5e Combat Enhancer (built on retired GPL Advanced Kombat extension)

[Nonimo]

To remove the sav effect just clic on the D20 icon.

What do you mean by d20 icon?
The cast or save button in the spell that has a d20 icon will just reroll their saves.

[StoryWeaver]

What do you mean by d20 icon?
The cast or save button in the spell that has a d20 icon will just reroll their saves.

The button to clear the saves is on top of the image/map window itself. It is only visible if you have the image unlocked and the menu is visible. It looks like a 20 sided dice and is the right most image in the menu. Clicking it will remove all the save check graphics.

[StoryWeaver]

The only issue I have with this extension is the amount of files it changes. There's no granularity. The risk of conflicts across extensions is high. Wouldn't it be better to have them separated? In a similar way to DOE extensions?

It could be argued that this would be beneficial. However the origin of the extension was built in such a way, if I were to break the extension into a parts it would be a large number of extensions to manage and it might be easier to start from scratch due to the complexity of how the code works together and is intertwined in its functionality.
The DOE extensions, which are great btw, all server very different functionality more or less (sound, alignment, locations, etc.), so it's easy to create a separation of concerns between the functionality. Where as the 5e Combat Enhancer, is all functionality geared towards combat and map interaction between the CT and combat map. So from that perspective it is sensible that it be built together.

I have considered to break off a few of the major features though, such as the horizontal health bars. To give that as an option for people not using the extension. But that would cost even more work and I already spend so many hours a week so far on updating it for the time being. So that's on the back burner for now. Any more extensions, costs more time in support and causes potential additional overhead in development time.

Currently updating it to be able to use the background image feature that came with 3.3.7. It is working in my development build (non-release state), but still throws certain errors during use. Though they are easily avoided, it is still a ways to go before it's ready for a 1.3.0 release.

So think of it like a mod pack if you will. Which are so popular in gaming communities. It comes with a larger number of features, but will invariably break some others.
If this was a commercial product, with a production team of more than one, actually getting paid to do this, then there would be the manpower to try to iron out all these details.
But as it's just me, doing this in my spare time, we have to focus on the major parts. In making it work well together internally.

It's like I said in the original post. I use this extension myself, and as such I make it a whole package solution for how I enjoy running the game. While sharing the work I do in that direction with all of you, this fine community. That's not to say I don't listen to feed back, and I've already implemented some community suggestions.

In short, think of it like a complete extension pack. Breaking it into a lot of smaller parts in some cases is just not feasible, and others up for debate at the cost of additional time cost. So it comes with its ups and down, but I hope you enjoy it for what it is.

[JLBatman]

You raise a great point, Styrmir...

Got any place we can send thank you donations? I am happy for what you've done so far and the fact that you apparently care about the extension as much as I do. I'd gladly toss a fiver your way just as a thank you for what I've seen so far.

[Trenloe]

Yep, do what's best for you. It's great that you've taken this on and share what you do with the community. It's a major undertaking in itself.

If someone wants to break it up then, hey, they can do the work themselves (with your permission, of course)! ;-)

[Three of Swords]

You raise a great point, Styrmir...

Got any place we can send thank you donations? I am happy for what you've done so far and the fact that you apparently care about the extension as much as I do. I'd gladly toss a fiver your way just as a thank you for what I've seen so far.

This. Provide a donation link and I'll gladly donate to buy you a beer, or coffee, or whatever your beverage of choice is! I was afraid of the day when Advanced Kombat stopped working eventually. And players smell fear. So you saved me from being overwhelmed by fear-frenzied PCs!

[AlphaDecay]

So think of it like a mod pack if you will.

That's what I do. I have a mod that changes my GM icon to my Discord user portrait, a mod to have a custom background image, and recently a mod for versatile/offhand weapons. Even though it isn't much, I'd give up all of them if they conflicted with Combat Enhancer.

[Nonimo]

The button to clear the saves is on top of the image/map window itself. It is only visible if you have the image unlocked and the menu is visible. It looks like a 20 sided dice and is the right most image in the menu. Clicking it will remove all the save check graphics.

I found out that some other extensions were actually conflicting with it and I couldn't see the button. Good thing they were extensions that I wasn't really using.
And now I finally have access to tokens! Huzzah!

Without a proper guide though I'm a bit lost with the layers. Is it possible to allow players access through the layers?
I've also noticed that I could move tokens to the bottom layer, however adding a token to the middle layer automatically sends it to the top layer. Is this normal?

Thank you again for all your work! My players were always hesitant with moving from roll20 but with contributions by Ken and yourself, it makes the move all worthwhile!

[JLBatman]

So here's my quick two cents on the layers, and I hope it is useful. it's not as useful as the original document, I don't think, but it is what it is. =)

Players are to be placed on the 3rd layer - not just sometimes, but every time. If you accidentally put them or monsters on the 1st layer, remove them and replace them once you are back on third.
Now, when damage happens to them, blood icons and whatnot will start having overlays, but during this time (while still conscious) the players and the GM will be grabbing and manipulating the icon from that third layer.

When a player or NPC goes unconscious, they immediately drop to the middle layer on their own. You will not be controlling this part manually. This will allow other player's icons to move on top of that icon without the 2 of them becoming glued or glitched together in any way. When that person is stabilized, they get pulled back up to the third, while any blood stains/skulls are on the first.

So look at it as a way to handle the overlays for your icons, but you spend 99% of your time in the third. If the icon is not in the third layer, the players can't touch it! Everything else is for the GM (only to a certain extent) and for the AK extension to play with/manipulate.

When do you care about the other layers? Well, the most important/common one is with map pins. If you buy any other previously created module content, they will have their map pins in place already. As such, you will find yourself having to go to the 1st layer in order to click those pins. When you create content yourself, you will be placing them on the third layer, so that would mean even less clicking back and forth.

When a mob goes unconscious, you will find yourself going to the middle layer so you can Alt+Ctrl+Click the unconscious NPC out of the way, leaving only a blood icon (which I love leaving, because it shows clearly where they smashed that bad-guy).

I tried to make that the short answer. Hope it wasn't too light on details and still answered the question.

[Nonimo]

So here's my quick two cents on the layers, and I hope it is useful. it's not as useful as the original document, I don't think, but it is what it is. =)

Players are to be placed on the 3rd layer - not just sometimes, but every time. If you accidentally put them or monsters on the 1st layer, remove them and replace them once you are back on third.
Now, when damage happens to them, blood icons and whatnot will start having overlays, but during this time (while still conscious) the players and the GM will be grabbing and manipulating the icon from that third layer.

When a player or NPC goes unconscious, they immediately drop to the middle layer on their own. You will not be controlling this part manually. This will allow other player's icons to move on top of that icon without the 2 of them becoming glued or glitched together in any way. When that person is stabilized, they get pulled back up to the third, while any blood stains/skulls are on the first.

So look at it as a way to handle the overlays for your icons, but you spend 99% of your time in the third. If the icon is not in the third layer, the players can't touch it! Everything else is for the GM (only to a certain extent) and for the AK extension to play with/manipulate.

When do you care about the other layers? Well, the most important/common one is with map pins. If you buy any other previously created module content, they will have their map pins in place already. As such, you will find yourself having to go to the 1st layer in order to click those pins. When you create content yourself, you will be placing them on the third layer, so that would mean even less clicking back and forth.

When a mob goes unconscious, you will find yourself going to the middle layer so you can Alt+Ctrl+Click the unconscious NPC out of the way, leaving only a blood icon (which I love leaving, because it shows clearly where they smashed that bad-guy).

I tried to make that the short answer. Hope it wasn't too light on details and still answered the question.

Thank you! That clears everything up! I was hoping that I could use the 3rd layer just for pointers but oh well! At least there is still the bottom layer for me to add effects on!