Slow summer & poll for next big feature
Added 2021-08-31 21:07:24 +0000 UTCHi everybody, it has ben a while since my last post. Not much news about the character sheet to share, I'm still working on adding the last bit of content from the books (mainly magic items). But progress is slow, because we've been away on holiday abroad, meeting up with family who could (finally) meet our daughter for the first time.
See bottom section for information about the poll.
Meanwhile I'm also working on catching up with all requested content from the Sorcerer and higher tiers. Everybody who is still waiting, my sincere apologies! And do please message me again if you feel I've forgotten you and you would like an update of how it is progressing.
I'm planning to make September all about releasing the next stable version. It should be a good month to get things done now that the summer holidays are over, my girlfriend is done with her PhD thesis, and it is a bit more calm in the house (no idea for how long if my daughter has any say in it though).
I figured a message at the end of the month would be a good thing, because otherwise this would be a month without any posts and people might start to miss me. For those of you who have forgotten they pledged to my Patreon and don't really want to pay another month, this is your wake up call to cancel before Patreon charges your for September.
And for those of you who very recently joined my Patreon and are going to be charged again tomorrow: if you feel like you are paying too much in a short while, let me know and I'll happily refund you.
It has been a long long time since I've last updated the sheet to be compatible with Adventurers League and it shows. Milestone levelling, logsheet tracking, race not counting for PHB+1, and many other league rules have changed since that time and haven't been implemented. I've always kept my intention to make v13.1 the version that is again fully up to date with adventurers league, but I would like your feedback on how to approach this (or not). Please fill out the poll below and/or leave a comment with how you would like me to proceed.
Whatever you select won't have any effect on the promise to bring a new stable version in September, this is for what to do for the next stable version.
Comments
OK, thanks for your answer, I understand. I'll have to live with it :-)
Moonbird
2021-09-14 15:56:36 +0000 UTCI'm sorry to hear that the RWTS-PDFWriter produces such unnecessary large files, I wasn't aware that would happen, I never tried it myself. Adding an option "Export to streamlined PDF" would only possible with a custom add-on that you'd have to install and for people who have the Pro version of Adobe Acrobat. I can't add something to the PDF as it is now, because the functionality is restricted by Adobe to (1) only be available in the paid versions of Adobe Acrobat and (2) not available to be called from within document-level JavaScript. However, people who have the paid version can already do exactly this with the Save As >> Optimized PDF command in the File menu. Thus, adding this feature is not only extremely hard, it would also be completely redundant. And even when added, it would only be available for people who have the paid version of Adobe, which is only a very limited number of people.
MorePurpleMoreBetter
2021-09-14 15:27:03 +0000 UTCHi there ! I tried to find a free pdf writer, nothing save RWTS-PDFWriter: it works, but the file generated (36 MB) is bigger than the original (28 MB). I then transferred the original to a Windows PC, used the built-in Microsoft Print to PDF printer, and it generated a 2,3 MB file, which is OK for what I want to do (send it by email, archive it). RWTS-PDFWriter is based on CUPS which apparently isn't very efficient in pdf creation. Would it be a lot of work for you to add an "Export to streamlined PDF" or "Save as flat no JS PDF" option somewhere ? Keep up the good work anyway :-) Paul-Henri
Moonbird
2021-09-14 15:05:36 +0000 UTCOn Mac it is a bit more work indeed. Apple blocks you from using the built-in save as PDF option when the current file is a PDF. To remedy this, you will have to use a 3rd party PDF printer, as I mentioned in my previous reply to you. A free one I found is RWTS-PDFwriter, but as I don't own a Mac, I can't attest to its functionality.
MorePurpleMoreBetter
2021-09-11 21:20:16 +0000 UTCThanks for your answer, now I remember I already tried that several months ago, but... I use a Mac, and Acrobat Reader on the Mac overrides the standard printer dialog which is where you can print to pdf normally (it's included in Mac OS since the beginning). So no way of doing it naturally, and why I was asking for an export feature. I guess I could transfer the files to a PC and do it like that, but well. Or try to look for a third party pdf printer on MacOS.
Moonbird
2021-09-11 12:05:54 +0000 UTCMilestone levelling is a bit of a 'joke' option, as you can already ignore XP on the sheet if you want. You can increase the level number and the sheet will update the XP for your to that level. You don't need to touch the XP section ever, if you don't want to.
MorePurpleMoreBetter
2021-09-08 07:46:04 +0000 UTCThank you for all your work Purple. Your sheets are the best, I recommend them to everyone.
Mike P.
2021-09-06 04:02:55 +0000 UTCLiterally played last night and an another player had his phone run out of battery and I laughed and waved my paper sheet at him. I also voted on the discord for this feature MFR-72 thanks. :-)
Stephen Kendall
2021-09-04 03:25:55 +0000 UTCMilestone leveling would be *amazing*. I would have checked AL doesn't matter to me at all, since it doesn't, but milestone leveling is *way* more important to me.
Michael J Wynne-Feigin
2021-09-04 01:16:46 +0000 UTCAbility save DC is a more generic term for DC's that your character uses. Not everything is a spell after all! For example, a Battle Master Fighter also has a DC for its features, even though they aren't spells. The next step would be to link the DC's on the first page to those on the spell sheet. As it is now, you can have a magic item or some other ability that boosts your Spell Save DC. If so, the DC showed on the spell sheet will be increased, but the one on the first page won't. Adding an option to have these two linked is currently a feature request on Discord. If you would like to see this feature implemented, please vote for it on Discord!
MorePurpleMoreBetter
2021-09-02 14:45:47 +0000 UTCHi Paul-Henri, what you are asking is already possible. You can simply print the file to PDF using a PDF printer. This works by printing as normal, but instead of a physical printer, you select a software printer that converts the print into a new PDF file. This PDF file will then only be what you printed, no fillable fields, no bookmarks, no automations, and will have a much smaller size, ideal for sending via email etc. Windows 10 has a built-in PDF printer you can use and if you're on Mac you can install one for free (e.g. RWTS-PDFwriter). See also the FAQ on my website about this: https://www.flapkan.com/faq#print-to-pdf Btw, I can make this an automated feature, but only for people who have Adobe Acrobat Pro (i.e. the expensive version of Adobe Acrobat), because Adobe has made it so that the functionality to do this is restricted in the free version of Adobe Acrobat (Adobe Acrobat Reader).
MorePurpleMoreBetter
2021-09-02 14:41:55 +0000 UTCAwesome, I always wondered what that spot was for (Ability save DC) By the way, I love your forms, they make it so much easier for levelling up a character. I laugh at all the players pissing about with their phones trying to look stuff up on their characters. I just print mine out on a MPMB paper sheets and its easy as to look stuff up. Plus the batteries never go flat on paper ;-)
Stephen Kendall
2021-09-02 05:35:09 +0000 UTCAL is pretty much all I play, but the current sheet works well enough with AL as is in my experience. So while I did vote for that, I won't be super annoyed if other features show up first :)
BC
2021-09-02 01:03:48 +0000 UTCI'd like a technical feature added, unless there's a way to do it that I missed: I'd like to be able to export to pdf but strip all the Javascript and data in the sheet: just the end result, for a very light version of the character sheet (with nothing dynamic, to share by email or archive at each level)
Moonbird
2021-09-01 18:02:03 +0000 UTCHi Stephen, you can already add the Spell DC and Spell Attack to the first page. You can select the ability for the Ability Save DC and you can add any modifier to it as you wish using the Modifier fields. You can also select "Spell Attack" in the attack section to calculate a spell attack.
MorePurpleMoreBetter
2021-09-01 12:52:35 +0000 UTCI play a lot of AL, 2-3 games a week, so I like the sheet to be up to date with AL. I would love to see a way to add the Spell DC and Spell Attack on the first page, like how you can add Spell Slots to the first page :-)
Stephen Kendall
2021-09-01 12:26:51 +0000 UTCI'd say milestone levelling is the lowest priority since the sheet handles it just fine by forcing the XP to match the level. I'd say it's not needed to be a separate feature at all. I also don't play AL, but I've put my vote in for getting AL functionality going since I don't need to be benefiting from every feature to vote for it.
Jethro Robbins-Dyer
2021-09-01 08:10:24 +0000 UTCKeep up the good work!
David Talbert
2021-09-01 03:56:47 +0000 UTCI am an AL dm and would absolutely be thrilled if it was updated with AL in mind.
Kate McDonald
2021-09-01 01:51:42 +0000 UTCThank you for your hard work!
Brittany Johnson
2021-09-01 01:13:27 +0000 UTCI don't care about AL, and we do Milestone, but it's simple enough to do in the sheet as is, so i'm not super concerned about it getting in 'correctly'
Dylan ExoByte Mayo
2021-09-01 00:13:24 +0000 UTCThis sheet remains a primary tool in my games; I don't know what I'd do without it. Thank you for all the hard work you do. And congrats to your gf for her thesis! Those are hell normally, and I can only imagine that having delivered recently it would have been an order of magnitude more difficult.
Anna
2021-08-31 23:38:59 +0000 UTCI don't play AL, so it has zero priority for me, and that was my vote. However, milestone levelling seems to be an out of place option, as it may or may not have anything to do with AL (don't know), but it is definitely used by many outside of the AL. I don't think it should be the number one priority, which is why I didn't vote for it, but I would definitely like to see it in the near future.
Kenneth Ross
2021-08-31 23:38:03 +0000 UTCWould love to get an adventure league update as I run as a DM. But I understand if it isn't too important. Thanks for giving a guy a chance to vote for it!
Joshua Cooper
2021-08-31 23:18:44 +0000 UTCAnything around Foundry VTT exporting and/or sync is what I most want at the moment.
Lincoln Kerber
2021-08-31 22:57:03 +0000 UTCThey want to get rid of the old fuddy-duddies is all. AL rules seem to be about friendliness to newbies, but the problem is that new people to D&D see these rules and then expect other DMs they play with to have similar rules. That's also why they included the "shared campaign" crap in Xanather's (a lot of which they have thrown out of the window for AL now.)
Ken Livingston
2021-08-31 21:47:42 +0000 UTCI'm an AL DM. I would like to see the sheet updated to AL. I'm not too concerned about the Logsheet because everybody at my table has their own method of taking notes.
Mark St. Thomas
2021-08-31 21:43:56 +0000 UTCThe sheet already supports leveling without XP
Ken Livingston
2021-08-31 21:43:30 +0000 UTCThe milestone method can easily be solved with a simple checkbox next to the Level box. Checking that would automatically take you to the leveling window. As it stands now, you either have to type in a new level in the Level box or add xp enough in order to level.
Mark St. Thomas
2021-08-31 21:42:17 +0000 UTCJust wanted to say thank you! These sheets are amazing—literal game changers
bewmaynes
2021-08-31 21:31:18 +0000 UTCWhat’s Adventure League? (kidding) Never played, not planning to. I recommend the work for every other aspect and the ability to add my own content. Love the work. Thank you for all you do. Looking forward to what comes next.
John J’s
2021-08-31 21:27:15 +0000 UTCThe problem with AL at the moment is that it seems to be trying it's best to make people not like it / care about it.
Noldere
2021-08-31 21:27:01 +0000 UTCYou can also just increase the level number and the sheet will update the XP for your to that level. You don't need to touch the XP section ever, if you don't want to. As is my tradition, there is 1 joke option and in this poll it is the milestone levelling, as it is something that people keep harping me about that is so essential, but I feel they are a bit overzealous about something so small.
MorePurpleMoreBetter
2021-08-31 21:24:51 +0000 UTCHonestly, I expected this to be different as well. That's why there are 3 options for AL things and only 1 real anti-AL option (the Milestone levelling is a bit of a joke option). Guess I overestimated AL's popularity.
MorePurpleMoreBetter
2021-08-31 21:21:40 +0000 UTCWhile I don't use Adventure League, I know some do, so I don;t mean for none of this to get done, they need love too lol. Dropping a comment because I see that large number of percent of people not mattering to them, I included. Devil's advocate voivce I guess lol
armofjustice
2021-08-31 21:21:07 +0000 UTCLittle note for those who want milestone leveling, its solved by just giving xp when you're dm says you level up, not really something MPMB need to spend time making a script for.
Professionally Average
2021-08-31 21:19:48 +0000 UTCYou are correct, the rules for the next season are to drop in the coming weeks. This poll is about the next season rules (sorry if that wasn't more clear). First I'll be finishing the content catchup and only after that will I focus on the next thing depending on this poll. The new AL season rules should be out by then.
MorePurpleMoreBetter
2021-08-31 21:18:49 +0000 UTCTrue that... So far it's like 78% chose the don't care about adventures league at all option... And the other large percentage is just milestone leveling so thats something. All in all that's like 94% that only care about updates with current rules and milestone leveling
Nathan Rule
2021-08-31 21:17:43 +0000 UTCAnyone voting for Adventure League anything should keep in mind that the next season (with whatever rules changes are likely coming) is due or close to due in two weeks. So, as much as I personally would like to have updates on that regard, it's probably better to focus on other stuff at least until those rules actually drop.
Noldere
2021-08-31 21:15:49 +0000 UTC
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