Evan Bailey
patreon
Improved Initiative 3.3.0: Combatant Colors, New Tiers
🕑 Added 2022-06-28 21:55:49 +0000 UTCHello GMs,
I have lots of news for you, and a small feature update for Improved Initiative.
Combatant Colors
The Combatant Color widget will allow you to quickly assign a color to any combatant. This is useful if you're using color coded tokens on a battle map, for instance. You can enable this feature on the Encounter View and Player View by visiting the Options tab in the Setting pane. This feature was suggested by Victor Navone. Thanks Victor!
New Tiers Incoming!
This Patreon campaign has been running with its current tier structure since 2017. Since then, I've added dozens of features to Improved Initiative and Paragon Campaign Dashboard as Patron benefits. In one month, I'm planning to replace the current two reward levels with new $2 Account Sync and $8 Epic Tier levels. If you're already subscribed at a current tier, you'll keep your lower price until at least July 2023. If you've been thinking of upgrading or subscribing for a full year, now's a great time to do it!
Monster Shuffler
Here's a shout-out for Monster Shuffler, a Monster Editor for D&D 5e. Ismael reached out to me to share the new import and export feature in the app, which allows you to take a stat block you built there and use it in other apps like Improved Initiative, or vice versa!
Foundry VTT
I've been doing some research into the Foundry VTT API surface. I know many of you use Foundry and I'm interested in what kind of integration features you'd like to see if I built some sort of module, chrome extension, etc. to somehow integrate Improved Initiative. Please leave comments with your feedback.
-Evan
Comments
Rafael Llinas
I'd love to be able to connect to Fantasy grounds VTT
Patrick Ransom
Aha! That little folder icon was hiding from me! Thanks.
Evan Bailey
This can be done on the screen where you edit a character's statblock.
Patrick Ransom
Improved Initiative is a great tool. I wish we could organize characters into folders, like we can with encounters.
Benjamin Ehrenreich
Any chance on making the UI responsive to screen size? I’d love to have an iPad style interface option so I can keep Improved Initiative open on my iPad during game.
Evan Bailey
Hi DMTiaslin, thanks for the honest feedback! I agree- if the new price tag isn't worth it for you, I'd encourage you to keep enjoying the free tier. Another approach is that you could get the source code off Github and self host, which might be a little cheaper than paying for the Patreon subscription, but certainly more time intensive.
DMTiaslin
Well, I gotta be honest: Improved Initiative is, in my opinion, "the best" combat tracker for D&D 5E out there. It's by no means perfect, I really don't like storing my data in my browser cache tbh, but well, functionally, it is. That's the reason I am here, and why I am supporting it, for a pretty long while now, actually. I pay for the epic tier, so I can actually create monsters on D&DBeyond (the only actual database that's...well, working), and then import them to my combat tracker. It'S a good workaround, but: it is a workaround. Now, if my combat tracker alone would start costing me almost 10 EUR a month, I srsly have to ask myself if it's still worth it. That is a lot of money for a small single-purpose website tool that I actually have to put effort in (adding monsters and whatnot), to use. I really think you should reconsider these Tiers again, or add some alternative model through the website, I dunno, selling a lifetime license or something (which I' be happy to pay). Else, I am afraid you might lose a lot of users on Improved Initiative, at least paying ones.
Evan Bailey
I recommend using the Quick Add Combatant feature for this, that's one thing it's designed for. Thanks!
philvt101
Hi! Thanks for the great app. One thing I would love to see incorporated if possible would be the addition of lair actions and legendary actions in the initiative order. Even if just some sort of automatic reminder at initiative 20 for lair actions and after each pc turn for legendary actions when a creature with lair/legendary actions is in the encounter.
Michael Pflugrad
My ultimate sky high wish for a foundry+Improved Init would be a complete replace of the combat tab in Foundry. Putting Improved Init as the primary combat tracking tool embedded directly in Foundry. This would allow a standard view for me when playing virtual and physical games. Anything honestly is awesome as you program very usable and smooth apps.
everett
for foundry id just like to be able to move or upload my monsters to it i have a feeling ill always in some way use improved initiative but i also do want to use foundry as well having a way to upload everything nice and neat would be amazing as im gonna be honest you have created the best website ever in my opinion for creating a monster stat block its simple its easy it tells you everything and i can say for sure im always gonna be using it to make my monsters.
Evan Bailey
This is still more or less true, Combatant Colors was an easy win based on a user suggestion. I'm still very early in my research on Foundry, so there's no guarantee that there will be any integration with II
allan
Wait, I thought this project was considered code complete a while back? I didn't think any future development was happening.
Maggie Stewart
I’m happy for the new tiers. Your app makes my home game manageable. Nothing else has been as helpful or user friendly.
Richard Conaway
Monster Shuffler looks like a real game changer, I'm loving that we can import them so easily
Victor Navone
OMG thanks for the colored combatants! I'm so excited for this feature! I'm stoked for the Monster Shuffler integration, too!
Adam McKinney
I’m game for new tiers. I’ve used Improved initiative and dashboard a ton so I’ll be happy to pitch in. Very happy to see that dashboard has improved since the last time I used it. It’s a wonderful tool.
