I would love any thoughts, feedback, or debugging. I will start using this framework in my own campaign in the end of January 2011.
End Goal: To make the mechanics fade into the background as much as possible. To me Call of Cthulhu is all about the storytelling, suspense, and drama. Players and Keepers having to stop to remember a rule or do math takes away from that. So, where ever I can automate and integrate rules and mechanics I plan to. That is if it can be done, in a easy to grasp and smooth way. Automation can be a distraction/frustration too. I learned that one with my last framework. I have tried to make the interface as graphical oriented as possible.
Using this Framework:
To use this framework you download the campaign file. Then use it as a base. So, you would "save as" and rename a new copy. Then you would just add new maps on top of the "Staging Area" map. That way all the Lib tokens are there like they are supposed to be. Any token can be dragged in and used in any map that you add to the campaign file. The Test Token is just there so you have something to fiddle with.
Character Roll-up Tutorial
Using the Character Sheet Tutorial
A note on Versions. A change of a tenth, meaning 1.0 to 1.1, means new features were added. A change of hundredths, meaning 1.0 to 1.0.1, means fixing bugs.
Known Bugs
- During character creation. If you add new skills(general or weapon) and any of those skill names contain a space, when you attempt to distribute skill points you will get an error. For now just use an underscore or something in place of a space.
- Armor names cannot have spaces in them either. Messes with putting them on and off.
- If you have a spell with a linked skill roll. Then you add a new skill to the general skill list. If that new skill is before, not after, the skill linked in the spell, the linked skill will change and you will need to reassign the skill for that spell, to correct it. You see it is remembering the number of the skill in the list. Putting a new skill into the list before the linked skill bumps its number by one. So doesn't affect a token if it doesn't have spells that have linked skill rolls. For those of you confused by the description of this bug. Just put any new skills(meaning skills created by you) at the very end of the skill list to avoid the issue.
- Same as above, but for the weapon inventory and only if you add new weapon skills to the Weapon Skill List(not the normal skill list). Get around this by just adding any new Weapon Skill to the end of the list.
- Change token stats to a creature from a list. I will input some, but you will be able to add your own.
- Run with b85 or later.
- Sanity Roll with Loss Roll. The UI just wasn't working well and was limiting. Now you just type in what the roll or amount is for if you make or fail the roll.
- There was a bug were when you checked ticked skills the first weapon skill you had ticked wouldn't get checked. The normal skills would check and all weapon skills after the first one that was ticked would. That is fixed.
- Upgrade a campaign file from version 2.4. Just replace the lib:gm token.
Changes
- NOW RUNNING WITH b85 or later!!!!
- Token Image macro. There is a table called "token_image". You can populate this with token images. Make sure you number them in order. Click the macro and it gives you a drop down list of the table's images to choose from and instantly change the selected token's image.
- Handout macro. There is a table called "handout". Populate it with any images you like. Make sure you number then in order. Click on the macro and it will give you a drop down list of the table's images to choose from. Select and a link is printed in the chat window. Whoever clicks on the link gets that image put in their selected token's handout spot.
- Light Editor. On the character sheet the green fog now does something. Click on it and it calls up Wolph42's Light Editor. Very quick and convenient. I haven't populated the light sources with useful modern stuff yet, but I will. For now you will have to.
- Did a little color coding for the macro buttons in the Campaign window.
- Upgrade a campaign file from 2.3.1. Replace lib:gm token. Import or just create the two new tables(handout, token_image). Import the new macro set or just copy the two new macros into the Campaign window(Handout, Token Image).
Changes
- Weapon Skills were not getting skill checks. Just the normal skills were. Fixed.
- New macro button in Campaign Macros window. Input Characteristic Values. Just a list of all the Characteristics with their values that you can quick change. Realized that this was sorely missing to quick input NPC characteristics.
- Changed UI for Sanity Roll with automatic Sanity Loss. Choosing the dice was just confusing the way I had it set up, so I simplified.
- Upgrade from version 2.3. Replace lib:gm. Import in Campaign Window macro set for new macro button.
Version 2.3
Changes
- Added distance reference list to attack macro. I makes no difference if you choose a token from the list. The number in front of the token is the distance to that token. Only tokens visible on the current screen are listed.
- Update a campaign file from version 2.2. Replace lib:gm token.
Changes
- When manually changing Sanity Points there was an error. Fixed
- Some of the Hand to Hand and Muscle powered weapons in the inventory list had their Malfunction percentage put in as 0 instead of 101. Making the Malfunction all the time, rather then never. Fixed
- Update a campaign file from version 2.1. Replace lib:gm token and import new campaign properties.
Changes
- Added 2d6 shift as a third option for character roll-up. It allows for a bit more customization.
- Update from v2.0.1: Replace lib:gm
Version 2.0.1
Changes
- When I split the skill list into a normal and weapon skill list, I didn't change the list name in the attack macro, so it was grabbing values from the normal list. Fixed.
- Just replace the lib:gm token to update a campaign from v2.0
- Spell Creator, Spell Modifier, Spell Shortcut Assigner, and Spellcaster.
- Skill marking(I call it ticking) and skill checking which checks all ticked skill and lists any increases made.
- Resistance Table
- Whisper macro that remembers the person you are whispering to.
- Rumble's DiceBox
- Plothos's Inventory Manager. The default database is 4e D&D, but the manager is so well made that it doesn't really matter. It is very self explanatory and you can figure out how to use it in a sort time.
- Take damage macro.
- States and state tracking where ever HPs can be changed.
- The right and left hands can be armed and attack.
- Ammo tracking and reloading
- Weapon Forge can now create new weapons or modify old ones. A list of common unarmed attacks and 1920s weapons is included.
- Two Sanity Rolls. One just rolls and tells you if you succeed or fail. The other lets you input how much sanity you loose if you succeed or fail and automatically calculates that.
- Added Initiative button. Here are the rules and how I dealt with them. I used big numbers as that was an easy way to deal with the rules and MapTool is sorting not us! 1)Everyone is sort by highest Dex. Ties are broken by a 1d100 roll. I multiplied everyone's Dex by 1000 and then added a 1d100. This would only change the initiative order is there were ties. 2)Anyone with a firearm "at the ready" goes before anyone else. Anyone who checks that option gets a 10 put in front of their initiative. This makes them go first and still deals with highest Dex and ties. 3) Anyone with a firearm "at the ready" that is shooting twice gets tossed in a second time with all the normal folks at normal initiative. So, if you check "Firearm at the ready" and increase your attacks to 2 or more, this happens. 4) If you have a "firearm at the ready" and are shooting 3+ times or had a firearm NOT "at the ready" and are shooting 2+ times, the remainder of your shots happen at half your Dex. So, I take your Dex*1000 and divide by 2, then add the 1d100 to deal with ties in advance. So you could be in the Initiative Window 3 times, as per the rules.
- Automated character roll-up.
- Occupation and Interest points distribution
- Can add new skills and manually modify characteristic and skill values
- Characteristic, Sanity, Skill, and generic rolls available
- Modification of Sanity, Magic, and Hit Points through the character sheet
- Ability to "Show only to Keeper" on Characteristic, Skill, and generic rolls.