D&D 4E Introducing 4eTurnTracker!

[Bundersnatch]

Hi Ferghis,

I have updated the documentation, so that will help with some examples and details.

Preparing the powers beforehand is fairly straightforward for Characters. You can do this in the Character Creator Window. Import a recent .dnd4e export for each of your PCs. Then click on the power (in the Character Creator window) and add the Conditions and Effects in the Hit, Miss and Effect areas.

This is described in the documentation, but if you have any questions, then please ask! Then I will know how I can improve the docs.

Preparing Monster powers is not so easy, because this must be done in the main Initiative Window. To do this, make sure an encounter is not running. Then go to the "File" menu and select "Add Monster...". Select the monster you want to program. When it is in the initiative list, double-click on the monster. Make sure you are in the "Programmable Power Dialog" (button in title bar of the dialog).

Select a power from the "Powers" popup. Now you can add Conditions and Effects to the Miss, Hit and Effect areas. Click on the "Save Changes" button when you are done (for each power you program - changes are lost if you switch to a different power).

I plan to add program-ability to the Monster Manager window, to avoid this inconvenience.

But basically I expected that users would prepare the PC powers, but program the monster power "on-the-fly". This actually saves the most time because you may not even use all monster powers before a monster dies.

Programming on-the-fly means programming the powers as you use them in combat. The best way to do this is to click on the power when a monster uses the power (you do this, whether the power is pre-programmed or not).

Then, you add the Conditions and Effects as usual to the Hit, Miss and Effect areas. In combat, you also select the targets for the Hit, Miss and Effect areas. In combat you also enter the correct amount of damage, and the correct amounts for healing. Programming a power like this can be really fast, especially if you use the keyboard short-cuts.

Now, when you press OK on the dialog, the Effects are applied to the targets, and the stuff you programmed for the power are also saved! So, then next time a monster uses the power, you don't have to add all the items again.

Hope that helps, but, as I mentioned above: let me know where there are holes in my explanation/documentation.

 

[Bundersnatch]

4eTurnTracker 2.0 implements "programmable" PC Powers

(Since I have just discovered that this, my old and original thread, lives again I though I would make this post for anyone following this thread)

So, download the latest 2.0 Beta version and try out the programmable powers.

How to use it is best explained in the documentation.

And you can catch up on anything you may have missed by reading the news.

 

[Ferghis]

Hope that helps, but, as I mentioned above: let me know where there are holes in my explanation/documentation.

I'm going to be terrible at this, since my MO is to fumble around with the software until I sigh and then go look at the documentation, if at all. But, scrolling through it, it looks really nice.

 

[Jan van Leyden]

I've tried a new version of 4eTurnTracker (2.0.0.7) to evaluate it for my games.

My main interest in the test was the programming of powers in order to ease the bookkeeping burden at the table.

The first problem appeared with the Fighter 1 Encounter Power "Hack an Hew". It allows the fighter to perform a second attack against a different target, when the first one has been successful. How would I code the damage formula for the second attack? On the Effect tab? Then I could select the new target, right?

But what about powers with even more separate attacks?

Another point is the Invigorating keyword of H&H. It gives the Fighter temp HP on a successful attack, but only once per turn, even if both attacks hit.

All in all I'd need to assign three different targets for this power. I didn't find a way to do this, but you probably know how it's done.

 

[Bundersnatch]

How would I code the damage formula for the second attack? On the Effect tab? Then I could select the new target, right?

But what about powers with even more separate attacks?

Currently powers are limited to 3 different target groups (Hit, Miss and Effect) in order to keep things as simple as possible.

In general, if the 3 groups are not sufficient, I recommend duplicating powers to add the additional effects. For example you could duplicate the "Hack and Hew" power, and call the copy: "Hack and Hew - Secondary Attack". You then program the secondary attack part in this "power", and use it when the secondary attack is activated.

But, of course, before you do this you should use the 3 target groups as creatively as possible.

For example, for "Hack and Hew", I recommend the following:

Edit the header of the power and set "Targets (Hit and Miss)" to "Enemies" and number to "zero to 2". Then set "Effected Creatures" to "Allies" and number to "zero to 1" (I need to improve this so you can specify "Self, 0 or 1").

Now add damage to the "Hit" and the "Miss" areas, and add healing (setting the Temp HP) to the "Effect" area.

For the "Hit" area you will select the primary target if hit, and in the "Miss" area you will select the "Secondary" target if hit. This has the additional advantage of ensuring that the same target is not taken for the primary and secondary target (because Hit and Miss are ensured to be mutually exclusive).

In the "Effect" area you will select the "[Self]", creature, if an enemy is hit.

The quickest way to use the power is to use CTRL-G (the GO button) to take you through the process of selecting the targets, and entering the damage amounts. Then hit ENTER when you are done.

Finally, you need to decide which method suites you best:

1. Select all targets (from all potential targets) and then sort them into hit and miss groups. Using this method with "Hack and Hew" you would select 2 targets in the "Hit" area. Then when you switch to the "Miss" area, you would pick one of the already selected targets.

2. Select the creatures hit from all potential targets, and the select the creatures missed from all potential targets. Using this method with "Hack and Hew" you would select a single target in the "Miss" area, and a single target in the "Hit" area.

By default, method (1) above is used. If you prefer (2), the you need to change the way targets are selected in the "Miss" area. Do this by selecting the "Miss" tab, and then clicking on the small button with a down arrow, just above the pick boxes. Then select the "Select from all potential Targets" option.

Note that this setting is global, and will apply to how you select targets for all powers.

 

[Jan van Leyden]

Currently powers are limited to 3 different target groups (Hit, Miss and Effect) in order to keep things as simple as possible.

In general, if the 3 groups are not sufficient, I recommend duplicating powers to add the additional effects. For example you could duplicate the "Hack and Hew" power, and call the copy: "Hack and Hew - Secondary Attack". You then program the secondary attack part in this "power", and use it when the secondary attack is activated.

I had this idea myself, but rejected it because of "missing elegance". And it would introduce the chance of problems with the availabilty: real users never behave as you expected them to.

What about adding a function which allows you to chain several powers? One could link this "Hack and Hew - Secondary Attack" from the Hit tab. If the first attack hits and you apply damage using the Hit tab, the secondary attack power is triggered.

But, of course, before you do this you should use the 3 target groups as creatively as possible.

(...)

So the tabs Hit, Miss, and Effect are essentially the same? What I can do one one tab, I could do on another tab as well without any difference?

I assumed that the handling of the programming on the tabs would differ somehow. If that's not the case, creative solutions are indeed possible.

Thanks for the help and the 4eTurnTracker!

 

[Bundersnatch]

What about adding a function which allows you to chain several powers? One could link this "Hack and Hew - Secondary Attack" from the Hit tab. If the first attack hits and you apply damage using the Hit tab, the secondary attack power is triggered.

Maybe this is the solution. I am certainly looking for a simple but powerful concept, to handle the more complicated powers.

But I am weary of implementing any kinds of triggers. Even one as simple as "target hit". Of course, in the case of "Hack and Hew", the secondary attack always applies, whether the first attack misses or not, which makes this case simple.

Another possibility would be to add some more tabs which would be labelled "Secondary Attack" and "Tertiary Attack". But then I might also need "Secondary Miss" ...

So the tabs Hit, Miss, and Effect are essentially the same? What I can do one one tab, I could do on another tab as well without any difference?

I assumed that the handling of the programming on the tabs would differ somehow.!

The only difference is the Miss tab has 2 extra features:

1. It can handle half-damage automatically.
2. Targets added to the Miss list are automatically removed from the Hit list.

So yes, if you keep this in mind, then the Miss tag can be used for anything you like.