...we could always give an option for the user to specify if they want a standard, easy, or tough encounter.

I'm thinking that we do it like this on the setup end:

Monster Name
Effective level
min/max appearing
Terrain (w/checkboxes for plains, woods, desert, subterranean, etc)
Frequency (common, uncommon, rare, etc)
What else am I forgetting?


Then, allow the end user to input number of party members, their level, and the terrain they are in. The site spits out a nice random encounter for them. Or, if the user so chooses, the site spits out a nice table for them. (Roll 2d10! 1-20 is goblins, 21-35 is an owlbear, etc)

That sounds great, Olan! I can see it making a huge difference in play time versus plotting time.

Going back a few posts, i do like the tavern menu gen a great idea, as well.

I like your idea for a die-roll generator that would post a non-editable result. I am looking into the feasibility of creating a generator that creates the die rolls as text, then converts the text to a .gif or .jpg (or other low-res format) that would be saved in a central location that could be purged periodically. The HTML coding to reference the image would then be sent to the thread in question and would thus be non-editable text. I just haven't figured out (yet) the logistics of how to direct the die-roll image to a specific thread. I know a little about HTML (self-taught designer of my own web pages), but very little about javascript, which I think would be necessary. I intend to learn how though. So my own solution will probably take a while.

I welcome comments and suggestions ...

Wyrmsting, PHP would allow us to do something like that; the GD library will allow us to create PNG images on the fly. You won't be able to do so in HTML (no logic or proceedures in HTML, only structure) or in Javascript (no access to the server, javascript only rund in the user's browser).

I'm sure other server-side scripting langues (perl, ASP) would also make it possible.

I'm thinking that a solution for the Inn would be to let the dice roller know which thread you'd like your rolls posted to, and the system could post them on your behalf. That way, you could see them, but only moderators could edit the messages.

DANG! I simply GOTTA go back to school! I was just getting into learning C++ some years ago ( i love to learn programming languages), and my instructor left me high and dry early on. The host of languages for server-side and client-side coding environments that came after has just got me intimidated ... I just don't have the expertise to write in javascript, Perl, ASP, etc. I'll have to let more experienced heads do that and I can just watch and drool ...

I'm thinking that a solution for the Inn would be to let the dice roller know which thread you'd like your rolls posted to, and the system could post them on your behalf. That way, you could see them, but only moderators could edit the messages.
That would work. No conversion to an image. My suggestion to that would be to make a thread-related link to the die-roller that would allow the user to add a brief description (max number of characters = nnn) to let the DM know without a doubt what bonuses and penalties apply (as the player sees it). This would be included with the text of the die roll and also be unchangeable (a commitment to an action?) ...

And since it would post on behalf of the member, there is nothing to archive and/or purge. More efficient than my idea ...

You could also add to a wandering monster table, an option for monster summoning spells as well. My daughter plays a mage and she has brought Monster Summoning to an artform. To have a handy tool to generate the summonees would be great (Summonies? Summoned? Summonites?)

The summoned monster thing would be even easier, I'd think.

Remember way back on the original server when there was a basic character gen? Can we bring that back?