Herolab PC play mode?

[templeton]

Is there a way to use herolab on a PC thats easier to use (imagine using the ipad sheet app on a desktop) I have a surface pro 3 and Id love to be able to use it with the speed and ease of a tablet.

 

[Exmortis]

Not sure what you mean?

I use HL at the gaming table with my Surface 3 Pro, it runs my character real time. Love the clickable conditions, spell effects, abiliy effects, takes care of stacking and total numbers for AC, to hits on the fly.

Far faster and more accurate than anything I have used in the past. What on the Ipad makes it better? I have 3 friends with Ipads and HL but they all use their windows Lappies at the gaming table not their Icraps.

 

[templeton]

its a 1 page layout that more closely resembles a character sheet for one. Another difference is that its easier to track spells you've used that day/sesh. In general its just a lot easier to use when gaming. I couldn't for life of me sit at a table with a bunch of laptops being used to track characters. I need to have everyone at the table focusing as little on their device as possible.


Im happy to just use my iPad, but if there were a tablet PC optimized 'play mode' that'd be great.

currently hero lab functions almost entirely like an editor or postmortem tool than an on the fly gaming tool.

 

[Exmortis]

its a 1 page layout that more closely resembles a character sheet for one. Another difference is that its easier to track spells you've used that day/sesh. In general its just a lot easier to use when gaming. I couldn't for life of me sit at a table with a bunch of laptops being used to track characters. I need to have everyone at the table focusing as little on their device as possible.


Im happy to just use my iPad, but if there were a tablet PC optimized 'play mode' that'd be great.

currently hero lab functions almost entirely like an editor or postmortem tool than an on the fly gaming tool.

OK now I get you, guess it is a matter of preference, I love the way we run with HL, but I could see a benefit to a dynamic pop up char sheet, that changes with everything you can adjust via HL main screens.

So far I find players will find many distractions with out worry of HL being it, in fact if my players have to be distracted I'd rather it be HL and not some other non game endeavour.

I dont use an Ipad but can you make all the ability, spell, conditional adjustments liek full HL and see the dynamic changes? If not, i'd find that rather useless, may as well just have paper version myself.

I am also going VTT with my campaign so everyone will be using their devices more, but this will solve alo tof issues, and make play more emersive in my opinion seeing the map with fog of view with sight and lighting taken into account, each player seeing exactly what they should based on vision and light. Table map has been great over the years, but it has some weaknesses I am hoping the VTT removes.

We also have a large monitor for the GM to display player info, as when I GM I use both my lappy and my Surface, it gives me a lot of flexibility.

 

[charlieluce]

I notice that there are going to be Black Friday Deals on Windows 8.1 tablets for under $100 for 8" and $150 for 10" models. I bet there are going to be a lot more people interested in the possibility of using Hero Lab for Windows in tablet mode next year.

 

[Exmortis]

I notice that there are going to be Black Friday Deals on Windows 8.1 tablets for under $100 for 8" and $150 for 10" models. I bet there are going to be a lot more people interested in the possibility of using Hero Lab for Windows in tablet mode next year.

Windows tablets have had issues being accepted, and there has been a massive slow down in tablet sales and a massive pick up of PC sales, you know the thing that's been declared dead more times then Dracula?

I absolutely love my Surface 3 Pro and if I was not a gamer, with the dock it would replace both my desktop and lappy, but alas it cannot compete with either as a game system.

I have little use for android or ipad tablets, I even wasted money on an android one thinking "how cool it would be to have one", and it turned out to not be so cool. If it can't run any windows apps, I see/have no use for it. Everything I run in Wintel based. Not saying either is bad, but just has no use for me.

Windows tablet however has endless uses and I use mine almost as much as my desktop now, I can't believe I lived with out it and how others do not have one. Except, the Surface isn't cheap, but no other true tablet even comes close to matching its processing power.

I may be the only one to say this, but I like Windows 8/8.1 just have to spend 4.99 to really enjoy it. Which I guess is kinda sad lol.

 

[Fuzzy]

Me personally, I always have wifi or cellular wherever I'm playing, so I use RDP for hero lab running on a headless server I've got at home. Works great, works on whatever device I have, from my 10" tablet, to a 6" tablet, to my phone. to a full fledged PC. I guess if all the features are there, I'd be glad to have a more touch friendly interface, but I've enjoyed the experience using the full Hero Lab at the table so far.

 

[charlieluce]

I have a touchscreen Windows 8.1 laptop that I use when playing TRPGs, and I'm intrigued by the idea of trying the tablet-style interface if it is supported in landscape mode. (I use Classic Shell, so I didn't have to spend the 4.99 )

I do have a 7" Android tablet, which serves as my ultra-portable electronic book/magazine/newspaper with light Internet browsing capability and media watching capability. I love it to bits, but I don't try to make it do what I use my laptop for.

On the other hand, the way things are going I may well be picking up a small Windows 10 tablet when it's time to replace the Android, because hey, all-purpose computing tool.

 

[templeton]

yeah I have ipads in the house I just find myself on my surface pro 3 more than anything. I paint and sculpt on the thing, DM my emerald spire campaign, and recently been playing pfs with hero lab on it.

 

[mjk333]

From what I've seen, the biggest ease-of-use my iPad-using friends have over my Asus Transformer running HeroLab is that they can easily manipulate hit points, etc. by tapping the correct area, which brings up a finger-appropriate-sized number pad to tap, whereas I have to use the touchpad or a mouse to click into box and the keyboard to input the numbers. (Just try doing that on the touchscreen, and with the built-in touch-keyboard. Total torture.)

 

[Farling]

Direct manipulation through the summary panels would make play-time a lot easier, rather than having to switch tabs all the time.

 

[templeton]

through no fault of the application or its creators, and should go without saying, the PC app is not designed for touch interaction. I do think with the progress their UI/UX person/persons(s) that there is a lot they can learn from how simple it is to use the tab(lite) version.

 

[Tielc]

IN addition to this, one thing the iPad has that I really love is the Dice Roller by nearly every single ability. I would love this on the desktop version. I can't GM off from my iPad, as I'm running MapTool as well. I made my purchase decision based on using someone elses iPad, and assumed a similar look and feel. I was a bit dissapointed after jumping the gun and purchasing nearly every pathfinder addon.

 

[LazarX]

I notice that there are going to be Black Friday Deals on Windows 8.1 tablets for under $100 for 8" and $150 for 10" models. I bet there are going to be a lot more people interested in the possibility of using Hero Lab for Windows in tablet mode next year.

There's a reason those tablets are selling so cheap. it's because practically no one wants them. The big issue?? The selections in the App Store are terrible. And if you're using a tablet that has full Windows, instead of just App Store, the Standard Herolab application has you covered.

 

[charlieluce]

There's a reason those tablets are selling so cheap. it's because practically no one wants them. The big issue?? The selections in the App Store are terrible. And if you're using a tablet that has full Windows, instead of just App Store, the Standard Herolab application has you covered.

Not if you want to use the tablet interface in play, or would like to see the enhancements that the iPad version gets, like the enhanced die roller.

(And the tablets I referenced are all Windows 8.1, not Windows RT, which I agree pretty much nobody wanted.)

 

[Techgnosis]

IN addition to this, one thing the iPad has that I really love is the Dice Roller by nearly every single ability. I would love this on the desktop version.

This, this right here is what makes the iPad version so much better at a table than the desktop version. All I need to play PFS is my iPad and a mini.
I was recently contemplating selling my Laptop and my iPad on eBay and buying a Surface Pro 4 when they come out (rumors are currently pointing at October). For me, my iPad feels like kind of a waste, as I only use it for Hero Lab. Books (built in), Dropbox, and Hero Lab are the only things on it.
Then I went to my weekly game, and used my iPad and remembered why I liked the version so much. The desktop version is great for creation, but feels lacking for play. The way the stat-block is setup is very unfriendly, and if I tell it to display a Print Preview version, it looks great, but kind of defeats the purpose of being able to adjust stuffs like buffs and conditions of the fly.

 

[Exmortis]

What this all boils down to is preference and way one does things.

Right now we have one Ipad user of seven, but only because the current GM uses a windows lappy now. Try running tactical console on a Ipad for a massive 20 unit encounter?

The one lone user makes a case for never using an Ipad, and sticking to windows lappy for HL. I am not kidding, its hilarious and painful at the same time, he is the only one that holds up a combat round due to HL on Ipad or PC. Credit though, the GM is Ipad user when playing and does have such issues.

The rest of us, three have Ipads but prefer the PC version and the other two (includes me) have Surface Pros.

This isn't a PC vs Ipad issue, its what does the user prefer. Which is why LWD has both, to give everyone as much choice as possible.

Now LWD does have an option, IoS to Windows 10 converstion, MS has the tools. Not sure I would use it, but hey, an app on the store to "work with" your PC version installed.

 

[Fuzzy]

I use the Windows version running on my server at home, and use remote desktop on my android tablet. Works wonderfully.