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Matt12
May 18th, 2010, 03:00
Not sure where to post this so posting it here -

Couple things people I play with and I'd like to see (if possible) in future versions of FGII -
(1) Allow bell to ding on GMs turn.

(2) Allow GMs to target tokens with colored dice rings like players can. Instead of having to drag over that targeting circle.

(3) Remove ALL targeting circles when the Turn Complete button is hit.

Oberoten
May 18th, 2010, 08:56
It'd probably help if you told what ruleset you are talking about?

- Obe

Moon Wizard
May 19th, 2010, 21:38
It looks like he is referring to 4E, which is the only one with host targeting.

A couple questions/thoughts:

1. Can you clarify the GM bell ring? Ring on NPC turn? or on any PC/NPC turn?

2. I would love to do this, but there are some challenges, both technical and interface.
* What color should be used for GM targeting? (same for all NPCs? different for each NPC?) If all the same color, then how can you tell who is targeting whom? If different colors, how do you manage NPC colors without making it a headache?
* When should the targeting be displayed? (always? only on NPC turn? what about opportunity attacks? How does the ruleset know when to display vs. not display?)
* Token click support (requires FG change)

3. I'll add this to the wish list as a client option. Should it remove at the beginning or end of player's turn?

Cheers,
JPG

Sigurd
May 19th, 2010, 21:57
I'd think a DM ability to remove all targeting circles and an option to specify that in the combat tracker would do the trick.

As to colours etc I don't think you have enough. I think you could use the same set of colours and maybe Triangle outlines positioned inside of the token circles. It would obscure the token somewhat but I think that players would be perpetually confused with more circles. Perhaps you could put the initiative number in the Triangle at the beginning of the round. The numbers could be in the colour of their status on the combat tracker Red for Enemy, Green for Friend etc.... that would leave you colour choice for the triangle.

Oh and I'd love all these improvements to percolate down to the D20_JPG ruleset real soon.

Sigurd

Moon Wizard
May 22nd, 2010, 07:56
Sigurd,

Not sure I'm following you.

* Which targeting circles do you want to remove as a DM? The client targeting circles? If so, what kind of interface were you thinking? Perhaps a CT menu option?
(BTW, you can currently do this one at a time by clicking on the target icon in the 4E combat tracker)

* I'm not following your comment on other shapes and initiative numbers, other than the fact that I agree about the circle being used too much. The original discussion was about the interface and display of GM targeting on the imagecontrol.

Thanks,
JPG

Lysander
May 22nd, 2010, 15:54
Would it make it easier to show a line from attacker to target instead of colored circle rings. Those of us with a degree of colorblindness (me) sometimes have trouble differentiating the colors. An automatic attack line would be helpful that you could toggle on/off (in any rules set...)

Sigurd
May 22nd, 2010, 23:03
Thanks for the interest,

I am envisaging two things.

1. A 'condition' toggle in the combat tracker at the end\beginning of round. Choices: a (no change), b (All player targeting disabled every round) to force retargeting, c,d,e - expansion or controls depending on stuff below.

2. A unified display design that works for the DM and player. You might hide aspects from the player but it still has to be organized for the DM's perspective.

So the tokens as the DM Sees them:

a) Existing Target Circles - what you have is mostly great but I'd like to have a companion keyboard key necessary for targeting. My players are always targeting each other etc.... No other circle overlays - lets try to keep this simple.

b) A triangle outline overlay positioned just inside of the targeting circle with the colours currently available except Red, Green and Yellow. This would be for the DM to use for Targeting, perhaps with her own key.

c) A number overlay drawn from the combat tracker at the center of the token in the colour of the aggression status from the tracker. This would be automatically reset from the living entries at the beginning of the round. All the 'Good Guys' are green, their enemies Red, anyone else would be yellow.
In the DM preferences, there'd be a little check, 'remove disabled foes' or some such and then the numbering would skip them. You also might have a flag for 'almost dead' or something. This might be sharable with the players at discretion. If possible, some sort of tombstone icon might replace the numbering when they fall from the tracker - this might be shared. The players might be limited to allied or player, almost dead flags.



This way the DM can look at the map to know who goes next and if they've targeted anyone. The players won't automatically know because they, perhaps, can't see the triangles.


That would be a system I'd like to see. Of course my perspective is based on the D20_JPG ruleset so there are probably advances, examples and features I'm not familiar with.

Sigurd

Moon Wizard
May 23rd, 2010, 21:08
How would you target with a keyboard key (i.e. how do you identify target when user presses key)? Or are you saying that you would prefer that a modifier key is required for targeting (such as holding the SHIFT key while clicking the mouse)?

Cheers,
JPG

Sigurd
May 23rd, 2010, 21:11
The second. It might even work well to use the shift key.

As it stands you're targeting everything you touch to move other tokens etc..


And while we are on the topic, this is just a wish. I'd like a condition that is 'possessed'. A last graphic option that would flood the inner circle with a solid overlay in the colour of their aggression (red, green, yellow). I don't really need to remove player control of the character but if they have been rendered antagonistic or stunned for 5 rounds, I'd like the tracker to mark it so.

miniwheat
November 1st, 2010, 14:26
Marking is a big feature of the 4.0 ruleset. There are many marks by different classes and monsters. Typically no mark can co-exist with another (there probably are a few exceptions but this post isnt about the exceptions).

As a DM, I have my players edit their marks to make it easier to see who has what marked in the tracker. This edited mark looks like:

Marked; (player name)

The semicolon allows the marked effect to work mechanically in the program while also allowing anyone to see who has what marked on the tracker.

I would like to see the marks work this way automatically for monsters and characters when applied. I can edit them myself after applying the mark but this is tedious and time consuming (currently FG2 keeps and applies any and every mark on a creature which isnt correct with game mechanics).

I would also like to see a new mark override an older mark automatically. If FG2 deleted an older mark (even by different characters/monsters) automatically it would be a great benefit to the players, DM and the program itself.

Previously the players were able to edit the tracker entries on the client side for themselves so they could track what creature had them marked but this option seems to have been lost in the newest version of the program.

Moon Wizard
November 1st, 2010, 20:22
All effects already have a source value for the creature who applied the mark. Currently, it is only visible when the GM looks at the effect details to avoid effect text from overwhelming the interface.

I will add your request to look at mark overriding to the wish list, as well as better visibility of the source when marking.

Cheers,
JPG