Online "Combat Calculator"

[Hermes Serpent]

The monster stat blocks seem to use the first listed weapon as the primary weapon which makes it tricky if it's a spear - do you throw it and go for the backup weapon or keep the spear for melee. I tend to look at the special abilities to see what I should use in combat. A Great Orc is likely to throw his spear - it's a secondary weapon and his sword is favoured, but a Forest Goblin won't throw his spear for example.

[lsanczyk]

The monster stat blocks seem to use the first listed weapon as the primary weapon which makes it tricky if it's a spear - do you throw it and go for the backup weapon or keep the spear for melee. I tend to look at the special abilities to see what I should use in combat. A Great Orc is likely to throw his spear - it's a secondary weapon and his sword is favoured, but a Forest Goblin won't throw his spear for example.

Good point! I've included a "enemy favoured weapon" field, so now you can edit the weapon data and use favoured attacks with attribute bonus in the rolls, or simply use normal attacks.

I also added the elf-magic at the request of other TOR forum user.

[lsanczyk]

I included another request, a new column in the enemies table indicates the latest attacked hero, turns simpler to follow the thread of the fight.

[Robin Smallburrow]

How do we upload a hero?? I ask as when I clicked on 'load' it went looking on my PC for one! I couldnt find any on the website...

And in what format does the hero need to be - mine are usually in pdf or doc format, so will need some advice as to how to convert etc...

Otherwise i think this will only be useful to show Adversaries at present.... perhaps i am missing something, but I think you need to put in a 'how to for dummies' or something similar... (don't assume that myself or others have your knowledge!)

Robin S...

[Hermes Serpent]

If you page back to the first page of the thread you'll find that the app uses a CSV file but the field names aren't specified. You can see an example file that you could use as a basis for your own heroes that has the pregen heroes from the rules.

Pity it doesn't use the output from the azrapse character generation app.

I can't use it as the 1440x900 resolution can't be selected on my laptop - not widescreen.

[lsanczyk]

If you page back to the first page of the thread you'll find that the app uses a CSV file but the field names aren't specified. You can see an example file that you could use as a basis for your own heroes that has the pregen heroes from the rules.

Right. I explained the contents of each field in the "example file" in this post.

Pity it doesn't use the output from the azrapse character generation app.

I also included a feature to import your hero data using the Azrapse online character sheet format a few days ago. First you must add a new blank hero using the "+" button, and then use the "Load character data from code" link to continue.

I can't use it as the 1440x900 resolution can't be selected on my laptop - not widescreen.

I was testing the site on a computer with a resolution of 800x600 and I could use it without problems using the browser page reduction tool (pressing "-" and the Ctrl key). Perhaps you can use it too. The problem is there's too many data to be displayed, and this limits the page resolution. While I receive comments, I'll be making adjustments to achieve a compromise.

[lsanczyk]

How do we upload a hero?? I ask as when I clicked on 'load' it went looking on my PC for one! I couldnt find any on the website...

And in what format does the hero need to be - mine are usually in pdf or doc format, so will need some advice as to how to convert etc...

Otherwise i think this will only be useful to show Adversaries at present.... perhaps i am missing something, but I think you need to put in a 'how to for dummies' or something similar... (don't assume that myself or others have your knowledge!)

Robin S...

I'm trying to make it easier, but I need more feedback to understand how. I think I will do a video tutorial soon, but I'm adding new features at this time and the interface is changing. I must enhance the "add" button in the "heroes panel". The plus sign isn't intuitive enough.

[lsanczyk]

I just finished programming support for international characters, a difficult feature :p

[Robin Smallburrow]

Isansyk, I figured it out myself - I see that you have to save the data (such as the example file) as a .csv or .txt file (easiest to do is as a .txt with Windows Notepad), then it will load ok.

So i saved these as 'Example Heroes' and 'Example Adversaries' on my PC which now load fine.
I ran a sample combat between the pregens from the rulebook and a Hill Troll, with Lifstan killing the Troll after Beli got wounded. Just a few questions spring to mind (more will come as I keep running different combats):

I assume the hero dice roll result is at the top and the adversary one is at the bottom??
And are you supposed to hit the 'attack' button for each hero first, then the 'defend' button for whichever PC is being attacked?
Are you going to provide options later for when the PC's are successfully ambushed and/or surprised (since whoever has initiative has a HUGE advantage)?
What about Opening Volleys and Preliminary Battle Rolls - i notice 'terrain used to advantage' comes up, so I assume something is built in??

Robin S.

[lsanczyk]

I assume the hero dice roll result is at the top and the adversary one is at the bottom??

The top one is the "attack test panel". If the hero is attacking, you will find here the player roll with natural color dice. If the hero is defending, then you will find the LM roll with gray color dice.

The bottom one is the "protection test panel". If the hero is attacking and is a piercing blow, you will find here the LM roll with gray color dice. If the hero is defending, then you will find the player roll with natural color dice.

Furthermore, the player dice and TN are ever on the left side of the "vs.", and the GM dice and TN are ever on the right side of the "vs.".

And are you supposed to hit the 'attack' button for each hero first, then the 'defend' button for whichever PC is being attacked?

The button labels are just in the hero perspective. When the enemy attacks, the button in his side (the right side) reads "defend" instead of "enemy attack", simply because is shorter =P

Are you going to provide options later for when the PC's are successfully ambushed and/or surprised (since whoever has initiative has a HUGE advantage)?

The program is not a simulator, but a calculator. Players and loremaster have the freedom to choose who faces who in that moment and as it does, the weapons used, etc.. Once the initiative is determined the system allows any of the two groups to start attacking. If the enemy has the initiative, just select each one an his hero opponent and press "defend."

If the player wants to perform a task rather than a attack, or lose a turn to make a prepared attack, he's free to do so. Difficulty modifiers provide an extra axis of freedom. The system allows some house rules to determining the initiative too, for example is these aren't based on "enemies turn" and "heros turn" and use instead mixed turns.

What about Opening Volleys and Preliminary Battle Rolls - i notice 'terrain used to advantage' comes up, so I assume something is built in??

The opening volleys can be perfectly calculated using the same system. Volleys can be made using PCs or NPCs unconscious to emulate the effect of simultaneous attacks. The LM may allow the character as many continuous attacks as necessary. Also you can decrease difficulty while the 2 groups are approaching using the modifiers.

The Preliminary Battle Rolls should be made prior to the fight. Some people use "Insight" to find weaknesses in the enemy's fighting style instead of "Battle". It is ultimately the same, winning success dies to spend during combat. And the system allow the heros to use the dies when they want.

I'm glad you were giving it a try. Feel free to ask and propose changes while you use it!