Features For A D&D Combat Tracker App

Hi everyone,

I'm making a D&D combat tracking app for DMs that tracks initiative, HP, and maybe even eventually position/AOE/effects. I was wondering what features you guys would like to see in it and how you would like to lay it out and have it work. If you have any recommendations please let me know and I will try and take them into account while designing the app. My idea was to make it either run as offline HTML in a browser or as a Windows, Linux, and MacOS application. That second route is the one I'm more likely to take because it is the one I have more experience with. Also, no, I will not be porting this app to iOS or Android despite what any iPad Kids who see this want.

Quote from TiamatCultist5 >>

I'm making a D&D combat tracking app for DMs that tracks initiative, HP, and maybe even eventually position/AOE/effects. I was wondering what features you guys would like to see in it and how you would like to lay it out and have it work.

 You already mentioned all the features I'm looking for in a combat tracker. As I'm playing live, I don't really need AoE templates or conditions to be available in the app. I have physical props for those. And as for VTTs, we use roll20 and DDB Maps which already have all the necessary features built in.

Out of curiosity, why are you building your own app? What is the problem you're trying to solve that the already available options don't include? Keep in mind that "I want to build an app myself" is a perfectly valid answer and there's nothing wrong in wanting to create one. I'm not trying to bash your idea, just curious.

Yeah, it can be very difficult to actually make a good combat tracker that people will consistently use. 

If you want to see some of the features of other apps as inspiration, try Shieldmaiden and Improved Initiative. They've got some pretty good stuff.

Quote from TiamatCultist5 >>

Hi everyone,

I'm making a D&D combat tracking app for DMs that tracks initiative, HP, and maybe even eventually position/AOE/effects. I was wondering what features you guys would like to see in it and how you would like to lay it out and have it work. If you have any recommendations please let me know and I will try and take them into account while designing the app. My idea was to make it either run as offline HTML in a browser or as a Windows, Linux, and MacOS application. That second route is the one I'm more likely to take because it is the one I have more experience with. Also, no, I will not be porting this app to iOS or Android despite what any iPad Kids who see this want.

 Have a table like an excel spreadsheet (look at Dm tools initiative tracker) and a small map builder to make a room to show positions. Also dice roller

You know I'm doing the same thing. I'm a 20 year software vet by trade and the AI's have definitely put "roll your own" VTT into play. 

Why? Firstly my group has 3 children, old enough to play DnD, but not old enough for DnD Beyond accounts. 

Quote from Scruvy >>

Quote from TiamatCultist5 >>

I'm making a D&D combat tracking app for DMs that tracks initiative, HP, and maybe even eventually position/AOE/effects. I was wondering what features you guys would like to see in it and how you would like to lay it out and have it work.

 You already mentioned all the features I'm looking for in a combat tracker. As I'm playing live, I don't really need AoE templates or conditions to be available in the app. I have physical props for those. And as for VTTs, we use roll20 and DDB Maps which already have all the necessary features built in.

Out of curiosity, why are you building your own app? What is the problem you're trying to solve that the already available options don't include? Keep in mind that "I want to build an app myself" is a perfectly valid answer and there's nothing wrong in wanting to create one. I'm not trying to bash your idea, just curious.

 The reason I'm making my own app is partially because coding is one of my hobbies and partially because more and more things are starting to have AI features nobody asked for. Those features often make things harder to use or worse, meaning I have to find something new, and then learn how to use it. Also, sometimes servers are offline, and for web based tools that can be a nightmare. I also need more practice in more modern languages than 6502 Assembly and BASIC, both of which I learned for absolutely no reason other than for fun and quickly found out were... well... old.

Quote from ibanezht >>

You know I'm doing the same thing. I'm a 20 year software vet by trade and the AI's have definitely put "roll your own" VTT into play. 

Why? Firstly my group has 3 children, old enough to play DnD, but not old enough for DnD Beyond accounts. 

 Can you give me some advice please? I'm not that good with application development outside of video games, robotics, and ROM hacking.