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AgentPaper
2008-10-28, 02:17 PM
After DMing for a bit, I've started writing up a bunch of little programs in Excel that help the DM keep track of all the millions of things they need to keep track of. As well of the standard Combat Tracker, (in which you can input initiative, order, defenses, surges, action points, health, and damage for each player and monster. Added bonus of telling you when each player or monster is bloodied, and unconscious) I've made a little system to help give out treasure, (input party level and number, generates treasure, check off entries as you give them) and a system that helps you set up encounters. (Input party level and size, gives you monster XP budget and XP rewarded)

Now, I've been thinking of making these more elaborate and making a real DM helper suite of programs that can help any DM to make their game run far more smoothly. However, this must have been done before, so does anyone have any good, easy to use systems for things like this? If not, then I'm asking for ideas on more systems to make in excel that would help you out. If all goes well, I'll start posting up some excel programs that should help people out here. (Assuming there's not a billion and one of these already)


In short: Does anyone know of any systems to help DMs? If not, what systems do you want to see?

valadil
2008-10-28, 03:03 PM
What I really want to see in a DM toolbox would be a UI that is quicker than paper and pencil. What I've seen so far (which I admit isn't much) is usually a conglomerate of labels, textfields, and dropdown menus. I'd like to be able to quickly select which fields and menus I'd use and hide the rest. Intelligent keyboard shortcuts would help too. Come to think of it, I think I'd rather not use the mouse at all.

RagnaroksChosen
2008-10-28, 03:26 PM
After DMing for a bit, I've started writing up a bunch of little programs in Excel that help the DM keep track of all the millions of things they need to keep track of. As well of the standard Combat Tracker, (in which you can input initiative, order, defenses, surges, action points, health, and damage for each player and monster. Added bonus of telling you when each player or monster is bloodied, and unconscious) I've made a little system to help give out treasure, (input party level and number, generates treasure, check off entries as you give them) and a system that helps you set up encounters. (Input party level and size, gives you monster XP budget and XP rewarded)

Now, I've been thinking of making these more elaborate and making a real DM helper suite of programs that can help any DM to make their game run far more smoothly. However, this must have been done before, so does anyone have any good, easy to use systems for things like this? If not, then I'm asking for ideas on more systems to make in excel that would help you out. If all goes well, I'll start posting up some excel programs that should help people out here. (Assuming there's not a billion and one of these already)


In short: Does anyone know of any systems to help DMs? If not, what systems do you want to see?

where they exelspreadsheets or working exes?

AgentPaper
2008-10-28, 03:42 PM
Not sure what you mean by that, but I'll upload them. Speaking of which, how do you upload stuff on this site? :smallconfused:

RTGoodman
2008-10-28, 03:49 PM
Not sure what you mean by that, but I'll upload them. Speaking of which, how do you upload stuff on this site? :smallconfused:

You can't, as far as I know - you'll have to find somewhere else to host it, and then just link to it. I think you should be able to do it with Google Pages (http://www.pages.google.com), which is where I host my PDFs and stuff.


More on-topic, I think it's a swell idea, but I'm sure there are others doing the same thing. WotC itself'll probably include something similar when the Virtual Tabletop part of the D&DInsider goes up, and I think I remember seeing a similar program someone made over on the ENWorld forums. A little Googling will probably yield results for you.

Also, I know there's a program called DM Tools out there for 3.x, so they might have done a 4E version as well.

BRC
2008-10-28, 03:51 PM
A function that can quickly, roll for the entire party things that you would rather the party not know were being rolled for, spot checks, listen checks, will saves and sense motive checks. So you don't get the "I think I just failed a spot check" mentality. Preferably bound to a simple key check (Example, hit P(arty) and then S(spot) and it rolls your party's spot checks, showing you the result).

Some way to keep easy track of Buffs and Debuffs would be nice.
See if you can make it head to the appropriate SRD page when you put in a keyword, for fast rule-checking.

AgentPaper
2008-10-28, 04:21 PM
Well, first, I'll point out that all my systems are designed around 4E, and I don't plan on making any for 3.x, since I don't use that system anymore. You can try to adapt the systems for 3.x, but I don't want to spend time adapting for an entire system when I'm likely never going to use that system again.

Anyways, I used that link, and while I don't have much yet, here's what I have so far.

http://sites.google.com/site/dmtoolbox/Home

I'll be creating more tools, and giving them more capability, but first I need to know what types of stuff people would want these for, and also to learn more about how excel works so I can make more complex systems. What I have right now is pretty simple, but they've made combat a lot easier to keep track of. The treasure helper I haven't used yet (just finished making it yesterday) but it seems to work as I planned it. It doesn't give the exact amounts that are given in the DM's book, but it's close, and totals up to the same amount, so it should be fine. My next step there is to make it randomly generate art objects, and that will likely be my next system I make.

RagnaroksChosen
2008-10-28, 04:41 PM
Well, first, I'll point out that all my systems are designed around 4E, and I don't plan on making any for 3.x, since I don't use that system anymore. You can try to adapt the systems for 3.x, but I don't want to spend time adapting for an entire system when I'm likely never going to use that system again.

Anyways, I used that link, and while I don't have much yet, here's what I have so far.

http://sites.google.com/site/dmtoolbox/Home

I'll be creating more tools, and giving them more capability, but first I need to know what types of stuff people would want these for, and also to learn more about how excel works so I can make more complex systems. What I have right now is pretty simple, but they've made combat a lot easier to keep track of. The treasure helper I haven't used yet (just finished making it yesterday) but it seems to work as I planned it. It doesn't give the exact amounts that are given in the DM's book, but it's close, and totals up to the same amount, so it should be fine. My next step there is to make it randomly generate art objects, and that will likely be my next system I make.


Aaa yes there Excel spread sheets.. if you know any thing about code you should make them all a single executable. just a sugestion though..

Also i belive there are similar GM help things such as GM genie and rose some thing