HERO LAB ONLINE FOR STARFINDER Open Beta

BEFORE GETTING STARTED

Open Beta

Welcome to the Hero Lab Online Open Beta! We ask that you respect LWD by not sharing access or videos with anyone else. While we’re happy to hear you rave about the new interface in public, we can’t allow you to share any precise details at this time. Please keep in mind, there are still some rough spots in the software and a variety of items that may change over the next few weeks. While Hero Lab Online is evolving daily, we currently only have the basics of character creation available. The plethora of other items we’ve mentioned from starships to encounters will be coming online as we complete them. Thanks!

Beta Discussion Forum

We’re interested in your feedback! Please head to the dedicated, Hero Lab Online forum to discuss the Beta with other testers. Please keep the discussion relevant to feedback on the Beta or getting help, and take any other discussions to their appropriate forums.

Note: While we’re interested in all feedback you might have on Hero Lab Online, for the Early Access stage, we’re especially interested in the following:

• Can you build Starfinder characters that are complete and correct according to the rules? Are any options missing that should be available? Are options that shouldn’t be available being shown anywhere? Are options you’ve taken showing up where you expect them? Are any character validation messages incorrect, incomplete, or missing?

• How is the service performing when you make changes to your character or perform actions? Are you noticing any extremely slow responses or disconnections?

• Are any situations where areas of the interface are broken such that you can’t use them at all? Are there cases where the interface stops responding entirely? Please see the “Browser Support” section for more information.

Reporting Bugs/Issues

To report a bug, go to our dedicated bug report form for Hero Lab Online. This will send an email sent to our support staff, which will automatically generate a bug report in our internal tracking system. This is the best way for us to keep track of what’s outstanding, as well as to contact you for clarification or additional details. It also will notify you when your reported bugs have been fixed.

Remember to include as many details as possible when reporting your bug. Every bug report should typically include the following:

• A step-by-step, detailed description of what you were doing leading up to the issue finally manifesting itself • A detailed description of the issue itself (e.g. what it looks like, how it negatively impacts using the application, any

error messages presented to you, etc.) • What browser you are using (e.g. Safari or Chrome) • What operating system you are using (e.g. Windows, Mac, iOS, etc) • If you’re using a mobile device, which one (e.g. iPhone X, iPad mini, Galaxy S8, etc). Include any special qualifiers

that may be pertinent to the issue, such as an iPad Mini (screen size) or a touch-screen laptop (for interaction issues).

Additional information that may be helpful depending on the circumstances:

• What browser version you are using. (A browser’s version can usually be found in its “Help” menu, under “About”). • If you’re technically inclined and on a desktop browser, open the browser’s developer tools and check if there are

any errors displayed in the console. (The developer console can often be opened with F12, but varies by browser. A quick Google search should give you the necessary steps).

Please report bugs directly via the above link in addition to any forum posts you make. If you only report bugs on the forums, they will get lost in the shuffle! But do feel free to discuss bugs on the forums as that may help us determine how many people are affected and under what circumstances.

Browser Support

Officially supported browsers: Only the following browsers are considered supported during the Early Access. There are bound to be bugs (which you should report), but our intention is that you should be able to use most features of Hero Lab Online in these browsers without any major problems.

• Chrome (latest version) – Windows, Mac, Android • iOS Safari (latest version) • Safari 11 (Mac, High Sierra only) • Firefox (latest version) – Windows and Mac

Use at your own risk: Some browsers have received less (or no) testing, and so we really don’t know how well they will behave in all situations. Feel free to try them out if you’re feeling adventurous and submit bug reports for them. We’d like to eventually be able to consider them part of the “Officially Supported” group.

• Chrome and Firefox for iOS • Firefox for Android

Temporarily unsupported: The following browsers have known, breaking issues that we plan on fixing in the near future, but Hero Lab will likely not work very well (or maybe at all) if you try to use them right now.

• Safari < 11 on Mac (Sierra and earlier) • Microsoft Edge • Internet Explorer version 11

(As a result, any mobile version of Microsoft Edge or Internet Explorer is likely also not currently supported)

Unsupported indefinitely: Some browsers are simply not up to the task of handling a complex application like Hero Lab. These are usually limited to older versions of certain browsers, but there are some exceptions. We do not plan on offering official support for these browsers at launch or thereafter. In most cases, you should be able to upgrade to the latest version or use one of the other supported browsers for your device’s operating system.

• Internet Explorer versions older than IE 11. Note that this means users on older versions of Windows (e.g. XP) will need to install a different supported browser (e.g. Chrome), as Microsoft hasn’t made IE 11 or Edge available on Windows versions that old.

• Non-current versions of any supported browser. (If you find an issue with an earlier version of a browser that can be updated, Support’s first question to you will be “Is your browser up to date?”). Most modern web browsers now update automatically, so this shouldn’t be a problem in most cases.

• The stock Android web browser (usually called something generic like “Internet” or “Browser”). In many cases, devices will already come with a more “name brand” browser such as Chrome or Firefox pre-installed. If not, these browsers are free to download and use from the Google Play app store, and other sources.

STARTING YOUR NEW CHARACTER

Logging In

Go to https://hlbeta.lonewolfdevel.com/. Log in with the user name and password you set at sign up. You can’t currently change or reset your password, so be sure you keep track of the one you provided.

Creating a Character

After logging in, you’ll be taken to the “character selection view”. You won’t have any characters yet, so all you’ll see is a button labeled “Add Character”. Click or tap the Add Character button to create your first character.

Once the Hero Lab Online server has created your character, you’ll see a blank character added to your character list. Click or tap the blank character to open it and begin character creation.

The “Play” Tab

When your new character loads, you’ll start on the “Play” tab. You won’t create or level up your character here, but once you do, this is where you will spend most of your time during a game. The play tab is like a “virtual character sheet”. From here, you should be able to quickly see all the vital statistics you might need at the table during gameplay (e.g. ability scores, skills, hit points, saves, attack bonuses, etc.). You’ll also be able to roll checks and attacks, take and heal damage, activate any special abilities you have access to, swap weapons, mark off used spells and item, and much more.

New characters begin blank, with only the most basic information filled in. You’ll need to start building your character before the play tab will be of much interest.

Navigation Tabs

You’ll see a series of tabs on the left side of the screen, on larger devices like desktops, laptops, and, tablets (smartphones will be covered separately). These tabs allow you to access all aspects of your character, and will be used both for initially creating your character as well as when you level up, in addition to a few other uses.

The current tab is highlighted. Here you can see we’re on the “Play” tab. Click or tap and of the other tabs to navigate to it.

Tabs

Tabs contain all the information and capabilities you need to initially build (and later level up) your character.

Note: The “Character Snapshot” summary panel on the right side of the screen is unfinished and will be receiving major changes in the near future. You will only see it if your browser window and screen is wide enough.

Tab Sections

Each tab has multiple sections within it, and section contains different information relevant to the tab that you can view and modify. For example, here the Character tab is selected, which starts out displaying the Profile section. Other sections of the character tab such as Theme, Race, and Settings are available as well. To switch between sections on a tab, simply click or tap the section you want to view.

Editing Fields

Most fields on your character can be edited exactly as you’d expect. To edit a field, simply click or tap inside them, and either type a value (or select from a dropdown menu). As you do this, you may notice that your value turns gray. This indicates that the value is pending and has not yet been processed by the Hero Lab Online server. Once you’re happy with your value, click or tap anywhere outside the field and the update will be sent to the server and incorporated into your character.

Adding Items to Tables

Some aspects of your character are tables, such as what classes your character has taken. To add a new item to a table, click or tap the “Plus” (+) button in the upper right corner. This will open a separate panel for you to choose what you’d like to add. To remove an item from the table, click or tap the delete button on the right side of the item.

Once the panel appears, select an item on the left by clicking or tapping on it.

Note: An experimental search feature is currently available, but it may be removed/re-added as we tweak its inner workings.

This will display information about that choice on the right side of the panel. If you want to add this item, click or tap the “Add choice” button to add it to the table and close the selection panel.

Character Validation

Hero Lab provides guidance on how to build your character such that it meets all the rules requirements, as well as making sure you always know what options you have available to spend. As you move through the tabs and sections, you will notice colored text that indicates what you need to do to, or if you have violated any rules.

In general, red means that you either must do something to proceed (such as picking a race), or that you’ve violated a rule (such as taking a feat you don’t meet the prerequisites for). Yellow generally means that you haven’t taken advantage of something optional, but which is usually beneficial (such as spending skill points).

Note: We are still actively developing this system, so you may see messages in incorrect places, missing messages, and so on. Please report any issues you find.

Customizing Selections

Some abilities require you to make additional choices. To view or edit the details of an item, click or tap on it.

This will open a panel that allows you to view the details of that item, and if the item has any customization options, editing controls to modify them. Once you are done modifying the item, click or tap “Back” to return to the tab and section you were previously viewing.

PLAYING YOUR CHARACTER

Viewing “Play Tab” Details

Click or tap on anything on the play tab to view more information about it. A window will appear that will list any relevant statistics, as well as describe the item itself. This is especially useful for reading the full rules text of a particular ability, spell, or item you might want to use. Click or tap anywhere outside the window, or its close button in the upper left corner, to dismiss it.

Rolling Dice

To roll any check, save, or attack, click the die icon next to that. In most cases, a small window will appear that shows your total result, including any bonuses or penalties. The breakdown at the bottom shows you what dice were rolled and what bonuses, if any, were applied. If you’d like to roll again, click or tap the “Roll Again” button to generate a new total and breakdown. Click or tap anywhere outside the window, or its close button in the upper left corner, to dismiss it.

Some rolls, like weapons, require you to choose what kind of roll you want to make. Most weapons have separate attack and damage rolls. Some can be used both as ranged or melee weapons as well. Click the button that corresponds

to the kind of roll you want to make. After rolling, you can choose to roll the same kind of roll again, or switch to another one, such as rolling attack and then damage.

Equipping Weapons and Armor

To equip a weapon, piece of armor, or other equippable item, click or tap the checkbox icon next to the item. Stats like your armor saves are automatically calculated based on whether you’re currently wearing armor, as well as other stats, abilities, and circumstances.

The box will be immediately checked, but you may notice that it appears gray at first. This indicates that your equip action is being processed by the Hero Lab Online server.

Once the item is equipped, the checkbox will no longer be gray, and if it affects stats like KAC/EAC or saves, you will notice that those stats are automatically updated.

Tracking Ammunition Use

To track ammunition use, enter the current number of used ammunition into the field on the ammunition. Click or tap in the field and use your keyboard to enter how much ammunition you’ve used so far.

As you type, you’ll notice that the number turns gray. This indicates that it’s a pending value that hasn’t been sent to the Hero Lab Online server yet. The field will remain pending, allowing you to type and backspace as many times as you need. Once you’re satisfied with the value, simply click anywhere outside the field.

The number will turn back to its normal color once the server has registered your ammo use.

Note: We are planning on enhancing ammunition management in the near future.

Tracking Spells Used

To track a spell as being used, click on the right arrow next to the “used” count for that spell. Spells that have no limit do not have a counter.

Spell limits are determined by level, so you can cast a variety of the same level of spells in any way you choose. As you use spells, the number of remaining spells available at that level will count down automatically.

Once you are out of spells of a particular level, all spells at that level will automatically be noted as being used.

If your GM allows it, you can use more spells than you are normally allotted. Spells of that level will automatically be noted as being over the usual limit.

Taking and Healing Damage

To take damage to, heal, or spend a resource like HP or Resolve Points, click the associated colored bar. A small window will appear showing you the current and maximum levels of that resource. Enter the value you’d like to damage or heal by, then click the corresponding button. The window will close automatically, and the resource bar will update with the new value. If you want to close the window without making any changes, click or tap anywhere outside the window, or its close button in the upper left corner, to dismiss it.

You can also undo the last change you made to that resource (e.g. if you made a mistake), as well as reset the resource to its full value (e.g. if you’ve rested or been healed to full).

Note: Reset and Undo currently don’t work as expected.

Applying Situational Effects

To add a new situational effect to your character, got to the Adventuring tab or Customizations tab. In the Conditions, Combat Modifiers, or Adjustments sections, add an item to any of the tables found there.

Once added, you can activate it here by clicking or tapping the checkbox. Just like equipping armor, you’ll notice your stats change automatically upon activating or deactivating some effects. You can also remove the effect by clicking or tapping the delete button.

If you return to the play tab, you will notice that the chosen effect is also available there, and can be activated/deactivated as well. This allows you to choose which effects you use the most often, and make them easily available on your play tab. Effects you use more infrequently can be added and deleted as needed.

Note: We’re planning on enhancing the Effects section of the play tab to make it easier to quickly add new items as you need them.

USE ON SMARTPHONES You can use all the features of Hero Lab Online on a Smartphone. However, due to their small screen sizes relative to larger devices such as tablets and laptops, they have a somewhat reorganized user interface. Once you’ve become familiar with the standard layout, it’s fairly easy to adapt to the phone layout.

Some Notes on Terminology

Because of layout differences between the phone and larger devices, some of the terminology requires a bit of explanation. The phone interface no longer uses a true tab based interface, but we still use the term “tab” for simplicity when referring to the Play tab, Class tab, and so on. How you switch between the “tabs” will change as described below, but their content will remain the same.

Layout Changes

In order to accommodate the narrower phone screen, many parts of the layout of Hero Lab Online will automatically adjust themselves. Note that on a large desktop screen, many sections (such as “Combat”) of the play tab will have a multi-column layout, while the phone uses a single column.

Similarly, some tab sections will have wider, side-by-side layouts on larger devices, while the phone will stack them all vertically.

Navigating Between “Tabs”

Navigating the “Play” Tab

To view different sections on the Play tab, tap the dropdown menu on the right side. This menu contains one entry for each of the sections on the Play tab in the standard layout. The phone-sized interface only allows you view one section at a time. It displays your currently selected section, and allows you to quickly switch to any other section of the play tab.

Note: We plan to enable an additional section switching mechanism in the future that should make this easier in some cases.

The same menu allows you to switch between sections on any other tab. For example, if you are on the Character tab, you can use it to switch between the Profile, Theme, Race, and Settings sections.

Table Selections on Phones

Just like on larger devices, to add an item to a table, tap the plus (+) button in the upper right corner. Unlike larger devices, initially only the list of options will be displayed. To view the details of an option, tap the option. Doing so will hide the list of options and display the details for review. To go back to the list of options and

To navigate between the “tabs” you saw in the standard layout, tap the dropdown menu on the left side. It displays your currently selected tab (“Play” by default), and allows you to quickly switch to any other tab.

select a different option, tap the “Change” button in the top left. To accept the current selection, tap the Add choice button as normal.

Scrolling the Section Switcher

The section switcher is the colored button bar currently displaying “Weapons, Armor” etc in the image on the left. Some tabs have more sections than can fit in the section switcher on a phone. To scroll the section switcher, simply place your finger on it and drag left and right. This will scroll the section switcher to display more sections.

Note: You can currently use either the section switcher or the section dropdown on the phone. We are likely to consolidate on a single mechanism for switching sections in the future.

Scrolling Tables

Similarly to the section switcher, some tables are too wide to fit completely in view on the phone. To display the full contents of a table, scroll it left and right by placing your finger on it and dragging. This will reveal the hidden areas of the table.

Note: We will be improving overall table layout in the near future, which should alleviate the need to this kind of scrolling in most cases. Where scrolling must still occur, we will introduce a visual indicator instead of just cutting off the content.

Switching Characters

To switch characters, tap the “Characters” icon in the upper right. This is mostly the same as in the standard interface, but due to space constraints, the icon no longer displays the label “Characters.”