Author Topic: Software for handling "everything else"  (Read 1839 times)

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Offline alloowishus

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Software for handling "everything else"
« on: February 20, 2021, 10:07:56 PM »
So it seems ERA handles character creation and combats pretty well. Is some other software that handle things like maps and character pieces? I would like to use existing old pdf modules, what is the best way to hide parts of a map from players? Thanks.

Offline Ginger McMurray

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Re: Software for handling "everything else"
« Reply #1 on: February 20, 2021, 10:57:05 PM »
We use roll20.net.
No pre-written adventure survives contact with the GM.

Offline netbat

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Re: Software for handling "everything else"
« Reply #2 on: February 21, 2021, 09:03:35 PM »
I like RPTools maptool, it handles all the usual map and token based capabilities of a VTT, plus it is free, supported and customizable.
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Offline alloowishus

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Re: Software for handling "everything else"
« Reply #3 on: February 21, 2021, 11:32:41 PM »

Offline Ginger McMurray

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Re: Software for handling "everything else"
« Reply #4 on: February 22, 2021, 09:03:23 AM »
It's also free, which is my favorite price. :)

In total we use:
  • ERA for character management, combat, and treasure generation.
  • Roll20 for maps and in-combat die rolls
  • Discord for voice, video, and picture sharing
No pre-written adventure survives contact with the GM.

Offline Hurin

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Re: Software for handling "everything else"
« Reply #5 on: February 22, 2021, 10:42:10 AM »
I forget: does ERA have support for RMU yet?
'Last of all, Húrin stood alone. Then he cast aside his shield, and wielded an axe two-handed'. --J.R.R. Tolkien

'Every party needs at least one insane person.'  --Aspen of the Jade Isle

Offline alloowishus

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Re: Software for handling "everything else"
« Reply #6 on: March 07, 2021, 10:12:53 PM »
It's also free, which is my favorite price. :)

In total we use:
  • ERA for character management, combat, and treasure generation.
  • Roll20 for maps and in-combat die rolls
  • Discord for voice, video, and picture sharing

I just started our first session and that is exactly what we used! It would be great if roll20.net supported ERA and vice versa.

Offline Hurin

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Re: Software for handling "everything else"
« Reply #7 on: March 08, 2021, 12:00:00 AM »
It would be great if roll20.net supported ERA and vice versa.

It would make my life so much easier, which is why I keep throwing this idea out there :)

The main disconnect I have right now is that I can currently access (via my own character sheet) or will be able to access (when ERA gets its RMU module) software to easily generate and level characters. I can also run my own games in Roll20 now as I can set up maps and handouts and all that. But I don't yet have a way of easily integrating the character generation software with Roll20 in-combat dice rolls.

One cool thing that D&D Beyond has is the ability to enable dice rolling in Roll20. So you can create and maintain your character in DND Beyond, then actually roll attacks in it, and it somehow is executed in Roll20. If anyone has any tips on how to do something like that for RMU, please let me know! That is my Holy Grail.
'Last of all, Húrin stood alone. Then he cast aside his shield, and wielded an axe two-handed'. --J.R.R. Tolkien

'Every party needs at least one insane person.'  --Aspen of the Jade Isle

Offline jdale

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Re: Software for handling "everything else"
« Reply #8 on: March 08, 2021, 10:09:31 AM »
It seems to me that, since ERA already has the ability to present a web interface to players, it would probably be easier to add dice rolling to that interface than to integrate it with Roll20. Also, if ERA handled all the dice rolling so you just used Roll20 for the map, it would work equally well with any VTT.
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Offline Hurin

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Re: Software for handling "everything else"
« Reply #9 on: March 08, 2021, 12:38:46 PM »
It seems to me that, since ERA already has the ability to present a web interface to players, it would probably be easier to add dice rolling to that interface than to integrate it with Roll20. Also, if ERA handled all the dice rolling so you just used Roll20 for the map, it would work equally well with any VTT.

That would work well for me, actually... but I wonder about a couple of things:

--Can ERA do that? I mean, I know it has combat tracking software. But since one of my groups is spread out across different real-life cities, is the ERA software fully able to handle that? I confess I haven't read everything about ERA, but I did read something about some functions working more if everyone was on the same wireless or something. Could I track all my players' sheets if I'm in a different city than them?

--The other problem is that my RMU games are starting imminently, and the RMU module for ERA is not. So I have to find some solution that will work between now and when RMU is released.
'Last of all, Húrin stood alone. Then he cast aside his shield, and wielded an axe two-handed'. --J.R.R. Tolkien

'Every party needs at least one insane person.'  --Aspen of the Jade Isle

Offline Voriig Kye

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Re: Software for handling "everything else"
« Reply #10 on: March 08, 2021, 09:19:55 PM »
A little late to the party so let me know if this answers everything so far:

- ERA does manage adventures: combat, maneuvers, spell casting, resting, criticals, RRs, inventory, traveling, foraging, and maybe more that I'm forgetting. Some things are more useful or complete than others, mostly because features are driven by requests. There was a time when there was more time and some polls where posted which allowed users to guide the content of new versions. Some things that you may see as "missing" where the stuff that no one voted for back then, so it seemed like there was no interest. Any feature with enough interest is added to a ToDo list, which combines time available for new developments, with how easy or hard it is to add. For example, Training Packages were impossible some years ago, but now that we have character inventory, better stat gains, and improved skill development, it is in the pipeline for development during this year.

- ERA can show a map/image to players, although it's crude at best, since it's one of those features that never really took off. The GM can go from the adventure options to the travel module, which is always at: IP:PORT/Travel and an image can be uploaded there on the left side. Some day in the far future, that should add tools for computing distances on the map. in the meantime, please enjoy the calculation of strategic movement on the right.

- The GM can send "secret" messages to the players by using the Herald module. It's also accessed from the adventure options. Messages written there will appear on the character status module. This is where the feature ends, there is no way for the player to write back to the GM.

 -ERA for RMU will be a thing, it is already a thing, but it can't be put for sale (even the basic $0 version with examples) until RMU books are up for sale.

- Importing ERA characters in other systems is "allowed", this only requires someone to write/program something in the importing system that reads an ERA character file. We are open to answering any question that helps understand the format.

- ERA can absolutely handle players in different countries, it is being done by many groups. http://no-ip.com has been recommended several times for this on the Discord server. The tools included might be lacking when compared to Fantasy Grounds or Roll20, but this is because ERA is more designed to be used by the GM at the table with the people there, although pandemic times have made that almost never the case.

- Almost (if not all) fields requiring a roll in ERA have a button to allow for random rolling, which also knows the correct dice type in each case, and also handles open ended rolls, just separate them with commas, for example: 02, 96, 38
If you are playing remotely and have a voice chat going on, the player can roll their own dice at their home and just say the number out loud for the GM.
If the players wants not to roll a physical die, but to push a button that makes a random roll, when the GM can do just that on the adventuring module, I'm not sure I understand the request.

Offline Hurin

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Re: Software for handling "everything else"
« Reply #11 on: March 08, 2021, 09:41:46 PM »
Thanks Voriig.

It sounds like ERA has almost everything I need. I definitely don't need it to share a map with players or allow me to send messages to my players, because we have Roll20 (and Discord) for all of that.

The only real outstanding issue for me is the dice rolling and tracking characters. To keep everyone honest, I like to see the characters' actual rolls, so just relying on the player to call that out verbally is not ideal. I mean, I mostly trust my players, but I would prefer to be able to see their actual rolls just so no one feels anyone is fudging. So to explain: what works best for our group is when the player pushes a button to roll, but everyone sees the result (this is what Roll20 does for example). It sounds like ERA does not yet have this option?

I also like to be able to have a single character sheet that both the player and I (the DM) can use to track each character's status (any hit points or powerpoints spent, any bleeds or status affects applied, etc.). Again, I can rely on the players to do this... but it is better if the players and the GM both consult a common sheet, just to avoid any misunderstandings.
'Last of all, Húrin stood alone. Then he cast aside his shield, and wielded an axe two-handed'. --J.R.R. Tolkien

'Every party needs at least one insane person.'  --Aspen of the Jade Isle

Offline Voriig Kye

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Re: Software for handling "everything else"
« Reply #12 on: March 09, 2021, 07:57:24 PM »
Bleeding, hits, penalties, stun and all of that is handled in the adventuring module by the GM. The players use the character status module to access the updated status for their characters.
The GM can see the status of all characters, and each player ideally only access their own status in the status module. If you are really paranoid you could do some firewall configuration and make sure that each external IP can only access the URL that represents the character for that player's IP but it's not part of ERA.

Dice rolling, if you need everyone to see the outcome of a random roll on each action of each character, is something that is not currently included nor planned in the near future. Is there enough interest in the community for this feature? It might not be that hard to add, but of course this would mean more time for example until a version with Training Package support.

Offline Hurin

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Re: Software for handling "everything else"
« Reply #13 on: March 09, 2021, 08:42:55 PM »
Ok Voriig, thank you again for the explanation.

It sounds like ERA has everything I need for character tracking/management.

As for the dice rolling, I would indeed be interested in that feature (though of course I am just one vote), since it would allow me to essentially run all aspects of the game except the maps and dialogue (which I already have Roll20 and Discord for). Roll20 already does the dice rolling too... it is just that without support for RMU on Roll20, someone has to take that number and enter it into ERA to generate the result (skill check, attack, RR, whatever). It is not unworkable, but it is a little more cumbersome than just pushing a button.

We do now have a basic RMU character sheet for Roll20, courtesy of Diana P./Pantsorama, which fulfills this function, so I might use that just for rolls, while I track everything else in RMU.
'Last of all, Húrin stood alone. Then he cast aside his shield, and wielded an axe two-handed'. --J.R.R. Tolkien

'Every party needs at least one insane person.'  --Aspen of the Jade Isle