Arcanist Arcane Reservoir

[ainawing]

Originally Posted by Exmortis

Neither is more or right.

It is purely a visual issue vs the logic we apply.

If you are a "I have 50 uses but have used 0" logical type, then its a perfectly normal counter.

If you are a "I have 50 uses but have 50 unused" logical type, the it is a really difficult counter to use.

Yes and no.

When talking about software design, talking about right and wrong is somewhat useless.

The questions should be "Is it functional?" and "Is it intuitive/user-friendly?".

So, is this functional? Most of the time. (Yeah, bugs and all that)

BUT, is this intuitive? No.

And here's why:
"A wand has 50 charges when created"

It has charges. HAS CHARGES. It doesn't have slots to be filled.
You can't even recharge it. The english language - when used properly - implies a count of 50 counting down.

That'd be intuitive. Even the devs are confused by the implementation used in HL. Bonuses (Favored Class Bonuses, etc.) that recharge stuff better count the wrong way all the time.

This software is based on source material. Source material that almost all users will have read. It should reflect that material.

[Krothos]

Maybe add additional text next to the field indicating "used" to help clarify to those of us morally challenged with counting up. lol

[ShadowChemosh]

Originally Posted by ainawing

BUT, is this intuitive? No.

But this is your opinion which is totally fine to have. I disagree that 0/50 was not intuitive to use because it clearly is showing me that no charges are used and that I have 50 of them. Makes total logical sense to me.

I never even "knew" it was a problem until "one" player of my 6 brought it up.

Which is why myself and Exmortis are saying both ways have merit. I did agree that an option to toggle between both ways would be "nice". But honestly LW has WAY more important things to do then make that change.

[reflactions]

Hi, I was directed to this thread after posting about this recently.

I am not interested in debating "right or wrong" here, but the fact that it counts up for tracked resources and can't be adjusted otherwise is one of my great furstrations with HL (which I otherwise think is a fine product).

I don't find the answer that "That is how the standard counter in HL works for all game systems" is a satisfactory answer. Hit points are tracked by counting down being a prime example.

If this is something that would require massive amounts of reprogamming leading to unforseen errors, that is understandable.

I would hope however that more information could be provided and a clear response could be given about whether this will be addressed or not.

[Minous]

As stated in the other thread, in order to rewrite a tracker you will need to rewrite HL and how it handles trackers. There are easily a dozen or so ways trackers and abilities interact with with each other. Right now trackers function as X used of Y total. Its probably done that way because the trackers max value isnt fixed, and the used value is a fixed user input value. Take Ki for example, as a monk levels up the trkMax for ki goes up based off of a formula. If you are using a decremental system you would need to display all the different values: the remaining value, the number of current value of the tracker, and the max value. For most screen space is at a premium, and cluttering the UI with additional values tends to make things messy/less user friendly.

[reflactions]

Thanks for the response. Why is it about HP that it is able to be tracked using a decremental system but the others are not?

[Ualaa]

To help my players visualize resources, I use poker chips.
A couple of 500 chip sets, each with five denominations.

Most are using Green for some kind of limited heal resource.
With Red for their mythic surges.
And White for their spell points (spheres of power magic system).
Blue is a class resource, such as Ki or the like.
Black if they have another tracker...

Easy enough, at the table resource tracker.
More for the player.. move from available pile to spent pile.

[charlieluce]

Originally Posted by Minous

As stated in the other thread, in order to rewrite a tracker you will need to rewrite HL and how it handles trackers. There are easily a dozen or so ways trackers and abilities interact with with each other. Right now trackers function as X used of Y total. Its probably done that way because the trackers max value isnt fixed, and the used value is a fixed user input value. Take Ki for example, as a monk levels up the trkMax for ki goes up based off of a formula. If you are using a decremental system you would need to display all the different values: the remaining value, the number of current value of the tracker, and the max value. For most screen space is at a premium, and cluttering the UI with additional values tends to make things messy/less user friendly.

No you don't. You just have to show X remaining of Y total, same amount of space as currently.

[Minous]

Originally Posted by reflactions

Thanks for the response. Why is it about HP that it is able to be tracked using a decremental system but the others are not?

HP is a far simpler process, and was created originally as a decremental system.
Quick question, how many items or abilities give you extra hit points? I dont know of any myself that give normal hit points. The closest I can think of is a CON belt, which doesn't give hit points but modifies a base stat that is used for calculating HP. Pretty much everything else uses Temporary HP.

If the trackers had originally be designed as decremental systems it would work, but trying to covert is where things get messy.