I want to add a State or Condition to my Power or Magic Item Power...
Just check the Condition or State you wish to add. When you save that page of editing, it will load a special Condition Editor. This allows you to enter in any special information that might be useful for managing the Condition such as the duration, any damage it does, or the exact penalty it imposes.
How do I apply the Condition from my Power or Item to another token?
When you use the Power or Item, there will be a line in Chat showing all the Conditions that are attached to that Power or Item. Each Condition is a MacroLink that allows you to apply that Condition to a selected Token. Simply select the token you wish to apply the Condition to and then click the link and the Condition will automatically be applied.
Note that you can only apply Conditions to tokens you own. Since the GM always owns everything they can apply conditions to any token. Also, Conditions can only be applied to an Official DeviantNull Approved Token(tm).
I have a Condition that isn't really a mark or a curse or a quarry and is more a generic penalty, why didn't you include something for that?
The conditions list is actually GM configurable. We'll go over that later. For now, simply use a Mark or Curse or Quarry, possibly all color coded to your character so they're easy to tell that they all go together.
I followed that advice and now I'm running out of different kinds of Marks or Curses or Quarries to use to designate my conditions, you suck!
Unlike Maptools itself, the Condition management code doesn't care about duplicate states. You could have any number of Mark:Red on your token. Each one is tracked independently and holds it's own information. So all the conditions you inflict could use the exact same icon and the target token can have any number of them on them at once. Maptools itself will still only show 1 State icon, but the conditions themselves are viewable on the tokens Character Sheet.
When I use a Power, why is Damage/Healing/Temp HP/Healing Surge a MacroLink?
This is to allow you to quickly apply damage or healing from an attack to a Character. Simply select the token you wish to apply the damage to and click the link in chat. It will open up the appropriate Dialog Box and allow you to make any last minute changes to the total before applying it.
If you're trying to apply it to multiple tokens, the value applies to all tokens and you do not get an individual Dialog Box for each one.
You can only apply damage to tokens you own and are Official DeviantNull Approved Token(tm). GM's will apply the damage to your enemies. Again, since GM's own all tokens they can apply the damage to you.
How does the Targeting selection for Powers and Items work?
When you use a Power or Item, you'll get an option to select a target. You DO NOT have to select a target, it is optional, if incredibly handy.
A list of viable targets is comprised of all the tokens you can see. They are grouped alphabetically and with PC's all grouped first and then all the NPC's (this is based upon the Maptools PC/NPC division and not the frameworks). The user is always first in the list after None and is referred to as Self in the list.
If any other legal token other then the user is selected in Maptools when the Power is executed, it will be automatically selected in the list. Multiple tokens can be selected and they'll be automatically assigned as selected targets in the order that they were selected in Maptools. You can not automatically target the token using the Power.
For GM's, who Characters Sheet automatically changes when they select a new legal token, they can use the Targeting Button Link. This is the bullseye looking link in the upper right corner. Players can use this link as well if they wish to update their selected targets list. Clicking on it will refresh the Dialog Box and update the selection list.
Note, if click the Targeting Button and refresh the Dialog Box it will wipe out any previous selections or modifiers you entered so it's best to do your target selection first and then enter the modifiers.
When the power executes, it will list the target of the attack or damage or usage in the chat output. It has no other effect.
If you can do all this, why don't you just automate the attack and damage rolls and apply things automatically...?
Yeah... no. Not going to happen. This is as close as it gets. Given 4e's exception based design there are too many corner cases where something manual needs to be done or accounted for. Maptools is too limited in it's timing and ability to send information to the players, the branching options are primitive, and it's frankly not worth my time or effect to make this happen. There are other frameworks out there that do just that, I'm sure you'll find them more to your liking. I hear Rumble makes an excellent one.
Why is the target selection for Copy & Give different then the target selection for powers?
First off, Copy and Give make a list of only tokens that are using the framework to prevent interaction between a framework and non-framework token. It also doesn't have "Self" as the first entry because I'm lazy and forgot to change it. I'll likely get around to it one of these days...
What is the Replacement Parser, and how do I use it?
The Replacement parser was one of the most awesome contributions ever. What it allows for substitution of certain game stats within an entry.
To use it you put in =(VALUE) where Value is a predefined word to indicate what you're needing to substitute. It can also perform basic math within the =() so you can substitute an Ability Score and then add a number to it and it will return the total.
The Bonus Fields for Attack and Damage on Powers can use the Replacement Parser. Additionally, most Raw Text fields will use it as well and substitute the called value in the display or output.
What is the list of Values I can use with the Replacement Parser?
The following are the words you can use and the values they return, capitalization does not matter.
Str – Base Strength modifier
Con – Base Constitution modifier
Dex – Base Dexterity modifier
Int – Base Intelligence modifier
Wis – Base Wisdom modifier
Cha – Base Charisma modifier
StrMod – Strength modifier plus ½ level
ConMod – Constitution modifier plus ½ level
DexMod – Dexterity modifier plus ½ level
IntMod – Intelligence modifier plus ½ level
WisMod – Wisdom modifier plus ½ level
ChaMod – Charisma modifier plus ½ level
Lvl or Level – The characters level
LvlMod or LevelMod – The characters level modifier (½ level)
WildSoul – A characters Wildsoul Resistance which changes upon every Extended Rest. To use, you must Edit a token via Maptools Edit (right click, select edit) and enter in 1d10 for the Property DNA_WildSoulRange
AC- Armor Class
Fort – Fortitude Defense
Ref – Reflex Defense
Will – Will Defense
HP – A characters total (not current) Hit Points
Race – Race entry
Class – Class entry
Keyword – Creature Keywords
Speed – A characters current (not base) speed
Move – Alternate movement entry
Sense – Senses entry
Why can I click on the picture of the token in the upper right? It doesn't seem to do anything.
Clicking on the Token or Portrait picture forces the sheet to reload. The Character Sheet only refreshes and changes when you select a different token or when the user has made some change and forces the sheet to refresh. It does not refresh if you simply click on the background map or another regular object token, or a token you do not own. Only another token used with the framework AND owned by you (GM's own everything) will make the sheet change or refresh.
Due to a few unique circumstances it's possible for a users view of a sheet to become out of synch with the information on the token. If the user only has one token (as often is the case with players) they'd lack a way to refresh the sheet without doing something like changing the page or making some other change. Clicking the Picture provides a quick and easy way to refresh their view of the sheet.
Halp! The GM made some change to my Character, like doing damage to me, but I don't see the change!
See the above question. Your view of the Character is out of synch with the data stored on the token.
What do the different Options in the Options Panel do?
Sheet Type – Forces a specific (PC or NPC) sheet selection type or sets it to Auto-Detect based on the Maptool token type (PC/NPC)
Picture Type - Sets the picture shown in the upper left corner, defaults to the token itself.
Underlined Links – Turns off the MacroLink underlines on the character sheet itself. Links sent to chat will still be underlined.
Set Private Rolls Default – Sets it so it automatically checks the Private option in dice rolls. Not a lot of need for this, but some GM out there somewhere may want ot always roll in private.
Set Hidden Rolls Default – Same as private, but for the hidden option. Handy for NPC's that the GM wants to keep secret.
Set Private Health Default – Like the roll version but for Health.
Recharge Roll Type – Sets how a token processes it's recharge rolls when using rechargeable powers. Seperate Rolls (the new Default) means it rolls a 1d6 for each power it can recharge. Singe Roll means it makes one 1d6 roll and checks that result against every power it can recharge. Done this way because the RAW is a little vague on this point...
Apply Damage States - Sets if the character sheet should apply the bloodied, dying, and dead states to a token when it takes damage. On by default.
When Dying Change to – This changes the layer of the token when it becomes dying, handy to change them to objects to get them out of the way.
When Dead Change to – same as dying except the trigger is Dead.
What does the GM Screen macro do?
It turns the GM screen on and off. When the GM screen is on the GM, and only the GM, gains an additional option when making dice rolls. They may enter a specific die roll instead of rolling the d20 randomly. In the chat output there is no difference between this number and a regular d20 roll (unless the # is greater then 20 or less then 1).
However, every single roll the GM makes will have it's entry prefaced with a bold message indicating that the GM has rolled behind his GM screen. This way the players can not tell if the GM fudged the roll or not, just that he had the ability to. This is the fairest way I could devise to allow for GM fiat online.
Note that you can not fudge damage rolls at this time due to limitations in how the die rolls are performed.
Are there other GM only options?
Sort of. There are some additional options that can be set on the Lib:Information token in it's Property List. These include the following:
System Message: This is a message or tag that is applied to the start of what are basically system related messages, these typically are between the player and GM and just indicate that something has changed.
Game Message: This is a message or tag that is applied to the start of nearly all chat output from the sheet to the chat window to indicate it's a game mechanic effect. All output should have one of these.
TIP: You can not only put something like <b>[GAME]</b> in to help indicate it's a game message, but you can put in something like
to force the color to be black (or whatever color you choose) regardless of a players chosen chat color.
Save TN & AltSaveBonus: These two sort of go together for a set of house rules I use. SaveTN is the Target Number for a regular saving throw (non-death save). It defaults to 10 and 10 is what is used if this is blank. Any other number becomes the TN for the Save, I use 11. AltSaveBonus is either blank or 1. If set to 1, a character gains a +1 to their Saving Throw for each previous failed Save.
Hey, you need to add this specific Condition, Power Use Type, Range, Light, Ritual Skill, that I want to use!
Not really. You can do it yourself.
Wait.. come back!
I mean, this has been designed from the start to allow for flexibility in adding certain new things easily. Many of the lists and options are dynamically generated by using information stored on the Lib:Information token. Altering the group there alters it globally for all characters. Here's a list of all the things you can modify:
The Condition Duration List, The groups of conditions added via the Character Sheet, The list of Conditions a Power can add, Armor groups, Item Slots, Magic Item Usage Types, Weapon Groups, Weapon Properties, Power Actions, Power Keywords, Power Ranges, Power Usage Types, the list of Components, Ritual Categories, Ritual Skills, Martial Practice Categories, Martial Practice Skills, Alignment, Character Types, the Header Colors used, Languages, and the list of Light Sources.
NOTE: For some, while you can add entries it won't have any real mechanical effect. For others, if a token uses one of the specially added types and is taken to a different campaign that does not have that entry it will not work. Use at your own caution.
There are way too many for me to go into each one right now. For the majority of them you likely won't need to make any changes to run a standard campaign. Some have information inside the macro to explain what each part does. I'll go into a few of the common ones...
How do I make a change to one of the configurable options on Lib:Information?
The options are actually stored in properties of the Lib:Information token itself. But editing large json objects or arrays can be difficult in the standard token editor. Instead, it's easier to modify the appropriate macro on the Lib:Information and then execute the macro and it will update the Lib:Information.
How do I tell which macros are configurable on Lib:Information?
These macro's are in groups that start with Rules.
What are the other macros on Lib:Information?
Those are text storage macros that basically just hold information about something, such as a Condition or a Skill. They are editable too, if the information needs to be updated to reflect a rule change or house rule.
Why do some of the notes in those macro's refer to a 0 slot in an array and what is a json key?
The documention notes in those macros is spotty at best. But an entry or json key usually means the first thing in “” on a line. Go look at the Maptools Wiki to get a better idea if you can't understand that basic format.
For arrays (the things inside []) the numbering starts at 0 and not 1. So the 1st entry is actually slot 0 and the 2nd is 1 and so on.
How do I add a new Condition?
There are three things you need to do to add a new Condition.
First, there needs to be a Maptools State with the name of the condition you want to use. This is important as the condition code reads the State Image and if there is no State it will throw errors.
Second, there needs to be a macro with the name of the State added to the Lib:Information. This macro will hold information in HTML format about the Condition. It doesn't technically need any information entered in, but the macro still needs to be there.
Third the Condition needs to be added to either or both of the ConditionsGroups and ConditionsPowerList macros.
ConditionsGroups are the lists of Conditions that can be added via the Condition link in the Sheet Header. They're grouped into json keys and arrays. Without an entry here you will not be able to manually add your new Condition from the character sheet.
ConditionsPowerList is the list of Conditions that show up as being able to be added to Powers and Items. This is a straight forward json array.
I added a new light source but when a token selects it it doesn't add a Maptools light, why?
For the Light Source option to turn on and off there needs to be a Maptools light with the name that was entered into the new light sources json array 0 slot. The new Maptool light needs to be in the Personal group, any other group will not work.
HELP! I added a new something or other, but now my Dialog Boxes are all the wrong size. This sucks!
Yeah, it does. However, you can easily modify the size of the Dialog Boxes by editing one simple macro.
On the Lib:Sheet token, in the Entry sub group, edit the macro named EntrySize.
This is effectively a list of every single Dialog Box entry window used by the Character Sheet. Each json key has an entry consisting of 2 numbers, this is a windows height and width. Simply altering the numbers here will alter how big a Dialog Box is. Typically the 2 most common ones needing modification are Light (for light sources) and Conditions (for Conditions from the character sheets).
Is there some list of all the Powers or Items you can provide?
No. I will not personally provide copyrighted text from WotC. The Skills and Conditions text is as close as I feel like I want to cut it. I do not want to bring their hammer down upon me.
If someone else wants to provide or share such information, that is up to them.
The monster parser doesn't work with this now!
I know! It's a real shame... I suck, don't I? I didn't do the original conversion though, TravisT did. I've been busying writing this darn thing. Which means I didn't exactly have time to write an update of the parser. Maybe I'll get around to it. Maybe he'll finish it. Maybe some other enterprising user will do it. Who knows...
I actually have a campaign using an older version of your framework and would like to use it with this new version, what do I need to do?
Follow the steps above for putting it in an existing campaign. Remove the old Lib:Tokens from my framework you were using and replace them with the new ones. You'll probably want to copy and paste the properties, though you should be able to use Import though it will likely overwrite any custom light sources or states you had.
Switch the token to the DNA property set.
On the Lib:Information token in the Updater subgroup there are updater macros. Copy at least the Complete Updater to your campaign macro's. Then select a token you wish to update and run the updater macro.
There are individual updater macros for each page section, but you'd only really need to run those if something was failing on the Complete Updater and you wanted to know which page was failing.
That should be everything you need to do to update your old campaign. Note that conversion is not 100% and you will need to re-equip items and all old power links will be broken and have to be reset. You may also have to fine tune powers and items by editing them in the character sheet to get them right.
I found a bug, a typo, an incorrect calculation, or it gives an error in the chat window when I do X. What do I do?
Post about it here in this thread. I'll take a look at it and see if I can fix it and release a fix or upgrade the version.
How big is this?
Around 10,000 lines of code, not including the text of things like skill descriptions and conditions. That's just the macro code and html.
Good lord, how long did this take you?
So many months I lost count. A long time. It's been nearly 2 years since the very first release of version 1. To put it in perspective, I'll watch anime online while writing code. I've pretty much watched ALL of One Piece while writing this. That's... a lot.
Do you have no life?
No. I do not.
Anyone you want to thank?
Nope. No one. Not a single person did anything at all to help me at all. I carried this darn thing up hill both ways in the snow all by myself.
In no particular order:
Sir Flak – Early code contributor
AidyBaby - I'm not even sure if they're aware I'm using their states, but the states are too awesome not to use
Lindhairn – The RegEx parser because I still do not understand RegEx.
Daelkyr – The idea of putting the 4e covers as the token icons. To this day? Still f-ing brilliant.
Craig – He answered a few questions here and there. Oh, and it was his tiny kernal of example code when he implemented frames and dialogs that spawned this whole thing.
LordAelfric – Buttons and Icons. They're simply amazing. I'm just sorry I ran into problems with the tables. I'll give it another shot some day...
PinkRose - #1 cheerleader and now contributed the text for Skills and Conditions.
Anyone else I forgot who contributed anything all to this either as a piece of code or bug report in any version, question, or simply a comment. Some of my Lib Tokens are so old I can't even load them into Maptools anymore. I've lost my full list of folks to thank. I'm sorry if I forgot you.
You all really are entirely the reason I slogged all the way to the end with this.
Now what are you going to do?
I got a short list of a few things I'd like to include, like Boons or being able to adjust which weapon is used with a power on the fly... but for now? I think I'll take a nap.
Any final thoughts?
Lord above (and Thor), let me get this release right on the first go unlike all other times where I screw it up on my first attempt and have to quickly change the upload or fix something within the first hour of putting it out.
Hey, one more thing... I got another question.
Sure, go ahead...