Roll20 uses cookies to improve your experience on our site. Cookies enable you to enjoy certain features, social sharing functionality, and tailor message and display ads to your interests on our site and others. They also help us understand how our site is being used. By continuing to use our site, you consent to our use of cookies. Update your cookie preferences .
×
Create a free account

Looking for guidance - what to work on now?

1706101649

Edited 1706199973
GiGs
Pro
Sheet Author
API Scripter
I have built a guide to creating Roll20 sheets over here: <a href="https://cybersphere.me/roll20-sheet-author-master-list/" rel="nofollow">https://cybersphere.me/roll20-sheet-author-master-list/</a> I'm looking for my next big Roll20 project, and asking for comments. I'm not getting paid, so I'll do what I want :) but I'm curious what people want. Here's a guide to things I'm thinking about. What should be first in your opinion (or would you like me to try something else)? The Universal Character Sheet: The roll20 forums get a a lot of requests for sheets of various games. A long time ago someone suggested a System-Agnostic sheet and then abandoned it. I've talked about creating such a sheet and raised it with the Roll20 devs and got permission. If I create this, it will be probably the biggest project you could imagine, taking many months. But the idea is to create a sheet that will cope with almost any game system. It won't be as good as a sheet dedicated to a given system, but will provide a way for people to quickly get started with any game. Universal Chat Menus : My most successful script is in dire need of an overhaul and upgrade. It works (for Pro Users only) but there are some edge cases it needs to handle better, and the syntax needs upgrading. These are not simple changes, and likely need a complete rewrite. Versionator: One feature that should need less work is a system for handling changes to active character sheets - a version change system. There are ways to do this already, but everyone has to come up with their own solution, and sometimes very serious errors are made. A simple drop-in function with good documentation might make a big difference here. One goal of all my tools is their ease of use, and I'd like to bring that to a version change system. repeatingSum : Probably my most successful creation overall, which grants the ability to very easily perform various calculations with repeating sections. It has a few drawbacks though, and the syntax isn't the best, so it could possibly do with a rewrite. Multiversal Sheet Worker: A long time ago, I created the Multiversal Sheet Worker system for quickly adding sheet workers to a character sheet with little work. See the comments in that thread from Wes . For coding novices, this is already an amazing tool, but needs some major improvements. Torg Eternity community Sheet : I created the Torg Eternity sheet, but it is not finished. Also the custom roll parsing system was introduced after I wrote the sheet, and the game's very complex roll system would really benefit from that. Pendragon Universal Sheet: The King Arthur Pendragon system is one of my favourite games. The 6th edition just came out, but previous editions are still being used, and even within an edition people might use different systems (3rd-5th have at least 3 different battle systems and just as many land holding systems, all of which are important to play). I have a sheet for personal use that handles all these things for 3rd to 5th edition, in a very clunky way, and which does some things the current sheets don't. But I'd like to streamline and universalise it even more - make it good for 1st though 6th edition, and handle a variety of house rules (like my incredibly simple Roll Up Dice system , and variant ideals ), and of course make it available for anyone who wants to use it. Sheet Templating Guide : A guide to automating the creation of a roll20 character sheet. There's a lot of code that is very similar and could be simplified. Templating programs exist to do this (and Scott's k-scoffold using PUG is a great way to do this if you are ready to learn a new syntax). I might create a guide for templating. The numbers aren't a priority list (though I am probably tending to #1 most, though it's probably the most demanding project), but are just easier for you to refer to them.
1706130746

Edited 1706131282
Gold
Forum Champion
I would like a Character Sheet that is the most basic, most generic, least automated, least sophisticated character sheet as possible. No bells and whistles. No repeating sections. No sheet workers.&nbsp; This would be for Complete Novices (of coding) who want to invent a simple Roleplaying Game using Roll20. I would be changing pretty-much-only the Labels on the fields on the sheet. Maybe delete some fields, or copy-paste to add more fields. Maybe changing some of the Attribute names so that my game can run Stat Check macros.&nbsp; For example (completely random example useage off the top of my head), if I want to invent the game of Bunny Rabbits With Torches, i would be able to edit the Custom Sheet Code and change the names of the 6 stats to Hops, Bites, Speed, Floofiness, Coloration, Ear Length. Now an example of a Stat Check Macro would be roll a d20&lt;Floofiness score. And there would be a section for Value/Max stats that work like Hit Points (Current Carrots, Max Carrots). And then I can run the game on Roll20. Maybe i want to add a field for "The name of your favorite garden" next to the Character's Name field. Now i can have the macro for chat, "The name of my favorite garden is: [[Garden-Name]]". Any advice for me, GiGs? Does this exist? I tried to read k-scaffold guides before and it is too detailed, long, and deep into Code, for someone like me, who has visual impairments and slow reading. I want to literally not write any HTML or CSS, just copy-paste it and EDIT it, but i do want to relabel a generic character sheet to make it a custom ultra-simple game for a unique RPG/setting. I have also tried to copy an existing sheet (looking for simple often old-school D&amp;D sheets), but again every sheet I found the code had various complexities at some level that were murky to understand. This is just me. All your other offers are wonderful too, for various constituencies in the Roll20 community. Whatever you decide or answer, thanks in advance.&nbsp;
1706132540

Edited 1706199919
GiGs
Pro
Sheet Author
API Scripter
Gold said: Any advice for me, GiGs? Does this exist? That doesn't exist (yet). My character sheet goal is a bit more grandiose than that, but you have described the gist of what I'd be aiming for. Adding repeating sections actually makes such a sheet easier to use and code, not harder, but the goal is to create something similar to your description - let you create your own stat names, enter your own macros, hit ratings, etc. The trick is making it suitable for multiple game systems which each have their own methods of rating characters (and some may use stats, skills, saves, and other things all at the same time, which need thweir own sections, and also add tracking for static values like an equipment list. In the meantime, Gold, if the game is simple, you could make use of the Attributes &amp; Abilities tab and templating that sheet. This method: Create a new character Enter stat names (whether stats, skills or whatever) in the order you want them in the Attributes tab. You can use names like "====" as spacers. Create Abilities for each separate roll, which can use those stats. Save this character as your blank template. Never enter any chjaracter data into it. When you want to make a new character, copy this blank template, and use that. You already have a format for all the stats and rolls you need, players just need to enter values in the attributews list and you are ready to play. The goal for my sheet is definitely making something that requires no coding ability.
Get hired by Roll20 so that they can make development on VTT features 10x speedier, haha.
1706139706

Edited 1706140079
vÍnce
Pro
Sheet Author
The Universal Character Sheet: Totally appreciate the effort to make something that would "generally" work for a multitude of games. Jack of all trades.&nbsp; Master of none.&nbsp; I could be wrong, but it seems like a huge effort that only a very small portion of the community would actually benefit from. Universal Chat Menus : Very popular/beneficial script.&nbsp; Not sure if it would be feasible, but I wouldn't mind seeing a version of this that could be injected into an existing character sheet (ie repeatingSum) to generate chat menus without the need for a script. Versionator: As roll20 changes and sheets begin to "rust"... having a version control method to keep a sheet current and w/out destroying existing attribute data is a must. repeatingSum : I personally haven't noticed any drawbacks or limitations with this, but my implementation has been fairly basic.&nbsp; Let's just say I haven't had a reason to use repeatingSum2. Multiversal Sheet Worker: Hate to say I forgot all about this.&nbsp; Torg Eternity community Sheet : Pendragon Universal Sheet: Don't forget about your babies.&nbsp; Always interested to see real-life implementations. Sheet Templating Guide : Definitely curious about this.&nbsp; Not a bad thing, but It seems that these types of systems are probably geared more toward advanced sheet authors.&nbsp; I have only dipped my toe into K-Scaffold, but I can already see the benefits of a system that handles much of the repetitiveness and infrastructure required by a more complex sheet. If K-scaffold or similar systems have enough documentation/examples I could see them becoming much more popular with sheet authors.&nbsp; Might even help beat-down some of the backlog of sheet requests.
1706140807
GiGs
Pro
Sheet Author
API Scripter
Hehe, thanks teller. I wouldn't want to be part of the dev team for Roll20 - they work at a much higher level than me, but I agree, it could be faster! Vince, thank you for your comments. One thing I'd quibble with: vÍnce said: The Universal Character Sheet: Totally appreciate the effort to make something that would "generally" work for a multitude of games. Jack of all trades.&nbsp; Master of none.&nbsp; I could be wrong, but it seems like a huge effort that only a very small portion of the community would actually benefit from. It would be a huge effort, though Gold's post gave me an idea how to break it up in parts, so it doesn't have ti b4e done all at once. The part I quibble with is "only a very small portion of the community would actually benefit from" . A big part of my motivation for this is the character sheet thread - where there are so many people asking for sheets. There are simply too many requests and too few able to create them, and I'm thinking every single one of those quests could be satisfied by a suitably generic creation. It may be true that only a small proportion will benefit in real numbers (because the vast majority of the userbase are already using one of the big sheets like D&amp;D 5e), but there's a clear need for something .
1706141154
GiGs
Pro
Sheet Author
API Scripter
vÍnce said: Universal Chat Menus : Very popular/beneficial script.&nbsp; Not sure if it would be feasible, but I wouldn't mind seeing a version of this that could be injected into an existing character sheet (ie repeatingSum) to generate chat menus without the need for a script. This has my wheels turning. I hadnt thought about this approach.
1706143233

Edited 1706144407
vÍnce
Pro
Sheet Author
Don't get me wrong.&nbsp; I get that there's a LOT of sheets that are not on roll20 and people should have an option beyond the Attributes &amp; Abilities tab and handful of macros. (oh, the good old days...) I suppose my somewhat pessimistic-view on a universal sheet stems from the many requests that people make for new sheets that are already very similar to another sheet/system.&nbsp; The existing sheet is like 90% acceptable, but it's not quite sufficient for the particular off-shoot ie flavor/variant.&nbsp; Will a universal sheet actually be a better option than settling for something that's already 90% there and using workarounds?&nbsp; Not sure. I am curious to see if/how a universal sheet would be flexible enough to handle the myriad of rpg systems.&nbsp; I guarantee that some of those implementations could be used on a system-specific sheets to allow some flex/homebrew. roll20 needs something like an online webpage builder(like wix ) for character sheets. Basically a bunch of pre-coded widgets that you can drag/drop with some limited editable parameters and the ability to go under-the-hood if needed. Maybe the forthcoming Beacon sheet development system could handle something like that.
1706145997
GiGs
Pro
Sheet Author
API Scripter
I agree, website builder approach should be available. that would be very handy. People would still need to build the sheets, but it would be so much easier than writing code. Your pessimism might be well-placed. I'm really thinking of desperation as the motivating force... My idea for a universal sheet will always be inferior to a dedicated sheet, which will be tailored to the needs of the system. But it'll be a lot better than the Attributes and Abilities tab :)
1706196299
Kraynic
Pro
Sheet Author
Since I have used it in every game I have run since it was posted, I would be interested in anything that you do with #2. All the projects sound interesting though. Good luck with whichever you choose to work on!
1706290484

Edited 1706290737
GiGs
Pro
Sheet Author
API Scripter
Thanks, Kraynic. Gold, your comments have made me reaslise that and if and when I do the character sheet, I will very likely have Basic and Advanced sheets (in separate tabs), with basic being a very stripped down sheet with just the bare minimum you need. Something like that is a great idea, and a good way to get things rolling. Someone did send a PM reminding me of the original thread about the sheet, and I may as well link to that here (so I can find it!). The sheet being shown there will be drastically simplified and redesigned (for a start, I know more about CSS now than I did then, and I think I wasn't read for CSE then, if it had been introduced), but shows some hints about what I was planning .&nbsp;
1706525476

Edited 1706533820
GiGs
Pro
Sheet Author
API Scripter
vÍnce said Universal Chat Menus : Very popular/beneficial script.&nbsp; Not sure if it would be feasible, but I wouldn't mind seeing a version of this that could be injected into an existing character sheet (ie repeatingSum) to generate chat menus without the need for a script. This is a good idea but now I've thought about it a bit, it's a lot trickier than it appears (and is probably why I originally made it as a script). You can't do it without custom roll parsing, and you cant just supply which repeating sections and attributes you want it to work with - character sheets get attribute values in a different way to scripts, they all have to go through getAttrs and getSectionIDs first. I'll think about it, but the script update will probably have to come first.