AD&D Ruleset

[vodokar]

I agree with you, Andraax. That is why, whenever possible, when I have hard coded things like attribute bonuses, saving throws etc., I have also provided a mini-modifier so that you can overide/adjust the number to suit a house rule, magic item bonus or whatever. I've done that wherever and whenever possible. Between mini-modifiers, misc modifier boxes and the built in die roll modifier box, no one should feel locked into anything. Again, if there is an area you would like to see expanded upon with options, let me know. I'll do what I can.

I don't see where your going with this. The choice isn't automation or having to fill things out completely manually. There is a middle ground. Nonetheless, it is not unreasonable to expect as the default baseline for a ruleset for it to follow the rules as written for a game. 5e is so automated that it almost plays the game for you -- and people hold that up as the gold standard. Mine will never approach that level, because I am not Moon Wizard. So, you've nothing to worry about there.

[vodokar]

Andraax raised some good points. And I just wanted to take a moment to say a couple of things, just to make sure things are crystal clear.

Firstly, I appreciate your comments Andraax. I could likely choose to take them one of two ways, negative or postive.... I am choosing to stay positive and assuming that is the spirit you meant them, which is in being helpful and guiding me in a direction that makes the ruleset more useful to yourself and others. As I said, I don't come here to this community, ever, with a spirit trying to get into arguments with anyone. I have opinions, to be sure, and some might be strong, but in voicing mine, I still respect others opinions and them.

In saying that, I also have stated that I do, in fact, agree with the points you were making, even if I feel you could have made your points with a hair more politeness. Nonetheless, it never has been my intention to lock someone into, as you call it, my interpretation of the rules. My intention has been, and still is, and always will be, to provide a baseline, default, out of the box, experience that is faithful to rules as written for Gygax style 1st edition AD&D. That is the default.

That does not mean that options can't and won't be provided to stray from that baseline. It doesn't mean that it's my way or the highway. Where in this entire thread did I ever say that? Throughout this thread, I have petitioned the player base to provide input on improvements and additions. If there is something you don't like, speak your voice, I will listen. Present your ideas and I will try to work with them. That can be done while still meeting the intent of a faithful baseline experience of authentic 1st edition AD&D.

The thing about house rules, is that they are exactly that, house rules. I may know about what house rules I used in my house, but I don't know what you used in yours. Especially in those early days, different regions of the country were doing different things. So, if you want house rules added, you need to explain what you might want.

Lastly, just so everyone is clear about something. I know not everyone here has experience with actually coding of Fantasy Grounds with xml and lua. Andraax's interpretation of what I have said about how numbers automatically get filled in means that that locks you into not being able to override them and input your own is simply not how it works.

This is how it actually works. The programmer sets up what is known as a database handler which actively looks for changes in a database item, we'll call it Item A. He tells the program that when Item A changes, change Item B. If you change item A, item B changes. If you don't change Item A, then item B does not change. If you manually change item B, then you have just over ridden the automatic value that the program gave item B when item A was input. Nothing prevents the user from going in and hand modifying item B, if that is what he wanted to do.

Now, that is not really the ideal way to do it though, because the next time you update item A, item B will automatically change to be what the program thinks it should be. That is why a programmer also gives the user a way to input his desired modification to item B without actually changing the value of it directly. This is in the form of the mini-modifier box (that little plus sign that you often see next to number boxes on a character sheet). That allows the user to manually over ride the value without interfering with the actual database value of the item.

Let's give a couple of concrete examples, just in case that was too technical.

On the character sheet, item A is "character level" and item B is "character class" and item C is "spell saving throw". Item D is "spell saving throw mini-modifier".

The user sets item A to be level 5. He types into item B that he is a cleric. The program does a look up and adjusts item C to be 14. The user looks at it and says, it's not supposed to be a 14 because we are using a houserule. It is supposed to be a 12. So, he control mouse wheels the value of item D to be -2. The value of C now displays as being 12.

That functionality has been built in since day 1. It is a misunderstanding if you thought you were locked into not being able to over ride the value. It is a misunderstanding if you think I am trying to make people play my way.

A second example. This one is a nonstandard one, because I wasn't able to put in the mini-modifier function. But, it still shows how you can over ride the value to be whatever you want.

On the NPC sheet, item A is "Hit Die String". Item B is "Save As" and item C is "spell saving throw".

You create a new npc for a Troll. You input his "Hit Die String" into item A as being 6 (d8+6). You leave item B blank, because he saves as a fighter, which is the default value. Item C changes to show that he has a saving throw of 13 (6 hit die bumped up to 8 hit die because of the +6 hit points looked up on the fighter table). Your the DM, so if you feel that you want to give the Troll's spell saving throw a stronger value, go right ahead. Just change it directly to be 11, or whatever you feel like. In this case, item C (spell saving throw) won't change again unless you actually go in and manually change the value of item A (hit die string) or item B (Save As).

Clear? So, your point about not locking in the player/dm has already been addressed. It's built in. House rule it to your heart's content. If in the future I tell you about how a feature fills out something automatically, don't assume that means you can't over ride it if you want to. You can.

[vodokar]

Yeah! I just leveled. Combat Tracker, your secrets are now mine!

Continuing work on the npc Saving Throw subsystem, I made great progress tonight. Finished the saving throws for monsters on npc sheet. Then, proceeded to unlock the knowledge of how to crosslink the saving throws and saving throw rolls to the combat tracker.

Attachment 18610

This was a huge leap forward for me, as previously, I couldn't follow the logic behind how the combat tracker cross linked the data. It's very convoluted, but finally got it figured out.

I should have a new update ready by next week.

[damned]

sweet work sir!

[Myrdin Potter]

Ruleset keeps getting better and better.

[taoistpunk]

Yeah! I just leveled. Combat Tracker, your secrets are now mine!

Continuing work on the npc Saving Throw subsystem, I made great progress tonight. Finished the saving throws for monsters on npc sheet. Then, proceeded to unlock the knowledge of how to crosslink the saving throws and saving throw rolls to the combat tracker.

Attachment 18610

This was a huge leap forward for me, as previously, I couldn't follow the logic behind how the combat tracker cross linked the data. It's very convoluted, but finally got it figured out.

I should have a new update ready by next week.

Nice...this will make creating oppositional NPC's and using them in battles much simpler.

Perhaps not a good thing for you though

[vodokar]

We may get to use the npc saving throw function this next week, as I have a hold person spell ready for that Ettin.

Just remember that the saving throws won't automatically fill in on a previously created npc unless you somehow modify the hit dice value, so if you have previously created npcs, you'll need to open them up and modify it so that the values can fill in, and then delete and re-add the npc to the combat tracker, if you want the values to populate there properly. Simple backspace or delete and retyping one number in the HD string is sufficient to kick in the automation.

Also, one feature I added:

Reference the discussion about automation, I built in an escape clause, for those that don't want the automation to kick in and fill in the npc saving throws. Prior to typing in the "hit die string", if you type "house" into the "Save As" text field, you will have told the program to skip the code which automatically fills in the saving throw values when you type in the "hit dice string". I don't know if there is anyone that actually wants to do that, but, there you go, it is available.

[Holy_Rage]

Hey there Vodokar, thank you very much for all this amazing work! Would you think that the ruleset would be compatible to a Swords & Wizards game? Cheers and many thanks again!

[vodokar]

Hi, Holy_Rage. You're welcome. I would not recommend trying to use this for S&W.

While S&W isn't too far from AD&D in feel and is historically very close, since it is basically a clone of original D&D as it existed just prior to the release of 1st edition AD&D, there are numerous differences. The combat engine is different. How it handles AC and other defense items are different. Stat bonuses are different. Saving Throws are different. Etc.

While many of the values of those items could be modified on the character sheet using mini-modifiers to modify the values to match what S&W says they should be, the biggest issue would be the combat engine, which uses the AD&D combat matrix and not the S&W combat matrix, so combat would be off.

Zhern has been working on a S&W ruleset for several months now and is likely going to have it ready for release sometime later this year. I would reccomend being patient till he can get you the ruleset specifically and expertly designed for S&W. You can follow his progress here. I play in a game with him every week, so I know for certain he is committed to his project... but, real life sometimes gets in the way, you know.

In the mean time though, should the feeling strike you to try some AD&D occasionally, you'll find this ruleset to be quite faithful to those rules and has that old school feel.

[Holy_Rage]

Thank you for your swift reply, PM sent.