D&D 4E Introducing 4eTurnTracker!

[Bunbersnatch]

Hi Maudragon,

Thanks for your feedback!

Action Point counter should work like other counters. At the moment, when you use an Action Point, the Action Point is added to 0.

I agree. I will change this.

I spent some Healing Surges at full Hit Points to adjust the remaining number of Healing Surges for the upcoming encounter. In Apply Conditions and Effects dialog, Healing group, you can decrease HS number with a stepper, but the HP stepper look to be changing as well, even if you are at maximum hit points. On the reverse, if you increase the HS stepper, hit points (HS) seem to be reducing by multiples of surge value. If you are at maximum HP, you should remain at the maximum value, no matter how many surges you spend. Of course, when you click OK to exit this dialog the number of hit points is correct since no change is applied, but you should review the way HS and HP steppers interact.

In the Apply Conditions and Effects dialog, Healing group, you indicate how many healing surges are to be used, and the total HP you gain. When you change the number number of HS used, the number of regained HP is set to a multiple of the Surge Value. After that, the HP value can be adjusted up or down (for example a cleric add 1d6 to the HS value).

The dialog show the total HP healed, so that if it is above Max HP, you can much of your Healing Surges you are "wasting".

The dialog is optimized for quick healing during combat. If you just want to use a HS without regaining HP, then you have to explicitly set the HP value to zero, after you have set the number of HS to use.

When you roll initiative, the Initiative dialog is not so easy to read. You could replace it with a vertical table and you should display separate columns for the die roll, the initiative bonus/penalty, and the total result. In my opinion, the initiative modifier in round brackets is not that clear. I rolled initiative many times and I was not sure if the bonus was applied or not.

I will consider a different layout. For the moment, I really must document the following:

The value in the input box is the initiative value rolled by the program, with the initiative modifier already added. i.e. 1d20 + initiative modifier. This dialog is optimized for the input of the character rolled initiative values. The DM can just accept this values for the monsters (and probably does not even have to look at them).

Note that duplicate initiative values are not a problem. The program handles this situation according to the rules. The creature with the higher modifier will go first. If the modifier is also identical then TT will randomly pick one of the creatures to go first (4e rules say "flip a coin").

I also feel that reporting initiative results in groups is not consistent with the general layout.

I did it like this, because as far as I understand the 4e rules, the DM rolls initiative for monsters in groups, not for each monster individually (i.e. all monster of a particular type get the same initiative). I believe this is done to save the DM time in managing combat. Even though a program like TT makes managing individual initiative possible, I'd say it is still easier and quicker for the DM to play, for example, all Goblin Archers at once.

In Apply Conditions and Effects dialog, group Bonus/Penalty you could add an additional checkbox to select all the defenses (AC, Fort, Refl, Will) at once.

Good idea. The dialog is already quite wide, so I will have to think about how I can fit this in.

I think you could enter an option to leave dead creatures in the list. Now dead creatures are removed at 0 or lower hit points. You could leave them in the list disabled or in gray.

OK.

Moreover, you should also notify the DM that the creature is going to be removed from the list when the selected damage is applied (hit points 0 or below 0).

Good idea. There is plenty of space for this, so I will indicate the effect on the HP total in the dialog.

You need to optionally mark minion creatures (at least for the DM). You could add a visual clue or a label in the creature box.

Minion is a "group role", which should be listed on the creature information box (e.g. Level 7 Minion Skirmisher). But otherwise, in general it would be nice to have a few more visual clues.

You could add a select all when selecting party members in Pick the Party dialog. Now you must select all the party members one by one.

Yes, OK.

Concealment, Total Concealment, Partial Cover, and Superior Cover conditions are missing.

Indeed! I will add those.

Generally speaking, the combat moved fast.

This is one of my top priorities for the program. I want the DM to be able to manage combat with as few clicks as possible!

Group 1: Next Turn, Delay Turn, Ready Action, Jump In
Group 2: Action (was Apply Effects), Show/Hide Creature
Group 3: Step Back, Start/Stop Encounter, Step Forward
Group 4: Short Rest, Extended Rest
Group 5: Show/Hide Players Window
Group 6: Select Party, Load Encounter, Add Monsters

This grouping makes sense, but 6 groups will involve a lot of dividers. I will have to see how it looks.

I would start with the buttons used during combat and then the encounter preparation buttons.

It may make sense to have 2 pallets for buttons so that the user can remove the non-combat buttons (and just use the menus).

Marked is a good candidate for right click.

Good idea!

Thanks again!

 

[Arlough]

I love the fact that this program keeps a log of the battle.
In that vein, I would love to see just a simple note line in the conditions dialog where you could (if you wanted to) type in a quick note saying what it was that the character did, like "Magic Missile" or "Intimidate check".

That nitpick aside, this looks very promising.

What is this written in, and are there any plans to port it to Linux?

 

[Bunbersnatch]

I love the fact that this program keeps a log of the battle.
In that vein, I would love to see just a simple note line in the conditions dialog where you could (if you wanted to) type in a quick note saying what it was that the character did, like "Magic Missile" or "Intimidate check".

Interesting idea. But the Effects dialog is already quite cluttered so I would add it as an additional option.

What is this written in, and are there any plans to port it to Linux?

The program is written in C++ using Qt, so porting to Linux would be easy.

 

[ren1999]

Today I added;

a Combat Sequence summary

summaries of damage conditions as found in the Essential Rules Compendium

a bloodied status that appears next to the current hit points when they are equal to or half the maximum hit points

the rolls now show natural 20s

combat targets are selected by either pc or npc targets only

next, I'm thinking of adding a Recharge Roll.

only tested in the latest Firefox for Linux and PC
http://kira3696.tripod.com/CombatTracker.rar

take any code you want.

 

[Bunbersnatch]

take any code you want.

Thanks, but I can't use any of your code because your program is written using DHTML, JavaScript 'n stuff. 4eTurnTracker is written in C++.

So the programs are in 2 completely different worlds .

But, ren1999, why don't you check it out for yourself? ... 4eTurnTracker Download

 

[ren1999]

But, ren1999, why don't you check it out for yourself? ... 4eTurnTracker Download

Very nice. I like how you handle conditions and ongoing.

 

[Firebeetle]

Thank you. I really appreciate your program and I really appreciate it's price. Nice work.

 

[Bunbersnatch]

Thank you. I really appreciate your program and I really appreciate it's price. Nice work.

My pleasure! Can I quote you on my web-site?

The question also applies to anyone else on this thread...

 

[Arlough]

My pleasure! Can I quote you on my web-site?

The question also applies to anyone else on this thread...

You have my permission to quote anything I say on these threads.
Even if it makes me sound extremely stupid, it is something I did say and I will own up to saying it.

 

[Bunbersnatch]

I have just released a new version of 4eTurnTracker.

The most important addition to the program is a "Monster Manager" Window, but the release also includes a number of changes suggested on this thread.

The Monster Manager Window is used to create Monsters and Encounters. Monsters can be created by copying and pasting a Monster Stat Block from the Compendium, Adventure Tools or some other source. Encounters can be built easily with a few clicks, but try it out yourself: 4eTurnTracker Download

With the permission of Fiery Dragons Productions I am shipping a set of counters for use as Portrait images along with the other sample Data included with the program.

The counter collection, called "Castle of Shadows" (free PDF), includes all the counters you need for the adventure: Keep on the Shadowfell by WotC.

Pretty cool: use the same images on the board, and in the program!