[sanctiont]

I'm a long-time GM, but not previously active on the boards. I won't enter into any debates about rules versions, but I'll just say I personally enjoy SR5, but find parts of it to be a bit complex. I found myself between jobs, and decided to do something about that. I've got an Initiative Tracker for SR5 that I think really helps streamline management of PC and NPC initiative. While I am selling this on the App Store (did I mention -- between jobs), I'd love to get more folks using it and providing feedback.

It's called Next Pass. Please check it out:
https://itunes.apple.com/us/app/next-pass/id727797069 and purchase there to support my work. Or, since I'm doing a give-a-way. 4 Free copies left. Just hit me up on Twitter @eigertech or use the support email listed here: http://eiger-tech.com/Next-Pass

Thanks!
    --DT

[Djinnocide]

I hit you up on Twitter. I'd love to check the app out!

[martinchaen]

Make one for Android, and I'll buy it

Or even better, make a Windows version and I'll buy BOTH!

[ImaginalDisc]

I just emailed you for a freebie, but keep porting it to other platforms and you can have monies.

[sanctiont]

I'd love to be able to bring Next Pass (the app) to other platforms, but that isn't something I can tackle right now.

    --DT

[sanctiont]

Sorry to say the give-away is over, but you can read more about the app at Diehard Gamefan . It was called a "freakin' godsend" for handling Initiative in more complex adventures/fight scenes.

[coyote6]

I bought it last night, and I hope I can try it on my iPad this Friday.

[QuantumZeruul]

This looks like a nice tool. Do you plan on porting to Android eventually?

[ImaginalDisc]

I just used this last night in my hybrid Skype/Table Top game. We have two players Skype in and two other players in meat space with me.

Using the app to keep track of everyone, add their initiative rolls, and subtract for interrupts was very simple.

I found the "Next Pass" function slightly confusing.



I have the following as my order:

Zeerust (Player) Initiative: 32
Motorola (Player) Initiative: 25
Rakum (Player) Initiative: 17
Wuerrfel (Player) Initiative: 12
Lone Star (NPC) Initiative: 7

As GM I gave Zeerust his action first. When I clicked Next Pass everyone's initiative score dropped by ten.

At first I was aghast because that's not how I remember initiative works. Then I realized I was keeping old edition baggage in my head. That IS how it works! The app is much smarter than I am.

For functionality and ease of use I rate this app very highly.

[sanctiont]

Thanks for the feedback and endorsement.

The thing to keep in mind is don't hit the Next Pass button until everyone has acted for the pass! (the pass is over when everyone who can act has acted, and everyone loses the 10 initiative score at that point at the same time, NOT immediately after they acted for the round. That order of operations is very critical in the rules, and is why I wrote the app. It makes a big difference in terms of whether folks have the ability to still perform interrupt actions or not, for example).

I don't warn you in the app because I don't like having all those nagging popups -- are you sure of this, are you sure of that. But, if you make a mistake, while it is a bit of a hassle -- you can fix it. Just go into each character's detail view (tap the i on the right side of the table), and then tap overwrite initiative. Then just put it back to where it should be (add the 10 back in that they lose).

As for Android -- I'd love to be able to port it over, but it isn't something I'm able to do right now.

[ImaginalDisc]

It was a big help. Remember, I'm managing two players who are each calling in from Skype, tow players with me in meatspace, and Roll20 as my virtual table top.

It kept me sane during combat, which as far as I'm concerned makes it indispensable.

[SichoPhiend]

I've had a chance to use this while running a recent game and I gotta say

I'm going to keep using it.

This app has made keeping track of initiative so much easier, it allows me to enter an init for my players while also rolling init for my goons, it's easy to have it roll for groups of goons at once, or individually if you want to enter them that way (And I do, since this app makes it easy to do so, I just find it nice to have goons acting at different times rather than having my players worry about being shot at 6 times before one of them gets to go again.)

It has features to keep track of wound modifiers, as well as general +/- modifiers.  There is the ability to manually replace any init that has previously been entered or rolled, as well as the previously mentioned buttons for interrupt actions (A god send to me while running my last game).  Swiping left on a goon brings up a terminate button in order to remove them from the roster in order to keep things from cluttering up.

With all the bookkeeping I need to do already, this app is a wonderful tool to make things less hectic at the table.

And to the author, I apologize for this review taking so long to be posted, I've had a rough week and a half.

[Redwulfe]

Was wondering if you where planning on adding any functionality that was not originally released? The app is great by the way.

What I was thinking if you was going to is if it could save NPC encounters to add the group to the roster. You could I put some NPCs and save the encounter then add a different group and save it and so on till all you encounters where in. Then on game night you add the PCs the the roster and when you hit the add button it would give you the option of adding all NPCs from a saved encounter or to add a single entry. When the encounter/combat is over all the NPCs would have been removed already as they where terminated. Just a thought if you where still planning on tinkering with it more.

Red

[sanctiont]

SichoPhiend: Thanks for sharing the feedback -- you've captured exactly what I was going for with app. Glad it helps!

Redwulfe: I'm working on a small update right now: just a few bug fixes, adding a delete all button, and making it iPad native. I had quite a few requests for those features, and they are straightforward. I hope to have that out by December (depending on the Apple review process more than anything.)

Longer term, I am looking at an encounters feature, but it is a bit more complicated so no promises yet. I think it is a good idea, BUT, I also want to point out that I tried to make sure that there was as little data-entry as possible required to input PC's or NPC's. Just a name, and either their initiative rating (x + yD6), or their actual score for each round.

[sanctiont]

The iPad version is out now, and I've got a limited time sale going, so it is a good time to pick up a copy if you've been on the fence.