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Sorcerer
May 1st, 2011, 18:41
I put in a few hours over Easter the fruits of which you can find attached below extension-patch v2.08 is a cumulative patch containing all previous updates to version v2.0

following the interesting debate about how the combat tracker orders combatants with the same initiative and how to skip dead combatants who have effects which update on their turn, I have made a few alterations to how the CT handles initiative.

the CT will now order combatants by:

1. initiative roll
2. initiative bonus
3. combatant name (alphabetical)
4. Database Node Name

obviously points 3 and 4 are pretty arbitrary and have nothing to to with the game at hand, but they do serve to ensure that the order is set, avoiding the flip-flopping of order previously experience by dr_V, and ensuring that client and host orders are the same

additionally, when the host rolls initiative for 'ALL' or 'NPC's', NPC's and monsters who have zero or less hit points will have there initiative set to zero.
all creatures with zero initiative will have there turn skipped, thus saving the host from having to cycle through lots of dead and dying creatures.
PC's initiative will still be rolled [if roll PC or roll all is selected], even if they are dead or dying, this is in order to give the GM an opportunity to intervene if the story demands it (I suppose most people allow the PC's to roll there own initiative so you can decide what do do in this instance)
obviously the GM can then manually set or roll NPC initiative if he wants their turn to occur, or he can simply roll their dice without a turn if he so chooses.

Effects which would have updated on excluded NPC's turns will now update at the end of every combat round until they expire.
As discussed in a previous thread, the ultimate aim is to divorce effects from their casters allowing them to update independently, and allowing the host to delete dead combatants if he so chooses - but that is for another day as it will require a major rebuild of the whole effects/combat tracker system.


On other fronts, I have included a couple of other things I have had kicking around for a while.

1. XP field added to the bottom of NPC sheets [previously only available for Monsters], this is aimed at the XP for defeating the NPC rather than their own current NPC total. Naturally you are free to put what you like in there, but be aware that the idea behind this (apart from making prep work for GM's and module makers easier) is that at some time in the future the "total Encounter XP " field in the encounters window will be totaled directly from totaling these fields (there will likely be a check box for those that want to opt out of this function)

2. NPC's are now drag/dropable back into the personalities window in order to create 'duplicates' for easy editing to create unique NPC's with similar data.

3. initiative bonus calculation added to the character sheet: calculated based on dex in line with information published in the CKG.
-1 at 1 dex to +6 at 30 dex.

4. Introduced export Character feature. Characters can be exported to adventure or library modules, and then reimported into another campaign (host only)
clicking on the "character selection" name plate reveals a hidden window where module characters can be imported by dragging to the character selection window. Library module characters will also appear on this hidden window, but can also be dragged directly from the library module to the character window. Library modules created as common or client, will be viewable by the players, but drag and drop will not function for then (I still haven't worked out how to do the copying since clients only have read access to the root node of the campaign DB.)
For those making the library modules directly in xml the appropriate window class is "refcharsheet".

For anybody wondering why I didn't have the characters appear directly in the selection window, it's simple. If you do that then they remain in the module database as read only and not visible to players when they log. The dragging action copies the nodes from the module to the campaign database making them visible to and selectable by the players.

5. Added the "Name when Identified" Field to items. When an item is identified. whatever is in this field will be swapped with the name at the top of the sheet. Meaning you can now have "an old wooden staff" for the unidentified object and then have it swap out automatically to "staff of the woodlands" when the item is identified.


I will have only sporadic Internet connection over the next couple of weeks, but as always if you have any problems with this extension please post here and I will try and have a look at it when I have time. In a worse case scenario you can always roll back to v2.076

EDIT: CORRECTED ATTACHMENT [patch v2.08 version 2.0]

following a couple of errors posted later in this thread, please find below a corrected version of this patch. Hopefully I have updated all the links this time. If not I will have to do it again...

I am travelling right now so post any error reports and I will deal with it when I get some Internet access.

EDIT: ATTACHMENT Removed - Patch Superseded by v2.081, see separate thread.
https://www.fantasygrounds.com/forums/showthread.php?t=14817

Crowley72
May 1st, 2011, 21:14
Great additions, thank you Sorcerer!

C

Galeric
May 2nd, 2011, 04:08
Outstanding, I am especially thankful for the character export feature, i just ran into this problem yesterday wondering how i could easly transfer to another campaign... problem solved ;)

dr_venture
May 2nd, 2011, 09:22
Sorce, you're the Montgomery Scott of FG!

damned
May 2nd, 2011, 12:03
how about the EGG of FG?

Blue Haven
May 2nd, 2011, 12:31
Just a question...with the new ruleset out do i need to use these exts??? i´m kind of confused sorry...
Thanks

damned
May 2nd, 2011, 12:34
you need to download the file and save it in teh following location:
%appdata%\Fantasy Grounds II\extensions
you can then select the extensions when you create or load a C&C campaign as the host.

Blue Haven
May 2nd, 2011, 12:39
Damn it...i just made a terrible confusion :( i was thinking about the new Savage worlds ruleset and i didn´t look :( sorry
I know how to use this ones ;) but thanks anyway :)

damned
May 2nd, 2011, 12:42
i was looking at your post count and thinking you must know how to load an extension :)

mfitzi
May 2nd, 2011, 13:43
One question, with each update, do I keep previous editions of the ext file "turned on" in FG, or only the latest?

damned
May 2nd, 2011, 13:45
updates are always rollups so you only select the last one.

Sorcerer
May 2nd, 2011, 14:27
It is my intension to make all of these patch extensions cumulative - so that you only need to apply the latest one.

I also tend to mention that somewhere in the thread (sometimes at the start and sometimes at the end).

There may come a time, when I want to try something out which I am unsure about, or which is based on totaly optional rules. At that point I would post it as an extension without a version number and state very clearly that it is a purely optional extension "for use with CnC ruleset version XYZ"

Don't throw the old extension away just yet, keep it until you are happy that I haven't introduced more bugs with this version than I have fixed. That way if you encounter something that is a real game breaker you can always unselect this version and reapply the old one.

Up to and including this extension the possibilty of a rollback is there.
There may also come a time when I need to make changes that cannot be undone without restarting a campaign, or without some xml editing.

If that ever happens I will give clear warning to back up your campaign folder before applying the patch. That way if the worst comes to the worse you can roll back the patch and your campaign to a state that the previous patch recognizes.

by the way one of my real bugbears with FG is that it is very easy, even without changing anything, or editing any database files to get some corruption that causes the game not to load. Unfortunately rather than just reporting the error. FG tends to try and solve the problem by applying a backup copy of the db file. If it fails to load that second time it trys to go for a backup copy doesn't find one and loads a fresh BLANK database, meaning you lose everything.

Therefore it is always good practice for you to keep a backup of your campaign folder somewhere safe. I usually make a copy before every session just to make sure I only lose one session if there is a problem.

damned
May 2nd, 2011, 14:43
i create a zip of the campaign folder and date it each time i finish setting up or playing :)

dr_venture
May 2nd, 2011, 19:09
Unfortunately rather than just reporting the error. FG tends to try and solve the problem by applying a backup copy of the db file. If it fails to load that second time it trys to go for a backup copy doesn't find one and loads a fresh BLANK database, meaning you lose everything.

Um... holy cr@p! Jeez... thanks for that info! Throwing out user data without a warning/option to abort, sorry, that's pretty unforgivable programming. Come on, not even a dialog that indicates the problem and tells you that continuing will potentially destroy your data permanently. Just... wow.

I guess I need to get some kind of much more aggressive backup procedure going! To lose those hours and hours of work would just be withering.

dr_venture
May 2nd, 2011, 19:14
updates are always rollups so you only select the last one.

Just want to clarify, the comments that Sorcerer made about his ethics on updating the C&C ruleset should only be thought of, I believe, within the context of Castles & Crusades. Blue Heaven made a comment about another ruleset, and the patches for that ruleset may or may not be cumulative.

We're lucky to have you watchin' our backs, Sorce! :D

Sorcerer
May 2nd, 2011, 19:15
I have to admit that most of the problems I have experienced were my own fault - leave one closing tag off when editing the db and a wipe is almost the expected outcome in my (limited) experience.

but this has also happened from crashes and other [i swear it wasn't me] things..

anyway. when applying a patch its always good practice to back up your data.

The paper notes I have from games I ran 25 years ago are still with me, the spreadsheets I made under windows 95 are already unreadable.

Sorcerer
May 2nd, 2011, 19:20
yes I was only referring to the work that I am doing for C&C.

I have written modules for savage worlds in the past (2 of which are still sitting on Doug's desk unpublished!) but that ruleset is firmly in the hands of Phantomwhale, any updates will come from him.

Sakusammakko
May 2nd, 2011, 21:22
Sorcerer,

It's gotten busy in the C&C room since I've been away. Good to see that there may be some interest when I finally re-start at least one of my campaigns. I will probably do a couple of one-shots soon and can even do some one-on-one tutorials for new C&C DMs.

I appreciate your ongoing update of these files. I haven't looked at any of the new extensions in awhile, but can offer feedback when I finally begin prepping some new modules.

Best,
Rob

damned
May 2nd, 2011, 23:15
@doc
its fg2 that does the reload from backup etc automatically. i have had it do it to me when my host application died but i didnt lose any data (or any that im aware of).
either before or after each session zip up that one folder and add the date to the file name. might come in handy one day....

dr_venture
May 3rd, 2011, 00:40
@doc
its fg2 that does the reload from backup etc automatically. i have had it do it to me when my host application died but i didnt lose any data (or any that im aware of)

Oh definitely - I'm not bagging on the esteemed Sorcerer... may his beard grow ever longer. Or his list of receivables, whichever he prefers. This isn't a ruleset issue.

I'm always a bit circumspect about bagging on FG, as I don't think that anyone's making a lot of money here. Living where I do, I'm grateful that FG exists, that C&C exists, and that Sorcerer has personally upgraded it into a real first-rate ruleset (and ironically, through working on sea-faring materials for my campaign, have just come to find out the "first rate" is antiquated nautical term from the golden age of sail - heh). I don't think the developers are sitting around collecting their Smiteworks paychecks and snorting at us. I think they're doing the best they can with the resources they have.

But I do feel justified to complaining about the db issue that Sorcerer was referring to. Deleting user data with no warning is waaaay at the top of the list of "never dos." If a problem cannot be overcome without deleting user data, then the software should, bare minimum, give the user the option to quit the program or continue and potentially lose data. Hopefully the software will inform the user where to go to get more info on the problem, too.

To quote Capt. Hook (and throw in another nautical reference), "Bad form!"

damned
May 3rd, 2011, 00:44
i think you should re-post into The Tavern...

dr_venture
May 4th, 2011, 01:19
I don't know if anyone else is seeing this, but with the latest patch I get a slew of script errors when I click on the combat tab of a character sheet. Changing back to the previous patch fixes the problem. Sorry, Sorce :(

Crowley72
May 4th, 2011, 01:30
I am experiencing this as well. I am reverting to previous version.

C

damned
May 4th, 2011, 05:52
i have loaded this up without error but not actually played with the new patch.

Galeric
May 4th, 2011, 07:38
I don't know if anyone else is seeing this, but with the latest patch I get a slew of script errors when I click on the combat tab of a character sheet. Changing back to the previous patch fixes the problem. Sorry, Sorce :(

I have not seen this... and I ran a game tonight.

Galeric
May 4th, 2011, 07:54
Have a Script Error for you Sorc...

Script Error:[string"charsheet_main:class"]:1: attempt to call field 'updateValue' (a nil value)

Happens every time without fail. Happens after the 2nd letter is inputted on the class line.

Tried like crazy to repeat the combat sheet script problem the 2 above me reported and can not get it to happen /shrug

Sorcerer
May 4th, 2011, 15:27
Sadly it seems I have packed the Character sheet templates files from a development version of the ruleset instead of the one that should have been there.

I will have to go through it and change a few references.

In the meantime I have removed the attachment from this thread.
Will post a corrected version when I can.

My humble apologies for being less than perfect..:o

mfitzi
May 4th, 2011, 15:30
Awesome work none the less!:)

Sorcerer
May 4th, 2011, 16:20
OK so I have made some corrections , and posted a new version of this patch back at the top of this thread.

Hopefully I have caught everything. If not let me know and I will try again....

Galeric
May 4th, 2011, 20:30
Thank you fine sir!

And do not let the bugs get you down, you do great work that everyone likes, your our hero.

dr_venture
May 5th, 2011, 02:18
Just tried the new version of this patch - my script errors are gone. That is the beauty of software development, my friend: you can always achieve (or at least strive for) retroactive perfection! Good work, sold-JAH!