Ronald's Bloodbowl Tool

Here you can download the next version of the tool, so you can take a look at it. Remember though, it's not finished yet! There's been a lot of rewriting so you can't use it to load games saved with older versions.

The new things in version 2.0.0.0

Added in version 2.0.0.1 Added in version 2.0.0.2 Added in version 2.0.0.3 Added in version 2.0.0.4 Added in version 2.0.0.5 Added in version 2.0.0.6

Version 2.0.0.7

For this version I got a LOT of help from Tom Anders. I didn't feel like programming in all the skills he is using for his league so he offered to do it himself and I took him up on that. Well, he did a brilliant job, and he also gave me a lot of help implementing other new features, including all new 4th edition rules. In fact, I think about 70% of the work done for this new version was done by Tom.

This version does not yet have ALL requests and features we like in it but we plan on making it the official 2.0 version. We'll let it have its beta-status for a couple of weeks but when there are no more bug-reports this will be the official version of the tool and version 1.6c will become obsolete. By then I will have updated the website but for now you just have to see if you can get all new options to work without a manual ;-) Most of them are activated with a setting in the pbembb.ini file so you better check out that file before you start playing!

Anyway, here is the list of the new features:

Well, that should give you some things to playtest ;-)

But there is still a lot to do! Here are some topics I want to do myself, and some requests I got: (Note: the part below is unformatted, mostly copied directly from messages I got)

All text in blue are requests that are implemented in the new version

Armour/Foul/Inj window reset after each roll
Leader reroll only when the Leader is on the field
implement Multiple Block
set-up: not all moves in the log
set-up: possibility to load a standard playbook
pictures for a player/team
sounds?
update roster after the match
'plot' the movement of a player, then say 'go!' and all moves incl. dodges, pick up, hand off, pass
  are made automatically
make a pass roll window, much like the dodge roll window
make a block window, much like the dodge roll window
set the player on 'end of move' after foul, pass or block action
automatically show the dodge window when a dodge move is made
make an 'Options' window, instead of having to set all options in the pbembb.ini file
-----------------------
A couple of bugs/requests:
1. The program doesn't recognize "horn" the same as "horns". If you could
add making it Unicorn friendly to the bug list that would be great. ;-)
2. It would be cool if it recognized ball & chain skill and ignore assists
if a B&C guy throws a block

------------------------------
Tom Anders' requests:
Skill changes:

1)   Shadowing: This skill does not trigger if the Shadowing
player 1) is in the TZ of a the ball carrier from either team and the dodging player is not
carrying the ball, 2) is next to the ball, or 3) is the ball carrier.

2) Side Step:
A player with this skill is so quick that he alway can frequently step out of the way of a block. As a result,
he may completely ignore PUSH BACK results from the block dice, and a KNOCK DOWN result always
knocks the player over in the square he started in (ya just clipped him). In addition, this means that the
skills/traits Frenzy, Push, and Strip Ball will not work against this player as a Push Back result indicates
that the blocker/blitzer completely missed with his attempt to hit the player.

3)   Diving Tackle:  This skill does not trigger if the Diving Tackle
player 1) is in the TZ of a the ball carrier from either
team and the dodging player is not carrying the
ball, 2) is next to the ball, or 3) is the ball carrier.

Okay, these are my 3 skill changes that I've worked at with other coaches
to come up with good changes to these three skills that completely
remove any dice rolls or decisions from the non moving coach.


Other changes that I would like to see included (that would be
good general changes for anyone in any league):

1)    Automatically increasing the score or casualty count when the
player clicks to award the player with the SPPs for the event.   (My
coaches ALWAYS remember to give the SPPs and then usually
forget to actually change the Cas/Score counters.)

2)    Add a D6 roll for the 2+ roll required to block a Foul Appearance player.

3)    Add the D6 roll that occurs first when dodging out from a Tentacles player.

4)    Add Poisoned Dagger as a check box option to the injury/armour table.

5)    Automatic AV check when a player makes an armour roll to see if they have any of these skills:
Daemonic Aura  ,  Tattoos  ,  Null Field.
If they have any of these 3 skills, then do not allow any modifier
to the AV roll by Mighty Blow, Claw, Dirty Player, or Fouling assists.
If armour is broken, then all injury modifiers are fair game.

6)    I don't know if there is any way to automatically roll the Regeneration
4+ roll for the first kickoff after the player is Badly Hurt or worse???
This would be like the KO roll that you already do, but would need
an extra flag variable so that you didn't roll it for EVERY kickoff
just the first one.

7)    Allow an identifer to mark a player as a secret weapon player.
Like SW10 (for Poisoned Dagger)  or SW8 (for Ball & Chain) in the
skill list.  At the start of each Kick Off (ie anytime the start half or prepare
for kick off buttons are pressed), make penalty rolls automatically
for these players, a successful roll moves the player from the
reserves or KO'd to Sent Off.   The only problem with this skill is that
you'd need to know if the player had been on the pitch at any point
during the previous drive since they are only sent off at the END of
a drive in which they participated. (which might be sticky to program)
The coaches in my leagues forget to do the secret weapon rolls
90% of the time and it really slows done the game.   (Example:  the
current round of the games being played in the MBBL are all on
turn 7 or 8 of the second half.  The Goblin team game with 4 SWs
in currently on turn 2 of the 2nd half because the other coach has
forgotten to make the SW rolls every single new kick-off.)



Now in the realm of Ron is being REALLY nice to Tom and the MBBL Extras:

All of the following are skills that I allow in my league, if you added some
or all of them to the program I would love it.

1)    Double Dauntless:  When a player blocks a player with Double
Dauntless, he must roll equal to or less than his OWN strength or the
Double Dauntless player has Strength equal to his.  (This roll does
not include Horns and assist bonuses).  In addition, Double Dauntless
works just like Dauntless when the DD player throws a block.
PROGRAMMING:  automatic dice roll and if necessary ST change
to the blocking dice when a block is thrown at a player with DD, just
like you do with Dauntless skill.   Add DD to the skill check that is
done when you decide if the player has Dauntless.

2)   Stiff Arm:  any BLITZ made against this player is done with a -1 ST
modifier (minimum ST of 1).

3)   Avoid:  This skill is kinda like Foul Appearance.  Any
opposing player that wants to block the player must first roll a D6 and score higher than
 (the Avoid player's AG minus any opposing tackle zones she is in). If the opposing player
 rolls less than this, he was not quick enough to make the block and it is wasted (though the
 opposing team does not suffer a turnover.)

4)   Crystal Skin:  Any successful Armour roll made against this player
must be rolled again with the second result standing.     (Side Note:
the blocking coach may then chose to re-roll the injury roll if he
wants (but this would not need to be programmed))

5)   Elephant Trunk:  -1 modifier on the Dodge calculator if this player
trys to Dodge.

6)   Trip Up:  A player with this skill gives a -1 modier to any Dodge
roll made in his TZ when he is PRONE.

7)   Brittle:  Add +10 to any serious injury roll for this player.

8)   Foul Appearance L0
Foul Appearance L1
Foul Appearance L2
Foul Appearance L3
Foul Appearance L4
Foul Appearance L5
Foul Appearance L6:  Works just like the normal Foul Appearance
skill except that the D6 roll has to be equal to or greater than the
L number (level) in order to throw a block at this player.

Automaticly handling of Foul Appearance (roll first before block)
  Foul Appearance 0: No effect
  Foul Appearance 1: No effect
  Foul Appearance 2: 2+ to be blocked
  Foul Appearance 3: 3+ to be blocked
  Foul Appearance 4: 4+ to be blocked
  Foul Appearance 5: 5+ to be blocked
  Foul Appearance 6: 6 to be blocked
  Note:  Normal Foul Appearance skill
  would be the same as Foul Appearance 2


Request 19)  In the new 4th edition, Greater Daemons
have a skill called Unstable.  On every kickoff
following the first (just like the KO roll) roll a D6,
on a 5 or 6, the GD returns to the void (Sent Off).
------------------------
4)  Special play card drawing has a footnote also.
In 3rd edition the rule was D6 roll, (1=1,2-5=2,6=3)+Handicap extras for SP cards
In 4th edition, the new rule is:  D6 roll: (1-5=0, 6=1)+Handicap extras for SP cards.
Unfortunately my league is playing both ways. I use 3E rules always unless the TR difference
is 76+ in which case the lower TR uses 3E rules and the higher TR team uses the 4E rules.

Finally, I have two other requests for league specific hopper (which I understand is low priority stuff):

1)  During the pregame, I allow a D6 roll for each assistant coach the team has.   If any
of the D6 rolls are a 6, the team gets one free Pre-Match Preparations card from the
4th edition Special Play card table.   It would be nice to be able to press a button to
make this roll automatically.

2)  Also once during each game at the start of your turn, you can roll a D6 for each
cheerleader the team has.  If any of the D6 rolls are a 6, the team gets one re-roll
that can only be used for the current turn.  It would be nice to be able to press a button
to make this roll automatically.
---------------------------
The game needs the ability to draw an additional Magic Item
card if I use the Add a Card option (it doesn't let me if I already
have one).   The GB card Magic Flux allows me to have two

Add a High Elf team with an On-Pitch Spellcaster would be
able to allow the team to have 3 Magic Item cards.  (this
would be the max though).
-----------------------
Could you throw into the Pre Game sequence the dice roll to see who gets to decide
who goes first.   Every experienced coach I've EVER talked to say that you should ALWAYS
go first if you win the dice roll.   So using that logic, could you add the dice roll to the PreGame
Sequence thanks.
----------------------
Hey Ron,  I thought of two more possible adds.

One fairly important, the other minor:

Important one:
Some way to add a temporary player (ie non roster) to the
team.   Players like the Blue Horrors really play havoc
with the PBeM game.  Add to that  ... a lot of Net teams allow
fans, spells, etc. to add 1 to 4 temporary players to the pitch
for a drive, half, or game.  Anyway to allow use to do this.
This would also solve the problem of bringing in Snotlings
from an official GW team that are past the 16 TeamTracker
allows.   You would not need to track SPPs for these players
(the coaches could do that much, if you allowed the temp
players.)

If the player added could have a name inputted then you
could just have him start with 1/1/1/1 and no skills for
stats but could allow the stats change option to work on
him then he could be customized however.

The most temp players I know that ANY team can have
is 4 on the field at one time.


Minor One:
Anyway to allow a player to show the lightning bolt
template in each of the 8 possible directions for an
On-Pitch Spellcaster throwing a spell using the Lightning
Bolt template.
-------------
Bugs in 2.0.0.2:

1) Range check caused by Stats Change
2) Log errors occurring when I tried to back
the log up after I click the post game
items whistle and had done half the rolls.
---------------
The league has generated three suggestions
for improvements:

1)   Anyway to do a custom windows in 2.0 for armour/injury where values could just
be inputed.   There are a couple things that cause weird combos of these in my league
that make it difficult to roll.  Examples: -1 AV/+1 Injury   or   -1 AV/+0 Injury.
So a custom window would be nice and then we could input our own modifiers for these things.

2)  Automate the Standard Kickoff table. So that for Cheering Fans & Brilliant Coaching,
the game just rolls, adds in FF, and then increases the re-roll counter automatically for the winner.
Automate the injury for Throw a Rock and the Injuries caused by Pitch Invasion (remembering
that players in Reserve can be hit by the Invasion) Oh course in order to make this work, you would
need to implement suggestion 3 first.

3)  Allow the teams Fan Factor to be changed. Cards like Away Fans Banned, stadium rules,
and such influence the Effective Fan Factor for the game.    Could you make some way that
the Fan Factor could be changed during the game so that the players don't have to remember the changes
for later kick-off rolls.
----------------
Also, in 4th edition, allies no longer cause the loss of a
re-roll on a 1.  That's why I list the word ALLY in the player
title not in the Skills list.  If you list the work ALLY in the skill
list of a player, Ronald's software roll a D6 to see if you lose
a re-roll which was the old rule from BB Compendium #1
for 3rd edition.
--------------------
Ryan Ingram:

Here's some semi-TBBL-specific features I would like to see:
- Since we play real-life games with real-life miniatures as well, several
of us have renumbered our rosters to correspond to the numbers on the
miniatures we are using.  However, the PBEM only seems to work if the
numbers are from 1-16.  It would be neat if the numbers on the players
matched the numbers on your roster, allowing 16 players, but numbered with
arbitrary 2-digit strings, in sorted order.

- We have a modified kickoff table, meant to de-emphasize some of the more
nasty results.  (2: Roll d6--1-4 riot 5-6 perfect defense, 4: defensive
quicksnap, 7: no result, 8: weather change, 10: quick snap, 12: Roll d6--1-4
blitz, 5-6 pitch invasion).  Can the kickoff chart be moved to an INI file
somewhere so we can edit it?  Right now we have to do these rolls manually.

- We have a custom team-builder excel spreadsheet (originally based on an
old version of TeamTracker, but very modified by me) that keeps track of our
players, special rules, special wizards, special apothecaries, etc.  I can
send it to you if you like.  It generally works with the PBEM program--
enough so that I was originally surprised it worked at all.  However, we
have custom named wizards and apothecaries for some teams.  I had a couple
ideas for how to handle this:
1) Ini file listing possible names for wizards and apothecaries, which the
PBEM would match for when looking to see if you had one.
2) This would be much more complicated, but very cool: the ability to
specify an html file as a template for loaded teams.  It would look just
like the exported team HTML file, but have keywords that the PBEM would read
to determine how to parse the file... something along the lines of:

BB_ROSTNUM1BB_PLAYERNAME1BB_POSITION1BB_M
A1BB_ST1...
BB_WIZNAMEBB_WIZQTY ...

- Finally, we have several additional coaching staff.  For example: master
healer, necromancer adept, veteran head coach.  I can send you the rules if
you like.  If there was some way to have a few additional custom-named
tokens per team, to go with the APO/WIZ tokens, it would be easier to keep
track of those.

And a couple of general feature requests:
- Is there any chance of a "card description" feature and ini file so we
don't have to look them up online?  This is more of a convenience thing than anything else.

- You can't place numbers on the ball or other players designating movement.

Also, the move #s go away when you move, even if your move hasn't ended
(like on a blitz, or going to pick up the ball), which makes it a bit more
difficult to keep track without going back in the logfile.  I'm not sure of
a good way to solve this problem without making the numbers more difficult
to use, but I just wanted to bring it up as something I've found to be a bit annoying.

- Giving casualty SPP to a player should automatically increment the team
casualty count (I always forget...)

And a couple of bugs:
- "Make a dodge roll" counts players who have lost their tackle zone as
having tackle zones.
- "Make armor roll" doesn't have an option for the blocker having both Claw
and Fang.
------------------
Sebastiaan:
- roll for a custom die (D3, D16)
------------------
tussock:
Something i've picked up on (v1.6). A player who's lost his tackle
zone doesn't get blocked properly, the attacker loosing the benifit of assists.

    Handle 'Wild Animal' trait, never gain benifit of assists.
    Handle 'Titchy', as stunty, +2 to dodge. (i'll forgive the lack of
32 player team support 8], playing with a snotling team is a bit of a
pain though).
    Things with horns and frenzy are getting the benifit of horns on
followup blocks, which they shouldn't. That could be a headache to track
though. I think follow-up blocks DO get the benefit of Horns IF the blocking player made a move (RL)
Similarly Horns work after standing up on a blitz, but not moving,
which they shouldn't. Would also require more tracking of what's been
going on though i'd guess.
    Auto-change the IGMEOY markers after a foul? I keep forgetting to,
but I can see reasons to leave it as is.
----------------
My brother who play in my current PBeM league
mentioned that a feature he would desire that would
be good for anyone was an automatic Thick Skull
roll if a KO result is rolled for a player with Thick Skull.
-------------------
The suggestion I have is when we play several games,

1) You load a game choosing a directory.

2) You save in the same directory.

3) you load another game, changing directory.

4) You save the game in the FIRST directory.

I use to save game in the bad directory (lack of attention), and then erase
other save game.

Is it possible to save in the last directory we used to load game ?
-------------------
Implement special rules for Squigs:
1) you need squig hunters to get squigs, they cost 50k and should be noted
like assistant coaches.
2) a squig always has to move first in a turn, like wild animals, otherwise
it�s a turnover.
3) a squig must roll before moving, one d6, for how many squares it HAS to
move, they don�t have ma6.
4) you don�t move the squig where you want it, it moves where it wants. like
the throw-in-template, you say which way you want to go, 1 and 2 means left,
3 and 4 mean straight ahead and 5 and 6 mean right. let me illustrate:


1,2 3,4 5,6
 X    O   X
 X    X   X

5) they HAVE to move ALL squares they rolled for, that means they could
attack more than 1 player, or they could foul the player they just downed(only 1
foul max. per turn)
6) if you roll a number that has them attacking a player of their own team
then they do so, with no assists, but counting all damaging skills, like rsf.
7) squigs don�t have a tackle zone, so you can move past them without dodging and they
can�t cancel out assists. But they can assist a block made by a teammate
-------------------
Gerald:
first of all, the add card function, which was added only for me and my
beloved deamon, didn�t work. the client said that it drew the card but it doesn�t
appear anywhere. i have to add that was in version 1.6a haven�t played a
game with the chaos team on the newer version yet(because of slow opponents).

next problem is the chaos spawn with it�s movement of d6, like the squig.
first time i wrote d6 on the roster and the client coulnd�t read the player, he
was just left out. then i tried 1-6, and now it says just 1. that�s not
really important but i just wanted to tell you anyway(to add to yout problem list
:P).

but my next goal is to buy a pink horror, with the ability to split into 2
blue horrors if slain. there should be some food for thought for you. ;)

and another thing i noted was, when you get a player with that boy�s got
talent, how can you add him to the roster without the game resetting to the
beginning of a match. that�s what it did when i reloaded my new roster. maybe
there is a way to do that but i couldn�t find any.
---------------------
Martyn Quick:
I was wondering, however, if there was any way to check
which players are in a position to intercept a pass?

I've also noted that the following things don't quite
seem to work right.

2) It gives assists to players with the Wild Animal
trait - but the 4th edn rules says they aren't allowed
any.

3) Would it be possible to add a further alternative
to the players who can foul to fit with 4th edn rules
(so that players in an enemy tackle zone cannot assist
*even if they do have Guard* - which is a slight
variation on option 1 in the .ini file)?
----------------------
Juergen Unfried:
-allow drawing of many cards, also allow the drawing of 2 magic items.
With the HE wiz (which I have) this was a problem in the last game
-when my pallab (Tunder, Claws, RSFangs) makes a block and the AR I can
only specify the claws and if the opponent is injured the fangs are
ignored. Since these two skills affect two different rolls this is well
within the BB rules. I suggest making a check box instead of the option
(or add another RSF checkbox under the Claws, which is only selectable
when Claws are selected

like this
...
o claws
  [] fangs
...
...
o fangs

although the claws/MB combo would also be valid (claw on the armour
roll, and MB on the inj)
-----------------------
Wade Evans:
1.    Players seem to pick the ball up automatically without a dice roll - can the roll be automated when someone
walks onto the ball? I know it isn't compulsory to pick the ball up when you move onto it but how often does that
choice get made?
2.    Provide a half time indicator for us idiotd that forget what half we're in.
3.    Provide an indicator that shows a team reroll has been used for the turn.
4.    Provide an end turn button (for lazy typists).
5.    Provide an indicator that shows you have used a blitz/foul action.
6.    Automate Fan factor rolls at the end of the game.
7.    Automate regen rolls?
8.    How about an adjustable timer to limit the time you have for your turn once you have finished reviewing 
the previous turn.....
---------
Here's the bugs we've found thus far:
  
1.    Updating when Right clicking on rerolls is a bit of a hit or miss affair. Sometimes it works fine and 
others nothing happens until you left click on them, then it cycles a couple of times. I'll try to pinpoint it more.
2.    The postgame sequence for MVPs doesn't seem to select a player or update the team sheet.
3.    The number counting algorithm when plotting moves gets confused easily - it seems to leave 
the last number under a player from the previous action?
4.    If a game is saved when a player has had his stats updated (eg temporary changes) the saved 
game gives a range check error when loaded. I replayed the save game and it always comes unstuck at the point where the 
stats are changed.
-----------------------
Anthony Watts:
In your notes on v2.0 it says the program will automatically roll a 
Dodge reroll if you fail a Dodge. What if I want to use a normal 
team reroll instead? In 4th Edition you may not always want to 
use a skill because of OSPA.
-----------------------
Martyn Quick:
I seem to have found what appears to be a bug (unless
I'm misunderstanding the BB rules!).

When a player throws a block against a player that has
lost their tackle zone, the program seems to
incorrectly (I presume?) allow no assists from other
players.

E.g., if A has ST4, but has lost his tackle zone, and
X,Y,Z all have ST3 in the following situation:

......
..A...
.XYZ..
......

Then the program will roll 2 dice and give the
defender the choice when X blocks A (i.e., the assists
from Y and Z are not recognized).
------------------------
Matt Wakeman
not simply just to show different races but also different positions so it 
is more obvious as to who is who (it would be a lot faster if 1, 2, 3, were 
more like Th - 1 or Bz 2 you see what i mean?)

anyways, i agree that it would be tough to be able to use letters instead of 
numbers to represent the players but how about this instead. why not make it 
possible for the user to define the shape for each player. imagine it, 
linemen are still squares but now each coach could make his thrower a 
circle, blitzers are diamonds etc etc. this would make it a) much more easy 
to see exactly what players you have where and b) it would look absolutely 
great!

1) include a passing button so that computer works out all that takes place 
including incomplete passes etc

2) auto dodge option so that when you move a player out of a dodge zone the 
roll happens automatically

3) auto agility rolls for when someone tries to pick up the ball

4) players auto stand up at beginning of turn and lose/regain tackle zones 
automatically

Hosted by www.Geocities.ws

1