DM Software Tools: Encounter Manager by Anubisware
One of the joys of being a geek girl is getting to hang out with programmers. There is just something sexy about code.
Anyway, one of my gaming buddies (Helion from Mondays, DM of the goat adventure), has been working on a little program that tracks initiative, hit points, and basic stats for DMs. It’s in beta at this point, but he’d like some feedback on it, so here’s a quick rundown of what it does.
If you’re interested in playing with it, download away and comment below with your likes, dislikes, and suggestions.
Here’s his description of the program:
I have made an initiative tracker for 4th Edition. This tracker sorts players by their Initiative, lists the Name, AC, Fortitude, Reflex, and Will saves for the character, as well as HP.
You can also save a setup so that you don’t have to re-enter the information over and over again, just change the stats and or initiative as needed.
Here is the download for it: http://geeksdreamgirl.com/Anubis/EncounterManager.zip
Let me know what you think, if you think it can use any additional stuff, etc. Because it targets the .net framework 2.0, you need to either run Windows XP SP2 or higher. I am not sure about this 100%, but the Apple users should be able to download and install Mono on the computers to be able to use .net apps that target 2.0.
I appreciate any feedback you guys can give on this. This is the first of many DM Tools that I am developing for 4th ed. The next will be a character tracker and encounter tool.
e’s Review:
This is a cute little program that will easily run on your DMing laptop. With all the push to go green, it’s about time that you used a DMing laptop if you don’t already! Save those trees!
Here’s the main screen:
To add a character to the list, click Add:
Put in your new character’s stats and click accept and they will be added to the list. You can also add in the monsters that your PCs will be fighting.
Let’s say we re-roll initiative - all you need to do is click and pop in the new figures.
Now, for the battle!! You can use the Encounter Manager to track the health of your monsters, PCs, or both. Just click on the character and the blood drop and you can add or subtract hit points.
You will also have a cool visual as to who is alive, bloodied, dying, or dead.
Last but not least, let’s say that your PCs have leveled up or have other changes to their AC or saves. Just click on the PC and Change Stats and you can update everyone!
You are able to save different line-ups, so if you DM multiple games, you can save one as “Monday” and the other as “Friday” or however you’d like. Then you can load up the characters when you play again.
Your Job, Geek Friends
Give Encounter Manager by Anubisware a try and if you can come up with any suggestions to make it better, please post them below. This is definitely a work in progress. He plans to distribute any programs he creates as freeware for the gaming community, so the more you contribute, the better it will be.
UPDATE: The newest version of this program is available here.
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How about adding an extra column for notes. For example if someone is hit by a condition, like blinded, immbolized, or dazed… you can enter that in the notes.
Hmm…I may have to do some poking around to get this to work on my Macbook…
Reverend Mikes last blog post..I KNEW ABOUT THIS BEFORE EVERYONE ELSE!
@ rekres - Welcome to the comments! That’s a great idea.
@ Mike - Let us know if/how you get it to work!
Looks good so far…I’m playing tonight and ill give to the GM to have him take a look…Ill let you know what he says.
Would love to give it a spin - but since it looks like a .NET app and I’m on OSX - that would be a no go. =(
jonathans last blog post..Core Lists: TEMPLATES
I like it so far.
I also like the idea of being able to put in conditions and any ongoing damage someone is taking, since they’re such a big factor in 4E. I would also recommend color-coding the names, or better yet entire rows if possible, to easily distinguish between the PCs and enemies.
@ Loky - who you playing with lately?
@ jonathan - awww.
@ Tony - nice thoughts! What about shading the box for enemies differently than PCs? Then the text could stay the same for normal, bloodied, dying, dead.
@e - Great idea! If you keep the characters name one color and the enemies name a different, distinctive color (something like black versus green), the names would still stand out when the boxes were shaded depending on if the character/enemy was bloodied, etc. As a DM who has so much to already keep track of, the shading of boxes would be a quicker way for me to determine the status of a character/enemy.
@ Tony - For sure. I’m sure this is something to be played with and implemented for the next version.
I also find it funny that you can track PC hit points too… not that every DM will want to do that, but if you have a liar at the table… hahhahhaha…
@e - Maybe it’s for DMs who are bad at math.
@ Tony - Ha! I’m bad at math. One day, I’ll get around to DMing. Not sure when that will be.
@e - Well, when you do, have I got the product for you!
@ Tony - A calculator?
Hello all,
Thanks for taking a look at this (btw, I am Helion). I wanted to give an update on what I have added per you requests:
1) Added ability to specify character as monster
2) Monster line items will have a different back color
3) User can specify colors for hit point values and character/monster line items
4) User can specify a per character note
5) User can set multiple conditions per character on the list
Once I get a new binary made, I will post a link for it (or give it to e, well see).
Thanks for all the suggestions. As e said, my DM Tools will be freeware for all D&D users to have and use.
@jonathan - OSX should be able to use Mono Project, which allows the use of .net applications. I am going to test this application out with the Mono Migration Wizard to verify that though.
I have verified that this application should run on all Linux, Solaris, Unix, and Mac OS X operating systems if you have the mono project installed:
http://www.mono-project.com/Main_Page
I’m on Mac OS X (10.5.4); I downloaded and installed the Mono framework using the link above, but after downloading Encounter Manager all I get is a .exe file and a .msi file. Neither of those can be run in OS X.
Is there something special I should do after installing the Mono framework to allow an OS X system to run a .exe or .msi file?
Brent P. Newhalls last blog post..Dead Poet’s Society
I can confirm that the program works in Mono on OS X. You need to get the EXE and data files from a Windows machine since it’s packed as an installer, but after that, from a terminal, you just need to run
mono InitTracker.exe
It is buggy, however. Adding new characters from the toolbar button just spawns windows you can’t interact with, and a lot of the form windows don’t draw completely correctly (the Mac titlebar widgets force the bottom of the dialog out of frame.)
A minor nitpick: Fort/Ref/Will (and AC) are Defenses in 4E, not Saves. No complaints, otherwise.
@ Kameron - That was Graham’s nitpick too, except he hasn’t bothered to post it as a comment yet. Lazy, lazy Graham.
For the Mac Users I will provide an unpackaged folder that you can hopefully use.
@Sal - unfortunately, since I don’t have a Mac handy I can’t really test on them to see the problems. The only thing I can say right now would be to get the Mono 2.0 preview
@Kameron - e knows this, but I am stuck in 3.5, it’s what I started D&D on so these little mistakes will be there. I have corrected these.
For the next beta release, I have setup a support forum on my website:
http://www.anubisware.com/support
You can download the new beta release (0.1.0.0), post enhancements and program issues. You can also view the implemented enhancements, confirmed issues and resolved issues.
Thanks for your support.
@ Kameron - Anubis is so stuck in 3.5, our Saturday game is 3.5.
It’s a fun game tho, so I don’t mind.
@ Everyone - I’ll post up in a week or so about the new edition for anybody who is not downloading it ASAP from Anubisware.
The download link at the official site isnt working btw…
May I also recommend being able to duplicate monsters, so if there are multiple goblins, I can just duplicate them, or maybe ask for a (number of?) whatever the type of creature being entered is at the time of creation..
I found a great threw Meetup.com
I am playing Eberron 3.5
Warforged Artificer 6Lv at the moment.
2 Fighter / 4 Artificer
@ebertran - I have corrected the download issue. Sorry for the inconvenience.
@e - that may change if I ever get the FR 4.0 CS and PG…
Thanks!
I have a question though… the changes implemented in 0.2.0.0, those arent in the version available for download, correct?
You havent released 0.2?
@ ebertran - that is correct. For documentation sake, I place the implemented enhancements and resolved issues as I do them. Once I get the all the string values properly translated (German, French, and Spanish) I will release 0.2.0.0.
Once that version is bug free (or at least as bug free as software can get) it will become version 1.0.0.0
I am hoping to release 0.2.0.0 within the next week or so. (I can read, write, speak in German, but my French is…pitiful and my Spanish is not much better)
If anyone would like to help with the translations, I would really appreciate it.
@ Anubis - I’m sure Hybban will be glad to help with the French.
…and I’m pretty sure that Leandro (who you’ll find in the Minis Seeking Love post comments) is from Brazil and speaks Portuguese if you’d like to add that, too.
my spanish is perfect.
let me know of you need my help.
I am cuban-american…
ebertrans last blog post..Where do you find time to play?
I am Puertorican so If you need any help with the Spanish version my Spanish is also perfect.
Look at our little cultural melting pot. I’m so proud of our community.
@ebertran & LokyCat - thanks guys. I will place the language file (it’s xml) on my support forum. You can download it from there and then attach it to a post when you get it translated.
Loky - where from? I was raised in PR…
@ Ebertran - FYI, Loky isn’t a real Latino because he can’t eat spicy food. He’s a wimp. (He’s also my old DM so I can make fun of him a little.)
Spicy food is for mexicans.
Caribbeans love us some rice and beans…
@ ebertran:
I bounced back and forth from San Sebastian and Aguadilla.
I graduated from Academia Adventista in San Sebastian but my social life was completely in Aguadilla, in Ramey and the beaches around it. I was one of them beach bum teen boy, spending all there free time on the beach.
How about you?…were in PR are you from?
@ E & ebertran:
Rice, beans and don’t forget bananas & sea food!
God I miss the fresh octopus, barracudas and shark.
I was raised in Rio Piedras, off of San Juan… But moved to Miami when I was 12… a loooong time ago…
ebertrans last blog post..Where do you find time to play?
Sep 23rd, 2008 at 6:36 pm
[...] Anubisware’s Encounter Manager - Sorts by initiative and lists name, defenses, & hps and can be found at the Geek’s Dream Girl [...]
Sep 30th, 2008 at 12:02 am
[...] you for all the great feedback on the first beta release of Encounter Manager. Anubis has been hard at work incorporating your suggestions and generally [...]