CoreRPG/5E Extension: Player CT Targeting

In order to speed up combat I wanted to give the players a few more options when it comes to targeting via the Combat Tracker. In theory CTRL-click allows players to toggle targets via their combat tracker however it appears to be broken at present (and is on the fix list for the next release 3.3.5). Targeting via the battle map works just fine (provided you remember to drag tokens from the combat tracker). Battle map targeting obviously doesn't work for theatre-of-the-mind encounters where there is no map.

Here is an extension to allow players to drag-to-target, click-to-clear and clear-all on the combat tracker like the GMs can.

It's been play tested during a live session and a few issues have been found and fixed. The code ended up being a little more complex than I first imagined so there still may be a bug or two hiding.

* Players get a target button on their combat tracker that opens up a small sub-panel (provided they own the character).
* Inside the panel is a target button that can be dragged onto another visible target in the combat tracker to add it to the list of targets (like the GMs).
* Inside the panel is a target button that can be dragged onto another visible token on the battlemap to add it to the list of targets (like the GMs).
* The panel also contains a cancel-alltargets button (like the GMs).
* Players can cancel individual targets by clicking on the token in the sub-panel (again like the GM).
* The extension endeavours to keep the combat maps up to date too (map, GM tracker and player trackers should to all stay in sync).
* It has been tested in situations where players control multiple characters and add and release them.
* I've tested on CoreRPG and 5E (it may work on other rule sets but no guarantee).

Regards, Steeleyes.

Forge Releases:
https://forge.fantasygrounds.com/shop/items/1666/view

File Releases:
v0.1: Initial release.
v0.2: Allow players to drop targets on to the battle map as well.
v0.3: Fix the display for FG 3.3.6
v0.4: Fix bug to allow players to target by dragging the target icon onto the map (Classic and older FGU - Player Targeting v0p4.ext).
--- FGU only from here ---
v0.5: Update to FGU CoreRPG style combat tracker and resolve frame_ctsub depreciated warnings.
v0.6: Update to allow access to friend/cohort target windows (Player Targeting.ext).

Known Issues:
* Clicking on the row of tokens only deselects the target if it's present on the battlemap as well.

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Originally Posted by Steeleyes

In order to speed up combat I wanted to give the players a few more options when it comes to targeting via the Combat Tracker. In theory CTRL-click allows players to toggle targets via their combat tracker however it appears to be broken at present (and is on the fix list for the next release 3.3.5). Targeting via the battle map works just fine (provided you remember to drag tokens from the combat tracker). Battle map targeting obviously doesn't work for theatre-of-the-mind encounters where there is no map.

Here is an extension to allow players to drag-to-target, click-to-clear and clear-all on the combat tracker like the GMs can.

It's been play tested during a live session and a few issues have been found and fixed. The code ended up being a little more complex than I first imagined so there still may be a bug or two hiding.

* Players get a target button on their combat tracker that opens up a small sub-panel (provided they own the character).
* Inside the panel is a target button that can be dragged onto another visible target in the combat tracker to add it to the list of targets (like the GMs).
* The panel also contains a cancel-alltargets button (like the GMs).
* Players can cancel individual targets by clicking on the token in the sub-panel (again like the GM).
* The extension endeavours to keep the combat maps up to date too (map, GM tracker and player trackers should to all stay in sync).
* It's a little stricter than the core battlemap targeting in that it only allows players to mess with characters they own.
* It has been tested in situations where players control multiple characters and add and release them.
* I've tested on CoreRPG and 5E (it may work on other rule sets but no guarantee).

Regards, Steeleyes.

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Awesome! Thanks for sharing.

This is fantastic. A while ago I was asking if there was something just like this. Thanks for doing this!!

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Originally Posted by Dax Doomslayer

This is fantastic. A while ago I was asking if there was something just like this. Thanks for doing this!!

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No problems Dax. Give it a try and let me know if you bump into any issues.

I have a player who is use to being a GM in FG and was missing the ability to do this, thank you!!!

No issues so far and I like it. The one difference between this extension and the DM's combat tracker ability that I've noticed is that you can't drag the target bulls eye to the token to target. As a player, this probably isn't a big deal other than for area effect spells I guess. This works fine as far as I can see otherwise and really appreciate this extension Steeleyes!!

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Originally Posted by Dax Doomslayer

The one difference between this extension and the DM's combat tracker ability that I've noticed is that you can't drag the target bulls eye to the token to target.

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Yes my guinea pigs (I mean players) noticed that too. It looks like the extra code would need to go in the map manager rather than the combat tracker. So we may have to live with it.

Forgive me for a step down into the depths of a gory underworld...

As far as I can see from the code there is no simple way to extend the combat map manager to add this functionality (it looks like I'd be forced to clone and edit the entire thing - yuch - that would make maintaining the extension a pain). [Edit: This isn't true there are ways to extend modules e.g CombatManager.setCustomDrop()]

The XML sections of the code appear to be easy to extend and override, but as far as I can see the lua code is not set up to allow existing features to be extended (I already had to write a new client target manager rather than adding or modifying the existing target manager). Maybe someone with more experience of writing extensions can point me in the right direction "How do I extend one of the global lua scripts?". I did hunt for an answer to this and the only thing I found was to write a new manager. [Edit: This also isn't true CombatManager['someFunction'] = someNewFunction; works - ideally save the old function first so you can "inherit" from it]

I've also had issues clicking on a token to deselect it when only the combat-tracker is being used (i.e theatre of the mind with no battlemap), but at least that's probably fixable in the combat tracker code.

No worries on that Steeleyes. I love the extension and I can live with that difference. I appreciate the work you did on it!! It does sound a bit of 'diminishing returns' to do this and as it is now helps me immensely! Thanks again for this!

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Originally Posted by Dax Doomslayer

No worries on that Steeleyes. I love the extension and I can live with that difference. I appreciate the work you did on it!! It does sound a bit of 'diminishing returns' to do this and as it is now helps me immensely! Thanks again for this!

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It looks like the combat manager does have a clean way to allow me to respond to target drops onto the map, so I've added the extra code to fix the bug (I've updated the .ext at the top - you should see v0.2).

removed duplicate post

Very cool! It's an Easter miracle - lol. I'll have to try this out when we play tomorrow. Thanks for you hard work Steeleyes!!

Anyone know if this extension works with the Savage Worlds ruleset?

it causes a bunch of errors for Savage Worlds users. Most likely because some of these ideas were om the last update for SW.

My gaming group is loving this extension unfortunately the UI code changes in the latest FG (v3.3.6) breaks it in the combat tracker. Thank you for your hard work, I am hoping you will be able to fix it.

Ah thanks for the heads up. We used it on Monday and none of my players ran into issues but it’s certainly possible something changed.

Can you give a few details about what failed and how it manifested itself.

[Edit] Yes it does look a bit dodgy for coreRPG and 5E. Is it still generally working but all the icons are in the wrong places?

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Originally Posted by sirkerry

Anyone know if this extension works with the Savage Worlds ruleset?

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Sorry no plans for supporting anything other than core and 5E. :(

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Originally Posted by Blacklamb

My gaming group is loving this extension unfortunately the UI code changes in the latest FG (v3.3.6) breaks it in the combat tracker. Thank you for your hard work, I am hoping you will be able to fix it.

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I've fixed the player targeting extension now for FG v3.3.6 (the graphics were badly positioned). I've tested with CoreRPG and 5E, my players should also put it through it's paces tonight.

[Edit] Last night's play testing did still show an issue dropping the target onto the battle map so I'll need to take another look.

Released v0.4. This fixes a bug and now allows players to target by dropping the target icon onto the map again (in addition to the other options they have for targeting).

Thanks Steeleyes! I think this is one of my favorite extensions!!

Does this work with Unity?

My players still use this extension some of the time to target, so I've updated it to fix the deprecated messages the players were getting in the chat window (and console).
The .ext in the 1st post has been updated to be v0.5 and is designed for FGU. The extension has been completely rewritten to bring more into line with the way the combat tracker is currently structured. It's built upon CoreRPG (I only test with 5E but it might ok for some other rule sets).

There are plenty of built-in ways for players to select or deselect targets
i) Ctrl-leftclick on an entry in the combat tracker (this is standard)
ii) Ctrl-leftclick on a token on the battlemap (this is standard). If you have several tokens to control leftclick the appropriate token 1st to select it (this is standard).

This extension adds some additional things (inside a DM-like targeting sub-section)
iii) a button on the player side to clear all targets
iv) a player way to target by dragging and dropping the targeting cross-hair onto an entry in the combat tracker.
v) a player way to target by dragging and dropping the targeting cross-hair onto a token on the battlemap.
vi) a player can deselect an individual target using a leftclick on the small icons in the combat tracker targeting subsection.

Very nice! Will this be making it to the forge?

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Originally Posted by nephranka

Very nice! Will this be making it to the forge?

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It should be really for everyone's convenience. Forge wasn't even a thing when the app was created in 2018, but I'll take a look and see what it would take to upload it.

Cool. I am not sure why this is not a thing in the base game. It seems very helpful for the players.

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Originally Posted by nephranka

Very nice! Will this be making it to the forge?

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This extension is available through Fantasy Grounds Forge now.
https://forge.fantasygrounds.com/shop/items/1666/view

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Originally Posted by Steeleyes

This extension is available through Fantasy Grounds Forge now.
https://forge.fantasygrounds.com/shop/items/1666/view

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Very cool. Thank you.

I was wondering if you are able to give this to any "friendly" on the CT? We have cohorts and they don't get the new targeting options. We use the friend zone to add them to the CT. It may be out of the scope of this ext but I thought I would ask.

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Originally Posted by nephranka

I was wondering if you are able to give this to any "friendly" on the CT? We have cohorts and they don't get the new targeting options. We use the friend zone to add them to the CT. It may be out of the scope of this ext but I thought I would ask.

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Yes I think that can be done. This would allow players to change another friendly PC's targeting (as well as cohorts) but I think that's ok and the DM can dissuade this behaviour if they feel strongly about it. We just need to wait for the upload of v0.6 and description to be approved in Forge.

Quote:

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Originally Posted by Steeleyes

Yes I think that can be done. This would allow players to change another friendly PC's targeting (as well as cohorts) but I think that's ok and the DM can dissuade this behaviour if they feel strongly about it. We just need to wait for the upload of v0.6 and description to be approved in Forge.

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That is cool. I would think there would not be much by way of pcs interfering with each others targeting. With how many use cohorts I am sure this is a nice QoL improvement. Thanks for taking it under consideration.

So v0.6 is now live on Forge (this version allows players target access for any friendly token on the combat tracker).

Thanks for this. I am waiting for the update to settle and the exts to get fixed before moving to the new version, so I will not be able to test it until then. I am sure it is working fine.