morepurplemorebetter
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Some news and a poll for the near future
🕑 Added 2019-12-06 11:52:26 +0000 UTC
After your incredible outpouring of support and comments, an update felt necessary to clear up some things.
First off, thank you all for your kind words, support, and understanding. Some good news about me, after the weekend all my flu symptoms are now fully gone. Thus, I’m back at doing things like thinking about new features for the sheet, answering questions/comments, and eating less-than-healthy, as it always should be.
Some good news about my friend, she has gotten a spot at the most state-of-the-art military revalidation centre in the Netherlands. Thinking of her privacy, I do not intent to keep you updated on her progress or share more information about her and her family. I am sure all of you understand.
Financial support
A couple of you asked about or suggested financial help for my friend. Let me assure you that this is not something to think about at the moment. All medical care is covered by the insurance and her income is also secure for the moment.
[In the Netherlands, you only pay the first € 385 of medical costs yourself per year, and you can’t be fired for medical reasons. Only prolonged (more than a year) health issues or (semi-)permanent disability would be a cause for financial concerns. This is not the place to discuss these things further because of the privacy of my friend, so please take it from me that there is no reason to worry about the finances of my friend at this time or the near future. If you have questions about this, I’ll be happy to answer them in a private message.]
In fact, there was such an outpouring of support from friends, that they had to ask people to stop sending flowers/stuff due to the limited space in the hospital. They instead asked to make a donation to a charity, which is exactly what my friends and I did. Besides that one-time donation, I have set up a monthly donation to a charity in the Netherlands that helps the victims of and those affected by violent crimes, traffic accidents, and missing person cases. They offer both practical and emotional support for the victims and their friends/family. Please know that part of what you donate to me will directly flow to this charity.
Emotional/practical support
My friend has a lot of support from friends, family, and neighbours. I live quite a drive away and am not able to help with the practical side of things as I would like. The good thing is that I’m just one of many and there is a waiting list of people who want to help.
“Take your time”
Many of you have given me this simple but great advise. I have never experienced working on the character sheet as a chore. I do it because I thoroughly enjoy it. I will definitely not do anything to compromise that. I wish I could say I have a great work-life balance, but when work involves playing D&D, that is hard to say with a straight face. Honestly, working on this is a great way to focus on something positive and joyful. I’ll do the work at a manageable pace, a bit slower than usual.
“Whatever works best for you MPMB (I have no opinion or don't care)”
Looking back, it might have been better if I had not included this option in the poll. I get the impression that many of you voted for this as a way of showing your support, which is appreciated, but I really only included is as an option for those who are not interested in the new additions. I expected this option to be one of the least voted for… guess I was way a bit off on that one.
I’ll see how far I get this week and I’ll release whatever is finished at the end of the week.
I have been getting a lot of messages about when the new content will be available for MPMB’s Character Record Sheet. However, I figured that instead of replying to several messages each day, I’ll make a post here about it.
I am sorry if the following paragraph is a bit of over-sharing, but I feel that only posting positive things online gives a skewed vision of the human experience. I have tried to keep it as much matter-of-fact as possible, both to keep it short and because it is a hard thing to write, but honestly it does feel good to share.
The same day that the Eberron book dropped, the 19th of November, I got some news that was hard to process. A close friend of mine was hit by a car while cycling with her 4-year-old daughter. Her daughter did not survive this accident. My friend is no longer in critical condition, but it was close for several days. She has many months (possibly years) of recovery ahead of her and a full recovery is unlikely. The driver of the car became unwell and lost control of the vehicle. This is a rare occurrence in the Netherlands and it got national news coverage.
As you can hopefully understand, I wasn’t in the right mindset for a while to work on something fun like Dungeons and Dragons. I had to take some time off from working on the character sheet.
To add to this, I have spent the last week in bed with the flu. Fever, nausea, vomiting, diarrhoea, headaches, restlessness, I was spared none of those pleasantries. I used my time that I was able to do something useful to answer some of the messages/comments and to have a look at some reported bugs, but focussing on something for a long time was not really an option.
I am just now beginning to work on the new content, starting with the artificer. Because there is a lot of it, I figured I should ask all of you what I should do first and how/when to release it. Thus it is time for another poll!
The new content I am talking about is that from the book Eberron: Rising from the Last War (E:RLW) and the Unearthed Arcana article with the psionic subclasses Fighter, Rogue, and Wizard (UA:FRW).
Taking all the new content apart, it roughly comes down to this:
1) Artificer class from E:RLW
2) 17 (sub)races from E:RLW
3) Magic items, feat, and other smaller stuff from E:RLW
4) UA: Fighter, Rogue, and Wizard
Please let me know in the poll below how you would like me to approach the release-schedule for this new content. It really is not a question of if it will be added, just a question of when and in what order.
Comments
RPGtactics
Character sheet tweaking will never be finished until they stop selling books and decide on a 6th Edition. You do you. All I know is this saves me tons of drawing up time DMing.
chris
Please just do what makes the most logical sense to you. I appreciate all the amazing work you have done already.
MorePurpleMoreBetter
Thank you for your kind words. With regards to the updates/releases, I included this as an option in the poll (the last option) because I agree with you, but it doesn't seem to be getting a lot of votes. I guess people are more interested in getting the content than having a stable release.
Rachel Sanchez
I am so glad that your friend has the support that they have through this life-changing time. Regarding the updates / releases: I would be fine for you to continue as you have been except for the fact that WoTC has full time employees pumping out new content all the time. If you spend all your time trying to keep up with that, instead of finishing what you have already started, then you will be playing catch up forever! I think it would be far more helpful for you to finish v 13 and release it, and THEN continue adding the new content. Getting a stable table completed should make eating dinner on it all the more easier.
Mikkel Andersen
My deepest condolences ... no need rushing anything, it is way better to wait and make a good update the first time than to rush through and risking make mistakes or not be there for those who need you.
Jacob Bush
I am incredibly sorry to hear about all that has occurred recently and wish you a speedy a recovery and share the deepest sympathies for your friend's loss. I think the poll results show, we are all just thankful that you are doing what you are to support the community and will leave it to you to work at whatever pace and schedule you feel is appropriate considering your own personal life and needs. Again thank you for what you do!
David Parkinson
That all sounds horrible. Take care of yourself, and hope you make a quick recovery.
MorePurpleMoreBetter
Thank you for your continued support! I currently have more work than I have time for and I'm not taking on new class-coding requests. I have several people who asked me the same thing and I said I would get back to them.... that was over a year ago and I haven't found the time to code extra classes outside of the Sorcerer/Soothsayer tier rewards. Thus, please don't hold you breath, it will be many months before I will be able to work on individual requests again.
MorePurpleMoreBetter
AL updates are planned for v13.1
MorePurpleMoreBetter
I fully intend to do version numbering like that, that is why it is v13.0.0 for so long already and no longer v12.999. However, I intent for v13.0.0 to be released as a stable version together with my website, but unfortunately life and WotC releases keep getting in the way of that. I am simply running out of time to work on the website. The hold up is not the version numbering or bugs, it is the website. I explained this in every beta post I have made this year.
Clayton March
Please consider adding Adventure League updates, or the ability to create additions that can be utilised for Adventure League record keeping to your polls. Even though we are a small community of people who use your program, we still would like to see this as options! I'm sorry for your loss and for the loss your friends family will be facing every day. I hope your communities are loving and supporting all of you in earnest. My deepest sympathies.
Jayme Andrews
I am so absolutely sorry for your and your friend's loss. I can't even begin to imagine how you or they must feel. I don't care what anybody else says please take as long as you need to get to the updates. Your life and emotional health must come first. I'm a huge fan of your work, please keep doing what you do so well, but only when you feel able to do it. Sending you all my support, love, and good thoughts.
James Carlisle
My condolences for your loss. Naturally you should take the time you need to grieve and gather yourself. Once you are ready/able to continue, perhaps you should approach this like software companies approach releases. Eventually you have to release it and let bug reports and feature requests roll in after the fact (my experience in Tech Support is that there's never going to be a 100% perfect, bug-free version ever because you can't test for every contingency the software may encounter in the wild). Go ahead and release 13 now as is (since it's essentially done and working). As for all the updates for content, if you follow a Version.x.y pattern like a lot of software companies tend to, .x would be major content releases from WoTC while .y would be for minor content like Unearthed Arcana. As it is now 13 would be (apparently) 13.22.0. When you get the content for Everron completed, 13.23.0 would be released. If there's a UA after that 13.23.1 (for example), and so on.
Daniel Mimoso
My condolences for your loss. Like the rest says take your time to deal with this tragedy first. We love your work even if we to "wait a bit longer".
Angela Markwalter
I am so sorry to hear of your terrible loss. Whatever you feel up to working on is fine with me; however, your mental and physical well-being come first. *Hugs*
Chris Moore
The new psionic stuff would be great, but you've gone through a lot. Get better.
Richard Ruffos
This can wait. Do what you need to do. Don't sweat this.
Vince Keller
I would be happy for my pledge to go to your friend, and I suspect many would support that - but make sure to keep what you need as well.
Vince Keller
Our group has a saying, "life trumps games", and we all know that in our hearts. Pain is awful and there is nothing but time that can allow one to come to terms with what has happened. Your strength will help your friend, but do not neglect yourself. When you are ready, you will be back. Our chorus of voices support you, take the time for your strength to return.
Dinglebats
Take your time. Find your balance. This is a labour of love. It would be horrible if this became an obligation being held over your head.
artemis
Oof, that sounds awful. Please take whatever time you need - your mental health is more important than updates. <3
Frank Bean
man, i came here looking to see if I (someone with some time but not programming skill) could help in any way with the new book but now, all I want say is you do what you need to. None of this this should have any precedence over your own mental and physical health.
Joe Westcott
Very sorry to hear it. I wish you the best.
Sean Wickett
What a tragedy! As a father, it breaks my heart to hear of this. I’ll be praying for your friend. Life comes first,my friend. Do what you need to do.
Bobby Byrne
My condolences. Based on the poll results and the comments, take time and be with friends and family. Come back when you're ready.
The Dread Pirate Mittens
Life is more important that a character sheet. Please know that you and your friends are in my thoughts and I wish you the best. I LOVE the work you do, but it's just not as important as helping someone who needs it. Be there for them and do what's right for you. We'll still be here.
Chris Bloom
Quality content takes time and attention, and sometimes we can't give things the time or attention because something else happens. Hoping you and your friend can find peace and comfort in the memory of her daughter, and that you recover from your illness soon. The content can wait, self care is of the utmost importance. (Perhaps you could suspend pledges in the meantime while your attention is elsewhere? That might help some people be more patient.)
Eric Heupel
Hugs! You take care of you first and foremost! We will still be here. What you do is excellent and there is no rush whatsoever! I was playing with pen and paper and imagination only since 1979, I assure you I will “‘make do” with the current version while you take care of yourself and help your friend.
KS
Also I would probably hold off on anything UA for at least a month or two as they finish releasing this current psionic theme! No need to rush between releases when something new comes out every two weeks.
KS
My condolences, friend :( It’s never easy to lose a friend or loved one, especially when it happens out of the blue. Please take the time you need to recover!
LaserFowl
I'm so sorry to hear about your situation - take all the time you need to recover!
Alexander Mulhern
Yep - feels slightly like a cop-out, but we appreciate what you do my dude. Go at your own pace.
Dean Brandt
My prayers and condolences go out to you and your friend. As many have said, your health and being there and supporting your friend take precedence over the character sheet. Thank you for the work you do. God bless.
Mark Altvater
Please take care of youself and your friends and family before working on a game. Thanks for the update, too. I’m sure once people know what you’ve been going through, they will understand. Stay strong.
John J’s
So sorry for the pain and loss. I love what you do. I still use the last stable version 12 and I’m happy. I figure when you’re entering so much information that it’ll be more likely you’ll find bugs or needed tweaks faster than if I were to play with it any sooner. When the time is right I want to hire you to enter my custom class/race. I did it in 12, took me forever but I did it. I don’t want it to delay the big picture but it’s my way of throwing some money your way. Please let me know you’re ready for the added work. I’m excited to see your hard work (I don’t do well big reporting so I’ve just been waiting)!
Buckley C
Very sorry to learn about your friend's tragedy. Thankful that you care to be there for their needs. I am in your Patreon to support you for the long run, and life altering events will always always always outweigh the needs of helpful tools in a character sheet. Hope you feel better, and am greatly saddened for what your friend is going through.
J.D. Moyer
Hang in there ... sorry to hear about your friend. Hope you feel better.
Simon Brodie
You and your friend are more important that a character sheet. Focus on life's important things first and foremost. As for the sheet, do what you feel is best, we trust you.
Patrick Carrillo
You forgot an option: D&d isn't going anywhere, get yourself right and when content comes out comes.
William Speer
Obviously you'll look after yourself and dont need another comment telling you too. So I'd go with the 4 in that order. Its efficient, and makes sense. more people are going to get use out of the official book stuff than the UA, and the Class is going to be in larger demand than the rest of it.
Christine O'Hickey
Take care of yourself! Sometimes things get bogged down and that is ok. Focus on what YOU want to focus on, and if that's not here then thats ok. Your sheets are amazing w/ every update you help make my games better :D
VAM
Whatever helps you best. Patreon is my small way of showing support and appreciation; taking care of yourself is part of that intention. Be well.
Adam W
Take your time dude. Want you to get yourself right mentally and physically healthy. We can wait, real life takes priority. Condolences for the loss of your friend. Appreciate all that you have done and will do for us.
S B
Take care of yourself and condolences, MPMB. Thank you for everything and wishing the best for your friend in their recovery.
Nicholas Kleiner
With everything g going on....take care of yourself, you cant do anything if you are not healthy both physically and emotionally. You have been working on the site for so long please launch the website and version and then worry about ua and eberron. If people that have been helping you with the magic items help with the eberron and ua then it should be easier and faster.
Margaret Cuff
I'm am sorry about your friend, please take care of yourself first!
Paul
Take care of yourself first. Health, family and friends are always more important
Miccal McMullan
Take care of yourself and your friend, all of this can pause and wait until you are ready. Your friend has a long road of recovery both metal and physical and she will need your support. My condolences on the loss of her daughter, as a parent I can't think of anything worse.
Jeffrey P
And happy thought: finalizing v13 may be good for you too: that might be worth a lot :)
Jeffrey P
But since you asked: please release v13 final; the non-stop betas really make it difficult to encourage others to support you and use MPMB. Make the new Eberron book a v14 project. And I agree with other comments about UA. Chasing it will be never ending.
Jeffrey P
Most of all, look after yourself (and your friend). I (and I suspect many other patrons) aren't buying a product from Microsoft; we're supporting an independent developer.
Enrique Velazquez
Thank you for sharing. For what it's worth, I appreciate all the hard work you put into this, but it should never come at the expense of self care. Be there for yourself and take the time you need to process, be present for your friends, and be there for your own needs. Cheers and best wishes on a healthy recovery for all.
Peter McKeown
Take time out for yourself to cope first!
Voted for "whatever works for you"... and if whatever works means not updating for as long as you need for yourself and supporting your friend, then that's what you should do. You already put so much work and content into the sheets, we'll still have plenty of options to play with in the meantime. Take care, and thanks for all you do.
Nascha Morrison
I selected whatever's best for you, but not because I don't care, rather because that is the option that I care about. I doubt anyone here is in a huge rush, and even if they were, you gotta take care of yourself first. Do what you can when you can, we'll still be here.
Terence Lee
Look after you first. If you do not take the time now to support your friend and yourself, you are going to regret that more that anything else in the world. If you feel that you want help on this work in the mean time, there are probably more than enough people on here that will lend a hand transcribing content if you ask.
Ben Cochran
I'm so sorry to hear of all that's gone on in your life recently, and of course you have nothing to apologize for. Is there any way to allow open-source-style contributions to the project, obviously still reviewed by you? That might take off some of the burden of being the sole creator, and I'm sure the community would love to help out in any way they can.
Peter J. O'Brien
I agree with David Ellsworth. Friends, family, and your well-being should be the priority right now.
Mattia Monticelli
I am really sorry to hear what happened to your friend, life can be so unbelievably harsh sometimes. Take your time, a game is a game, life is life. A big hug Italy.
Greg Horsfall
That's really unfortunate news. To be honest, just take your time, support your friend and look after yourself, all of this can wait until you're ready.
Caleb Owens
My condolences. On the matter of content though, I would really prefer you just ignore UA all together, they're going to keep making it, and all it does is slow you down. It's not official content, and not a large enough group of people use it to warrant the amount of time it takes. I think finishing official content and getting the website up and a stable finished out is better, then worry about putting in extra content like ua.
XaleManix
Stay safe and take care.
CJ Micklitsch
Life first then play... take care of you and yours.
David D Ellsworth
Friends and family and your own well being first. This is just a game and it will be here when you are ready. I know we all appreciate all that you have done and I am sure you will do, but we can wait as needed to get things right in your real world must take priority.
Jarrod Richards
You’ve given all this time and effort to us up until now, it’s time to focus on yourself and your friends. If you put even half the time and effort there that you do on these sheets, they will be out of the woods in no time. We will still be here when you’re ready.
Bruce Economy
Cody said it well. You do what you need to do for your own health and peace of mind. That comes before us. We'll be here, and we'll love whatever you give us next. Take care.
J. Frost
What Cody said, bud. We all enjoy the work you do on the sheets but focus on you and getting on the mend. I think I speak for many when I say we'd rather you do what you need to and to not stress over this when you're dealing with sickness and loss. All the best, MPMB.
Cody McCaffrey
Sending all the love from here in the US, I am so sorry about your friend and her daughter. I look forward to your work on the new sheet, but don't stress over it, work at your own pace, we understand.
Elsongo Badnote
Damn man, does she have a GoFundMe or something like that set up? I'm sure a few of us would be willing to donate a little money for a good cause. I can't even imagine her pain and sorrow. 😥
TheMountainThatRoars
That's not easy to deal with for anyone. I hope your friend is coping okay. She's going to need a lot of support.
