lair"...

Any input, assistance, or critiques are welcome :D

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RPMiller
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Post by RPMiller »

I am so looking forward to this!!! This is going to really rock and hopefully speed up play and add more functionality. Can't wait to see it in action.
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brad
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Post by brad »

I am looking forward to seeing this in action as well. I haven't started playing with 1.3 yet, so I am not familiar with how the new features work. If there is something you think I might be able to help with I could swing a couple hours here or there to help the cause.

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pmbruner
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Post by pmbruner »

The Hero system token properties bears some discussion/input.

The default setupp for a campaign is D&D/D20 stuff, but that is easliy changed.

In 1.3 there are 2 areas to consider. There are editable properties, that can be both easily viewed by simply hovering the mouse, and there is a static character sheet, that can only be viewed by right clicking and selecting show character sheet. The editable sheet can have its field values changed during play by double clicking the token.

So, what my originial thought on this was, place Stats that change often during game time in the editable field, and then create a custom Hero Designer export to create a mini-sheet that can be screen shotted and dropped into the static character sheet box.

The changeable stats I am thinking would be Body, Stun, & END...
I would include for quick reference OCV, DCV. ECV, DEX, SPD, PD, rPD, ED, rPD. These all need to be defined in the campaign properties.

The mini sheet can contain all of the stat values, and should also contain a sort of quick reference for combat like CSLs, SLs, PSls, Luck, perhaps a SPD chart, range chart, combat manuever chart, and notes. It should probably not include a complete listing of skills, powers, equipment, and disadvantages. These last items should be referenced manually either with a hard copy or an alt-tab image of the complete character during game time.

Thoughts?

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RPMiller
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Post by RPMiller »

Properties should definitely be the editable ones so that the GM can both see them and make changes as needed and when scripting is finished we will be able to directly modify those properties via macros and the like. So I would concur with the ones you selected. All of the ones listed could potentially be used in scripting and combat situations which is what those would be used for. There will be a need for Charges in there as well.

I think the mini-character sheet should have the same stuff that the GM would want on the Combat Sheet so your assessment there is also a good one. Plus the nice thing about that character sheet is that it can stay open and be resized and moved around.

Regardless of what we put in MT, we should still have our full character sheet available, but the more that is rapidly accessible in MT the less switching we'll have to do.
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pmbruner
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Post by pmbruner »

Work progresses...

I have set up a campaign file and saved it as Hero Base.cmpgn.

Under edit -> properties I have established the Hero System properties exactly as we discussed above. During a game if you double click on a token then click the properties tab you can quickly change the value of any property, thus giving a visual running total of for example Body or END. The only thing to remember is if restoring a value be sure to check the character sheet so that you don't raise the value to high.

I have begun work on the tables. Nesting works great. I have worked out a VERY granular hit location table system for people hits. I have run into one glitch I can't seem to call an inline dice roll from a table, for example if the table result reads:

Lose [1d6] STR

I want it to produce:

Lose <<1d6> 4>> STR

But what I get is:

Lose [1d6] STR

I don't know if I am not entering the syntax correctly, or if you simply can't call the dice roll.

You can call a specific result from a table by entering;

/tbl HitLoc 3

In the above example I called result number 3 from the Hit Location table. This is useful for placed shots for example. If you use placed shots don't forget to impose the placed shot OCV penalties on your players :D

ProfMarks
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Post by ProfMarks »

I know this post is a bit old, but I was wondering if anyone took up the torch and has had success integrating HERO games into MAPTOOL?

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pmbruner
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Post by pmbruner »

Hmmm...

Well our group migrated back to ORPG for a few sessions, and I got started on a new career. So life kind of got in the way.

I downloaded the must current dev build (1.3b34) and installed it. Today I went back through all of the video tutorials and re-read all of my notes to get me back up to speed. I need to prep our help campaign properties before weekends end. Once done I will post the results here. Then its on to Token Macros.

Things in my wish list...
An integrated Init tool internal to maptools that supports Hero Turns/Phases/Segments
Better support for Hero Dice, such as Killing Dice, and Hero Explosion dice.
Math calculation of extended damage, by feeding the results of a dice roll into a hitlocation and having the script compute the results.
And finally an XML based character sheet integrated into the Token in place of the graphic character sheet. It would be really cool if ew could make variable calls from the character sheet into macros and scripts.

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RPMiller
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Post by RPMiller »

Interestingly enough several of your items on your wishlist are either already in the works or will be implemented hopefully soon.

I think the first one would be the Hero Dice as trevor has been working on them. At least he told me he was. ;)

Have you looked at Character Tool? It is an XML based character sheet, and I believe it will get integrated into MapTool. I haven't had any time to work on the Hero version of it yet as it will take a lot of effort and time on my part to get up to speed with the technologies used.

An integrated Init Tool has been created, but hasn't made it in yet. I don't think it is Hero specific though.
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pmbruner
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Post by pmbruner »

WOW!!!

I take a sabbatical and look what happens... progress :D

I would not want the interanl init tool to be Hero specific so long as it has support for the Hero system amongst its abilities.

I have not looked at the character tool yet. The reason for XML based is so that I can export from Hero Designer into the app. But if the character tool export to MT and imports from HD it would be a workable bridge.

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pmbruner
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Post by pmbruner »

Ok here are all of the Hero based notes I could find compiled into one list.

Maptools for Hero notes:

To set a custom token state: /tsa statename shape (circle, X, cross, dot, or shade) color (circle, X, or cross line width) or (dot location ne, nw, se, sw). I added custom states for Stunned and Unconscious using this method.

Example: /tsa Stunned circle yellow

To save custom states type /tss
To load custom states type /tsl


To jump to a map coordinate type /g 6,2 (where 6,2 equals the map coordinate you want to jump to.


Luck dice: [1d6s6]

Normal Damage roll [6d6h] Stun [6d6b] Body

To call a table either click the table icon or type /tbl tablename
To call a specific entry on a table type /tbl tablename 5 (if you wanted the result for 5)
To call a different range than the table default type /tbl tablename 2d6+1 (if you wanted different than the tables default range of say 3d6 for example)
Tables can be nested to call other tables
Tables only accept slash commands so to roll dice in a called script you must use the /r syntax

/r dice syntax: type /r 3d6 optional text (note all text must come after the roll and is static it does not affect the roll it will only print out in the chat window)


Token Macros:
Any macro equations that call properties must have the dice roll first before the property called.

Attack and Damage example:
Punch:
<b>Punch</b><br><b>Hit DCV</b>[-3d6+11+round(DEX/3)+Mod]<br><b>Damage<b> STUN [6d6h] BODY [6d6b]

Plasma Rifle:
<b>Plasma Rifle:</b> Hits DCV [-3d6+11+7+Mod], Damage (Armor Piercing) [3d6], (1 Charge) (note: then use hit location for Stun and Body mods)

A Generic Hero system killing attack roll (not using hit locations):
Killing Attack: Hits DCV [-3d6+11+7+Mod], Damage [3d6+1*(1d6-1)]

Damage Taken:
<b>Body Taken</b> [Body-rPD]<br><b>Stun Taken</b> [Stun-tPD]

Stat based skill rolls (a positive result = success)
Acrobatics:
<b>Acrobatics</b><br>Made roll by [-3d6+9+round(Dex/5)]

Static level rolls (a positive result = success)
Perception:
<b>Perception vs 13- </b>[13-3d6]

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