PDA

View Full Version : Improvement: One client, multiple characters



PolishZeus
February 28th, 2013, 05:32
This will be the first of a handful of suggestions that I believe would make FG2 a stronger program. The others will be posted independently for consideration. I am currently using the 3.5 ruleset


For someone running two characters, it would be great if clicking on one character would automatically display the correct name and dice in the chat. Right now you need to click/highlight the particular character, then double click on the action/roll that you want.

larzz48
February 28th, 2013, 05:38
This is an excellent idea. I run my character and an NPC in every game session and I constantly forget to click on the correct portrait before attacking. I think it's a little silly that, when I make a roll from the Actions tab on one character sheet, it will report the attack as coming from a different character if I have that other characters portrait and dice selected.

Valarian
February 28th, 2013, 08:49
You have the same problem as GM, multiplied by the number of NPCs currently in play. I would guess that there's some base function somewhere that sets the identity based on the portrait. The multiple character selection has allowed the player to switch identities in the same way as the GM can, but the base functions for identity still need that switch. What you suggest is to base the current identity on the character sheet being used, if I understand you correctly.

Btw, there is an area for suggesting improvements, and voting on them:
https://fg2app.idea.informer.com/

Moon Wizard
February 28th, 2013, 21:12
I'm not able to recreate the situation you are describing.


I just started up the 3.5E ruleset, and connected with a client using 2 different characters.
I brought up both character sheets on the client.
I activated one character (i.e. bold in under upper left character portrait)
Then I made both attack, spell and saving throw rolls from both character sheets.
The portraits and names were correct on all rolls.
Then, I activated the other character and repeated the rolls.
Again, the portraits and names were correct on all rolls.


I am using the Chat: Show Portraits option and Chat: Show Roll Actor option.

Regards,
JPG

Valarian
March 1st, 2013, 08:53
MoonWizard, I think what he's talking about is missing out step 6 (the reactivation of the other character). So the current identity is based on the character sheet that the roll was made from. Essentially, automatically doing the activation step if the current identity doesn't match the sheet. Does the 3.5e ruleset support this? I know this can be a problem in my game (using Foundation core and The One Ring custom extension).

Ikael
March 1st, 2013, 09:08
This is actually very good improvement idea. In fact this has bugged me far too long time so I implemented solution regarding it to SWFI extension some data ago. It will smooth up die rolling for Players and GM. Recommend it.

Moon Wizard
March 2nd, 2013, 20:45
I'm not sure I understand. So, I will explain how it works now, and someone can clarify what the enhancement request is.

* When typing in the chat window, the "active" character (for players) is the speaker. If only one character is loaded, it is always the active speaker. If more than one character is loaded, one character will be "active" (name is bold in upper portrait list). To change the active character, just click on portrait or click on bubble on character sheet.

* When rolling from a character sheet, the character sheet that is used for the roll is the speaker.

* When rolling from elsewhere, the "active" character is the speaker.

It is similar for GMs, except they have a separate "speaking identity" list and rolls from NPC sheets work similar to character sheets.

Regards,
JPG

damned
March 3rd, 2013, 10:32
hi moon_wizard - it doesnt work like that. if CharacterA is my Active Character and I open the CharacterB character sheet and double click on something resulting in a roll or action - that action will come from CharacterA... at the very least it is labelled so...

Zeus
March 3rd, 2013, 12:25
hi moon_wizard - it doesnt work like that. if CharacterA is my Active Character and I open the CharacterB character sheet and double click on something resulting in a roll or action - that action will come from CharacterA... at the very least it is labelled so...

Damned - which ruleset are you seeing this on and which specific char sheet roll/actions triggers the output you describe? I only ask as I am working on 5E at the moment (which has been baselined from 3.5E/4E) and I am not seeing this behaviour.

I have Show Roll Actors set to ALL in options.

If I have two charsheets open, regardless of who is currently active, if I click on a roll/action on charsheet A, the roll/action output to chat is labeled as char A, if I click on a roll/action on charsheet B, the roll/action output to chat is labeled as char B.

damned
March 3rd, 2013, 12:35
weeeellll... i just dont know anymore. it happened last might in game -w e were short a couple of players so I made everyone pickup a second character and several times people made rolls from the wrong character sheet - i thought initiative and combat and siege checks - i just launched a second instance and opened 2 characters and all three worked perfectly...
oh and Im playing castles&crusades and using the beta ruleset that DrVenture is pitting himself against...

Valarian
March 3rd, 2013, 13:52
Certainly happens in my The One Ring games - extension of Foundation Core.
Can't reproduce it in the 3.5e ruleset, so the method of identity switching (single click rather than right-click and select activate) is working there. The double-click on the character sheet is also showing the correct identity for the roll.

larzz48
March 6th, 2013, 16:35
Alright, I've just tested this to verify that it is still and issue and it is. I will do my best to describe the behavior, though I may not have the vocabulary to accurately name the FG2 features that referencing. I game with PolishZeus (the original poster) and we use the 3.5E ruleset exclusively.

The scenario is from the PC point of view, not the GM. I run three PCs from one client. I keep all three character sheets open at all times (thank a higher power for dual 24” monitors!). During combat, I often move from PC A to the next (PC B) without clicking on the portrait because the character sheet is already open. If I make an attack from PC B without FIRST clicking on the portrait for PC B (an unnecessary step in my mind), then the attack is labeled in the chat as being made by PC A (not PC B as it should have been).

To be clear, when I say “make an attack from PC B”, I mean that I either drag attack dice from the PC B character sheet, or I select a target and double-click the attack on the PC B character sheet. Each has the same outcome.

This could be considered a minor issue, as the group usually knows whose initiative it was and that the attack actually came from PC B. However, this same behavior applies for all rolls. Initiative is another case that usually doesn’t matter too much because the Combat Tracker appropriately interprets the rolls, even though the chat does not label them correctly. However, last gaming session the GM accidently rerolled ALL initiatives instead of just the NPCs. We wanted to keep the initiatives that were rolled by the players. Easy enough, right? We just look at the chat to see what the rolls were. WRONG! The chat showed three initiative rolls for PC A and none for PC B or PC C.

This is also a much bigger issue when rolling Saves or Skill Checks. Since these are often not automatically applied, it is essential that rolls be labeled correctly, especially when rolled in the dice tower where the GM is the only one that sees the result. The PC is no longer able to watch the outcomes and help the GM determine which roll is applied to whom.

I hope this is clear enough.

Griogre
March 6th, 2013, 18:30
That's a good description of the issue. Can you also have your DM look and see what the Options setting for "Chat: Show roll actor" is?

Moon Wizard
March 6th, 2013, 21:07
larzz48,

I believe that the issue you reported is not the same as part the original poster's issue (though I may be wrong). However, I'm glad you reported it, since I was able to reproduce. Specifically, I had to turn off the portrait chat option and turn off the "show roll actor" option.

It's an interesting view for me into how everything has evolved in the ruleset. At this point, I'm not even sure that it makes sense not to show the roll actor for GM or player. If the GM doesn't want the players to see the name on a roll, then they can hide all their rolls or use the dice tower.

I'll probably change this after v2.9.3. For now, the workaround is for the GM to turn on the Chat: Show roll actor option.

Regards,
JPG

PolishZeus
March 7th, 2013, 02:26
larzz48,

I believe that the issue you reported is not the same as part the original poster's issue (though I may be wrong). However, I'm glad you reported it, since I was able to reproduce. Specifically, I had to turn off the portrait chat option and turn off the "show roll actor" option.

It's an interesting view for me into how everything has evolved in the ruleset. At this point, I'm not even sure that it makes sense not to show the roll actor for GM or player. If the GM doesn't want the players to see the name on a roll, then they can hide all their rolls or use the dice tower.

I'll probably change this after v2.9.3. For now, the workaround is for the GM to turn on the Chat: Show roll actor option.

Regards,
JPG

Thank you for looking into this and considering making the change. Larzz48 and I do game so his understanding of the issue is correct.

I appreciate VERY much all of the back and forth that has been described. To once again clarify my original post and what larzz48 said----

I have two character sheets open (we'll go with player A and player B....very creative I know). Player A is highlighted but it is player B's turn to attack. Without switching, I double click on player B's character sheet for an attack and the chat log reports it as person A attacking.

The work around that you listed moon_wizard will definitely help in the meantime. Even though the color of dice does not change, it will at least give us an opportunity to correctly represent which player is rolling.

I will be sure to post these recommendations in the right spot next time. Is it worth doing it now that you know it's on the radar?

Moon Wizard
March 7th, 2013, 03:03
I never doubted that it was worth doing; just needed to understand and formulate a strategy. I think that the strategy is going to require some more code changes than I want to include in v2.9.3 at this point, so I'm going to push to following release.

Regards,
JPG

larzz48
March 7th, 2013, 05:16
moon_wizard,

Thank you for your attention on the issue. It's been a real frustration. We used your proposed workaround in our gaming session tonight and it worked well. Thank you for that. However, the one place that we noted it failed was when rolling in the dice tower. I think the issue deserve a look to see if the mechanics could be improved. Thank you again.

Moon Wizard
March 7th, 2013, 20:11
Thanks for the additional information. I'm working on pushing v2.9.3; and I'll slate a fix for v2.9.4.

Regards,
JPG