The DM Program

[Youngy]

As Murray saw the other night, I am working on a DM screen to keep track of things for me.

However, I figure you might all like to (or maybe not) use it if you run your own campaigns, so I am up for suggestions.

Features (So Far):

-Keeps track of monster/creature health in encounters (fits maximum of 16)
-Keeps track of character details - HP, Defences, Initiative, Perception, Insight.
-Orders and cycles through character initiatives for each encounter.
-Contains information about each skill, which can be viewed on screen - including common uses.

However it does not save to files, so information will need to be re-entered every time, not much effort.

Anybody have any other ideas?

[CYPHER]

Why doesn't it save?

You should have skills that players can use against them, such as bluff and intimidate. Also history or arcana depending on the characters. Also storing the information about them would be useful when making story on the fly or embellishing the plot.

Have "+" and "-" Buttons for all character stats, cause lots of them change. For example if i roll an even on my first to hit i get +1AC.

Once you've managed a save button have a "Next encounter" button which transfers the character's details to another sheet and lets you put in new monsters. Or puts the monsters in if you already planned it in advance.

I have more, but their the important ones.

[Youngy]

Why doesn't it save?

Java Applications aren't meant to save. That is not really their purpose as such. I am going to export all of the stats to a Player array, and then find a way to save the array. But even then, just adding 8 pieces of info for each character at the start of each night will not be hard. As for something like your AC - which constantly changes - that kind of thing I will leave to you.

You should have skills that players can use against them, such as bluff and intimidate. Also history or arcana depending on the characters. Also storing the information about them would be useful when making story on the fly or embellishing the plot.

I don't understand what you mean. As in about each monster? Or just NPCs? NPCs I will manage on their own sheet, not in a program at the moment, otherwise it will get a little difficult. (And I am running out of screen space)

Have "+" and "-" Buttons for all character stats, cause lots of them change. For example if i roll an even on my first to hit i get +1AC.

Do you know how many buttons that is, the code would be horrendously long to do that, and once again there is not enough space. Plus its easy enough updating single stats at low numbers.
What I am after is a brief summary of the encounter - not something that will track every detail about your characters (that may come next).

Once you've managed a save button have a "Next encounter" button which transfers the character's details to another sheet and lets you put in new monsters. Or puts the monsters in if you already planned it in advance.

I have a clear button which allows creatures for the next encounter to be added (All it takes is a name and hit points). Once again, this is not about planning at the moment, more just keeping track of things on the run.

[Youngy]

Something like this.

[CYPHER]

Java Applications aren't meant to save. That is not really their purpose as such. I am going to export all of the stats to a Player array, and then find a way to save the array. But even then, just adding 8 pieces of info for each character at the start of each night will not be hard. As for something like your AC - which constantly changes - that kind of thing I will leave to you.
I still think you should make it save. There is a way to save java programs as i have some that do.

I don't understand what you mean. As in about each monster? Or just NPCs? NPCs I will manage on their own sheet, not in a program at the moment, otherwise it will get a little difficult. (And I am running out of screen space)
Take a zombie for example.
Religion check - DC 15: Most zombies are created using a foul ritual. Once roused, a zombie obeys its creator and wants nothing more than to kill and consume the living.
Religion check - DC 20: Corpses left in places corrupted by supernatural energy from the Shadowfell sometimes rise as zombies on their own. These zombies have no master and generally attack all living creatures they encounter.


If it had that sitting in the bottom corner then it would make it much easier if someone wanted to know about them. Rather than looking through the book or making it up. It also mean the story would be more consistent.


Do you know how many buttons that is, the code would be horrendously long to do that, and once again there is not enough space. Plus its easy enough updating single stats at low numbers.
What I am after is a brief summary of the encounter - not something that will track every detail about your characters (that may come next).
Thats what copy paste is for. All you need to change is numbers.
I'd honestly be more interested in something that stores everything and helps when running an encounter. I can keep track of the encounter using a pen and paper. Its the big things i want help with.

It will be interesting to see what this will do. ATM i don't think it will be as much use as you think.

[Youngy]

It was more I was sick of keeping track of HP and adding and subtracting - and the stupidly large number of times that I asked Murray what his Ref was last game.
I think by the sounds of it another program is in order.

The skills is because, as we found last week, we never really use them as the book says - ie jumping upwards (20ft should be a massive DC)

So what you are on about is storing the whole campaign in there - with all relevant information about everything? Which means that I can just cycle through encounters? The other thing with that is that it would mostly assume that things are linear. (Which would work in something like your campaign, whereas in mine I really need to have the ability to react to anything you choose (trying to pick a fight with an Ancient Dragon for instance)) So far they are not really at all - I've given you guys free reign. (This is why it is taking so long to prepare - I have to be ready for 6 quests, not 1)

Come to think of it, stored background information about each of the NPCs and checks needed to do things to them would probably be helpful - I mean most of it is in my head, but I'd lose track of that.

I guess both of us are after different things really - due to the way that each of us plays the role of DM

[CYPHER]

It was more I was sick of keeping track of HP and adding and subtracting - and the stupidly large number of times that I asked Murray what his Ref was last game.
I think by the sounds of it another program is in order.

Do what i did then and use an excel sheet.

The skills is because, as we found last week, we never really use them as the book says - ie jumping upwards (20ft should be a massive DC)

So there should be somewhere to store that info so you can change it. And when did we jump upwards?

So what you are on about is storing the whole campaign in there - with all relevant information about everything? Which means that I can just cycle through encounters? The other thing with that is that it would mostly assume that things are linear. (Which would work in something like your campaign, whereas in mine I really need to have the ability to react to anything you choose (trying to pick a fight with an Ancient Dragon for instance)) So far they are not really at all - I've given you guys free reign. (This is why it is taking so long to prepare - I have to be ready for 6 quests, not 1)

No, just making it so it can be saved if for some reason we had to finish in the middle of an encounter. I'd like notes about general enemies/models. So i can have all of zanir's info in front of me when you ask questions as well as a DC for things like bluff/intimidate/diplomacy and keeping it consistent.

Come to think of it, stored background information about each of the NPCs and checks needed to do things to them would probably be helpful - I mean most of it is in my head, but I'd lose track of that.

Thats what i'm saying. And how can you keep track of that when you can't even add properly?

I guess both of us are after different things really - due to the way that each of us plays the role of DM

Yes, and no. I'm just saying their are already alternatives for keeping track of HP and skills than writing a new program. To be honest, if your not adding anything more than what can be done in excel, i don't see a point to using it.

[Youngy]

But its cooler than Excel!!! Type in a number and click remove!!! 
And I'm learning
Plus, its so much nicer than Excel.

NPC (Background/Skills/Reactions) - Campaign Information (History/Objects/Information).
Having that kind of info on every model would be crazy - every NPC would be dealable .
(There's still something like 20 major ones in mine) Gotcha!

I think Ill do a similar thing to the characters that I did to the monsters.
Make them individually, and then save them as labels rather than text fields. That way the + - buttons are doable too.
And they would have to be stored in a character array, which would be useful. - If I could work out how to save.
(I'm sure its in there somewhere.)

[Maudy]

that is SOOO cool! i love the button marked KILL!!! bwahahaha

[CYPHER]

But its cooler than Excel!!! Type in a number and click remove!!! 
And I'm learning
Plus, its so much nicer than Excel.

NPC (Background/Skills/Reactions) - Campaign Information (History/Objects/Information).
Having that kind of info on every model would be crazy - every NPC would be dealable .
(There's still something like 20 major ones in mine) Gotcha!

I think Ill do a similar thing to the characters that I did to the monsters.
Make them individually, and then save them as labels rather than text fields. That way the + - buttons are doable too.
And they would have to be stored in a character array, which would be useful. - If I could work out how to save.
(I'm sure its in there somewhere.)

I didn't mean every little character, but the NPCs and anything we keep fighting over and over again (assassins or zombies/skeletons in mine) could have a general note somewhere with skills and such.

I figured you were doing this to learn. The same way i did with VB last year.

[Youngy]

Yeah, pretty much, but if I can make it do that, I will be happy. It seems to be working well enough, I just have to get the skill section worked out.

[Commander Flogg]

How about trying, pen and paper. I find this works.

[CYPHER]

How about trying, pen and paper. I find this works.

Thats what he was doing, he just wants to be fancy, and so he can be on facebook at the same time. 

[carson]

Pen and paper is the best tool.

The whole point of rpgs is to use pen and paper! The best part is being able to jot stuff down in a notebook while DMing!

[Maudy]

Pen and paper is the best tool.

THANKYOU!! you should see the rubbish program youngy used to print off loch's character, a cryptographer woulda found it indecipherable!