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<blockquote data-quote="artmc" data-source="post: 293405" data-attributes="member: 2324">RE: Does anyone have E-Tools yet? (LONG)Okay, Install wise the app is a breeze, maybe 4 minutes total and that included me playing around with the install directory.&nbsp; Very simple install, but some form of install instructions need/should be in the &quot;package&quot;.Note:&nbsp; You must have the CD in the drive for the app to function.&nbsp; This is obviously for copy protection, but none the less something to remember.The app itself is very attractive and relatively simple to use.&nbsp; I created a character or two with little effort.&nbsp; Very basic characters, but a nice feel for the program's character generation.&nbsp; The Toolbar icons are generally easy to determine what function they are for.&nbsp; BUT, they do not support any type of mouse-over effect.&nbsp; So no little pop-ups telling what each icon's function is.&nbsp; The icons are pretty easy to understand, so this overall is more a personal thing, than anything.Most of the applets*&nbsp; load very quick, except for the &quot;New Monster&quot; &amp; &quot;Monster Generator&quot; which are all of 10-14 seconds to load.&nbsp; A great travesty this is !!&nbsp; <img src="https://cdn.jsdelivr.net/joypixels/assets/8.0/png/unicode/64/1f600.png" class="smilie smilie--emoji" loading="lazy" width="64" height="64" alt=":D" title="Big grin&nbsp; &nbsp; :D"&nbsp; data-smilie="8"data-shortname=":D" />&nbsp;&nbsp; (jk)Unlike &quot;Character Generator&quot; bundled with the PHB, this does not take control of your screen and resize it to some other resolution (800x600 I believe).&nbsp; Now you can choose to run eTools in a 'maximized' window, but the images do not resize, they just move to the upper left portion of the screen.&nbsp; The images do not resize or adjust scale.&nbsp; The individual applets are not re sizable (by right clicking the title bar and selecting 'resize', by double clicking the title bar, or trying to grab&amp;drag the borders).&nbsp; The &quot;New Character&quot; applet includes *10* different dice rolling/generation methods.Each applet is color coded and easy to read, though the light blue is a tiny bit distracting over all the colors aren't that bad.&nbsp; Now that I look at it again, the &quot;Treasure&quot; color does annoy me.&nbsp; Overall I would have picked different colors, but nothing here to make me destroy the CD/App in disgust.Along with the inability to resize applets, there is something that I find a bit 'odd'.&nbsp; You can only have one applet open at a time.&nbsp; If your in the &quot;New Character&quot;, you cannot also be in say: &quot;New Monster&quot;.&nbsp; Strangely enough, if your in the Generator section, you can open up all of the other applets, but not vice-versa.&nbsp; Very odd indeed.So far that's as far as I've been into the app.&nbsp; I believe it will have a very good value for the money.&nbsp; I would think most DM's will find it useful and it is a good tool in the DM's arsenal.&nbsp; Player's who don't DM will find it of less use.A few additional things, the print preview open's 2 separate windows, one that&nbsp; is a nice clear view of the character and one with the page breaks handled for ease of printing.&nbsp; The &quot;New Character&quot; applet, just like the &quot;Character Generator&quot; bundled with the PHB prints a section that is for the DM, to show just how you tried to minmax that new character of yours.&nbsp; Though eTool's produces a separate page that is to be handed to your DM for approval.Rating:&nbsp; 3.8 out of 5&nbsp; (no exacting micrometer measurable scale, just my opinion)&nbsp; Reason:&nbsp; Some of the small things annoy me, and will bother others.&nbsp; Some of the small things that will bother others may not annoy me.&nbsp; So make of this what you will.PS:&nbsp; Eric, I would love to read/post to Fluid's board, but all I get it is the following error:<a href="http://www.fluidnet.com/cgi/datacgi/database.cgi?file=Forum&amp;report=TopicIndex" target="_blank">http://www.fluidnet.com/cgi/datacgi/database.cgi?file=Forum&amp;report=TopicIndex</a>Error EncounteredNo record specified for editing.I tried Netscape 4.7 &amp; IE 6.0 and I get the same error.*&nbsp; &nbsp;&nbsp; I am using the term 'applet' because when every an icon is clicked a new window is spawned each time.&nbsp; Which is as good a definition of 'applet' as I can think of.&nbsp; &nbsp; &nbsp; &nbsp; &nbsp; &nbsp; &nbsp; &nbsp; &nbsp; &nbsp; &nbsp; &nbsp; &nbsp; &nbsp; &nbsp; &nbsp; &nbsp; * Art *Comments AND corrections are most welcome !!!</blockquote>

[QUOTE="artmc, post: 293405, member: 2324"] [b]RE: Does anyone have E-Tools yet? (LONG)[/b] Okay, Install wise the app is a breeze, maybe 4 minutes total and that included me playing around with the install directory. Very simple install, but some form of install instructions need/should be in the "package". Note: You must have the CD in the drive for the app to function. This is obviously for copy protection, but none the less something to remember. The app itself is very attractive and relatively simple to use. I created a character or two with little effort. Very basic characters, but a nice feel for the program's character generation. The Toolbar icons are generally easy to determine what function they are for. BUT, they do not support any type of mouse-over effect. So no little pop-ups telling what each icon's function is. The icons are pretty easy to understand, so this overall is more a personal thing, than anything. Most of the applets* load very quick, except for the "New Monster" & "Monster Generator" which are all of 10-14 seconds to load. A great travesty this is !! :D (jk) Unlike "Character Generator" bundled with the PHB, this does not take control of your screen and resize it to some other resolution (800x600 I believe). Now you can choose to run eTools in a 'maximized' window, but the images do not resize, they just move to the upper left portion of the screen. The images do not resize or adjust scale. The individual applets are not re sizable (by right clicking the title bar and selecting 'resize', by double clicking the title bar, or trying to grab&drag the borders). The "New Character" applet includes *10* different dice rolling/generation methods. Each applet is color coded and easy to read, though the light blue is a tiny bit distracting over all the colors aren't that bad. Now that I look at it again, the "Treasure" color does annoy me. Overall I would have picked different colors, but nothing here to make me destroy the CD/App in disgust. Along with the inability to resize applets, there is something that I find a bit 'odd'. You can only have one applet open at a time. If your in the "New Character", you cannot also be in say: "New Monster". Strangely enough, if your in the Generator section, you can open up all of the other applets, but not vice-versa. Very odd indeed. So far that's as far as I've been into the app. I believe it will have a very good value for the money. I would think most DM's will find it useful and it is a good tool in the DM's arsenal. Player's who don't DM will find it of less use. A few additional things, the print preview open's 2 separate windows, one that is a nice clear view of the character and one with the page breaks handled for ease of printing. The "New Character" applet, just like the "Character Generator" bundled with the PHB prints a section that is for the DM, to show just how you tried to minmax that new character of yours. Though eTool's produces a separate page that is to be handed to your DM for approval. Rating: 3.8 out of 5 (no exacting micrometer measurable scale, just my opinion) Reason: Some of the small things annoy me, and will bother others. Some of the small things that will bother others may not annoy me. So make of this what you will. PS: Eric, I would love to read/post to Fluid's board, but all I get it is the following error: [url]http://www.fluidnet.com/cgi/datacgi/database.cgi?file=Forum&report=TopicIndex[/url] Error Encountered No record specified for editing. I tried Netscape 4.7 & IE 6.0 and I get the same error. * I am using the term 'applet' because when every an icon is clicked a new window is spawned each time. Which is as good a definition of 'applet' as I can think of. * Art * Comments AND corrections are most welcome !!! [/QUOTE]

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