1. This site uses cookies. By continuing to use this site, you are agreeing to our use of cookies. Learn More.
  2. While the majority of active discourse on D20PRO has moved to our Discord Channels, this forum is still active and checked-in on regularly by our staff. However, for the very latest information, conversation and/or immediate support, please join us on Discord here: http://discord.gg/Ph38ckM
    Dismiss Notice

Roster and initiative order

Discussion in 'Bug Reports & Installation Support' started by mercury00, Oct 27, 2012.

  1. mercury00

    mercury00 New Member

    Joined:
    Aug 9, 2010
    Messages:
    55
    Likes Received:
    0
    So, I usually have the Roster sitting horizonally. Sometimes I'll move it vertically, but I'll get back to that in a moment.

    Let's say I start initiative, and the game rolls for everyone, and I accept. It now shifts around the roster to reflect the initiative order, it seems. But now I have a problem.

    The Game log says, Round 1 begins, and tells me, Bob1 is next up in initiative. 1) Shouldn't it say it's Bob1's turn right now? Bob1 isn't next up, he's going now. Next is Bob2, but right now Bob1 can move and declare attacks. I would like to know who's next up, but the game log should probably tell me 'It's Bob1's turn' or something along the lines of 'Bob1 is going NOW!' (like a linux shutdown script...)

    2) The 'creature' on the leftmost of the roster at the start of round is the words "Round 1". To the right of "Round 1" is Bob1. However, if we end Bob1's turn, Round1 doesn't cycle to the back with Bob1 taking the leftmost position. Instead, Round1 AND Bob1 cycle to the back, and Bob2 is the leftmost creature. The Game log then says 'Bob1 is done." and "Bob2 is next up in init". The roster seems to have skipped bob1, only, not really, bob1 was going when Round1 was the leftmost 'creature'. Bob1, even though he's at the top of the round, is never the leftmost creature. It seems like the Round1 creature is telling me when Round 1 is next - i.e., it's to the right of bob3. So I know that after Bob3 goes, it will be another round. But instead of following around Bob3, it leads Bob1, and never lets Bob1 be leftmost (bob1, it's your turn, but I'll be taking the credit for that.) it stays on the left instead of getting out of the way and going to the 'end of the line' after it's done it's job (the new round started).

    3) The 'round' text always tells me what round I'm currently on, but, since 'Round 1' moves around the roster like a creature (like all the other creatures), the number of the round is a little strange. If I think, "It's Bob2's turn, because he's leftmost. Everyone else is lined up to go next, after Bob2 it will be Bob3's turn, then after Bob3's turn it will be Round 1's turn... wait, how can it be round 1 /after/ Bob3? Sure, After Round 1 it will be Bob1's turn, but, isn't it already Round 1? Shouldn't it now say Round 2? But then, how would I tell what round it was /now/?

    4) The behavior is quite different when my roster is vertical. When vertical, the 'round' text doesn't take the full space of a creature, it's a small bit of text just above the creature at the top of the round. This is slightly less confusing, because 'Round 1' doesn't seem like a creature in queue itself, but a note about Bob1: Bob1 is inside of Round 1. Huh.

    If the 'Round 1' text were vertical when the roster was horizontal (like the '# Active' text is) and horizontal when the roster was vertical (which is how it already is now), it'd start to make a little more sense. Additionally, if the 'Round 1' text just said something like 'Top of Round' or 'Bottom of Round', and on the leftmost/topmost of the roster was another text that stated 'Round: 1, Active:' or something indicating that the creature to the immediate right/below was the current creature and the /current/ round number (not the I'm-in-line-to-go-next-like-a-creature round number, but an It's-always-this-round-number-globally), I think it'd be more immediately obvious what was going on. Or any other way to /highlight/ the fact that leftmost/topmost = current turn, and a global round number that didn't move around the roster (but a marker indicating when the round is over that did move around the roster like all the other creatures).

    Otherwise, the current behavior can be ambiguous, unless there's been some kind of explanation. I'm all for RTFM, but, the best kind of engineering has always been the kind that makes using it self-evident.
     
  2. Dragonmaster13

    Joined:
    Aug 31, 2009
    Messages:
    106
    Likes Received:
    0
    Just out of curiosity, how are you getting the roster horizontal?
     
  3. edwardcd

    edwardcd Administrator
    Staff Member

    Joined:
    Oct 13, 2010
    Messages:
    1,374
    Likes Received:
    9
    By making the Roster longer Horizontally than the Vertical length.

    Why? :p

    Kidding.

    You're right, the Roster should be getting an update to make it easier to note the round number, and perhaps start/end markers.
     

Share This Page