Feature Suggestions

[Gigermann]

Language "Filter": That is, for speaking in languages (not for obscenity). Here's how I think it could work (having seen in v2 screenshots that languages are included on the character sheet):

/language elvish blahblahblah = Player (in Elvish): blahblahblah, with the blahblahblah only visible to the GM and those characters with Elvish listed on their sheet. Of course, a little whipped cream topping on that would be the ability to set a different type-style for specific languages as well.

Selectable Text Colors: I think OOC text being green draws more attention to it than it deserves, and the fine black type doesn't draw enough attention to in-character chat. It'd be nice to be able to set the default colors/styles for differing text types to suit personal preference.

Text-Based Token "Picker": Probably a drop-down menu or something...solves the problem of sorting through the box/bags, and oversize tokens getting in the way of others. Probably use the filename.

Quotes: In-Character chat could be enclosed in quotation marks...just to make it "proper."

Combat Expertise & Power Attack: If there's already a working mechanic for this, official or otherwise, I'm not aware of it...please correct me otherwise.

Instant Graphics: By this, I mean being able to add/remove tokens or whatnot on-the-fly, while the game is running, rather than having to restart it. Again, if this can be done already, I'm not aware of it...please correct me.

Page Scrolling: Use PgUp/PgDn for scrolling, and allow scrolling by page (rather than line) as an option. It might be simpler just to use the Windows mouse-prefs for that though, in my non-programmer's opinion...

Easier Token Scaling: As I understand it, you have to zoom the map, fix the scale, and then zoom back out. Maybe if you could do the reverse, and zoom the tokens instead of the map (or set a fixed size or percentage or whatever). It'd be kinda nice to be able to scale individual tokens, too (for instance, having one dragon token and being able to set it to Large, Huge, etc.)

A Little Eye Candy...: How about texture-skins on the dice? Too much, maybe, but if you never ask...:D


On an unrelated note: I'm not sure how the "damage" thing is meant to work. If you type in the 1d8+2 (for example) in the weapon damage field on the character sheet, and drag it to the modifier box (or die, or whatever), it doesn't seem to work properly (as it does for skills or attacks, etc.), for me at least. Other than using the /die command, how is that supposed to work?

All for now...

[MaineCoon]

Re: Instant Graphics, this is already possible; if you drop an image into the active Campaign folder it becomes instantly available to the DM (at least Images do, I dont know about Tokens, I imagine they might work the same).

Token scaling is changed in v2.0, from what I have heard - tokens scale within the bag, and can be individually scaled.

Combat Expertise and Power Attack - these are game mechanics and as such should be handled by either using the modifiers on the Modifier stack (which can have multiple modifiers stacked) or managed in other ways. Using the modifier stack and dragging modifiers, will show every modifier applied. For the AC on Combat Efficiency, the player or DM should take into consideration the +2 to the AC, or it should be added via a Misc modifier or other on the character sheet, although this is a temporary modifier. The -4 to attack rolls would be a modifier the player would apply. It's not shown on the Common Modifiers but the player can add one to their shortcut bar. Additionally, before rolling, you can roll your mousewheel up/down over the Modifiers box to alter the final modifier.

Character sheet entries are text entries whereas things from the ruleset may be special items (such as how the modifiers work). That is why the damage on the character sheet doesnt work the way the others do.

[Yenooc]

What I am especially looking for is an improved fog-of-war (masking and unmasking) feature, similar to or better than that already available in other programs. Unmasking using the mouse to draw, lack of individual vision and light source factors, etc. put FG behind others in this area. I hope that the looooooong anticipated release of FGII is not disappointing in this regard.

And, as stated above, if there's something I'm missing in the feature as it is currently available, please let me know.

[richvalle]

Re: Instant Graphics, this is already possible; if you drop an image into the active Campaign folder it becomes instantly available to the DM (at least Images do, I dont know about Tokens, I imagine they might work the same).

Images can be added on the fly... tokens can not. They require a restart to show up.

rv

[Gigermann]

Combat Expertise and Power Attack - these are game mechanics and as such should be handled by either using the modifiers on the Modifier stack (which can have multiple modifiers stacked) or managed in other ways. Using the modifier stack and dragging modifiers, will show every modifier applied. For the AC on Combat Efficiency, the player or DM should take into consideration the +2 to the AC, or it should be added via a Misc modifier or other on the character sheet, although this is a temporary modifier. The -4 to attack rolls would be a modifier the player would apply. It's not shown on the Common Modifiers but the player can add one to their shortcut bar. Additionally, before rolling, you can roll your mousewheel up/down over the Modifiers box to alter the final modifier.

Character sheet entries are text entries whereas things from the ruleset may be special items (such as how the modifiers work). That is why the damage on the character sheet doesnt work the way the others do.
Thanx for responding. What I was referring to was, for instance, when you drag a skill modifier from the character sheet to the modifier box or die, when the die is rolled, the skill is mentioned in the chat box next to the roll result. Same with weapon attacks. Damage, however, doesn't work that way for some reason...don't know why. As to PA/CE, the same situation applies, that when you manually adjust the modifier to account for it, it isn't "displayed" as such in the chat box. These things are not necessary for the game to function, of course, but it's those little touches that make this program great to start with. I have a partial solution for the latter, though:

"Common Modifier" Blanks: A couple (or more) of entries that can be edited to suit (and could therefore be made to include PA/CE, as needed).

Paste Function: As a Player, I'd like to be able prepare some text in another program in advance of the game, and paste it in when needed, only the regular OS "paste" (Ctrl+V) function doesn't work within the program (I suspect, due to the fact that the Ctrl key is already mapped to chat/quickslot functions). A solution might be to either allow individuals to re-map their controls as desired (the hard way) or to add a "paste" function to the game (the (probably) easy way).

[kalmarjan]

Images can be added on the fly... tokens can not. They require a restart to show up.

rv

I am pretty sure, (I will have to test it though) that this can be solved by using the /reload function in FGII. (The one to reload the ruleset)

Sandeman

[kalmarjan]

Its confirmed. You can use the /reload command, and your changes will take effect with FGII.

Can't wait until it comes out. :)

Sandeman

[TarynWinterblade]

On an unrelated note: I'm not sure how the "damage" thing is meant to work. If you type in the 1d8+2 (for example) in the weapon damage field on the character sheet, and drag it to the modifier box (or die, or whatever), it doesn't seem to work properly (as it does for skills or attacks, etc.), for me at least. Other than using the /die command, how is that supposed to work?

As of FG1, the fields that you put your damage in (1d8+1, etc) are simply text fields, and cannot function as much else. In FG2, it has been promised (I'm rather sad because I missed the signups for the beta) that there will be spots where you can store dice to be rolled.

The best way right now, would be to put "/die 1d8+1 Longsword damage" on a hotbar somewhere and it'll just roll that for you with the caption of 'Longsword damage' next to it. (of course, this is assuming you're using a longsword instead of the other 50-odd weapons that do 1d8 ;) )

[favashi]

What I am especially looking for is an improved fog-of-war (masking and unmasking) feature, similar to or better than that already available in other programs. Unmasking using the mouse to draw, lack of individual vision and light source factors, etc. put FG behind others in this area. I hope that the looooooong anticipated release of FGII is not disappointing in this regard.



Me too.

Vision and light system... sounds good...