Add a list of traits on a check? (and other small suggestions)

[aurikasura]

Suggestions:

* When encountering monsters like Shadow, the monster is undefeated unless the Magic trait is present on the check.  Is it possible to have a UI widget that lists the traits that are active on the trait?  And perhaps some highlighting to show when these particular monster conditions are satisfied or unsatisfied?

 

* Is it possible to highlight blessings in a different color if they have the option to a) recharge due to matching the blessing discard top-card or b) add multiple dice, because the correct base die is being used?  If a non-active character has a card like this, can this be communicated through the highlight on the exclamation point in the party list so that we can see who might have special cards at a glance?

 

* When using things like thieves tools or caltrops, it would be nice to list what the effect of discarding/banishing will have.  For example, instead of "Banish", use the text "Banish and Defeat/Evade"--I think a few times I have accidentally banished caltrops at the evade stage because of this.

 

* Once a location deck has been examined (through Spyglass, for example), I was unable to check that information if all characters left the location.  It would be nice if we could double-check that information from the "world map" screen.  Also, can you allow characters to undo a move if they perform no actions at the location they move to?  (A couple of times I've forgotten that I scryed a nasty trap on the top of the deck, then moved back to that location, and then realized my mistake, alas too late to undo and move somewhere else)

 

* When reordering cards (using Spyglass, for example) or selecting cards from discard (using Lem's start-of-turn ability, for example), many widgets are inaccessible: world map, location closing/permanently closed info, "ruleset", etc.  Would it be possible to add a "Hide/Show" button which temporarily dismisses the reordering UI, so that we can inspect the world state before committing to a choice?

 

* When information about a deck is pulled out by a scry (Spyglass, eg), and then the deck is subsequently shuffled, it would be nice if that card information was shown in the "middle of deck" section.  Similarly, it would be great to have a way to review the villain/henchmen information (including which henchmen have been defeated) during the game.  This will be particularly important for future scenarios with diverse henchmen, eg Skull and Shackles Adv 1 Press Ganged.

 

* It would be nice to be able to click on the "roll bonus" box and get a breakdown of how that modifier is calculated.  Also, and I'm not sure if this would not be possible due to subtle rules issues, but I would love if all roll penalties such as slashing vs skeletons and non-proficient weapon use were shown in a second box--not baked into "check difficulty" nor "roll bonus", so that it's easier to understand where we are incurring penalties. Also, for checks it would be nice to have a "roll" button (in addition to the swipe gesture); something like the "reroll" interface when using spears would be fine.  For rolls that are auto-succeed (bonus + # of dice >= check value), changing the "roll" button to "auto-succeed" button would be nice too.  Similarly, for checks that are mathematically impossible (bonus + max value of dice < check value), an "auto-fail".

 

* As mentioned elsewhere, being able to opt not to roll at a boon is downright necessary, especially with places like the Glassblowers which penalizes you for failing checks.  Along those lines, is it possible to waive the check against Goblin Warchanter if you aren't the active player and don't intend to play any cards?  I had a game where 2 characters failed that check and lost a card despite not being involved nor had any intention of getting involved

 

Bugs:

* When I used Aid as an inactive character to add a 1d6 to a check that allowed another character to move out of a location (Treacherous Cave), the Aid spell didn't attempt to recharge until the active character explored.

* When I discarded a blessing as Lem using his start-of-turn ability, I started to put a Blessing of Erastil back to my hand, but then changed my mind; the UI broke by re-placing the card in the wrong spot, underneath another card.  I was able to repeat this by dragging all the rest of the blessings, they all ended up stacked under another card and inaccessible.

* One time, when I failed a combat check against a monster that forced me to bury an item or weapon from my discard, after choosing one, the game failed to advance properly, and my scenario was left in a completely broken state.  I was forced to abandon the entire scenario through "Story->press X", as attempting to continue the scenario brought me back to this broken state.

 

 

[Longshot11]

^ Most of these are great suggestions, and the rest are just good. I'll also add a list of my preferred optimizations:

 

• Home Screen button in the Store – it's absurd having to cycle through several Loading Screens just to quit the game or browse the Gallery

• cards 'rarity' is badly (I.e not at all) communicated, as well as the conditions from unlocking them. Initially, I was going from the MTG labeling of Common, Uncommon, Rare, and I expected that the 'guaranteed' Rare card from a chest is one of the golden-framed cards. I suppose you have another termonology going on (Common, Rare, Legedary?) but it's not like I can read about it somewhere; maybe add some info in Rules (although that's too obscure) , as well as what 'Treasure cards' mean exactly, as these are only mentioned as a toggle button.

  Also, from what I can discern from the Samisen, the 'black frame' cards are awarded when specific conditions are met – it would be nice when the empty card is selected in Gallery, to have some small text box beneath it that describes the requirements

• when Temporary Closing, you already have a global 'Finished Closing” button. If I enter a location with a character and cancel the temporary close attempt – it should bring me back to the screen with all location, without forfeiting my Temp Close opportunity altogether. Since you don't show character hands in the Temp Close screen, my only opportunity to see the available resources it to try to Temp Close with one of the charcters (and browse all the hands at this time), but this character may turn out not to be the best choice in the situation; it kinds feels unfair to be penalized for knowledge which is readily available on a physical table.

• Implement the same screen for the Character Deck, as for the Location Decks – where a player can see on the bottom the cards he recharged in the appropriate order; furthermore, when you (hopefully) get to adapting Skulls & Shackles, you'll also need to be able to show the top card a player's deck (due to characters like Alahazra) ; this also helps for Allies like Ilsoari Gandethus and Eagle (which are put on top of deck)

• You already have icons for Villain and Henchmen (as seen in the Gallery) – it would be covenient if, when a player encounters/scouts them in a deck the location card count icon “?” gets updated to the appropriate type (also, for blessing shuffled through an Escaping Villain – if the full standard count of blessings is encountered, and then another blessing is scouted/evaded – the '?” should turn into a blessing icon)

[haloa92]

Also, for checks it would be nice to have a "roll" button (in addition to the swipe gesture); something like the "reroll" interface when using spears would be fine.  For rolls that are auto-succeed (bonus + # of dice >= check value), changing the "roll" button to "auto-succeed" button would be nice too.  Similarly, for checks that are mathematically impossible (bonus + max value of dice < check value), an "auto-fail".

^This. 

[Brainwave]

These are all really great suggestions and some are pretty key. Being able to opt out of rolling for boons and being able to hide your current action (whether you're closing a location or encountering a card, etc) to look at everyone's cards at the very least, are really needed to be able to play the game correctly. Looking at cards in hand when temp closing is one of the better examples of this - right now, once you encounter a villain, I don't believe there's any way from that point through the temp close decision screen where you can look at cards in hand - and quite often having the right cards (something you are willing to banish, the right cards/weapon in hand if you have to fight something, etc) matter when making that decision.

 

Others are just really good suggestions like highlighting matching blessings, etc...

[Tootzo]

Some are good suggestions, others I think are just "helping tips" that are only useful as you try to learn how to play the game, like pointing out how modifiers are calculated and applied to rolls and checks difficulty or telling which effect each different way of playing a card will have (dude, you have a close-up view of the card when you see the discard/bury/banish buttons; just read the card text. In a few games, you'll certainly remember what discarding caltrops does instead of banishing them).

 

Other suggestions, I think, are simply wrong: in the physical game, you don't get the chance to look at the bottom of your deck to see which cards you have recharged and in what order, nor you can look in the middle of a location deck because you once scryed it and then it got shuffled.

Those are things you have to memorize by yourself. Having a videogames that automatically calculates checks and card interactions is great, but it shouldn't give you advantages that you don't have in the physical game.

[Longshot11]

 in the physical game, you don't get the chance to look at the bottom of your deck to see which cards you have recharged and in what order, nor you can look in the middle of a location deck because you once scryed it and then it got shuffled.

Those are things you have to memorize by yourself. Having a videogames that automatically calculates checks and card interactions is great, but it shouldn't give you advantages that you don't have in the physical game.

Actually, I know people who play by having their recharged cards visible (unless they shuffle their decks, of course), and there's evidence at the Paizo forums that even more people play by leaving any examined location cards face-up. The reason is exactly because not everyone sees this as a game of memory (and it shouldn't be, in my personal opinion), but rather as a game of strategy. Not everyone has a great memory, and it would have the same effect if player just write down on a piece of paper what thew examined/recharge, but this seems needlessly aggravating, especially with an app.

In a multy-player game, there's plenty of interaction around the table - conversations, etc..- and it's easy to sometime lose track of what was seen where, which - this being a co-op game- shouldn't be penalized (again, in my opinion).

 

And of gourse, this being an app, it could simply be integrated as an option, to be toggled ON or OFF, at player's preference.