5e Combat Enhancer (built on retired GPL Advanced Kombat extension)

[StoryWeaver]

@mogul76
As far as I know this works and did so during last testing, I'll have another look when I get the chance. Make sure you have the latest versions of the extensions installed.

@Tyrannosaurus Vex
Good suggestion. I'd say though that if the extension suggested by gamerhawaii does the same, then it would be worth trying that for now at least.

@Mazzar
Make sure your tokens are inside the squares (hex grid is not supported) and not on the line (half between two separate ones). The code assumes tokens are correctly placed within the squares to compare their locations in the square grid, to determine flanking.
I'll have a look to see if I can recreate the script error and do some testing on the issues when I have the chance.



While there are a few things I have in mind I want to add to this extension. I am rather loaded with work and other projects I'm working on for the immediate future.
More over most worthwhile additions take quite a few hours up to days of planning, architecting, coding and testing to implement. So that needs to be considered when I weigh the payoff in improvement to the extension, particularly if that work may have to be redone to some extent to support FGU.
So I'm wanting to see what changes there are to the core functionality that come with the beta of FGU before I dedicate to much more time on work that I might end up having to be redo on its release.
I have a feeling I'll have quite the workload to redo all the layer code throughout the project to make it work with FGU instead of relying on Trenloes Enhanced Images extension for layers to begin with, don't want to add more on top of that if not necessary. *laughs*


So for the immediate future I'm focusing more on making sure that all the great features we have already are working as intended, that is maintaining and fixing any major script errors or frequent issues that might come up.

ps. I'm excited to see what possibilities FGU will bring that I could use to further improve this extension.

[Moon Wizard]

Styrmir,

Regarding your answer to Mazzar, Large and Gargantuan creature tokens are placed on grid vertex points, not in grid center. Not sure if that’s part of the issue.

Regards,
JPG

[StoryWeaver]

Cheers Moon Wizard, that would indeed be the cause if larger than medium sized tokens were in play.


While I was typing out my reply this morning I forgot to mention, that currently the flanking and checking for disadvantage as enemy in melee range only considers medium sized targets with a 5' reach currently. This is mentioned in the patch notes and would be relevant to both moguls77 and Mazzar's posts above.

This is something I am wanting to address in a future update, but it will require a sizeable slot of time available to do as there are a number of things to consider for that in the three dimensional plane. Having worked out how to make it work for medium sized actors with a 5' reach, lays the basis for that extension of functionality.


On a separate note, ranged attacks distance calculations will work for all the different size categories and uses separate logic from the flanking and disadvantage checking.

Ranged attack calculations use the Pythagoras theorem in the three dimensional plane to calculate the distances between the actor tokens grid edge to the target tokens grid edge, this considers different sizes of targets. This means the range will be accurate, but not using the simplified grid or variant rules for use from the DM guide. Thus taking advantage of playing on a VTT over simplifications necessary to give rough estimates for in-person play.

Furthermore in my humble opinion there are some improvements to my solution here over the in-built logic, at least when it comes to playing 5E on a square grid map. This may not be a factor for other gaming systems.

The default in-built targeting arrow and line drawing range logic, as far as my testing has showed, have some drawbacks that my approach overcomes. When tokens were side by side and not at least diagonal there would be no range returned, related to that what I'm assuming that the arrow line could not be drawn in those cases. This in turn would break range calculations in those cases so a different solution was needed.

The range would also not consider the difference in distance to the target tokens grid edge (5E) from different angles. Imagine drawing a circle with a radius, with its center in the center of an actors grid square. This circle would only touch the grid squares edges at the absolute middle of the horizontal and vertical. Leaving an unspecified distance from the circumference of that circle to the horizontal or vertical edge of the square grid in any case where the two tokens circles circumferences did not touch, that is if tokens are not absolutely horizontally or vertically placed towards each other. This problem would be exasperated as it would occur for both the actors and targets side.
My calculations considers this and also consider this for different sized targets. Finding the interception line location of both attackers and targets tokens last occupied square on the map (as per the 5e rules), and considering that difference to derive the actual range in game terms.


TLDR;

Long story short, it's all rather complicated and all these range functionalities use my own custom solution for 5E in the Token Helper extension. Ranged attack ranges return precise ranges while considering the 5E rules for grid occupation of targets of various sizes, thus returning precise actual ranges in game terms.

Flanking and checking for disadvantage as active enemy in range works by finding the tokens square grid location and comparing placements to each other, also considering a 5' reach in three dimensions. This works very differently due to the nature of the problem. Currently only for medium or smaller sized tokens (tokens that fit within 1 square).

@moguls77 and Mazzar
Both your cases will only work if the actor and target are Medium or smaller sized, that is they only occupy one grid square space. This is something that may get addressed in future updates.

[Mazzar]

Cheers Moon Wizard, that would indeed be the cause if larger than medium sized tokens were in play.


While I was typing out my reply this morning I forgot to mention, that currently the flanking and checking for disadvantage as enemy in melee range only considers medium sized targets with a 5' reach currently. This is mentioned in the patch notes and would be relevant to both moguls77 and Mazzar's posts above.

This is something I am wanting to address in a future update, but it will require a sizeable slot of time available to do as there are a number of things to consider for that in the three dimensional plane. Having worked out how to make it work for medium sized actors with a 5' reach, lays the basis for that extension of functionality.


On a separate note, ranged attacks distance calculations will work for all the different size categories and uses separate logic from the flanking and disadvantage checking.

Ranged attack calculations use the Pythagoras theorem in the three dimensional plane to calculate the distances between the actor tokens grid edge to the target tokens grid edge, this considers different sizes of targets. This means the range will be accurate, but not using the simplified grid or variant rules for use from the DM guide. Thus taking advantage of playing on a VTT over simplifications necessary to give rough estimates for in-person play.

Furthermore in my humble opinion there are some improvements to my solution here over the in-built logic, at least when it comes to playing 5E on a square grid map. This may not be a factor for other gaming systems.

The default in-built targeting arrow and line drawing range logic, as far as my testing has showed, have some drawbacks that my approach overcomes. When tokens were side by side and not at least diagonal there would be no range returned, related to that what I'm assuming that the arrow line could not be drawn in those cases. This in turn would break range calculations in those cases so a different solution was needed.

The range would also not consider the difference in distance to the target tokens grid edge (5E) from different angles. Imagine drawing a circle with a radius, with its center in the center of an actors grid square. This circle would only touch the grid squares edges at the absolute middle of the horizontal and vertical. Leaving an unspecified distance from the circumference of that circle to the horizontal or vertical edge of the square grid in any case where the two tokens circles circumferences did not touch, that is if tokens are not absolutely horizontally or vertically placed towards each other. This problem would be exasperated as it would occur for both the actors and targets side.
My calculations considers this and also consider this for different sized targets. Finding the interception line location of both attackers and targets tokens last occupied square on the map (as per the 5e rules), and considering that difference to derive the actual range in game terms.


TLDR;

Long story short, it's all rather complicated and all these range functionalities use my own custom solution for 5E. Ranged attack ranges return precise ranges while considering the 5E rules for grid occupation of targets of various sizes, thus returning precise actual ranges in game terms.

Flanking and checking for disadvantage as active enemy in range works by finding the tokens square grid location and comparing placements to each other, also considering a 5' reach in three dimensions. This works very differently due to the nature of the problem. Currently only for medium or smaller sized tokens (tokens that fit within 1 square).

@moguls77 and Mazzar
Both your cases will only work if the actor and target are Medium or smaller sized, that is they only occupy one grid square space. This is something that may get addressed in future updates.

Ok.. For the flanking not triggering, I figured out the issue. The NPC on the other side was incapacitated (and I did not realize that when I tested it). Sorry if I caused a bit of havoc. However, the script error does happen when the NPC's are Not Identified. So at least part of my issue is a real issue.

[StoryWeaver]

@Mazzar
Glad to hear you figured out what was going on in your case.
I'll have a look at the script error.

[flynnkd]

Ignore, I missed the token helper ext click... der...
I have added this extension to my game (2 ext files and the graphics folder) but in the ext selection window for the campaign I notice the red radio button for this ext is slightly faded compared to the others. Removed all other ext and loaded but the startup does not list th ext as loading. Nothing Options either.
If there is an answer to this in the 50+ pages I am sorry, but thats too much looking for me.

[eporrini]

First off, great extension. I have an error to report and a question. The error is that the longbow seems to throw errors. I have removed and re-added it and it may work a few times, but then seems to bug out. For now I have the player using a short bow and I have modified it to act and do damage like a longbow. My other question is around the blood splats on the character portraits. Is there a way to tone them down a bit? My players are complaining it very quickly obscures their token.

[Trenloe]

First off, great extension. I have an error to report and a question. The error is that the longbow seems to throw errors. I have removed and re-added it and it may work a few times, but then seems to bug out.

Welcome to the FG forums.

Whenever reporting errors, please try to provide details of the errors - there's a "Copy to Clipboard" button at the top of the console window that shows the error, so it's easy to copy the full error details and paste them into the forums. This is invaluable information which helps the dev track down issues.

[gmshilo]

hey ty so much for this extension this is rly improving my gaming session .
only 1 thing when i draging the red, yellow and green skulls from the CT if im not in the original size pic its do not work properly and sending the tokens to anther place.
if you can fix it that will be perfect ty so much

[Henrique Oliveira Machado]

Very nice.
But please, can you add a way that i can open the character/monster sheet by double clicking the token?
It's cool to show it on the combat tracker when you double click on it, but opening the character sheet is of great importance, and we do it all the time