A strict DnD 3.5 framework WiP

[silbrulf]

I am going to be working on building a strictly 3.5 DnD framework... Meaning no Pathfinder material, no 4th or 5th edition, no homebrew. It will take some time, I have a sluggish laptop and am still learning macros, but I'm working at it. The reason I'm posting is this; what functions (within reason for MapTool and me getting a lot of coding tips) would the other 3.5 players here like to see in a framework?

My current goals are:
-Add a Modified version of Nildik's Adventure Macros (a button each for creatures/NPCs, encounters, items, and Plot)
-A DM screen page with interactive buttons to recheck rules without resorting to game disrupting book checks
-An economy tracker to not only check prices, but to modify them based on game events (percentage-based)
-NPC tracker for those times when a player asks someone "well, where did Brundil GO, then?!?"
-Ability/spell reference
-an editable house rule reference, for those times you have to make it up on the fly
-Inventory/Wealth/Prepared spells "sheet" for when you think a player just might be munchkining.
-A die roller

Granted, some of this is only practical for in-house games, and I know i probably missed things that net players would need, and i know I'm overlapping Wolphe's BoT, but it seems to me that a specific framework for just 3.5 is something that's been missed. So, anything anyone else could suggest to make it as useful for 3.5 as possible?

[quikdagger]

I am going tobe working on building a strictly 3.5 DnD framework... Meaning no Pathfinder material, no 4th or 5th edition, no homebrew. It will take some time, I have a sluggish laptop and am still learning macros, but I'm working at it. The reason I'm posting is this; what functions (within reason for MapTool and me getting a lot of coding tips) would the other 3.5 players here like to see in a framework?

My current goals are:
-A DM screen page with interactive buttons to recheck rules without resorting to game disrupting book checks

I like your idea as it seems like you want a lightweight framework which is something I always appreciate. The interactive buttons for rules could be simplified with a lib token named say lib@rules and give it a "Master" macro with the following code

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[h:ParentToken=json.get(macro.args,"ParentToken")]
[h:wName=json.get(macro.args,"Name")]
[h:wDesc=json.get(macro.args,"Description")]

<div style="background-color: #444444; color: #FFFFFF; padding-top:2px; padding-bottom:5px; padding-left:8px; padding-right:8px;">
	<b> {wName} </b>
	<div style="background-color:#FFFFFF; color: #000000; padding:2px;">
		{wDesc}
	</div>
</div>

Then in campaign or whatever you make a macro like

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[h:data = json.set("{}",
	"Name", "Deafened",
	"Description", " A deafened character cannot hear. She takes a -4 penalty on initiative checks, automatically fails Listen checks, and has a 20% chance of spell failure when casting spells with verbal components. Characters who remain deafened for a long time grow accustomed to these drawbacks and can overcome some of them.  ")]

[macro("Master@Lib:rules"):data]

Which would output something like the attached image.
This may seem tedious but one you make the first one just export the macro and then change the "Name" and "Description" for the rule you want to link. Could even have various tokens on the DM Screen (maybe a map that is hidden from players) with a DM token (I used the classic Dungeon Master from the cartoon show as he is what I use in game when the "DM" is speaking) for conditions, another for combat, another for skills, or whatever you want really. Also makes it modular so that if a rule comes up that requires the ol book it can be added to the "database"

[silbrulf]

@Quickdagger
Thanks for that. It actually gives me a bit of a starting point. I will admit, whenever I see ".json" in anything I'm needing to do I get a little panicky though. Not liking the idea of referencing a code that I understand as well as astrophysics... but I gotta learn sometime!

[silbrulf]

ok... did a bit of playing with quickdaggers code... Its doing its job just fine...
now i'm running into an issue using nildiks (its doing... things... for my framework, lol) but i cant get the code to accept a getNotes order... went to the basic setup for it, still no. basically inserting

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<infolink>[getNotes("AcidSplash")]

into the GMNotes block and it throws an error. but

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[getNotes("AcidSplash")

works just fine (but not what i'm after...).
So what am i doing wrong, or is there a workaround?

[aliasmask]

Is that a custom macro because Wiki: getNotes() is an MT macro as well and doesn't take any parameters according to wiki.

[Full Bleed]

ok... did a bit of playing with quickdaggers code... Its doing its job just fine...
now i'm running into an issue using nildiks (its doing... things... for my framework, lol) but i cant get the code to accept a getNotes order... went to the basic setup for it, still no. basically inserting

Code: Select all

<infolink>[getNotes("AcidSplash")]

into the GMNotes block and it throws an error.

It's hard to tell what you are actually doing... but it's easy to tell that you're not using his add-on correctly.

The <infolink> tag is specific to his tool. It wraps some text in a token's note section so that when you view it with his tool it displays the wrapped text properly and provides the correct functionality.

It was not designed to be used with maptool macro functions.

You should try posting in his thread if you don't know how to use the tool.

Code: Select all

[getNotes("AcidSplash")

works just fine (but not what i'm after...).
So what am i doing wrong, or is there a workaround?

Again, it's hard to tell where you are putting this code and what you're trying to do... you have not provided enough context.

[silbrulf]

To clarify, I'll do this on a backed up save (none of the newer stuff I'm putting together) so I don't risk breaking what I've already made by accident.
(Sorry for the screen-sized pictures, my picture editor is on the fritz atm.)
Figure pics of what I'm trying can do a better job explaining it. Reason I'm doing it on my WiP is I figure some random savant might have already gotten a similar thing done...

First, 3 example tokens. 1 each for different references, in this case; creature stats, room info, and specific creature info. Not what I'm actually planning, but this works as an example:

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Screenshot (1).png (85.88 KiB) Viewed 1741 times

Next, the tokens' inner stuff:

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Screenshot (2).png (101.51 KiB) Viewed 1741 times

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Screenshot (3).png (102.34 KiB) Viewed 1741 times

And the token for using nildiks with infolink:

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Screenshot (4).png (104.6 KiB) Viewed 1741 times

and the results:

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Screenshot (6).png (143.7 KiB) Viewed 1741 times

Screenshot (7).png (143.68 KiB) Viewed 1741 times

Not what I had hoped...
The token redone without infolink:

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Screenshot (8).png (103.93 KiB) Viewed 1741 times

and the results

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Screenshot (9).png (121.63 KiB) Viewed 1741 times

what I'm trying to do is get the information from those other tokens onto that dialog as infolinks. That would be ideal. If it can't be done, I can accomplish it another way, but I hope this is just a matter of me missing something in how the different codes work...

[Phergus]

As AliasMask already said, Wiki: getNotes() is a built-in macro function that doesn't take arguments. It appears that nildiks tool perhaps has its own getNotes() UDF. It will need to be renamed.

[silbrulf]

Was about to input some class/race info into the framework and had a lightbulb moment... as in lightbulb busting because the filament was bad...
Non-OGL sources... such as from the "Complete" series, the "Races", and others... Can I upload a framework that includes those resources? Not planning on violating license if I can avoid it, and this could have been a stupid way to get trouble started...
Edit: not far enough to have anything using that sort of info, but having the libs built now might save time later

[aliasmask]

The main thing this site worries about is having copyright material saved on their servers. If you have a framework you tend to save it to a 3rd party and link it here. Links are okay, just credit relevant sources. So, if anyone comes around asking about it, they ask you.

[silbrulf]

that works. in that case, ill set it up with straight ogl material, make a request for use to WotC with a copy of the work, and provide the rest on request until i get a definitive answer from them. under the assumption that asking for complete arcane stuff means you actually have it...

[quikdagger]

that works. in that case, ill set it up with straight ogl material, make a request for use to WotC with a copy of the work, and provide the rest on request until i get a definitive answer from them. under the assumption that asking for complete arcane stuff means you actually have it...

Good luck on that... WOTC is very controlling over what is and is not considered OGL. I requested to be allowed to use the maps of Greyhawk from the Dungeon Magazines all put into a single map instead of 12 seperate maps... got a resounding NO.

[silbrulf]

@quickdagger
Yep. Answer I got had a lot of legalese, but boiled down to "you can use these materials in your software, *if* you purchase an exorbitantly priced license for a campaign format we no longer care about"... The phone call required a lot of patience. So OGL-only...

[quikdagger]

@quickdagger
Yep. Answer I got had a lot of legalese, but boiled down to "you can use these materials in your software, *if* you purchase an exorbitantly priced license for a campaign format we no longer care about"... The phone call required a lot of patience. So OGL-only...

I was afraid you'd get the same runaround I did. Hoped differently but assumed accurately

[Oronir]

@silbrulf I am also a dnd3.5 player and very interested in your work. However, some thoughts. Many players are creating frameworks for all kinds of systems without any, or limited, collaboration nor collaboration options.
Seems to me that we should create frameworks where we can take out certain blocks. A framework should be build, imo, like lego blocks and if we want to change something, a block should be allowed to take out.

For example, one could create basic components and save them separately so others can take that on work on it or fine tune it. Thus creating new ideas.

As an example I take Jamz's calendar which is really nice. A calendar that is displayed for you and the players but where you ,as DM, have the option to fast forward it by days, hours, min and even /6secs. That, by itself, is something everyone would like in their campaign but everyone needs to recode it if you attach too many other stuff on it. So you could save the calendar code and make it available then with a copy move on further and attach possibilities such as advance calendar when initiative is forwarded. Or attach durations of spells to the calendar ....etc.

Just my thoughts though and rereading all of this I realise it is a difficult conversation by text. Sorry about the rambling, hope you understand the gist of it.