FORGIVE IF ITS IN THE WORKS

We are always looking for new tools to create to help facilitate the table top gaming experience. Let us know if you have an idea for a new gaming tool you'd like to see. (Note: this is NOT for feature requests on existing tools!)

Moderators: dorpond, trevor, Azhrei

User avatar
mikey
Giant
Posts: 189
Joined: Mon Mar 05, 2007 12:56 pm
Location: Ft.Lauderdale
Contact:

FORGIVE IF ITS IN THE WORKS

Post by mikey »

Okay Dm here last night games was fun, but I missed something that one of my players blurted out.

"A Rustmonster runs into the room heading right for the half orc" DM
"Oh man this is going to be fun" Player 1
"It's only going to get better becuase it says that is Rustmonster 3" Player 2

They had just enetred the dungeon when they came across this RM.
I cut and paste tokens to save time, but it will be all for not, if I have to go back and RE-name everthing. Is there a quick fix to stop the numeration of Tokens?

Mikey :?:

User avatar
Dracorat
Dragon
Posts: 953
Joined: Thu Sep 14, 2006 5:53 pm

Post by Dracorat »

Go to your preferences and change the monster numbering to the option for "random"

User avatar
mikey
Giant
Posts: 189
Joined: Mon Mar 05, 2007 12:56 pm
Location: Ft.Lauderdale
Contact:

Hopefuly not a dumb question

Post by mikey »

What will be randomly generated? Numbers or names or nothing ?

:oops:

Mikey

User avatar
mikey
Giant
Posts: 189
Joined: Mon Mar 05, 2007 12:56 pm
Location: Ft.Lauderdale
Contact:

oKAY

Post by mikey »

Okay Isee how that works..sort of plain though, what about using a name generator instead of numbers...I would be willing to make 99 names for you. I use a ton of monster fodder, and I think generated cool names would be great.


Dont mean to step on any toes.


Mikey :)

User avatar
trevor
Codeum Arcanum (RPTools Founder)
Posts: 11311
Joined: Mon Jan 09, 2006 4:16 pm
Location: Austin, Tx
Contact:

Post by trevor »

The trick is that you need to be able to distinguish the critters on the screen, particularly when they are onscreen at the same time.

What kind of names would you want to randomize ? I believe there's an option for them to just be called "Creature"
Dreaming of a 1.3 release

User avatar
mikey
Giant
Posts: 189
Joined: Mon Mar 05, 2007 12:56 pm
Location: Ft.Lauderdale
Contact:

Names

Post by mikey »

Everyone needs to be able to diffrientiate between the 10 goblins in the room. So Goblin 1, Goblin 2, goblin 3, is sort of a give away of how many goblins there are. I give them actual names. ie . Bill, fred, clark, etc...

That way when the party is engaged in combat they are "I close on bill, I let an arrow loose on Clark. Much more enertaineng.

Now names like fred , Clark , and Bill are out of place for Fantasy gaming (they're great names so I do not mean to insult) But I put together a list of 99 Fantasy themed names, since MT can already randomly generate a 2 digit number for names ,could it not be possible to substitute the numbers for a real name?

SO instead of "Goblin 67 and Goblin 41" it would read "Goblin Meepo" and "Goblin Crux"

Mikey

User avatar
darkeness66
Giant
Posts: 124
Joined: Wed Feb 07, 2007 8:55 pm
Location: Fremont, OH

Post by darkeness66 »

That's an interesting option Mike, but I wonder since its random will they be repeated? If so you could theoreticlly end up with a room full of goblin meepos!

Another option is when you set the numbering (incremental or otherwise), set it up to show in the DM name rather than the player name. The players will see a bunch of monsters all named the same, but you will at least be able to differentiate between them. The players can pick their targets by mousing over the token and pressing the space bar.

User avatar
Kizan
Giant
Posts: 178
Joined: Sun Apr 01, 2007 2:09 pm
Location: Near Midville, OH

Post by Kizan »

I agree with Darkness66 I'd like it so that they just get a display name but the DM can call them whatever they wish. That way all of them are Goblin to the PCs, but to the DM they would be serialized.

Thanx,

Kizan

User avatar
ego093
Giant
Posts: 194
Joined: Tue Nov 07, 2006 11:35 am
Location: Los Angeles
Contact:

Post by ego093 »

Ran into the same issue this week. Numbering should be applied to the GM name, not the player visible name. When players attack, they just "point" to the token they're interacting with.

Glad someone pointed this out.

User avatar
trevor
Codeum Arcanum (RPTools Founder)
Posts: 11311
Joined: Mon Jan 09, 2006 4:16 pm
Location: Austin, Tx
Contact:

Post by trevor »

This already exists, go into edit->preferences and change Show Numbering On to "GM"
Dreaming of a 1.3 release

User avatar
mikey
Giant
Posts: 189
Joined: Mon Mar 05, 2007 12:56 pm
Location: Ft.Lauderdale
Contact:

Naming

Post by mikey »

Well I do agree with the original idea that instead of creatures having the same generic name they need to be indintifiable. Imagine 6 players in a room with 5 Orcs, 3 Goblins, and two Trolls. Not an easy place to be, but not unrealsitc, especialy in my games.

I see where I would want my players to quickly indentify where they intend on attacking, there by undrestanding the need for Numbered enemies.

Dave I like your idea, but you must admit it was pretty easy for the party to quickly identify whom they were going after! "I will attack goblin joe" vs a generic non numbered game "I will attack the middle goblin out of the five that are behind the table."

As a DM I have no issues tracking my monsters so that isn't issue for me.


Mikey

User avatar
trevor
Codeum Arcanum (RPTools Founder)
Posts: 11311
Joined: Mon Jan 09, 2006 4:16 pm
Location: Austin, Tx
Contact:

Post by trevor »

Relatedly, this was one of the motivations for the "Random" number increments, so that you'd have 25, 50, 32 ... instead of incremental, so players would learn to not rely on the actual number
Dreaming of a 1.3 release

User avatar
darkeness66
Giant
Posts: 124
Joined: Wed Feb 07, 2007 8:55 pm
Location: Fremont, OH

Re: Naming

Post by darkeness66 »

mikey wrote:Dave I like your idea, but you must admit it was pretty easy for the party to quickly identify whom they were going after! "I will attack goblin joe" vs a generic non numbered game "I will attack the middle goblin out of the five that are behind the table."Mikey
Yes, having random names to identify the creatures is a cool idea and does lend more spice to the game (I think I actually said somethink like that before :P ). As long as the names don't repeat it would be a cool option. Just a little more flavor for the game.

If it does get added would it be possible to modify the database to swap out names?

User avatar
Jector
Great Wyrm
Posts: 1164
Joined: Sun Aug 27, 2006 9:19 pm
Location: Atlanta

Post by Jector »

Not a bad idea and a modifiable name base would be very cool. I'm already seeing Thugs named Heckyl, Jeckyl, Moe, Larry, Curly, Tweedledum, Tweedlestupid. :) I can hear the moans from the players now! :lol:

Just to make Trevor's impending nervous breakdown a little more impending (sorry, Trev) how difficult would it be to have several name bases? That way there could be regional or factional names that could be useful and flavorful. In the Deliverance RPG you could have thugs with such lovely names as Jim Bob, Joe Bob, Cletus, Billy Bob, and so on. You could have Elvish names or Orcish names set up for fantasy stuff. I'm not sure if this would be something people would find useful enough to put in but figured it might be worth mentioning.
I cast firecube! ~4E

User avatar
trevor
Codeum Arcanum (RPTools Founder)
Posts: 11311
Joined: Mon Jan 09, 2006 4:16 pm
Location: Austin, Tx
Contact:

Post by trevor »

You guys crack me up :)

I'll put in a tracker. Feel free to send me a list of default names. I'll also build in the ability to change the random names.
Dreaming of a 1.3 release

Post Reply

Return to “Ideas for New Applications”