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

How would I go about adding in a second kind of character sheet to my game?

I am running a campaign in the doctor who RPG using the character sheet provided by Tony R (huge thanks to him for having made the player character sheet ages ago), but I now also have access to a suppliment which provides a completely different character sheet for use with a TARDIS and, while my layers may not even be getting access to it, I would like to have it available for use if I ever end up needing a TARDIS and doing rolls with it.

How would I go about getting the large character sheet from my copy of the PDF into a useable format, and where could I then have that character sheet made available for my players (if it is ever their TARDIS)? Sorry if this is a stupid question, I am fairly new to GMing and using Roll20 as a whole.

May 10 (4 years ago)
Andreas J.
Forum Champion
Sheet Author
Translator

How would I go about getting the large character sheet from my copy of the PDF into a useable format, and where could I then have that character sheet made available for my players (if it is ever their TARDIS)?

Roll20 character sheets are built with html/css+javascript, what you are asking is not possible.

If you'd be to edit the existing character sheet to include the options needed, you'd need access to a Pro-account who can use custom character sheets.

May 10 (4 years ago)
Gold
Forum Champion

hello Second,

Please add your +1 vote, your opinion and describe the reason for your use-case of this much needed Roll20 feature. It is requested here:

https://app.roll20.net/forum/post/7926666/more-than-1-character-sheet-template

May 10 (4 years ago)

Edited May 10 (4 years ago)


Andreas J. said:

How would I go about getting the large character sheet from my copy of the PDF into a useable format, and where could I then have that character sheet made available for my players (if it is ever their TARDIS)?

Roll20 character sheets are built with html/css+javascript, what you are asking is not possible.

If you'd be to edit the existing character sheet to include the options needed, you'd need access to a Pro-account who can use custom character sheets.

Well that's disappointing, and also impossible as well given the sheer contrast between the player sheet and the TARDIS character sheet. Thank you for the reply however

May 10 (4 years ago)
Andreas J.
Forum Champion
Sheet Author
Translator

Second A. said:

Well that's disappointing, and also impossible as well given the sheer contrast between the player sheet and the TARDIS character sheet. Thank you for the reply however

Hard maybe, not impossible. It's essentially programming two sheets into one, and creating a toggle that can let you choose which one to use. There are many sheet that have NPC/PC/ship all bundled into a single sheet.


Andreas J. said:

Second A. said:

Well that's disappointing, and also impossible as well given the sheer contrast between the player sheet and the TARDIS character sheet. Thank you for the reply however

Hard maybe, not impossible. It's essentially programming two sheets into one, and creating a toggle that can let you choose which one to use. There are many sheet that have NPC/PC/ship all bundled into a single sheet.

I have little experience with javascript specifically, but just enough to know that I hate it. But that is good to know, thank you. Thankfully a TARDIS won't be encountered for a while yet (if at all, jury is still out on that) so it shouldn't be an issue for now and is more of a long term concern.

May 10 (4 years ago)
GiGs
Pro
Sheet Author
API Scripter

This would be almost entirely html and css, not javascript, though the merging of the CSS can be challenging sometimes.


GiGs said:

This would be almost entirely html and css, not javascript, though the merging of the CSS can be challenging sometimes.

What about actually building the layout of the character sheet as it is incredibly custom. Would I need to fiddle about with javascript for that?

May 10 (4 years ago)

Edited May 10 (4 years ago)
GiGs
Pro
Sheet Author
API Scripter

Javascript is the best way of handling some things, but it is still entirely optional. You can make a sheet without using it at all.

In fact, on roll20 its not possible to use javascript to affect the layout of sheets, the way you can use it on other websites. on roll20, javascript is mainly used to automate changes to attributes (like if you want to calculate the bonus from a stat score). Javascript isnt needed to do that either, there is a pure html solution called autocalc fields - they aren't as powerful as javbascript, but they are a lot simpler to get started with.


GiGs said:

Javascript is the best way of handling some things, but it is still entirely optional. You can make a sheet without using it at all.

In fact, on roll20 its not possible to use javascript to affect the layout of sheets, the way you can use it on other websites. on roll20, javascript is mainly used to automate changes to attributes (like if you want to calculate the bonus from a stat score). Javascript isnt needed to do that either, there is a pure html solution called autocalc fields - they aren't as powerful as javbascript, but they are a lot simpler to get started with.

I would prefer to go that method if I had to then, though I am ass at coding. My biggest hurdle then I would assume is just simply getting the layout of the sheet in, which is a hassle given how custom it is, how big a perfectionist I am, and how massive it is with so many settings my god

May 11 (4 years ago)
GiGs
Pro
Sheet Author
API Scripter

Have a read of this thread, and look at the github link posted in the thread for the sheet. 

It's a good example of using CSS Grid for laying out a sheet's design. 


GiGs said:

Have a read of this thread, and look at the github link posted in the thread for the sheet. 

It's a good example of using CSS Grid for laying out a sheet's design. 

Ok, I'll go do that. As a quick question are things limited to basically being squares with this method or no?

May 11 (4 years ago)

Edited May 11 (4 years ago)
GiGs
Pro
Sheet Author
API Scripter

Grid can be used to layout things in complex ways, but does use an underlying grid (hence the name). It doesnt have to be a grid of equal sized blocks, and you can create the appearance of non-square shapes while having an underlying grid to lay things out. Also each 'block' on the grid can be reshaped to some degree through CSS though that might take some skill. 

May 11 (4 years ago)

Edited May 11 (4 years ago)
GiGs
Pro
Sheet Author
API Scripter

Oh! getting back to the subject of the thread: the Tardis Character sheet.

You could set that up as a Handout. There's a technique to embed links to trigger rolls in handouts, so you could create the appearance of having another character sheet. 

handout layout tools are pretty bad, but you could create it in an external WYSIWYG editing program (like Word or Excel or Google Docs, not PDF), and paste it into the handout which should preserve most of the layout. Then edit specific elements in the handout to turn them into links to trigger macros.

I havent dont this myself, but it should be feasible.


GiGs said:

Oh! getting back to the subject of the thread: the Tardis Character sheet.

You could set that up as a Handout. There's a technique to embed links to trigger rolls in handouts, so you could create the appearance of having another character sheet. 

handout layout tools are pretty bad, but you could create it in an external WYSIWYG editing program (like Word or Excel or Google Docs, not PDF), and paste it into the handout which should preserve most of the layout. Then edit specific elements in the handout to turn them into links to trigger macros.

I havent dont this myself, but it should be feasible.

Maybe, that is a possibility that I didn't know of or thought of regarding word or excel to be fair, though I am not sure how well I could get it to work as the character sheet is very large. But thank you for all the advice, it's a massive help and something I need to think over. At this point though I am honestly considering that it would be easier if I showed the character sheet and then just payed someone else to do it lol. I won't do that because that would be a little silly of me, but you get the idea.

Right after revealing that making a custom sheet for roll20 is a feature you need to be a pro member for, I guess this topic can be considered closed? I have neither the skill nor money to do such a thing :/

Sorry for wasting your time everyone, and thanks for the all of the advice.

May 11 (4 years ago)
Gold
Forum Champion

What is this, GiGs?? A way to set up a secondary character sheet as a HANDOUT and a technique to "embed links to trigger rolls in handouts"?

I'm a little lost here, but this sounds potentially useful. 

Would like more information but I do not know what my question is, even.

Let's go super simple. How can I make a Handout that is a Monster's sheet, and has only their Hit Dice, Attack Roll, and Damage Roll on it? The monster will be Goblin, Hit Dice 1, attack roll 1d20+1, damage roll 1d4.

How can I make this into a fake character sheet on Handouts without giving Goblin a real PC's character sheet?

GiGs said:

Oh! getting back to the subject of the thread: the Tardis Character sheet.

You could set that up as a Handout. There's a technique to embed links to trigger rolls in handouts, so you could create the appearance of having another character sheet. 

handout layout tools are pretty bad, but you could create it in an external WYSIWYG editing program (like Word or Excel or Google Docs, not PDF), and paste it into the handout which should preserve most of the layout. Then edit specific elements in the handout to turn them into links to trigger macros.

I havent dont this myself, but it should be feasible.




May 11 (4 years ago)
GiGs
Pro
Sheet Author
API Scripter

I'm talking about a way you could hack the system to emulate a second character sheet.

You can put links in handouts which trigger macros. 

I just suggested copying a formatted layout from outside SL into a handout, then you'd create the links within that formatted layout, replacing what was already there.

It wouldn't be a true character sheet, because for any any attribute changes, you'd need to manually enter the text of an attribute score within the handout. There are no real roll20 attributes there. And you'd have to create every roll "button" as a macro, because there are no buttons either.

But if desperate and willing to do the work, it could substitute for a second sheet for things that dont change all that much - like ships and tardises.


GiGs said:

I'm talking about a way you could hack the system to emulate a second character sheet.

You can put links in handouts which trigger macros. 

I just suggested copying a formatted layout from outside SL into a handout, then you'd create the links within that formatted layout, replacing what was already there.

It wouldn't be a true character sheet, because for any any attribute changes, you'd need to manually enter the text of an attribute score within the handout. There are no real roll20 attributes there. And you'd have to create every roll "button" as a macro, because there are no buttons either.

But if desperate and willing to do the work, it could substitute for a second sheet for things that dont change all that much - like ships and tardises.

The thing is that a TARDIS can actually change quite a lot, and that there is a lot that can change even during the middle of a session multiple times so that wouldn't be all that viable for me, though the idea itself does have some merit


May 13 (4 years ago)
GiGs
Pro
Sheet Author
API Scripter

Yeah, it's not a great solution at all, and might be all that practical. But its a solution available to free users, who have limited options.

At this point I am just glad to have sparked all this discussion. I'll most likely avoid using either the double sided TARDIS sheet for now or the generic TTC sheet for a while too and just stick to keeping the pdf open and tracking it all in my head and a handout for now

May 13 (4 years ago)
keithcurtis
Forum Champion
Marketplace Creator
API Scripter

I feel there is some untapped power in this handout as ad hoc sheet idea...

The hand out idea is interesting, though I don't know how I would properly go about implementing it as a free user and a first time GM who also can't make most anything graphical. 

May 15 (4 years ago)
Gold
Forum Champion


GiGs said:

I'm talking about a way you could hack the system to emulate a second character sheet.

You can put links in handouts which trigger macros. 

I just suggested copying a formatted layout from outside SL into a handout, then you'd create the links within that formatted layout, replacing what was already there.

It wouldn't be a true character sheet, because for any any attribute changes, you'd need to manually enter the text of an attribute score within the handout. There are no real roll20 attributes there. And you'd have to create every roll "button" as a macro, because there are no buttons either.

But if desperate and willing to do the work, it could substitute for a second sheet for things that dont change all that much - like ships and tardises.


Thank you for the write-up. I've had to come back and read it 3 times to understand, but yes, I follow what you're saying now.

It is a cool method. I don't know how to make LINKS yet like you're saying (a hypertext blue underlined link, but it's really a macro roller??).

Also it does not appear to solve my desired use-case (using 5E and Pathfinder existing monsters on their sheets, while letting my Player Characters use and play a different D&D edition), but I can see how it might help solve the Tardis sheet needs.

Just as an aside out of interest, would anyone here wish to actually see the TARDIS character sheet and generic TTC sheet as I can provide images (not the full PDF, please go buy that yourself if you have any interest in the system). Looking over the method, the handout would work for generic TTC devices such as a vortex manipulator or the device that my players have, and maybe for generic ships as well though I would need to check if they have character sheets within the supplement I have that provides them.

May 16 (4 years ago)
GiGs
Pro
Sheet Author
API Scripter

You could post the sheet Second. Also posting it in the actual sheet request thread would be good - more people who make sheets are likely to see it, and there's a slim chance someone there will have time to do it.

Gold, the links I'm referring to are the standard macro links you can do from handouts and character sheet bio section. I dont remember the syntax off hand, but backticks are involved!

I shall do that tomorrow then GiGs. Sorry for any hassle caused

May 17 (4 years ago)
GiGs
Pro
Sheet Author
API Scripter

No hassle caused, dont be worried about that. I was just pointing out where you'd most likely get help.