Forum rules
This forum is LOCKED. If a thread belongs here, use the "Report" feature of the post to let a moderator know to move it. General discussion should occur in the User Creations or MapTool forums.
Bengalelf wrote:That is good to know, I would hate to lose all maps.
I seem to have another problem. The good news is I think I undersatnd most of what you doing, Brad, with the new macros and I like it. My problem my party has no interest in upgrading past .53. They are sick of my having them upgrade Maptool every other week or so. I want to stay on the edge of what you're doing, but I do not know how to bring my party with me. I have brought them kicking and screaming this far Any words of wisdom? Most of them leave most of the macring to me anyway.
My group finds it generally annoying to upgrade as well. I think you will be ok though. Basically, I am betting that trevor is going to declare 1.3 a release candidate by b60. So, you are looking at one month or maybe two(assuming something from life doesn't suck his time away). By that time I should have the new macro set good and fleshed out, as well as any bugs found and fixed. So, then just have them do one last upgrade. Both MapTool and macros. Sure I am going to be working on adding a little more this and that, but nothing critical and new macros can be easily added by just importing the new macro set.
Myself I don't get the big deal about the problem with upgrading. If you are using Webstart it is automated. If you are using the .zip folder, you just delete the old folder and use the new one. But, oh well.
I forgot to mention. With this macro set you should have the Stack memory set to 2MB. If you are using Webstart you can set this with the Customize link. If you are using the .zip folder just use the new Windows launcher and the Stack is right there to change to whatever. I believe it defaults to 2MB, which has always worked fine for all of my macros. The old default was 512KB for the .bat launch files and will probably error out with the "apply damage" macro. It did with the similar macro in my last macro set.
I really don't get resistance to "upgrade". It is silly. Upgrading is a matter of downloading a new file and clicking on it. They thing doesn't get installed and configuration usually never changes. So I just don't get why people have a problem. I mean it seems logical to me to want to use the version that works the best and that achieves the best result. Maybe that is just me?
You're just jealous 'cause the voices only talk to me.
Well, I understand that alot of people might prefer playing it 'fast and loose.' I can certainly respect it for your own games. If we're doing this for a public 'release' then shouldn't it actually allow people to play by the rules? I know that if I have a power that has a range of 12 hexes, I would like to be able to see 12 hexes at a glance. Without even a scale, there's no way to accurately measure anything. Are the current measurements in feet, meters, miles, or pixels? I know, at least with the folks that I game with, the only way to sell them on MapTools (which I desperately want to do) is if they see the same thing on their computer screen that the rulebooks lead them to expect.
So, is there a way to get these macros to work with hexes on the user end?
I haven't had a chance to look at the macros yet, won't for about another week probably, but the macros shouldn't be affected by the grid at all. You can turn the grid on on any map except gridless ones. I'm not sure exactly what you are seeing so could you clarify a bit more?
Mapping and scale is completely left to the GM to do and is based on map resolution and campaign settings that the GM chooses. As far as I am aware, Brad uses 1 hex = 1 meter. Yes, it is different than the rules, but easily dealt with in the macro by multiplying or dividing by 2. Most everyone that I have talked to that plays hero on 1 meter hexes actually prefers it as it allows better tactical movement and less clutter.
You're just jealous 'cause the voices only talk to me.
Well, my tests are essentially playing a scenario using what's available. I'm also becoming familiar with Map Tools at the same time, so I am no expert as far as what's being handled by Map Tools and what's being handled by the Macros that Brad is designing.
When I select move from the token, it draws a line between the token and the cursor. That line has a number, which I assume is a measurement, but no scale is given to make that number useful. Since that doesn't happen when I have no campaign loaded, or a different campaign, I assumed that it was a setting in the campaign file that controlled this.
A couple things to be clear about. These macros are designed for the general public and so are being make to fit Hero's rules. I do have some house rules(like 1 meter per hex) that I will be implementing for my version of the macros. But, those will NOT be included in the version we are working with here.
The problem I think you are having with the grid Warcry, is that you are just unaware of the settings in MapTool. I suggest you view my video tutorials(see my sig). They need to be updated, but the basic stuff is still the same. In this case the campaign file you are looking at is in a hex grid. You have to turn the grid on in your computer to see it. View=>grid. The token is measuring in hexes, I just don't have snap to grid turned on. I find snap to grid very annoying in a hex grid as it often pops you into a wall. In any case to have tokens start out with snap to grid you set that in your Preferences. To change a current token's settings for snap to grid, double click on it and choose the configuration tab. There is a checkbox for snap to grid. When you are snapping to grid it highlights the hexes you are moving through. Really just a cosmetic thing. The line you see now measures the same way.
Bengalelf wrote:I am also curious baout you plan to handle Entangles, Knockback, and Flashes. I would like to see a tutorial on these handle if you don't mind Brad.
Well since those can be tracked manually, the automated tracking is down the list a little bit. For now you can roll the effects and get your flash defense subtracted from your flash attacks. Knockback will just be a checkbox "Does Knockback" and a modifiers box, that will then do the simple math and print out the knockback. I have figured out how to track flashes using the initiative panel. That first number before the 0 is the current segment. So that can be used to track time. Entangle will have to add new properties for the extra armor and body.
First off, looks great. You really are going the full mile with these. I'm impressed that you are taking on as many optional rules and variables as you are.
Couple of quick observations:
When you get around to tracking DCV, you might want to include an encumbrance value for armor. This is mostly important for Fantasy Hero, where heavy armor frequently makes you easier to hit.
As far as I can see, after you have done an attack, you need to refresh the character sheet to see the Endurance expenditure?
If a value is placed in Endurance usage (in the attack macro) and no endurance source is chosen, should the source default to personal Endurance? It took me a couple of tries to realize why END wasn't being subtracted.
How is an input form created? It looks to me like you are only able to work from an "input" command, leaving little or no room for modifying the layout? If this is so, can subsection be indented or something, to break up the categories visually? Or would that screw up input?
I mean Damage Type could be at one level of indent, targeting at another, skill levels, and so on.
Of course, once you get the attack builder worked out, this shouldn't be as much of an issue.
Also, it seems that the values in Attack-generic are not tied to the token? In other words, the values stay the same from use to use, but it doesn't matter which token used them last?
That was the source indeed. Thanks alot. Now it makes sense to me. I've made the necessary adjustments on my end, and things are alot clearer over here. I've also taken time to review your tutorials. A great help.
keithcurtis wrote:
When you get around to tracking DCV, you might want to include an encumbrance value for armor. This is mostly important for Fantasy Hero, where heavy armor frequently makes you easier to hit.
Good call. Haven't played Fantasy Hero in a few years and probably would have forgotten. I will add it to the defense builder and figure out a way to include it.
keithcurtis wrote:
As far as I can see, after you have done an attack, you need to refresh the character sheet to see the Endurance expenditure?
If a value is placed in Endurance usage (in the attack macro) and no endurance source is chosen, should the source default to personal Endurance? It took me a couple of tries to realize why END wasn't being subtracted.
Nothing in the macros is real time. So you will have to click on a link to have anything in the character sheet refresh.
I will look at the code and see about defaulting to personal Endurance. I can see people being in a hurry and missing that. It might be as easy as adding an OR to one of the IF() functions.
keithcurtis wrote:
How is an input form created? It looks to me like you are only able to work from an "input" command, leaving little or no room for modifying the layout? If this is so, can subsection be indented or something, to break up the categories visually? Or would that screw up input?
I mean Damage Type could be at one level of indent, targeting at another, skill levels, and so on.
Yep, everything from the input for comes from the input() function. There is a LABEL option that just adds text(like I did in the skill macros in between the two lists). I can use that to add spaces. Or I could probably use underscores to indent. I can fiddle a bit. I know the size of the Attack, generic macro will intimidate some people, so anything to make it more user friendly is good.
keithcurtis wrote:
Also, it seems that the values in Attack-generic are not tied to the token? In other words, the values stay the same from use to use, but it doesn't matter which token used them last?
Nope. The only way to store information is to save it in a Token Property. So, anything remembered for a token is only remembered for that particular token. It is sort of a pain to have one token modify anything in another token. It has to be bounced through the lib:gm token, to ensure players can't write macros that modify other tokens on the map.
But, if you are making a bunch of enemy fodder tokens, you could put out one token, then make their main attack with the generic macro, so it is remembered and then copy and paste a bunch of that token. All of its Token Properties would be copied as well, so all of the pasted tokens would have that attack remembered as well.
Any words of wisdom? Most of them leave most of the macring to me anyway.
