Proof of concept vs Usability

[NoxMortem]

The shr5rcp program gets better and better but I currently have the feeling that the proof of concept step is taken too far. The current release as it is shows pretty well that both the developer as well as the used technology is capable to accomplish the planned features.

It might be worth to plan ahead the next steps of the project and how developement continues. I doubt that many people use the program yet as it is really complicated and needs enhancements on so many levels but the pure amount of massive cool features simply makes me want this project to succeed and that I am able to use it.

To help supporters and bug reports it is important to know what features are currently developed as it does not make a lot of fun to invest hours into testing something while the developement is busy with other tasks :)

I think this project needs to finish some of its short term goals instead of adding new features all the time. This will help to use the product and broaden the amount of users and therefore the feedback.

Some possible feature you might want to polish first is the server - client interaction.

Currently the workflow for example is:

1. Select script
2. Add participants
3. Add combat round participants for the quick combat script

For the combat script for example the step of add combat round participants is redundant. It would remove one whole wizard dialog if the quick combat script assumed that all participants are part of the combat.

To start an initiative round again all combat round participants have to be selected. There is no visual cue that the program does automatically roll the initiative for all not connected players. Does it? It looks like it does and I was simply amazed once again how the tool surprised me. The problem is, the program should not surprise me. I should be amazed because I know what the tool is capable of :)

As usual I will try to open issues for the specific little things I see require improvement.

The tool is beside some bugs and missing things very good at handling the initiative but for example I do not see how I can assign damage as the damage resistance test works but it does not seem to have any effect.

It should be much easier to request a test from a user over the web interface, therefore I think a default fallback script should be available which is the state where there is no initiative but GM and players simply are able to interact. The GM can request tests and the players can use their skills or also interact with their equipment.

Also the webinterface lacks most of the features the tool itself has. For example: There is no way to do something not initiated by the GM: A player should be able to use his skills for example. See #114

The workflow should be:
GM says: "Make a perception test"
GM selects all target players AND and starts a test. He ONCE selects the skill required or leaves it empty (which allows the player to select a skill over the webinterface, this is especially important for knowledge and social tests where multiple skills are possible, or attack tests)
The clients connected are prompted and the server does roll for all not connected player or prompts the GM to select a skill, pool, modifier.
The GM gets the resulst (already implemented)