RangerWickett
Legend
Right now WotC has a pretty well-working character builder (though I wish it could use inherent bonuses and filter out Dragon magazine chaff), and a rules compendium.
They're working on a Virtual Table so you can play online, and (I think) on a web-based Monster Builder.
I know at least one group is programming a 4e character sheet app for smart phones (and tablets? I don't recall), though apparently it's utility is limited by the license with WotC. It can track HP, but won't keep track of used powers or auto-calculate attacks and damage when you use a power.
I think there's a desire in the market for more hand-held and tablet apps or programs to help play and run the game. But I'm not sure if WotC is working on those.
Imagine if you could have your character on your smart phone. You can use the web Character Builder at a normal computer to make your character (or do it on the phone, though it'd be a bit cramped). Then you load a character onto your phone.
Normally it would display your name, basic defenses, HP, and conditions, but there'd be two menus -- Character (to see what you've got) and Combat (to track dombat). Toggling between the two would be a slider or something, and then each would have four or five buttons useful for different tasks.
In the character menu, you'd be able to see powers, feats, gear, various stats, and stuff like "adventure notes" to help you keep track of who Turliss the Baker is.
In combat, when the DM tells you to take damage, you tap the "HP" button and can mark damage, or add temp HP. There'd also be a "condition" button. And a "start turn" button (to remind you of everything that happens when you start your turn) and "end turn" button (to remind you to roll saves or even do the rolling on the device).
When you want to see your powers, you tap the "powers" button, which brings you to the character sheet, but adjusts some context-sensitive buttons and layout because now you need to see what you can do in combat, instead of just browsing. It pulls up a list of your powers, and you select the one you want to see. It shows it to you nice and big, with full details, and links to glossary terms (like if you need to remind yourself just how a conjuration differs from a summoning).
There'd be an option to "Use Power" and "Roll Dice." The first would mark the power used for ease of book-keeping, and the second option would make the appropriate attack roll and damage rolls for you (you could press it multiple times if you're making multiple attacks). You could sweep side to side to scroll through powers, or press a back button to see the master list.
And that's just the player app.
The GM app would let you log into WotC's server and gather a collection of monsters, traps, treasure, and non-mechanical stuff (maps, NPC notes, plot notes, etc.) and use each of those much the same way the player app tracks stuff for players. When Dungeon publishes an adventure, there'd be a pack you could download to have all the key components for the adventure handy on your device.
I think all of this would be awesome, but I only have my own opinion to judge by, so I wanted to ask what people are more interested in:
* Online play with a Virtual Table.
* Applications like those above to make Offline play more convenient.
Or, y'know, something else entirely.
They're working on a Virtual Table so you can play online, and (I think) on a web-based Monster Builder.
I know at least one group is programming a 4e character sheet app for smart phones (and tablets? I don't recall), though apparently it's utility is limited by the license with WotC. It can track HP, but won't keep track of used powers or auto-calculate attacks and damage when you use a power.
I think there's a desire in the market for more hand-held and tablet apps or programs to help play and run the game. But I'm not sure if WotC is working on those.
Imagine if you could have your character on your smart phone. You can use the web Character Builder at a normal computer to make your character (or do it on the phone, though it'd be a bit cramped). Then you load a character onto your phone.
Normally it would display your name, basic defenses, HP, and conditions, but there'd be two menus -- Character (to see what you've got) and Combat (to track dombat). Toggling between the two would be a slider or something, and then each would have four or five buttons useful for different tasks.
In the character menu, you'd be able to see powers, feats, gear, various stats, and stuff like "adventure notes" to help you keep track of who Turliss the Baker is.
In combat, when the DM tells you to take damage, you tap the "HP" button and can mark damage, or add temp HP. There'd also be a "condition" button. And a "start turn" button (to remind you of everything that happens when you start your turn) and "end turn" button (to remind you to roll saves or even do the rolling on the device).
When you want to see your powers, you tap the "powers" button, which brings you to the character sheet, but adjusts some context-sensitive buttons and layout because now you need to see what you can do in combat, instead of just browsing. It pulls up a list of your powers, and you select the one you want to see. It shows it to you nice and big, with full details, and links to glossary terms (like if you need to remind yourself just how a conjuration differs from a summoning).
There'd be an option to "Use Power" and "Roll Dice." The first would mark the power used for ease of book-keeping, and the second option would make the appropriate attack roll and damage rolls for you (you could press it multiple times if you're making multiple attacks). You could sweep side to side to scroll through powers, or press a back button to see the master list.
And that's just the player app.
The GM app would let you log into WotC's server and gather a collection of monsters, traps, treasure, and non-mechanical stuff (maps, NPC notes, plot notes, etc.) and use each of those much the same way the player app tracks stuff for players. When Dungeon publishes an adventure, there'd be a pack you could download to have all the key components for the adventure handy on your device.
I think all of this would be awesome, but I only have my own opinion to judge by, so I wanted to ask what people are more interested in:
* Online play with a Virtual Table.
* Applications like those above to make Offline play more convenient.
Or, y'know, something else entirely.
