Suggestion on the savage worlds ruleset

[longarms]

One of the developers was nice enough to ask me if I had any suggestions for their work on the ruleset. That was a nice thing to be asked! Embarrassingly, I couldn't really think of anything on the spot.

I have my suggestion now. I just realized that I have to mouseover all the buttons on the right side to know which is which. It slows me down when I DM savage worlds. The reason why I have to do this is because 1) the images in the middle of the playing cards are too small and ambigous and 2) even if I could quickly tell what the images were (I cannot, at least quickly), the correlation between the images and what the button doesn't always make sense or isn't memorable or something. This can take up to a second or two of valuable time in the middle of a session if I guess wrong enough.

What is the picture for the map button anyway? A picture of space or something? I can't tell. Would a picture of a map be better? Why is there a green guy on the button for tokens, wouldn't a picture of a bunch of tokens be better? In the middle of DMing, when I am under pressure of acting quickly, the small pictures often make less sense. It seems like I DM just enough to not commit it to memorization, so I need a good picture...

Sorry, I kind of went off there because i realize that someone might disagree with me about asthetics, so I want to make my point about user interface very clear. Please return larger pictures onto the buttons, and pictures that make sense for what the button does. I want to see a book for the story button, a map for the map button, a visage for the personalities button (not a whole body), etc.

No need to reply, please just consider my comments.

[Kalan]

I've looked over your suggestions, and we'll see what we can do about them!

I do think overall - ya'll will be very much pleased with the improvements coming in the patch!

[Tristram]

One thing I know I'd like is to make all dice pools like the dice pool for weapon damage on the PC character sheet. That way you can add multiple and varied dice together and have a slot for bonuses. This would be especially handy on NPC and Vehicle sheets. Then if an NPC has an edge that gives a bonus I can have that ready to go without needing to dial it on the modifier box or make a hotkey. This would also allow me to add a damage roll by putting it in the skills section of the NPC sheet. Example: fist slot in skills section would be the d6 fighting roll with +1 (for trademark weapon), second slot would be d6 and d4 damage roll (Strength and weapon damage) with +2 (say for a magic weapon). This would make things much more Fast, Furious, and Fun!

Looking forward to the patch. Sure it will be ready any day now. Or at least ready when its done.

[Kalan]

One thing I know I'd like is to make all dice pools like the dice pool for weapon damage on the PC character sheet. That way you can add multiple and varied dice together and have a slot for bonuses. This would be especially handy on NPC and Vehicle sheets. Then if an NPC has an edge that gives a bonus I can have that ready to go without needing to dial it on the modifier box or make a hotkey. This would also allow me to add a damage roll by putting it in the skills section of the NPC sheet. Example: fist slot in skills section would be the d6 fighting roll with +1 (for trademark weapon), second slot would be d6 and d4 damage roll (Strength and weapon damage) with +2 (say for a magic weapon). This would make things much more Fast, Furious, and Fun!

Looking forward to the patch. Sure it will be ready any day now. Or at least ready when its done.

Presuming I'm reading all this right - I think you'll be pleased with the changes we have coming. We have included spots for "permanent" bonuses (fx if you have the Thief edge) on most of the diefield entries (like Traits and Skills). For transient bonuses (Wild Attack, Called Shots, etc), are still better to place on the hot bar.

We have also overhauled the NPC section to have an attack section similar to what is found on the PC sheet.

[Tristram]

Thanx. I'm happy. Hope to see it soon.

Any other sneek peeks at what will be included. :D

[Kalan]

Maybe ;) I hope to have a newer beta in my hands soon, and will see if I can't get some screenies up after the holidays (here in Denmark, most everything shuts down from now until Tuesday for Easter, and we're off to my in-laws for the weekend).

[kalmarjan]

One of the developers was nice enough to ask me if I had any suggestions for their work on the ruleset. That was a nice thing to be asked! Embarrassingly, I couldn't really think of anything on the spot.

I have my suggestion now. I just realized that I have to mouseover all the buttons on the right side to know which is which. It slows me down when I DM savage worlds. The reason why I have to do this is because 1) the images in the middle of the playing cards are too small and ambigous and 2) even if I could quickly tell what the images were (I cannot, at least quickly), the correlation between the images and what the button doesn't always make sense or isn't memorable or something. This can take up to a second or two of valuable time in the middle of a session if I guess wrong enough.


I just wanted to follow up on this - I have created some new graphics that should solve your issues, and still maintain the feel that I wanted for the ruleset. Thank you for your suggestions. I am happy to let you know that your suggestions paved the way for an improvement to the ruleset we can all benefit from.

Cheers,

Sandeman

[Oberoten]

Larger fonts for better readabílity?

[longarms]

"I just wanted to follow up on this - I have created some new graphics that should solve your issues, and still maintain the feel that I wanted for the ruleset. Thank you for your suggestions. I am happy to let you know that your suggestions paved the way for an improvement to the ruleset we can all benefit from."

Sounds like you will be making life as a savage worlds GM that much easier :) Thank you... and thanks again for soliciting suggestions.

[philth]

I have 2 off the top 'o me head.

SW blast templates and a way to make shaken characters really stand out ( I've been rotating there tokens, but sometimes even this is not fool proof )

If you still want suggestions:D

[Kalan]

I have 2 off the top 'o me head.

SW blast templates and a way to make shaken characters really stand out ( I've been rotating there tokens, but sometimes even this is not fool proof )

If you still want suggestions:D

We'd love to do the shaken indicator (its been on our plate since day one), but right now we just can't do it the way I'd like...we're hoping some improvements to the core FG code will let us do this one day tho.

As for the blast templates - we'll see what we can do ;)

[Oberoten]

It wouldn't be possible to add it to the tokens in the same way that targeting is indicated? With a ring around them?

[Kalan]

It wouldn't be possible to add it to the tokens in the same way that targeting is indicated? With a ring around them?

I think we've tried that and couldn't get it to work...mind we been doin so many things I've lost track ;)

[ajs]

All the improvements I've read about sound great! I'm just a player, with not a lot of time logged on the program (2.1 lite), but my biggest wish is for improved UI, as someone noted earlier - such as the icons that don't seem to relate to their function. I don't get the deck of cards image, for example, when it represents notes and tokens. It makes sense when it's actually indicating a deck of cards...

I'm also not a fan of the "radial" menus - a new core interface just makes the learning curve that much steeper, with no obvious benefit, in my opinion. But I'm guessing that's a fantasy grounds design choice, and not specifically the SW ruleset. :)

[Valarian]

I'm also not a fan of the "radial" menus - a new core interface just makes the learning curve that much steeper, with no obvious benefit, in my opinion. But I'm guessing that's a fantasy grounds design choice, and not specifically the SW ruleset. :)
With the radials ... there are times where the icons on the radial menu block out the dice options on the same menu. Any chance of making these an exploding menu like with pointers on the map. A single die option on the first menu and then the die selections.

[joshuha]

With the radials ... there are times where the icons on the radial menu block out the dice options on the same menu. Any chance of making these an exploding menu like with pointers on the map. A single die option on the first menu and then the die selections.

Already been done in the patch. When the ruleset was first released the submenus in the radial were not working properly and Smiteworks fixed that later.

[Valarian]

Excellent, has the whisper issue (id showing instead of character name) been fixed as well.

(just noticed, I've been granted a small plot of land to reign over)

[joshuha]

Excellent, has the whisper issue (id showing instead of character name) been fixed as well.

(just noticed, I've been granted a small plot of land to reign over)

Yes. I believe I commented as such in the thread that was originally reported in.

[joshuha]

A couple flash demos of *some* of the new features coming out in the patch.

Combat tracker (https://www.fouruglymonsters.com/joshuha/Tracker/tracker_flash.html)

Character Sheet (https://www.fouruglymonsters.com/joshuha/Character/Character.html)

[kalmarjan]

Wow. Very. Cool.

Sandeman

[Tristram]

Very impressed! Many thanks to the crew working on this. Curious if the NPCs are as well updated? Can't wait to try all this out. Who needs WotC D&D 4E and their VTT when you've got Fantasy Grounds and Savage Worlds?

[Oberoten]

This only makes me even more impressed with the programing skills of Thore's Thralls.

Damn, Savage Worlds has become the model of what a ruleset should be.

[Valarian]

Oh wow .... I love these changes. The ability to prepare combats and the permanent bonuses on skills especially.
They'll make both running and playing Savage Worlds a lot more Fast, Fun and Furious.

Joshuha, have you considered writing a book on the Fantasy Grounds API and what can be done with it? I know there's the documentation in the Library, but I find this a little difficult to go through. I feel some Use Cases, Sequence Diagrams, Event Trigger sequences and just some step by step instructions would be a great help in trying to get to grips with Fantasy Grounds. I'm sure there'd be a market for those of us who want to try and understand what you seem to have mastered.

[Doswelk]

Oh wow .... I love these changes. The ability to prepare combats and the permanent bonuses on skills especially.
They'll make both running and playing Savage Worlds a lot more Fast, Fun and Furious.

I have to admit the changes are very useful.... (understatment of the decade!)

The extra space for powers is a must when playing Necessary Evil!

[longarms]

I like how you addressed the improvement I requested in my original post.

[umbralux]

It looks great! I like what I see in the demos.

As for other Savage Worlds enhancements, have you considered making the card dealer more flexible? I'm considering the Deadlands Reloaded rules...need to be able to deal out large quantities of cards to a huxster from which he'd select a hand and need to be able to deal out separate hands to duelists with a third common kitty of cards.

May as well ask for the moon, hmm? ;)

[joshuha]

The current card dealer can deal up to 5 cards hands to individuals as well as a common "shared" hand. Is this not enough for what you need?

If Digital Adventures ever gets the license for Deadlands I am sure they can also do a ruleset that would support the system directly but that wasn't in the original specs from Pinnacle.

[Malovech]

Wow, very nice work! When does it come out?

[Kalan]

We're in the process of stress testing right now, so once that's over with we'll be able to give a firm date on release.

[umbralux]

The current card dealer can deal up to 5 cards hands to individuals as well as a common "shared" hand. Is this not enough for what you need?

If Digital Adventures ever gets the license for Deadlands I am sure they can also do a ruleset that would support the system directly but that wasn't in the original specs from Pinnacle.A Legendary Huxster will draw 10 cards even without any edges granting more. Even a novice needs to draw 6 cards. And I couldn't seem to deal a hand at all to an NPC, was I doing something incorrectly?

The card dealer is really the only issue with playing Deadlands in the current rule set that I've noticed. Over all it's a great implementation!