Battletech Record Sheet App

So I was playing our game today, and one of the guys uses a tablet computer with PDF notes to track his sheets.  It isn't as fast as paper, and doesn't really buy him anything, but as a computer professional and avid gamer I really can't see why a computer couldn't be used to speed up play... especially in BattleTech.

So I started thinking about how much work would have to be spent on such an endeavor.  While technically any aspect of it wouldn't be too hard, design wise I really wonder what people would really want to see, and just how much they'd want to see automated.

For example, one option would be to just have the entire mech armor diagram be a single "hot spot".  Press on it, and it asks for how much damage, what grouping, various special abilities, incoming arc, partial cover, etc.  From there it could automatically calculate all the locations, roll all the crits, update the sheet with the new weapons/heat capabilities, roll pilot skills, and so forth.  This would be the *most* automated method, and IMO probably what people would want most.  

The other option would just be a "hot spot" for each location, where clicking it brings up a drop down with, say, 1 to 25, for damage to that location.  Internals would be selected individually, damage transferred manually, and so forth.  This would be the *least* automated method, and would probably be slower than just using paper.

However, rolling dice is a key part of enjoying a game, so removing that aspect (as in the *most* automated method) would maybe make people enjoy the game less, though speed it up by an order of magnitude.  Heck, if your like me and would love to take 4 SRM carriers, but rolling the dice or "box of death" makes you cringe, the fully automated way would be totally worthwhile.

Either method could include double blind.  You could push a button and then show the mech to your opponent.  Instead of seeing circles, they see black/red/yellow/green for each location, and no critical details.   Other things they could do is track unit position on the battlefield, and automatically determine line of sight and to-hit numbers.  This would be close to playing with Megamek, except you'd still manually move your miniatures but everything else could be done by computer.  Either method could also determine time and success of repairs, current "bv", overall force capabilities, ammo resupply required, etc, etc.

An Alpha Strike version would, of course, be far simpler and the only randomization I think would be an option for each structure hit to "roll critical?" as an option. This is already planned.

So let me know if you'd like a fully automated record sheet utility, or just more of a replacement for paper (I'd be less likely to be interested in the latter).  Who knows, if I keep playing the game, I'll feel a need for something better, and that motivates me to actually do things.  Feel free to post on the forum.

On another note, I haven't done much the last couple weeks.  Just not "in the mood" for some reason.  I did fix a bug today in regards to things like "EndoSteelEndoSteel" in mech structure diagrams, but it shouldn't have been broke so my fix could have already broke it (and I didn't clear the cache, so if the time/date of generation is before this morning, it is an old PDF and wasn't regenerated yet).  

Alpha Strike Card Maker Update Next

Well thanks to the whopping 5 people that voted, I know what I'll work on next!  The overwhelming majority (3 of 5!) said they wanted an Alpha Strike Card Maker Update.  So, I'll start working on over the next few days.  My preliminary list of "todo's" for it.  Let me know if I'm missing something you wanted:

Primary Enhancements, WILL be in the update:

• Define all the colors, textures, fonts, font sizes, orientation, location, etc.  These settings can be saved/applied in various ways.
• Ability to highlight certain special abilities in different colors.  Weapons could be red and defenses green for example.
• Ability to create a "roster" you can load/save/print.
• Ability to specify special Alpha Strike abilities (those on the Ad-Hoc cards from ATOW) on your cards.
• Option for each of my various enhancements like separate rocket launcher attacks and rounding.
• The heat area is hidden for units that do not use heat.  Weapons area gets larger for units with multiple arcs, etc.
• Dropships and all smaller units will work.  Mobile Structures/Warships/Stations/Jumpships may not however.
• Search and filter ability with the MUL data.  This includes filtering by special ability, faciton, TRO, type, as well as tech/cost/year which isnt really supported in AS anyway.
• Specify DPI and card size, and the output will be scaled accordingly
• Option for hex or miniature play.  Hex = 1 MP per Inch, Miniature = 2" per MP.

Optional Enhancements, will probably be in the update:

• Use my data as well as the MUL
• Output a "roster" to PDF for printing, or sending to a specific company for printing on playing cards.  A back image would have to be specified as well in this case.
• Pre-existing damage.  Crosses through circles, abilities crossed out, etc.
• Ability to print out counters, on square or hex
• Options for circles, ovals, or hexagons for the armor/structure
• Submit a bug, auto-update check

Possible Enhancements, *might* be in the update:

• Option for my custom looking cards
• I may support much of the data I have as well, like factories, weapon types, various equipment, etc.
• Ability to colorize units, much like what I do on my BTE website.
• Interface to track your cards, and fill in circles/add crits, from a web interface.
• Support various random unit tables, and my unit generator I built a while back, to generate a PDF for a unit of any size.
• Cards like this, but for planets.  Shows their location, nearby worlds, who owns them in each era, various stellar/world attribute, units on planet, etc, etc.
• Pre-existing lists of units.  Royal mechs, phoenix mechs, WoB units, etc.

So in short, it'll be a vast improvement over the previous version.  Stay tuned!

Banned User

After talking with a buddy of mine over the weekend who ended up getting banned because CGL doesn't understand network address translation, and then seeing links on the Iron Wind Metals site that went to the official forums, I came to a revelation.

When you get a "perma-ban", Catalyst Game Labs is saying that they no longer want you as a customer.  You are not allowed to ask rule questions, download files, or communicate with CGL partners.  CGL is, from a company standpoint, saying they no longer want you as a customer.  They may argue this, but it is kinda obvious what their stance actually is by their actions.

Basically, that is "perma-lame" on their part IMO.

Go Vote!

On another note, I put up a link on my forum asking the viewers what they want me to work on next.  Go vote, once I get a few more I'll start working on my next update and/or new product!

Till next time, happy gaming!

Slow month!

Well its been a couple weeks since my last posting, so I figured I'd throw something up.

First, while reading the official forums the other day somebody mentioned the 2 month moratorium and it made me wonder if you users think I should do the same.  I'm ok with it, but if most people don't want me to I can continue to post all data within days of release.  Anyway, go vote.

Next, what have I been up to lately.  Well, the last 2 weeks I've spent FAR too much time prepping a big scenario here in Dallas.  I've been making maps, terrain, buildings, airports, etc, etc, etc, and since its tomorrow, I'm ready now (I think).  I may post some pictures of the game, not sure yet, dunno how many folks care about other people's games.

I haven't done much on the code side, and I really need to jump back into it.  I get really frustrated when I go over to the forums, see people posting things like this starmap which is still in progress, yet I finished *YEARS* ago.

I've also spent a lot of time reading up on local traffic law.  I have gotten a lot of speeding tickets over the years.  When I say lot, I mean at least 50 or more.  Deferred adjudication keeps them off my record, and I have plenty of money to just pay fines typically.  However, this time the cop literally jumped out in front of the street in front of my "dangerously speeding vehicle", without any identification, and he was very unprofessional. So I figured I'd try my hand at fighting one.  I've got like 6 precedents now, and will be spending all next week preparing to get in front of a judge to justify all the information I've requested in the discovery process. Fun stuff, but time consuming.  It gives me a lower level of respect for lawyers, as all they really do is find a way to manipulate words instead of doing what is morally right/wrong.  Oh well, that'll be my time soon.

I've also spent a lot of time with the new Ogre kickstarter boxed sets.  Sheesh, $120 for like 30 pounds worth of stuff.  The maps are just slightly bigger than my never used, but pretty, new hard battletech maps, which is slightly unfortunate.  But the 3D ogres are a pretty cool concept.  I'd LOVE to see somebody do that with some mechs!  However now I'm stuck with 2 extra HUGE boxes in my closet, probably soon to be joined by my Zombicide 1 & 2 boxed sets due any day now.

And finally I spent some time with the Bladestorm boxed set by Iron Crown Enterprises.  I *really* love this system.  It is much like Silent Death, and is a great way to not only use miniatures, but to play even a modern game.  I'm just digging it, and may base a ruleset on it since its totally out of print.

Speaking of rules, did you know you can't copyright rules at ALL?  So I could make a new game, call it "Wartech", have "robots" 10 to 200 tons each, and have weapons like "cannon/1", "Heavy laser", and "Short Range Missile Pod" and CGL could do *nothing*.  Maybe once I get this site done, and my full blown succession wars game, I'll dive into that.

Speaking of polls, I think my next posting will be a list of things "on my plate", to see which is in the most demand and which I'll focus my time on once I get back on BattleTech.

3145 Update!

Just a quick note that I've updated the database with all the units from all the 3145 books and new record sheet files.  My database is now 6476 entries.

Still buggy though, and slow as hell because of the PDF generation.  Been busy and inputting data the last week or so, site updates have been slow.

I'll start working through bugs again next week, though I also have another pet project of converting the Victory by Any Means campaign game system into a stand alone counter based mass starship battle system.  That system is, by far, the best 4X sorta game system I have ever found, and very easy to play.

More to come soon, though my readership has tanked lately without any advertising :(

Fixing Alpha Strike Part 2

This is a more thought out update to Fixing Alpha Strike (Part 1) I shot from the hip a few weeks ago.

Forget everything I said, well, enough of it to look at this with a new mindset.  This is a new proposal, with a bit more design math (and thought) and a lot less math and die rolls.

Each Alpha Strike, or BattleForce (which I'm far more interested in) turn is 30 seconds, or 3 BattleTech turns.  As damage is averaged out in the conversions, it makes sense to average their damage output as well, instead of the all-or-nothing approach that exists now.

This chart is used *instead* of the normal to-hit roll.  All the modifiers for things like terrain and target movement, and skill are added together, which is compared to your attack factor, and the damage done is what you look up on this chart (created using standard deviations).

The times you see a number, like "3+".  These results mean you do get to roll a 1d6, and when you exceed the number you do 1 damage.  This can be assumed to be 0 if you want, but some very weak units could get stuck doing 0 damage forever, which is kinda unfair IMO.

So, no dice rolls... at all.... well, you get your crit rolls, but over 3 turns the damage of a unit, against the same unit, is typically very similar.   But people love die rolls, and there should be a bit of a surprise.  So, lets add one.  Roll 1d6 when you attack, if you roll even, you add 1 to your to-hit number, odds subtract 1.  If you roll a 1, you subtract 2, if you roll a 6, you add 2.  There, some variety (if you want it, as I consider it optional)!  If your modified roll is under 2, you do full damage, if over 12, you do no damage.

Hopefully I didn't lose too many folks with the reduction from 2d6 to 1d6, but just think, now you can have 4 colors on your 4 mechs, target 1 baddie, and roll 4 colored dice and quickly determine how you did!  No more bell curves, which shouldn't be very apparent at the larger scale anyway.

What this does is gradually wear units down, just like BattleTech.  Right now many units are simply destroyed in a single shot, and most units only take a few before dying.  It doesn't really "feel" like BattleTech.  If you removed the miniatures and 2d6 rolls you'd be hard pressed to identify it as BattleTech.

Also, one more thing.  This lets you *split* fire.  Target 3 units, pick the highest to-hit number, and split your damage as you like (round down) to those 3 units.

Introduce these into BattleForce and you get a lance, with say 3+4+2+5 attack at medium range.  Look at the to-hit number for the enemy *lance*, and use the 14 attack factor column and allocate your damage as you like.  Optionally if your damage modifier roll was even, the enemy allocates the damage, if odd the attacker.

So with this method, the amount of time it takes to fight out 30 elements, each of 4 mechs, is very comparable to the time it takes you to slug out 12 mechs.

Also, on a BattleForce scale, special ammunition is eliminated (I think it shouldn't be used at any scale actually).  This means the AC #/#/#, SRM #/#/#, LRM #/#/#, and IF # factors can all be ignored, though perhaps an M #/#/# should be added to indicate how many attack factors are missiles, for Anti-Missile systems.

This of course means lots of special damage type things need to be addressed.

If anybody wants to do some quick scenarios by setting up a map at both houses, and using PBEM, let me know and we can give it a shot.

I think I like this though, thoughts?

BattleTech Record Sheets 3145 Unabridged!

Well I woke up today to a great email.  New stuff!

I purchased TRO 3145 Republic of the Sphere, TRO 3145 Record Sheets Unabridged, and TRO 3145 Record Sheets New Tech, New Upgrades.

First, this totally explains the lameness behind not having a PDF for TRO 3145.  Even though Herb specifically said that the TRO 3145 RIS didn't exist, sure enough, it did. 

What this means is those new units in TRO 3145 that weren't in any of the other TRO 3145's are actually in TRO 3145 Republic of the Sphere.  In fact, if you have all the TRO 3145 *name here* series, you simply do not in any way need TRO 3145 as *everything* within it is duplicated.  So, get those 8 TRO 3145 PDFs, then the 2 new record sheet files (or just the 2 RS files if you don't care about fluff) and your set.

However, hopefully they do come out with a TRO 3145 PDF soon, I'll still buy it.  I do have a consolidated TRO 3145 somebody made, that has stuff from 7 of the 8 TRO 3145's released so far, which is cool, but its non-canon.

So anyway, a bit of a review:
TRO 3145 Republic of the Sphere:  If you don't have TRO 3145 yet, get it and skip TRO 3145.  If you do have TRO 3145, you do not need this book.  However, if your like me and support the butt-heads over at CGL even though they don't support you, buy it anyway :)

Record Sheets 3145 New Tech, New Upgrades:
This book has the pages from the back of TRO 3145 with the new ProtoMech quirks, and technological advancement.  It also even has the little text descriptions of each variant from TRO 3145.  I won't go over all 200 of the designs, but its a record sheet book like any other.

Record Sheet 3145 Unabridged:
480 pages of goodies.  LOTS of TSEMP's it seems.  Lots of battle armor with 3+ weapons and other units with 6+ weapons to attempt to slow down the game some more.

Anyway, I'll start getting these inputted into my site within the next few days, though it'll probably take me a week or two to go through 700 pages of record sheets.

Soooo, enough of that, what else is new?

I am actually coding for the BattleTechEngineer site almost daily.  I have worked through dozens and dozens of bugs, many of which revolved around the way I did data entry.  I went through the McKenna and Nekohono'o designs the other day, and have most of their calculations working right.  I've cleaned up much of the output (though its still VERY ugly and buggy) that spits out below the Alpha Strike cards on the page.  I am sorry the pages can take so darned long to load.  The primary reason for this is the PDFs I am generating each page load.  I plan on going back to PNGs soon, which will make it MUCH faster, but haven't gotten there yet.  I only have 207 items in my task list, though it seems like for every 3 I remove, I add another :(

I also implemented small craft, most non-large support vehicles, WiGEs, and should have dropships very soon.  The history link at the top of this page is usually pretty updated, and will give far more insight.

I updated my MasterUnitList data to 8 October.  I hope they get more stuff up soon.  Heck, I'd be 100% happy giving them my database to use if they wanted it :)  The main reason the MasterUnitList site is so much faster than mine is they use static data.  I'll eventually do the same thing, but need to fix all the bugs so I know once data is generated once, its correct.  When that day comes, I'll have 100% static data (even the web pages will be static and no longer generated on the fly) and the site will be *much* faster.  Till then though, sorry, hopefully it doesn't discourage use.

Looks like my forum idea has kinda proven to be a bit of a waste.  Not many posts there, nor much activity.  I'll keep using it, and will respond very quickly to any posts there, but it isn't quite the magnet for traffic I had hoped.

I've been spending a lot more time the last couple weeks actually assembling the massive amount of miniatures I have since I'm actually playing again.  I also plan on trying out some painting techniques on some of my many "extra" miniatures (non-BT for now) to see if I can get good enough to do them myself.