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Does anyone have E-Tools yet?

Sm!rk

First Post
Re: E-Tools... shouldn't be given away, much less sold.

Nice knee-jerk reaction.

Not sure if you've noticed this (that is read the MM) but the monsters you mentioned are characters, they all have a level of warrior. Also humans, elves and dwarves (etc) are "characters" if you run into a non-classed one they will be a warrior by default.

The wands seem to be the same as scrolls, you have to make them. Seems to be about the same case as what is present in the DMG, go figure.

I also highly doubt what you said about skills is true, having seen many cases where they are calculated correctly. Maybe something else is going on that you overlooked. For instance like the two things I just mentioned.



Rooer said:
  • You can't resize the child windows (modal as well).
  • Rings have 0 value in the generate treasure app (bug, fixable)
  • Rods have 0 value in the generate treasure app (bug, fixable)
  • BAB's are listed in reverse order (ie, +2/+7) (bug, fixable?)
  • Weapon Focus isn't taken into account for Attack Bonuses in the stat block
  • Can't make multiclass generated characters.
  • Generate NPC creates NPCs straight from the DMG (Fighters always have EWP: Bastard Sword, etc...)
  • When trying to create a group of monsters (Warband, 4d8), it creates a whole freaking tribe. (bug, fixable?)
  • It counts Orcs, Hobgoblins, Merfolk, Goblins as characters, not monsters (because they're listed as warriors!! uhh... stupid)
  • No such thing as Mithral Shirt +2 or Large Mithral Shield +1?
  • Can't give my PC wands (Rogue with 13 ranks in Use Magical Device) --- none listed.
  • Changing character stats & skills uses a very clunky interface.
  • Does not calculate bonus languages correctly when generating a PC/NPC
  • Does not calculate skill points correctly (forgets to add in INT bonus every level including 1st)
  • Does not calculate HP's correctly (forgets to add CON bonus every level)
  • Incorrectly lists Dwarves inherent magical resistance as +2 reflex save vs spells. PHB (p.15) clearly lists this as +2 save vs Spells & spell-like effects.
  • Can't find any support on their website for this thing.
 

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EricNoah

Adventurer
Rooer, if you can bring your issues over to the Fluid message boards I'll do my best to address them and if I can't the Fluid guys can. Some of the issues you raise don't ring any sort of bell with me as things I've noticed over the past year and I'd like more details.

I'm fully planning on pointing everyone here to go to those forums as answering the same questions in two places isn't very efficient.

On the other hand, if you've already decided this isn't the program for you, then I guess I'm too late!
 

Rooer

First Post
Nice knee-jerk reaction.
And I deserve to feel this way. I paid $30 for software that I am totally unhappy with.
Not sure if you've noticed this (that is read the MM) but the monsters you mentioned are characters, they all have a level of warrior. Also humans, elves and dwarves (etc) are "characters" if you run into a non-classed one they will be a warrior by default.
That's still no excuse for NOT including them in the list of monsters. Why not put them in both places?
The wands seem to be the same as scrolls, you have to make them. Seems to be about the same case as what is present in the DMG, go figure.
Actually, there are quite a few wands in the DMG in a nice little table, so no, you don't have to go and "create" it.
I also highly doubt what you said about skills is true, having seen many cases where they are calculated correctly.
In my experience, I don't generally let little things escape my notice, I also don't lambast something that doesn't deserve it. I assure you that I looked at what options were available.
Maybe something else is going on that you overlooked. For instance like the two things I just mentioned.
You're doing the assuming that I didn't know what I was looking at. I'm still correct in all my points. I didn't say they don't have a reason, they're just not enough to justify "changing" the MM.

Eric, I loved your site, and I wish I could do what you ask, because I believe the only way a developer can make a better product is with feedback. I'd love to give feedback (with a little less feeling obviously). Yeah, I'm mad as heck I blew $30+ on this. But if they can make it better for everyone else that doesn't feel that way because I want a quality product, great. I'd gladly bring my points to them. But their forums don't seem to work (much like their program).

And how can I point out so many BAD things about it (bugs or otherwise) in two hours of going through it than their QA (or lack there-of) couldn't find. No offense Eric, but if you were a Beta tester, I would have expected more out of this product. I know you're a stand-up guy that demands quality.
 
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EricNoah

Adventurer
Well without more specifics I can't really help. I've never seen some of the issues you bring up; other things that "look wrong" to you are actually not wrong. Let me tackle the ones I can without having more info:

Rings have 0 value in the generate treasure app (bug, fixable) -- I can't see this problem anywhere, either in the treasure generator or in the character editor/purchase screen. They all have gp values.

Rods have 0 value in the generate treasure app (bug, fixable) -- ditto. (this is why I need more detail)

BAB's are listed in reverse order (ie, +2/+7) (bug, fixable?) -- Again, I'm going through both monster stats and character stats and am not seeing this.

Weapon Focus isn't taken into account for Attack Bonuses in the stat block -- again, it's working for me -- under what conditions doesn't it work for you?

When trying to create a group of monsters (Warband, 4d8), it creates a whole freaking tribe. (bug, fixable?) -- I'm not seeing where you're generating this at. I can find something called Warband under Generate Table - Hobgoblin - Warband, but am not sure if this is what you're referring to.

No such thing as Mithral Shirt +2 or Large Mithral Shield +1? -- Fluid (as contracted) built the stuff in the DMG. Show me where you can generate those things on the DMG treasure tables. Now, you can go into the house rules area and build these things to your heart's content.

Can't give my PC wands (Rogue with 13 ranks in Use Magical Device) --- none listed. -- wands are "built" based on class/level/spell selections as described in the DMG. Use the "New" button on the purchase screen to see the ways to combine items like this. Same deal with potions and scrolls, btw. This allows you to add new spells in the house rules and then you'll be able to build wands, scrolls, and potions from them.

Does not calculate bonus languages correctly when generating a PC/NPC -- I need details, in my experience it's working ok. Remember there are three ways to get languages (automatic, bonus based on high INT and a list of languages per your race, and spending skill points).

Does not calculate skill points correctly (forgets to add in INT bonus every level including 1st) -- You're encountering a frustrating part of the D&D rules -- INT additions to base scores do not retroactively adjust skill points. In order to hand-enter scores, go to the Roll Stats screen, select the last method called User Entered, and then look way to the right --- you'll see all of the scores are set to 8 and you can user-enter adjustments there that WILL be applied retroactively. But adjustments in that center column (User Adjusted) are not. Agreed, this takes some getting used to.

Does not calculate HP's correctly (forgets to add CON bonus every level) -- more detail needed, I haven't seen this happening.

Incorrectly lists Dwarves inherent magical resistance as +2 reflex save vs spells. PHB (p.15) clearly lists this as +2 save vs Spells & spell-like effects. -- you're right, this is incorrect.

Can't find any support on their website for this thing -- their support is on their message boards. Scott and Eric were in on a Saturday night helping out with things just this weekend. Sorry you can't seem to get through, if you can give me more details like maybe an error message I can take it there and see if it can get fixed.

Other items -- either your opinion, which while certainly valid doesn't mean they "have to change" by any means; or they're items that I myself cannot address.

Finally I should add -- I do know the feeling of not liking software that others are touting as great. PC Gen, after all, just never did it for me -- so much so that I actually preferred to roll characters by hand than to use it. This just might be the same situation with you and eTools.
 
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Abdul Al Hazrad

First Post
Here's a question, how the heck do you check your order status with SV Games? I went to their website and I've gotten nowhere. I ordered weeks ago, and I'd just like to check on where I am in the qeue.
 

EricNoah

Adventurer
Nobody's gotten any kind of automated e-mail from them. I e-mailed them on Friday to verify that they'd in fact gotten my order, and by the time I got a response on Monday I already had my package.

I do have to say the turnaround time on the delivery itself was pretty speedy -- Shipped on Friday, arrived on Monday, not bad at all. And that was with standard delivery.
 

dreadnought

First Post
Has anyone tried to custom create a prestige class yet? Just wondering how my Rogue 6/Sorc 6/Arcane Trickster 2 will pan out when entered into the program!
 
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Pelosan Emperor

First Post
dreadnought said:
Has anyone tried to custom create a prestige class yet? Just wondering how my Rogue 6/Sorc 6/Arcane Trickster 2 will pan out when entered into the program!

It looks like the only classes listed are the ones in the PH and the DMG... nothing from Tome & Blood or any of the other class books.

I didn't find a way to add custom classes, but I may be overlooking something.
 

Pelosan Emperor

First Post
EricNoah said:

Rings have 0 value in the generate treasure app (bug, fixable) -- I can't see this problem anywhere, either in the treasure generator or in the character editor/purchase screen. They all have gp values.

Rods have 0 value in the generate treasure app (bug, fixable) -- ditto. (this is why I need more detail)

--snip--

Does not calculate skill points correctly (forgets to add in INT bonus every level including 1st) -- You're encountering a frustrating part of the D&D rules -- INT additions to base scores do not retroactively adjust skill points. In order to hand-enter scores, go to the Roll Stats screen, select the last method called User Entered, and then look way to the right --- you'll see all of the scores are set to 8 and you can user-enter adjustments there that WILL be applied retroactively. But adjustments in that center column (User Adjusted) are not. Agreed, this takes some getting used to.

Does not calculate HP's correctly (forgets to add CON bonus every level) -- more detail needed, I haven't seen this happening.
--snip--


Eric, I noticed this problem the first time I ran the random treasure generator. A ring of protection was one of the items, and it had a big 0 in the value column. This was the case any time the program generated either a Rod or a Ring.

I tried creating 1st level Human Ranger using the program. The stats included a 13 INT and a 16 CON. When I did the skill points for first level, I had 24 skill points to spend and 8 hit points at first level. I don't have my PH handy... could someone check the math on this?

Thanks!

PE
 

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