Ration and Water Tracking API - How does this not exist?

I haven't found a resource that meets this need. What's the point of your players spending gold on food if no one remembers to deduct it from their inventory. An API that automatically deducts 1 ration from the inventory every long rest would be perfect. And maybe a lot of water too. Just an idea. What do you think? Would it be useful?

You could use the Ammo script for something like this.

GiGs said: You could use the Ammo script for something like this. I would love to but I don't know anything about scripts. I hope someone with experience can do it one day

Roni, what do you do now for long rests? Do you use any API Mods/scripts for long rests? What character sheet are you using? There are several different options to deduct resources but would need to know your setup and prefered workflow to give any better recommendations.

For Roll20, the terms ‘API’, ‘script’, ‘mod’, and ‘mod script’ all mean the same thing.  The Ammo Script is an API that can track resources, such as rations, water, or other things.  You asked, “Why does this not exist?” — It does exist. 

Hi Roni! If a script is not a workable solution, it might fall to just making it part of your GM patter: "Go ahead and take a long rest, and remember to deduct your rations". As to the larger question of "why does this not exist?" is likely because there is not a universal need. Many groups do not play a subsistence style, or decide not to track rations at all, or just deduct a gold piece value from their characters for "living expenses". They might even go the opposite route and find that "per long rest" is not grainy enough and account for every meal. Or individuals may have classes or races that do not need food or water and would find an automatic system to be detrimental. There are also several places on the sheet (I am presuming that this is in reference to the D&D 5th Edition by Roll20 Sheet, but that's a tenuous assumption) where rations could be tracked, that would make automation impossible. In other words, the sheet provides general features, whereas you need a specific solution to a specific problem. If the sheet addressed that specificity, it would probably not be appreciated by many other users. There are many ways you could automate this, but they all require a certain amount of individual customization. Personally, I think that if you don't have the time or inclination to dive into a scripting solution, that's perfectly understandable--you're here to play a game. But then a manual reminder is probably best.

keithcurtis said: Hi Roni! If a script is not a workable solution, it might fall to just making it part of your GM patter: "Go ahead and take a long rest, and remember to deduct your rations". As to the larger question of "why does this not exist?" is likely because there is not a universal need. Many groups do not play a subsistence style, or decide not to track rations at all, or just deduct a gold piece value from their characters for "living expenses". They might even go the opposite route and find that "per long rest" is not grainy enough and account for every meal. Or individuals may have classes or races that do not need food or water and would find an automatic system to be detrimental. There are also several places on the sheet (I am presuming that this is in reference to the D&D 5th Edition by Roll20 Sheet, but that's a tenuous assumption) where rations could be tracked, that would make automation impossible. In other words, the sheet provides general features, whereas you need a specific solution to a specific problem. If the sheet addressed that specificity, it would probably not be appreciated by many other users. There are many ways you could automate this, but they all require a certain amount of individual customization. Personally, I think that if you don't have the time or inclination to dive into a scripting solution, that's perfectly understandable--you're here to play a game. But then a manual reminder is probably best. Thank you very much for the advice and clarification. Maybe it's not such a relevant question to direct my efforts

Jarren said: For Roll20, the terms ‘API’, ‘script’, ‘mod’, and ‘mod script’ all mean the same thing.  The Ammo Script is an API that can track resources, such as rations, water, or other things.  You asked, “Why does this not exist?” — It does exist.  I couldn't research enough to find and understand how it works, I'm new to this, sorry

Joshua N. said: Roni, what do you do now for long rests? Do you use any API Mods/scripts for long rests? What character sheet are you using? There are several different options to deduct resources but would need to know your setup and prefered workflow to give any better recommendations. We use the D&D 5th Edition by Roll20 Sheet and take long rests for the sheet by clicking on the indicated button

Roni said: Joshua N. said: Roni, what do you do now for long rests? Do you use any API Mods/scripts for long rests? What character sheet are you using? There are several different options to deduct resources but would need to know your setup and prefered workflow to give any better recommendations. We use the D&D 5th Edition by Roll20 Sheet and take long rests for the sheet by clicking on the indicated button Ahh ok. I'm not familiar enough with the action on that character sheet in order to provide advice on how to extend that. There are several rest mods created that I believe pre-date the existence of those buttons on the 5e sheet. Some groups also use a group macro for the DM to decide on rests for the players. Those methods using macros to call API Mods can be extended in several ways to adjust values on the sheet including inventory items but I don't see an obvious way to capture when the rest buttons on the sheet are clicked as it doesn't seem to send anything to chat so using using a mod like  Customizable Roll Listener  won't work. And there doesn't seem to be a field to edit like a repeating section like Attacks or Traits in order to add  ChatSetAttr  which can adjust inventory values. Perhaps someone more familiar with the sheet can confirm if there is a way to extend or capture via the API when an action button like Long Rest is pressed. If you are interested in other possible options, then I'm sure folks can come up with a few for you but beyond that I think you would probably need to add a suggestion for a toggle option to extend what the rest buttons will track.

Hi Roni,  I can help you out here. Please send me an invite and I can come to your game to work with you on developing an option that works for your group.  I already have similar options in my own games.