FUTURE FEATURES FEEDBACK
My tuppence worth on the proposed features under development.
I need to stress that this is just what we want, for the way that we play, and we fully understand that other people have different needs.
For us, the main thing is to use Skirmish VT as an active battle mat when we were all gathered around the table. There are other applications out there which already allow remote play but which are pretty horrible when it comes to collective play with us all gathered in the same room. Skitmish VT is already better than most of these for our use case and I'd hate to see the user interface become cluttered with things which suit remote play but aren't desired when we are gaming together.
Anyway, below we have given each feature a Low, Medium or High rating regarding to our desires:
Core Engine Improvements
"Unsnapped" Fog of War
We know that maps don't always snap to a perfect grid, so we will add an "unsnapped" drawing mode which will enable maps of any shape and size to work with the Skirmish! Fog of War.
HIGH
Path-Finding
Smart pathfinding for explored parts of the map. Always take the shortest route! (if you know it...)
MEDIUM
Lighting System Beautification
Upgrades Skirmish! light sources with a more vivid look, such as flickering.
MEDIUM
World Builder
A built-in map editor using easy-to-use texture paint options as well as graphical presets in the art-style of the official Skirmish! VT maps for users to create their own beautiful maps in a breeze.
HIGH
User Interface Improvements
Customizable quick action bar
Actions and skills entered in the character stats plug-in will be placed in this bar automatically based on the available skills of the selected character.
For example, Mandalf the Magician has 6 points in Detect Magic so the Detect Magic skill will automatically show up in his quick action bar.
LOW
Context sensitive actions
For example, clicking attack on a character's quick action bar will then ask for its target and then any required rolls.
LOW
Improved dice reporting
Clearly and beautifully show the result of your dice rolls with beautiful dice symbols.
LOW
Optimized UI experience for touch screens
HIGH
New and Improved Plug-ins
Improved Character Stats + Character Sheet
Meaner, faster and even more customizable. Make rolls directly from it, make it look exactly like the paper character sheet of your gaming system of choice.
MEDIUM
Improved Movement Restrictor
Thanks to the new Path-Finding we will adapt the Movement Restrictor plug-in to only show exactly where you can move with your currently available movement points, taking into account walls and other obstacles (X-COM style).
LOW
Buffs / Debuffs (A.K.A. Conditions Tracker)
Create a customizable set of conditions (with your own icons and descriptions or from a preset), apply them to characters and see on your screen who is affected by what.
MEDIUM
Initiative Tracker
Adds a true turn-based mode to Skirmish! that counts down Initiative, optionally auto-rolling the initiative values from the stats set up in the character stats plug-in and optionally automatically blocking a character's movement until its turn arrives.
LOW
Hand-Outs
Enables the DM to give out text or graphical handouts to his players for them to check out whenever they need. These handouts can also be optionally linked to items such as letters or maps in the Inventory/Loot plug-in.
HIGH
Inventory + Loot
The inventory plug-in adds a complete RPG style inventory. It serves as a display of equipped items as well as items stored in the character’s backpack.
The Loot plug-in allows Skirmish! props to be “lootable”. This means PCs and NPCs will be able to store them in their inventory.
MEDIUM
Jukebox
Choose from a wide selection of Ambient SFX to set the mood for your adventure and stream background music of your choice to your players.
MEDIUM (SFX) LOW (music)
Premade Plug-in presets for popular game systems
Open Plug-In API
If our evolving set of default plug-ins cannot suit your gaming needs we will provide an open API (C#) that will allow any 3rd-party to go forth, create and distribute one with those extra features required to make your gaming experience "just perfect".
HIGH for D&D 5E
Extra Content
An Army of Extra Official Skirmish! Tokens
The official Skirmish! library of tokens will be expanded with highly detailed characters in a visually consistent art style, each coming with around ~20 token poses (different weapons, different actions, dying...). It will include:
- High Fantasy Character Classes (female & male tokens for every class [Wizard, Fighter...])
- MEDIUM
- High Fantasy Guards, Brigands and Monster tokens
- MEDIUM
- Modern / Sci-Fi Character Classes
- LOW
- Modern / Sci-Fi Guards, Special Units, Droids
- LOW
Extra Official Skirmish! Maps
As we develop Skirmish! the map library will be expanded to cover a wide range of different themes.
World Builder Content Presets
The World Builder will include versatile content presets and textures, including:
- Forest Presets / Textures
- Highland Presets / Textures
- Desert Presets / Textures
- Village & City Presets / Textures (Including complete house, individual room and furniture presets)
- Ruins Presets / Textures
- Castle Presets / Textures (Including individual rooms and furniture presets)
- Dungeon Presets / Textures (Including individual rooms and accessory presets)
MEDIUM (we already have a huge amount of map content)
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Comments
Oh, and your UI would never become cluttered because Skirmish! is based on plug-ins. Each user has a different vision and as such we designed Skirmish so that each user may choose to load only the plug-ins he wants to use for his game. That is what makes Skirmish! suited to work with any rpg and player preference.
We had a game night and it was a great success. Here is my priority list based on Simon's input.
Core Engine Improvements
"Unsnapped" Fog of War
HIGH
Path-Finding
MEDIUM
Lighting System Beautification
LOW
World Builder
HIGH
User Interface Improvements
Customizable quick action bar
MEDIUM
Context sensitive actions
LOW
Improved dice reporting
LOW
Optimized UI experience for touch screens
MEDIUM
New and Improved Plug-ins
Improved Character Stats + Character Sheet
MEDIUM
Improved Movement Restrictor
HIGH
Buffs / Debuffs (A.K.A. Conditions Tracker)
HIGH
Initiative Tracker
HIGH
Hand-Outs
LOW
Inventory + Loot
MEDIUM
Jukebox
LOW (SFX) LOW (music)
Premade Plug-in presets for popular game systems
Open Plug-In API
If our evolving set of default plug-ins cannot suit your gaming needs we will provide an open API (C#) that will allow any 3rd-party to go forth, create and distribute one with those extra features required to make your gaming experience "just perfect".
HIGH for D&D 3.5
Extra Content
An Army of Extra Official Skirmish! Tokens
The official Skirmish! library of tokens will be expanded with highly detailed characters in a visually consistent art style, each coming with around ~20 token poses (different weapons, different actions, dying...). It will include:
Extra Official Skirmish! Maps
As we develop Skirmish! the map library will be expanded to cover a wide range of different themes.
World Builder Content Presets
The World Builder will include versatile content presets and textures, including:
VERY, VERY HIGH: Based on what Simon created for Skirmish!VT and posted on the Dundjinni forums (user TheSim), I want more, more, more. I will also donate time and items for him to "Skirmify" if he wants
I should have looked at your Dunjinni profile
-- Easy to use themed User Interfaces for Fantasy, Modern, Sci-fi, and Super Hero genres.
-- Gif animation support.
-- Maps with pre-set background animations.
-- Animated spell effects that can be manipulated and customized to size and shape.
-- Animated Background NPC's that walk a pre-set path. Example would be an Inn where background Inn Patrons walk around in random pathways. (Not sure if this one could be done but it would be cool)
Here's the link in case you were wondering.
https://www.facebook.com/virtualbattlemap/?fref=photo
Well but for animations, I doubt they support exporting animations as videos or anything.
But let's get SVT up and running with all its core features before we get too far ahead of ourselves.
As my gameplay and those of my other players are similar, we currently play on another online platform. My focus would definitely be more directed towards online gameplay, rather than gameplay around a table. Therefore, here's my two cents on the focus of each part in the works.
Core Engine Improvements
"Unsnapped" Fog of War
HIGH
Path-Finding
LOW
Lighting System Beautification
LOW
World Builder
HIGH
User Interface Improvements
Customizable quick action bar
LOW
Context sensitive actions
LOW
Improved dice reporting
MEDIUM (Would hopefully integrate with changes made to the Character Stats/Character Sheet output)
Optimized UI experience for touch screens
LOW
New and Improved Plug-ins
Improved Character Stats + Character Sheet
HIGH (This is currently one of the biggest drawbacks to this platform compared to others. With the current system, players must have an intimate knowledge of their stats, any effects to different aspects of them, and still roll the dice with the correct modifiers. As with other platforms, their character sheets already help automate many of these aspects, and this one change would would quickly push your platform to the leading edge.)
Improved Movement Restrictor
HIGH
Buffs / Debuffs (A.K.A. Conditions Tracker)
HIGH
Initiative Tracker
HIGH
Hand-Outs
MEDIUM
Inventory + Loot
MEDIUM
Jukebox
MEDIUM (SFX) MEDIUM (music)
Premade Plug-in presets for popular game systems
Open Plug-In API
If our evolving set of default plug-ins cannot suit your gaming needs we will provide an open API (C#) that will allow any 3rd-party to go forth, create and distribute one with those extra features required to make your gaming experience "just perfect".
HIGH for my D&D 5E games
Extra Content
An Army of Extra Official Skirmish! Tokens
The official Skirmish! library of tokens will be expanded with highly detailed characters in a visually consistent art style, each coming with around ~20 token poses (different weapons, different actions, dying...). It will include:
Extra Official Skirmish! Maps
As we develop Skirmish! the map library will be expanded to cover a wide range of different themes.
LOW (but are always nice additions
)
World Builder Content Presets
The World Builder will include versatile content presets and textures, including:
VERY HIGH: Built-in world builder presets would help create meaningful and exceptional encounters quickly and efficiently. Any DM would be drooling at a chance to have so much at their fingertips.