CBLite Version 3.5

Changes / New Features:

• * [new] Loot Manager for managing party loot
• * [fix] Cloud Chat simplification and open to everyone
• * [fix] copying buttons script message
• * [fix] network stability improvements
• * [fix] paint event current index

Please update from within CBLite if you are an existing user.

http://www.crystalballsoft.com/content/view/175/72/

ya, the loot manager was because I'm usually the party loot manager too. If you want any options added if your party does splitting differently, let me know.

usually we will take the value of all the items (the value we would get for selling them, that is) and add them into the value of the rest of the loot, and then calculate an even split. once we have the split value, we take any items that are desired and distribute them according to party discussion, and then subtract the various items value from the value of that character's split total. finally the non-item wealth is distributed so that everyone gets their split value total.

however, we occasionally include npcs in our calculations for partial or even full shares. i think that there should be a method to assign a total number of members, then manually assign a percentage or value to each member so that you can do half shares, or quarter shares among some of the party.

can that be restated so that if enough people post that they don't want such a feature, it won't happen... otherwise it will? ;D

sigh. well, i was just hoping that since it seems that only a few people check the board that we could use a lack of protest as a deciding factor, as i'm not sure how many more votes we will actually accrue.

didn't want to say it, but now that CBmac put it out there...

At least we have the most loyal fan in the whole world!!

To be honest, I've become a big fan of MapTool and prefer the scripting over CBLite for one main reason: HTML frames.  It allows me to design my own interfaces and present content in a much more flexible way.
I like the scripting engine in CBLite, and the tables are better than most other VTTs, but the main interface is fairly static: a grid of buttons.  If I could easily re-arrange, format, and re-size those buttons, it would suddenly become much more viable as a gaming tool.

The biggest feature I've been waiting for is still the character manager.  Crystal Ball (v2) is still my favourite Character Builder / Manager.  It can output data as a standard stat block, which I can import to MapTool for actual playing (using a completely custom framework).

MapTool has some severe limitations (outdated HTML & CSS capabilities, performance issues of an interpreted scripting language, and it doesn't even interface easily with it's sibling CharacterTool!).  However, development is active, javascript support is being planned, and the support for basic mapping & chatting means I can do most of what I want while playing, in a single program.  I still use CrystalBall to build and manage characters as they level up, but I actually play with them in MapTool.

I would say that a flexible & powerful character builder / manager is still something that has not been implemented in a user-friendly way.  PC-Gen is flexible, but nowhere near user-friendly.  I would encourage you guys to focus on that aspect, rather than content.  Content is very convenient, but not something that would attract me.  Although, the experiment on modelling weather in game a while back was pretty cool!  I can't speak for others, but I'm more interested in automating RPG tasks, in a way I can control, without having to learn how to develop my own software from scratch

Thanks for the updates.  I still follow the forums, but frankly, just haven't seen much that got me excited lately.  And then there's all that real life that takes up all my free time 

Cheers.

There's nothing wrong with doing what you love 

Unfortunately, I don't know RealBasic, and I don't have a ton of time, so I can't contribute much more other than feedback.

CBLite has a solid foundation with a lot of potential, I just haven't seen it realized, or had time to explore it myself.

Like I said, CB is still my favourite Character Manager: that work is still much appreciated, so keep it up!  I love watching CBLite grow and continue to look forward to future developments.