Unless something changed, I believe you can have a bloody, burning skeleton champion. Right now the monster advancer only allows a bloody skeleton champion or a burning skeleton champion but not all three types.
You're right, I never noticed this. It's right there in the rules explictly. I'll get these changed over to checkboxes and make them work stacked.
The Zombie variants don't have the same official line about stacking the variants, but it looks like they could both be stacked easily from a rules perspective.
As for the charisma boost, for burning/bloody skeleton champions, I don't have a clue on this one. I could certainly be convinced either way is correct, but I haven't found any good reference on this.
I've said it before, so I'll go ahead and say it again. This program is invaluable. Thanks for all these bells and whistles Kyle!
Now, for the constructive criticism mixed in with some praise:
I loooove the player character console. The addition of all of combat and attack boxes makes it a busy GM's one stop shop for PC info; however, the attack bonuses for weapons are based off of a BAB/STR/# of hands formula, from what I can tell, that does not take into account any possible feats like Weapon Focus, Weapon Training for Fighters, or Two-Weapon fighting. So some of the +/- to hits will be off for some PC's. I realize this can be adjusted, by just moving the "to hit" + box accordingly, but thought I'd mention it anyway in case you had some way to adjust that. An easy way (I assume, but have zero programming knowledge, as I've said before) would be to just make the weapon output box customizable, so the GM could input the proper +/- based off of a character sheet, and go from there. In addition, though you have a solid (and thank you for that by the way) list of usable weapons both melee and ranged. It doesn't include (again from what I can tell on first blush) any of the material from the Adventurer's Armory. Initially when I thought of adding attack boxes I figured you'd just put in another box like the notes box where some info could be plugged in, I had no idea you'd be actually putting in a point and click weapon finder that included an understanding of game mechanics (bravo on that little piece of amazement). It might help if there was an option in the "Add Weapon" dialogue box for customizable weapons. Perhaps a dropdown box of damage dice, crit range, and number of hands required?
After looking at this latest version that is seriously all I could think of to change.
Now let me dream a little dream:
First off, let me say that when I imagine a program that sits on my desktop during tabletop RPG sessions to help combat run smoothly, this program far exceeds that imagination. However, since you've set yourself up for grand success by providing such an amazing tool already, I'm just going to throw out some pie-in the sky ideas. The first idea is for the ability to add "conditions" to a character. For this I'm thinking both of mechanical conditions like dazed, prone, etc. but also spell-like conditions like Mage Armor or Bless. If there were a conditions box that had a few dropdown boxes for effect (like say an AC input where you could input +4 or -2, etc. Or an Attack Bonus input box where you could put in +3 etc.) and an input box for number of effect rounds that was linked to the "Round Counter" and counted down as you turned over the initiative, finally removing the effects when the round counter reached zero, I'd probably wet myself. At this point you've probably realized I'm a lazy GM. I'll cop to it. I'm an uber-lazy GM. If there's a tool that keeps track of the rules for me, I'll use it. So there's my first dream.
My second dream is for an importable PC of some kind. As I've said more than a few times already, I know zilch about programming. If, though, there were a way to work with one of the free PC creation sheets out there, like a PCGen, or Ogresheet (which I also think is a brilliant free program btw) as examples, to import the data into the "Base" box, and "Combat" box (linking the "Attacks" box seems like a nightmare because of all the variables, but if you could link that too all the better) it would make this tool the most comprehensive and user-friendly combat management software on the market, hands down.
I realize you are doing all this as a side project to your real life, and when I think about all the time and talent you've put it into it so far I shudder to even ask for anything more. Like I said though, you've created such a great program and improved it by lightyears in such a short time, that one can't help but dream big. Even if nothing else changes with this program, it's still the best combat manager I've ever seen, and I thank you. This is amazing work, worthy of the highest of praise, but a guy can dream can't he?
the attack bonuses for weapons are based off of a BAB/STR/# of hands formula, from what I can tell, that does not take into account any possible feats like Weapon Focus, Weapon Training for Fighters, or Two-Weapon fighting. So some of the +/- to hits will be off for some PC's.
I'm working on adding feats and skills for PCs, class abilities are a little more complicated. I'd like to add some kind of manual adjustment for the weapons, but there are complication I haven't wanted to deal with yet.
It doesn't include (again from what I can tell on first blush) any of the material from the Adventurer's Armory.
I've actually got it in the file but I had switched it off and didn't get it back on before I pushed it out. You'll also find that double weapons don't work correctly at the moment, although I've already fixed it for the next version.
The first idea is for the ability to add "conditions" to a character.
On the To do list. It's certainly something I want for myself.
My second dream is for an importable PC of some kind. As I've said more than a few times already, I know zilch about programming. If, though, there were a way to work with one of the free PC creation sheets out there, like a PCGen, or Ogresheet
I'll throw this on the official ToDo List. I don't know how complicated this would be exactly. Reading the data may be easy, but I'm not sure about processing it.
Thanks for all the comments. Hopefully I can keep up the energy to keep adding features for a while. I enjoy writing the program and I'm glad other people are helped by it.
I've actually got it in the file... On the To do list... I'll throw this on the official ToDo List...
You sir are ludicrously intelligent, and fabulously awesome. Chalk me up as your official #1 fan. I'm now taking applications for the Kyle Olson fan club, of which I am the president. Bravo! I'll wait patiently as you craft the next version. :)
*Signs up as the first member of the Kyle Olsen fan club after the president*
I've used the Kyle Olsen Combat Manager in EVERY game I've hosted since it hit these boards. That's nothing if not dedication to a (so awesome I can't believe it's free!) product.
Combat Manager Update to 1.0.6:
Added conditions UI
Allow monster to apply poison or disease to characters
Added actions menu
Weapon changer fixes
Add character cloning
Allow bloody/burning skeleton combo
Enter key works with HP box/popup
Character attacks adjust when user changes strength/dex
Combat Manager website:
CombatManager.com
I've used it every game since I found it, too. And now another DM I told about it is using it.
The only thing I can think of to ask is this: ADD A DONATE BUTTON TO YOUR WEBSITE
Anyway, as for real input, here's what I've noticed fiddling around with it.
When I add a condition straight from a monster (in this case, the Giant Spider), it doesn't add the duration (4 rounds, it makes me manually add it).
Secondly, I've added and removed poison a few times. Now, when I add it in, for some reason when I mouse-over the icon, it has the description show four times, like it thinks I'm mousing over four different afflictions. Hard to explain.
If you can't duplicate it, I'll email a screenshot to the address listed on the site. If you don't care... well, that's fine too! A minor bug in a great program!
And here's a request.
Add 'rage' as a condition.
Have it auto-calculate how many rounds it's been up so when I dismiss it (or it gets dismissed automatically due to the duration running out from going through combat sequence rounds), it auto-applies 'fatigued' to the character for twice the duration (just like the actual rage ability).
But seriously, this is such minor stuff that I do in my head anyway. Love this program.
When I add a condition straight from a monster (in this case, the Giant Spider), it doesn't add the duration (4 rounds, it makes me manually add it).
I decided not to do this right away but it's something I'm looking at. There's enough complexity that I have to think it through.
Secondly, I've added and removed poison a few times. Now, when I add it in, for some reason when I mouse-over the icon, it has the description show four times, like it thinks I'm mousing over four different afflictions. Hard to explain.
I see it, and I've found a fix for it. One silly little line missing. It will be in whatever update is next, a bug update if people find enough bugs.
And here's a request.
Add 'rage' as a condition.
There are probably a number of class conditions I could add. I'd like to get a feel for what people need that isn't there class or otherwise. I also want to add some small amount of stat-change enforcement for these abilities, but I also have not worked that out yet.
Thanks for the input again. I'll see about a donate button to make up for the $7.99 it cost to buy the domain name ;)
I decided not to do this right away but it's something I'm looking at. There's enough complexity that I have to think it through.When I add a condition straight from a monster (in this case, the Giant Spider), it doesn't add the duration (4 rounds, it makes me manually add it).
Totally not important. I just thought it might have been an oversight. This is easy for a DM to manually add.
And here's a request.
Add 'rage' as a condition.
There are probably a number of class conditions I could add. I'd like to get a feel for what people need that isn't there class or otherwise. I also want to add some small amount of stat-change enforcement for these abilities, but I also have not worked that out yet.
Thanks for the input again. I'll see about a donate button to make up for the $7.99 it cost to buy the domain name ;)
No need to go crazy with the class-based abilities. I was thinking about it purely from my specific campaign (that has a barbarian) and of course it would be useless for others that don't.
No need to go crazy with the class-based abilities. I was thinking about it purely from my specific campaign (that has a barbarian) and of course it would be useless for others that don't.
I also am thinking about making the program remember the custom conditions you've entered so that you can look them up again later, which would handle a good number of per campaign scenarios. I actually don't think this will be much work, but if it gets done soon depends on if another feature (like Feats) strikes my fancy first.
Absolutely great! Nice work as usual Kyle. Looooove the conditions tool. I'm having one small problem though. The application crashes whenever I try to open a saved party file...?
I'd include the crunchy bits but I can't get the error report to copy/paste. I'm running windows xp professional version 2002 with service pack 3 installed. Intel core 2 duo processor T8100 @ 2.10 GHz.
I'm assuming the save and load are active features not just place holders. Am I wrong on that?
Was playing with the new version last night and it has come along nicely. Really like what you have done with this and how you continue to evolve it.
The one feedback item that I had was when adding a custom monster into the Combat piece, I didn't see any way to add their natural weapons, claw, bite, hoof, etc. I did notice that any monster that was pulled from the list of available had those appearing over in the Natural weapon section.
That is my only feedback at this time.
I'm having one small problem though. The application crashes whenever I try to open a saved party file...?
Can you mail the crashing party file to combatman@kyleolson.com? I haven't seen a crash loading a file, but I'm probably not planning for some scenario.
First is I don't see a way to handle delay or ready actions in the initiative list?
Right now you need to use the up/down arrows on top of the list to move a player up or down in combat order. I could probably and an option to the combat list to indicate a user has readied an action.
The one feedback item that I had was when adding a custom monster into the Combat piece, I didn't see any way to add their natural weapons, claw, bite, hoof, etc. I did notice that any monster that was pulled from the list of available had those appearing over in the Natural weapon section.
I've got the tech to add natural weapons (and I'm using it in the advancer now) but I wasn't quite sure what I wanted to do with the UI. There's (at least) one funky thing with natural weapons - unlike melee weapons the damage is not fixed based on size, although there is a default damage. I also have a relatively absurd hand calculating algorithm which would break if extra claws or slams were added, but that may not be a big deal.
Combat Manager Update to 1.0.7:
Fix crashing bug loading monsters
Fix poison tooltip
Combat Manager website:
CombatManager.com
Combat Manager Update to 1.0.8:
Fix crash on some systems when loading xml data
Combat Manager website:
CombatManager.com
Thanks to MendedWall12 for helping me find this issue.
Combat Manager Update to 1.0.8:
Fix crash on some systems when loading xml data
Combat Manager website:
CombatManager.comThanks to MendedWall12 for helping me find this issue.
Anything I can do to help. :) Thanks for this fix.
Kyle, your program is awesome. It is very useful, intuitive and well designed. Thank you for adding a valuable tool to every GM's toolbox.
I only have a few suggestions. One is minor programming issue. Unlike almost every program out there, I have to minimize it to drop into down into the task bar. Most programs if you mouse over the task bar, it pops up and you can then select a different window. I'm not sure how easy this issue would be to fix, but if you can't or it's to time consuming, no big deal.
The other issue I had was with the Edit Attacks Menu. There is no way to add naked modifiers to attack or damage. A simple field that you could fill in, and then the ability to add to either attack or damage, would take care of a lot of feats- i.e. Weapon Focus, GWF, Weapon Specialization, etc.
Other than those two things, it's an incredible little piece of software. Nice job!
Kyle, I've been playing with this program some more and just to echo everyone else - great work so far.
I do have an idea for you that would be both great and not too hard to implement I don't think.
As I mentioned in an earlier post, I'd love to see a way to import HeroLab's characters into the program. This idea is sort of a first step towards that. Here's what I am thinking...
Right now when I am using the app, if I click on a monster, the stats for said critter appear in the upper right window (which is awesome). If however I click on a player character that space is empty. Would it be possible to have that space filled in with the character's stat block? That sure would be handy and useful I am thinking.
To implement that, what I am proposing is this, add a function to import a stat block for a character and just display it in that space. I think most character creation programs (including Hero Lab) can output a plain text character stat block. Just being able to read that info in and display it for each character in that upper right window would be invaluable I think.
Of course once you go that far a second step would be to parse said statblock and fill the information in for the combat manager fields.... but I won't get pushy on that. ;)
Kyle, I've been playing with this program some more and just to echo everyone else - great work so far.
I do have an idea for you that would be both great and not too hard to implement I don't think.
...
Of course once you go that far a second step would be to parse said statblock and fill the information in for the combat manager fields.... but I won't get pushy on that. ;)
I'm going to echo his echo, which I think makes it a re-echo. I was just playing around with PCGen, which is the character creation tool I use. They have several different output options, xlst, html, plain text, and they even have an ouput option that is importable right into RPTools initiative tool. I'm not a huge fan of that particular initiative tool, quite obviously because I think yours is better in every way. If, though, there was a way to import from any of those various outputs, as Cutter has mentioned, it would make your Combat Manager so fully functioning I think it could GM most encounters by itself. :) If you want to take a look at some of the PCGen outputs just let me know I'll email a few different ones to you, so you can see what they look like.
I'd love to see a way to import HeroLab's characters into the program.
I've got HeroLab and PCGen installed now and I'm taking a look.
After my last game session I've decided I need some kind of character management outside of the party files anyway.
This application is one of the best i've seen so far! one of the annoyances of being a DM (which i have reluclanty have been avoiding is this one) now i can keep track of initiative, spells monster hp all in a nice single program! realy id give this a 99/5!
Any future plans to add the Gamemastery Drugs/Afflictions/etc to the conditions list? No real need for this, just curious.
Any future plans to add the Gamemastery Drugs/Afflictions/etc to the conditions list? No real need for this, just curious.
I've placed it on my ToDo list. I had originally planned to put the poisons and diseases from the book in but ran out of time.
To anyone who uses HeroLab: send a few character files to combatman@kyleolson.com. I'm working on an importing feature now. I've got the software and I'm generating my own files with it, but I would like to have user files so I can have a broader range of characters to test with. Thanks!
I'm trying to run Combat Manager on Linux using Mono. I get the following error message:
Could not load file or assembly 'PresentationFramework, Version=4.0.0.0, Culture=neutral, PublicKeyToken=31bf3856ad364e35' or one of its dependencies.
The entry point method could not be loaded
The current version of Mono has compatibility with most of .Net 4. Here is a link showing the current Mono status:
Does Combat Manager use one of the Mono bits that aren't compatible yet? If not, do you have any ideas why I'm not getting it running?
Awesome stuff Kyle!
Check your email.
I'm trying to run Combat Manager on Linux using Mono. I get the following error message:
Could not load file or assembly 'PresentationFramework, Version=4.0.0.0, Culture=neutral, PublicKeyToken=31bf3856ad364e35' or one of its dependencies.
The entry point method could not be loadedThe current version of Mono has compatibility with most of .Net 4. Here is a link showing the current Mono status:
Does Combat Manager use one of the Mono bits that aren't compatible yet? If not, do you have any ideas why I'm not getting it running?
Mono doesn't support WPF, which is the UI portion, so there's no way to run it. I might be able to push the non UI portions into a dll so the data and monster advancer could be used in a WinForms UI. When I get a chance I'll see what can be done.
Mono doesn't support WPF, which is the UI portion, so there's no way to run it. I might be able to push the non UI portions into a dll so the data and monster advancer could be used in a WinForms UI. When I get a chance I'll see what can be done.
That would certainly be great. I would love it, as Combat Manager seems awesome.
If you don't get around to it, I totally understand. Supporting other people's OS choices isn't usually a whole lot of fun.
This program is amazing! I have recommended it to all of my GM friends, and will continue to mention it to other gamers I come across.
One suggestion I would offer (in the context of a closer-to-ideal* program, I don't know if it would be too difficult to manage) is to somehow link or connect Feat and Spell listings for Monsters (and PCs too, if possible) to the Feat and Spell entries they correspond to on those respective tabs. This would be really spiffy, especially for players who are ... less than completely diligent in reading the whole spell descriptions. I know that it's an easy thing to switch tabs and type in the search box, but having a link or some other connection that streamlines the process would be spiffy.
*when I say "closer-to-ideal" it's a very small gap between my notion of an ideal program and the program you have already written, as evidenced by the nature of my suggestion - more of a tweak or an added bit of fluffy utility that isn't strictly necessary but would be nice.
I especially value the fact that the program runs so smoothly and quickly. The volume of data it deals with is not insignificant, and the elegance of the UI and the speed of functionality is exceptionally gratifying.
One last thing I'd like to note - earlier in the thread, someone commented that it's not really necessary to denote CMB for the PCs, which is usually true, but having that information easily accessible means that if a player misses a session the character can still be easily run by someone else who doesn't necessarily have to know the modifiers, since the GM has them and can accept die rolls rather than totals.
Thought I would both give this post a bump and inquire as to any new work going on for this great app and when we might see an update?
For you GM's that haven't looked at this program yet - you're doing yourself a disservice.
Thought I would both give this post a bump and inquire as to any new work going on for this great app and when we might see an update?
For you GM's that haven't looked at this program yet - you're doing yourself a disservice.
I'm close on the HeroLab import but I've got a technical problem I haven't resolved yet. Once I get that resolved I have to add a few extra checks to make sure the program doesn't crash on a bad file. The next version will also have the APG feats. Hopefully I'll get this out in the next couple of days.
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I made a program like this a year back, on my old laptop, before that laptop got stolen. And I didn't back up the source externally either. Live and learn.
But yours is much nicer anyways. :)
Suggestions:
1. Each monster in it's own xml file. Maybe in an archive like a zip or rar, or at least just put in a monsters folder. (this largely goes with #2.)
2. Somewhere we can put up monsters for people to download. (I'm thinking of NWVault at the moment).
3. (Along the lines of NPCs) A Character Builder. If it saves the XML files in a manner similar to how it was done in Neverwinter Nights '.bic' files, when you build a character at level 20, you'd have every level along the way. This would be invaluable for GMs looking to throw NPCs at the party (for GMs like me who have the players fight humanoid enemies with class levels far more often than they fight monsters).
I think the program you have here is brilliant, and definitely warrants attention.
If any of this sounds interesting to you, I'd love to help, and I'd be 100% willing to help with making a character builder to go with it, or help to update the combat manager. Let me know what you think.
Thought I would both give this post a bump and inquire as to any new work going on for this great app and when we might see an update?
For you GM's that haven't looked at this program yet - you're doing yourself a disservice.
+1
This is an invaluable tool for the busy GM. Take a look and I guarantee you won't be disappointed.
Kyle, now that the PRD has been updated with all the material from the GameMastery Guide and the Advanced Player's Guide, are you going to chunk that into your program as well? *suggestive wink* ;P
Kyle, now that the PRD has been updated with all the material from the GameMastery Guide and the Advanced Player's Guide, are you going to chunk that into your program as well? *suggestive wink* ;P
I'll have feats from the APG (spells from APG have been in from version 1.0). What other stuff are you looking to get included in the program from the APG or GMG?
Kyle, now that the PRD has been updated with all the material from the GameMastery Guide and the Advanced Player's Guide, are you going to chunk that into your program as well? *suggestive wink* ;PI'll have feats from the APG (spells from APG have been in from version 1.0). What other stuff are you looking to get included in the program from the APG or GMG?
Getting the NPC gallery included into the monster section would be awesome. Having a button that allows you to change their base race from human to something else would be even better.
Dotting for later examination.
Getting the NPC gallery included into the monster section would be awesome. Having a button that allows you to change their base race from human to something else would be even better.
I'll add the NPC gallery to the (still reasonably sized) ToDo list. It's a matter of properly ripping the data to get the stat blocks from every page and creating a stats block parser to read the page, which should be similar to the parser I use for the HeroLab files (but less wacky).
Wouldn't it be better to make a PCGen character reader than HeroLabs, since PCGen is free and HeroLabs is expensive (and therefore not used as frequently)?
Just a thought.
Ability to apply spell effects to monsters. Bull's Strength, Desecrate, etc.
Wouldn't it be better to make a PCGen character reader than HeroLabs, since PCGen is free and HeroLabs is expensive (and therefore not used as frequently)?
I intend to do both, but looking at the output I thought I could get the HeroLab import done easily first, because I'm just pulling from a statblock similar to how monsters are listed.
Combat Manager Update to 1.0.9:
Added APG feats
Added importing for HeroLab Characters
Fixed turn counting for conditions
Fixed issue with cloned monsters not appearing on combat list.
Loading encounters and parties does not clear old items on list.
Add missing "Spells Prepared" to monster display
Combat Manager website:
CombatManager.com
If you see any HeroLab files causing problems please mail them to me, and please feel free to tell me about any other issues you are having.
Yay!
EDIT: Ooh I got the 100th post.
Some observations:
I can stat out weapon attack lines now! Cool!
However, there doesn't seem to be a way for me to account for things like weapon Finesse or Weapon Focus.
You also omitted melee weapons that can be thrown from the ranged weapons section (dagger, star knife, etc.).
If you don't mind, would you open up the natural attacks section for standard races? I have a Dragon Disciple and it won't let me insert his bite attack because he's a human first.