DM Encounter Helper - updated to v0.7

[insideru]

Found a nasty bug this weekend while playing. T'is all fixed now.

Also taking the opportunity to announce that v0.7 is in the works for a couple of days now. The update will bring some more interesting features, like loading PC data from Character Builder (.dnd4e) files, loading NPC data from Monster Builder saved files or the online Compendium. The application will also feature a new auto-update system.

 

[insideru]

Well 0.7 is released. It feels a little rushed, but I'm way too excited with the new stuff in there. The Compendium loading could only be tested on the free side of it, hope it works all ok. If anyone here uses this and has a DDI account, can you please let me know if logging-loading non free monsters work.

Enjoy the new version, and, as always, feel free to post bugs, requests, boos, or anything at all
Insideru

 

[Corwynn Maelstrom]

Well 0.7 is released. It feels a little rushed, but I'm way too excited with the new stuff in there. The Compendium loading could only be tested on the free side of it, hope it works all ok. If anyone here uses this and has a DDI account, can you please let me know if logging-loading non free monsters work.

Enjoy the new version, and, as always, feel free to post bugs, requests, boos, or anything at all
Insideru

The importing of a creature from the compendium half succeeds. It does add the stats for the creature, however it a) grays out the add creature "+" sign at the bottom right of the creatures, and b) removes all the "<" signs to the left of the creatures.

I have yet to be able to test the add via .monster file because, well, I simply can't FIND the .monster files.

 

[Corwynn Maelstrom]

Further issues:

Adding enough things to an encounter to make the window exceed the desktop resolution causes compression and loss of the bottommost data.

This means in a BIG fight (20 monsters for example) I can completely lose the PCs, and the buttons, and the round counter, etc.

Granted, that's on a netbook . . . but was there ever a better use for a netbook than sitting at a DM's side? Ultra portable without sacrificing any ability to type fast and access things like videos, music, etc.

(Basically the app just needs the ability to scroll.)

(As a note, on my desktop I can manage the full 20, which means that MOST people using a desktop, or even a larger laptop can do that.)

Furthermore: max PC slots of 6? Why? I know for a fact that there are gaming groups that have upwards of 12 people playing. I used to do a 2e game with 15 people involved, and sometimes almost everyone made the session.

In Addition: The popout stats (for characters imported) will not fully render in 1920x1080 . . . granted, only the very bottom is cutoff, and the buttons are still usable, but that's a pretty sizeable desktop resolution, and it's larger than the monitor I was using until I upgraded, and larger than the majority of gamer's monitors. (Barely 30% of gamers even have a monitor of 1600x1200 or larger resolution!)

At present, there is nowhere for those flyouts to go on many systems. Particularly on systems that have small screens, such as those you would want to use (or be able to use, given portability) during a gaming session.

I would suggest coding for a resolution of 1024x600, which is the "norm" for netbooks. Compartmentalize your data so it is possible to scroll around inside the app itself. Make the flyouts a part of the main window (for example, in the inventory section you have plenty of room, as the list itself could easily scroll), or reformat them an fly them out in a more narrow format to the left hand side of the app (since that's where the buttons are) . . . this would allow a netbook to display the data.

Nice work. Keep it up.

 

[insideru]

The importing of a creature from the compendium half succeeds. It does add the stats for the creature, however it a) grays out the add creature "+" sign at the bottom right of the creatures, and b) removes all the "<" signs to the left of the creatures..

a)+b) are intended features. The program blocks those buttons while it connects and downloads the monster page from the compendium. After the download is complete, the buttons SHOULD be back to the way they were. Now, this problem happens AFTER you logged to DDI and when trying to load a monster that requires auth? I just don't have a DDI account yet and didn't have a way to test it. All i can say is that if you do load a monster that doesn't require auth, they do come back to normal, gonna check the code tho ... maybe i missed something.

I have yet to be able to test the add via .monster file because, well, I simply can't FIND the .monster files.

The .monster files are outputted by the WotC Monster Builder, part of the Adventure Tools. I am still working on importing this file and successfully creating a monster block, as atm it only imports data for the main window of the program.

On to the second post, i am aware the size of the program now exceeds normal boundaries. The refitting of the whole thing will take a while to code, actually it requires a full UI recode. The integration into the 1024x600 resolution will be a hard thing to achieve with the current layout, so i will need to think of a new way of building an encounter. I tended to use scrollbars long ago, but i eventual changed my mind as i like to see all the monster's data without pushing any buttons, clicking 10 times. This is actually the line i am trying to code dmeh onto ... minimum program usage, maximum fun time.

Well after all this, i can say that probably there will be a 0.7.1 that will add monster blocks from .monster files, then i will start reworking the UI and the whole program, and hope for 1.0.

Thanks a lot for your input, greatly appreciated,
Ins

 

[Corwynn Maelstrom]

My point is that I have a DDI subscription and have the adventure tools installed, but even after modifying and saving a monster I cannot find a .monster file on my PC.

 

[insideru]

My point is that I have a DDI subscription and have the adventure tools installed, but even after modifying and saving a monster I cannot find a .monster file on my PC.

Oh ... hehe ... in MB if you have a modified monster (listed in green) there is a new option on top of the list, right hand side, that says Export XML (Disk and arrow out icon). Use that to export your monster as a .monster file.

 

[Corwynn Maelstrom]

I think it's cool that you are working on something that is a simpler version of what others have done. Makes it nice for those folks who don't want all the complexity.

I think after looking at the options that I have been able to find that I will end up using VCC and DMEH in a session each and seeing which one I find works better for my group.

If I run into any more issues or have any more ideas I will make sure to post them.

 

[insideru]

I think it's cool that you are working on something that is a simpler version of what others have done. Makes it nice for those folks who don't want all the complexity.

I think after looking at the options that I have been able to find that I will end up using VCC and DMEH in a session each and seeing which one I find works better for my group.

If I run into any more issues or have any more ideas I will make sure to post them.

Great thanks for the support. Btw, how did the monsters that require subscription work? I built the entire class kind'of guessing what will happen. Did it logged you in and loaded your monsters correctly? Are the arrow and plus buttons appearing back as intended after you login?

 

[Corwynn Maelstrom]

Yes, they are working after login. I can only assume that the issue is the first time you log in, at which point you'll need to exit the program and return afterwards.