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View Full Version : Initiative "Bubble" seems wrong



Griogre
April 26th, 2007, 09:27
I have a 16 Dex character with the feat improved initiative which gives a +4 bonus to initiative. On the combat page I put a +4 in the misc modifier box. The front page shows the +7 but it has a white bubble with +4, apparently the amount rolled up from misc mod. I don't think the bubble should be appearing unless I am changeing the initiative mod on the first page.

Goblin-King
April 26th, 2007, 10:52
There are only two parts to initiative, dex bonus and the misc field. The field on the first page shows the total, but also provides access to the misc field by using the mouse wheel. It's there just for convenience, since you can't directly modify the dex bonus portion of initiative anyway.

Griogre
April 26th, 2007, 17:20
I guess I am confused. Typically in FG you get a bubble when you override an automatic calculation. The Misc mod is part of the initiative calculation so it seem strange that I get a bubble on a value that is not being overrided. There are a few items/spells that could give you a init bonus. "Permanent" bonuses (Improved Init, Permanent Magic Items) I would expect to go in the Misc box. For temporay bonuses I would typically just roll the init value up and expect to get a bubble.

The way it is now I will not be reminded that I have over ridden the init calculation because all misc mods generate a bubble. :(

Illrigger
April 26th, 2007, 19:06
I thought this was odd as well. If I'm modifying things by entering a number in a box (ala the misc box in Initiative), I don't expect to see a white bubble like this. I only expect the white bubble when I've mouse-wheeled something up.

richvalle
April 26th, 2007, 19:27
Just to gang pile on... I agree with the above posters. White bubble when things are wheeled.

rv

Dachannien
April 26th, 2007, 22:01
Agree also. The misc mod shouldn't appear as a bubble. A bubble should appear only if you use the mouse wheel on the final initiative value itself.

Goblin-King
April 27th, 2007, 07:25
General usability theory agrees as well, I guess. Should the bubble be scrapped or is there a situation in which a third value acting as a temporary modifier in the bubble would be useful as well?

Griogre
April 27th, 2007, 08:01
Hmm, for adding a temp init mod my original expectation was to roll the mouse over the Init box on the first page and get a bubble of the amount I rolled just a like the bubble you get for rolling up a stat mod.

Initiative temps are still fairly rare. However, the solution of adding a temp box like for AC *is* more elegant and it looks like you have the room.