Hero Lab: Incomplete
I have been using Hero Lab for about a month now and what a disappointment it is turning out to be. It has such potential, but the software team can't meet that potential due to lack of resources.
I hope that someone eventually releases a complete tool for Pathfinder. It is such a shame that Hero Lab is missing so much. If a complete tool ever shows up I will be the first in line to buy it. Hopefully someone will soon. |
Umm.... perhaps it would help if you could articulate what it's missing rather than simply lamenting about an unspecified "so much" amount? What is it that would make this, or anything else, complete?
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1. All data from all Pathfinder products. All monsters, feats, spells etc.
2. Complete tactical control over your combats including auto tracking of effects and total rounds. Automatically adjusting the stats per effect as they are active and later inactive. This includes all buffs/debuffs/spells/conditions/etc/etc. 3. Able to read the data in each of the columns in the main window, too much info gets cut-off. Just seems very cheaply done. The overall UI needs improvement including where the tactical console shows up in relation to the main window. The fonts and overall look could also use a slight update. |
Don't get me wrong. I don't think that I wasted my money, I am just unhappy that no one has done a truly COMPLETE solution to game management of Pathfinder.
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I find it has enough to run pathfinder games and play in them as a character.
If you want all the pathfinder books, buy the expansions to the tool. It is just a tool to help you, not do it all for you. The tactical console does track rounds, but I have not looked to see if it can control powers on or off. If you add the changes to adjust tab for spells, conditions for well conditions. And the best bit is it's accessible from the tactical console, click the box to apply. I've done most of that manually, due to characters abilities used lasting longer than most combats. Hide some of the windows to show only what you need to see, I run mostly from the tactical window as a GM and as a player I have a character sheet printed out that I refer to, but have the tool available for more information. The compatibility with things like the d20 electronic tabletop programs sounds more like what you are looking for?? - And look at Realm Works listed on the site as coming soon for keeping track of non-character specific information. While this tool is not everything, it has simplified running my games, and all characters are available at every session, I just need access to a printer if the sheet is lost. So if it is not working for you, see if you can find a way to use it differently, customise it, I added text fields to containers so they were easier to choose between. And in the end, its a tabletop game, this tool simplifies the rules management, but you still have to think and if it is not working for a case, apply logic and work around it. It is worth its cost just as a character builder as far as I am concerned. That it is far more useful and used in game by my group is a bonus. |
I am starting to feel the same way. I am getting tired of assigning a feat or ability to a character and it says it has not been implemented yet. It seems that these things have not been implemented but have been in this state for a long time. It is do some of the work and then move on to the next book while never fixing or implementing the old stuff.
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All conditions are in the game. All spells as far as buffs and such are NOT hard to add yourself if you like. But as far as them being in.. not hard to figure out from there. I do so quite easily. You do complain about a lot of little things in these forums DGRM44 I wish that you would be truly happy. But the things I am seeing here do not warrant your saying it is incomplete because of the UI for the most part and some other minor issues. Remember not everyone is going to be happy with everything. |
First, let me say that I absolutely love HeroLab - it's an awesome tool and I use it all the time. I bought a license for a friend and he's now hooked on it as well. I support HeroLab with my voice (talking it up to my friends, 'posting it up' both here and on ENWorld) and my money (I have almost every Pathfinder dataset, and as soon as my finances recover from my imminent vacation I'll pick up Ultimate Magic and my collection will once more be complete).
However, the OP does have a valid point. It's not complete.
There are likely other things missing from packages that are already implemented that I've not thought of, but these two popped immediately to mind. I understand that LW is a very small company and resources (employees) who can do this work are limited. But this is a problem that is only going to get worse unless steps are taken to correct it. Paizo surely isn't going to stop putting out material, which means that LW as it currently stands is always going to be struggling to keep up with the new stuff, which means that finding time to go back and take care of the "this has not been implemented" stuff (and the AP bestiaries, etc) is always going to get pushed to the back burner. This should change - if I pay for a product, I'd really like to get the whole product. (Did I get the tone right? I'm not bitter at all; as I said, I love HL and support it whole-heartedly, but I think part of that support should be giving feedback about what I think would make the product better). |
Well said Mowgli. I am not giving this feedback to trash the program, only to alert Lone Wolf that they have a gap and if it isn't fixed it could be a serious issue down the road. Especially if someone comes along and creates something more complete than Herolab.
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