"Pause" button for GM

I'd like to have a "pause" button that temporarily locks all tokens where they are currently located. Would be useful when revealing traps, for example, or going from free-move to turn-based movement as when combat starts. Edit: included reasoning.

I love this idea.

hmmm...... I think i like the idea....... +1

+1 would also be nice if you could combine with turn order to stop people from moving out of turn. if the basic program is made maybe some one could API it

As a GM with players that move their tokens franctically around without notice when not in battle, +1 Edit: They are not dicks, HoneyBadger. They got the idea after a while, but we could have skipped a few sessions of "Guys no, you can't move yet! Why are you on the other side of the map? You can't move through walls!! Guys, stop!"

If your players won't stop being dicks when you ask them too... find new players.

HoneyBadger said: If your players won't stop being dicks when you ask them too... find new players. My players actually requested this feature. Apparently they sometimes are mid-move (and don't recall their previous position) when I say "stop." Edit: just realized HoneyBadger was likely replying to Pavlos.

Kikanaide , if you click on the token and hit the space key it will show the token's previous position.

Gauss said: Kikanaide , if you click on the token and hit the space key it will show the token's previous position. That is...shockingly useful. Thank you. My players tell me the request stands, but this will help in the meantime.

+1, would love this feature

Oh, I thought that you wanted a button to pause the GM, my players have been asking for that, All seriousness aside, I have been toying with taking control away from some players, they are constantly zipping around on the screen, my scenes are constructed so they can't peek where they are not supposed to be peeking, it just drives me nuts... So, +1

HoneyBadger said: If your players won't stop being dicks when you ask them too... find new players. ^this But still +1. I'm just about to introduce a new mechanic to my players (I meant to do it at the beginning of the previous session but I forgot) that pretty much does the same except it doesn't really prevent anything. I say stop and the in game world stops completely. No-one is allowed to make a roll, move their token, even speak, etc. Then I tell, show, play, etc. something "important" and say back and then the world continues. This feature would help a lot with situations where the Initiative tool isn't used and anyone might be just about to do anything. If I say stop it migh be to late, or the player might not hear me, or it might take half a second to realize it was me the GM not me Thomas the NPC who said it etc. Of course this would have to be put behind one push of a button so it would be very fast to put it on and off. I personally would like if this would litereally prevent the players from doing pretty much anything in that campaign. They shouldn't be able to move tokens, change stats, make rolls, etc.It would basically lock interaction with that campaign. They would still see and hear everything but could not change anything other than their own settings.

Gauss said: Kikanaide , if you click on the token and hit the space key it will show the token's previous position. Unfortunately that only works if your players use the mouse to move tokens. My players generally used the arrow keys on the keyboard (because they wanted to count the steps better, despite my telling them they can press space during the move... what you gonna do?), so space later only got me the last square they moved from. That's not too helpful So if the space-mechanic would show all movement done since the last time the initiate order was moved along, or remember if they moved other squares in the last 5-10 seconds and if so add them to the path taken too, that would be awesome.

+1

Quatar said: Gauss said: Kikanaide , if you click on the token and hit the space key it will show the token's previous position. Unfortunately that only works if your players use the mouse to move tokens. My players generally used the arrow keys on the keyboard (because they wanted to count the steps better, despite my telling them they can press space during the move... what you gonna do?), so space later only got me the last square they moved from. That's not too helpful So if the space-mechanic would show all movement done since the last time the initiate order was moved along, or remember if they moved other squares in the last 5-10 seconds and if so add them to the path taken too, that would be awesome. +1 on the space mechanic addition and +1 on a World Stop Button ... please avoid any shiny red history eraser buttons if at all possible

+1 I've never needed this for my group, they're pretty good with movement, but I still think its an excellent and useful idea.

+1 my group is constanly moving around. We're really casual so I don't usually mind but sometimes, I just want to slow them down.

YES!

+1. This, plus collision detection for selected map tokens so players cant accidentally walk through the wall that they thought was supposed to be a top-down sidewalk.

Jamie, Collision Detection can be achieved with the API.

Oh heck yeah, thanks Brian!

Okay, so I wrote a small script for pause and unpause, note that it just pauses graphic updates (map tokens, cards, et cetera), not rolling and other similar commands. Anything on the gmlayer is immune to the effect. pause and unpause Also, you can remove the top function and replace the bottom functions with anything else, the real control is provided by the global variable 'paused' if it is true, nothing can move.