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Chat Within Alchemy
Chat Within Alchemy

The multi functionality of the in-game Journal

Updated over 3 months ago

The Journal Panel within an Alchemy game is a very powerful area of the game experience. From private messaging to rolling dice, this area can be heavily utilized by both players and gamemasters to communicate with one another as the game unfolds.

Article Information

Category

Gameplay

Targeted Profiles

Players & Gamemasters

Requires Alchemy Unlimited

No

In This Article

  • Overview of Messaging

  • Sending Private Messages

  • Rolling Dice in Alchemy

Overview of Messaging

Messaging within Alchemy is designed like many other familiar messaging apps. Simply enough, anyone in the game can type a message and once selecting the send icon, the message will be sent into the Journal Panel of all other players logged into the game.

Callout for Journal Panel in Player View

Similarly, several other actions in Alchemy also display in the chat window when activated. Below, a custom Dagger Attack action is created to both roll dice and send a message in Alchemy when that action is activated.

Journal Panel - Example of Custom Dagger Action

Images can also be added into the Journal Panel. Players can select the + icon in the journal input box to upload an image from their device. A web URL of the image can also be pasted directly into the input box as well. Once an image is sent through the journal, it can be selected to view a larger version of it in a modal.

Current supported image file types include .webp, .png, .jpg, and .gif. Images with a transparent background are also supported.

Journal Panel - Example of Journal Panel Image

Sending Private Messages

Messages within Alchemy can also be private between two users. When looking to send a private message to a player, you can precede the message with the command below to specify that you are creating a whisper, who that whisper should go to, and what the message should say.

/w (AlchemyUsername or CharacterName) MESSAGE TEXT HERE

Messages sent in this way appear as yellow cards instead of white cards in the Journal Panel and will only be visible to the players who are sending or receiving the message. Both players also need to be online and logged into the game in order for the whisper to send.

Description Text

In Alchemy, *italic* messages imply something a character is doing; not necessarily what they are saying. Adding the /me command to the beginning of text can help players and gamemasters convey what characters are doing in the story.

/me I pull my sword from its sheath and lunge at my enemy!

Sending Messages Out Of Character

/ooc (or Out Of Character) is a command used in the journal panel to speak as you and not as your character (or as the game master). When sending a message using this command, the message will appear to come from your Alchemy username; not as your character's name or as the game master.

/ooc What time are we playing next week?

Rolling Dice in Alchemy

While dice can be rolled using the standard dice roller available to all users, dice can also be rolled through using the Journal Panel in a game. Furthermore, rolling dice in this way can allow for more advanced dice rolls using a specific style of notation explained further below.

Note: Rolling is Case Sensitive

Rolling using the chat window in Alchemy is case sensitive. The notations explained below are using the proper case and can be emulated to build rolls in any game within Alchemy.

Standard Dice Roll

Dice can be rolled individually using a simple notation in the chat window. All that is required is to add /roll preceding the dice to be rolled for a roll to be made and viewable by all users.

/roll 1d2

A die is rolled, resulting in a value between 1-2

/roll 1d4

A die is rolled, resulting in a value between 1-4

/roll 1d6

A die is rolled, resulting in a value between 1-6

/roll 1d8

A die is rolled, resulting in a value between 1-8

/roll 1d10

A die is rolled, resulting in a value between 1-10

/roll 1d%

A die is rolled, resulting in a value between 1-100

/roll 1d12

A die is rolled, resulting in a value between 1-12

/roll 1d20

A die is rolled, resulting in a value between 1-20

/roll 1dX

Any number can be added to this syntax (in place of X) to roll dice and generate a value between 1 and the designated number.

Rolling Multiple Dice

Multiple dice are also able to be rolled simultaneously through simply changing the number of dice in the notation.

/roll 2d8

Rolls 2d8 and add the dice values together

When rolling multiple dice in Alchemy using the Journal Panel, anyone is able to click on the dice roll that appears to see the breakdown of the dice rolled.

Dice Roll Breakdown Modal - Example of Two Rolls

Naming a Roll

Rolls in alchemy can also be named in the Journal Panel simply by adding the name of the roll at the end of the normal notation. For instance, a longsword attack can be labeled like this.

/roll 1d8 Longsword

Rolls 1d8 and names the roll "Longsword"

Journal Panel - Example Labeled Attack Roll

Predetermined Minimum and Maximum Results

If a game rule calls for it, individual rolls below a particular die value can be treated at a minimum die value instead. Similarly, rolls that are above a particular value can be brought down to a maximum value as well.

/roll 4d6min3

Rolls 4d6 and counts all values below a 3 as 3

/roll 4d6max3

Rolls 4d6 and counts all values above a 3 as 3

Exploding Dice

Explosions roll an additional die of the same type if the compare point of the die is rolled. By default, this is when the maximum value of a die is rolled. For instance, if 2d6 are rolled and one of the die rolls a value of 6, an additional 1d6 will be rolled; totaling to 3d6 total. This effect continues until no more dice rolled meet the compare point or if 1,000 dice are rolled.

/roll 2d6!

Rolls 2d6. For any 6 rolled, an additional d6 is rolled

Compare points are the criteria specified in order for dice to explode. This compare point can be changed using the notation below.

Dice can explode if they meet a specified value.

/roll 2d6!=5

Rolls 2d6. For any 5 rolled, an additional d6 is rolled

Dice can explode for any rolls greater than a specified value.

/roll 2d6!>4

Rolls 2d6. For any roll above 4, an additional d6 is rolled

Dice can explode for any rolls lower than a specified value.

/roll 2d6!<2

Rolls 2d6. For any roll below 2, an additional d6 is rolled

Dice can explode for any rolls greater than or equal to a specified value.

/roll 2d6!>=4

Rolls 2d6. For any roll greater than or equal to 4, an additional d6 is rolled

Dice can explode for any rolls less than or equal to a specified value.

/roll 2d6!<=2

Rolls 2d6. For any roll less than or equal to 2, an additional d6 is rolled

When you view details about rolls using exploding dice, they will show each die split out by default; noting exploded dice with an exclamation point (!).

Dice Roll Breakdown Modal - Normal Exploding Details

Users can compound these values (combining the values in total for the die that exploded) using the following notation.

/roll 2d6!!

Rolls 2d6. For any 6 rolled, an additional d6 is rolled

Dice Roll Breakdown Modal - Combined Exploding Details

Penetrating Dice

Penetrating dice function identically to exploding dice with one main difference: 1 will be subtracted from the value of all dice rolled due to an explosion. For example, if a value of 6 is rolled on 1d6, that die explodes. When that second die rolls a value of 4, it will be counted as a 3 instead.

/roll 4d6!p

Rolls 4d6. For any 6 rolled, an additional d6 is rolled. For each additional d6, 1 is subtracted from the total

Penetrating dice rolls can also have their compare points altered in the same ways described for exploding dice above.

Re-Rolling Dice

Rolling notation allows for re-rolls for any dice where the value of the roll meets the compare point. By default, this is the lowest number on the die and any die can be rerolled any number of times.

/roll 4d6r

Rolls 4d6. For any 1 rolled, that die is then rerolled a number of times until a 1 is not rolled

This reroll can also be specified to occur only a maximum of one time.

/roll 4d6ro

Rolls 4d6. For any 1 rolled, that die is then rerolled once

Re-rolling dice rolls can also have their compare points altered in the same ways described for exploding dice above.

Keeping & Dropping Dice

Dice can be rolled in a way to either keep (count) or drop (disqualify) a specified number of dice that are the highest or lowest of the roll.

/roll 6d4kh2

Rolls 6d4 and keeps the highest two dice rolled

/roll 6d4kl2

Rolls 6d4 and keeps the lowest two dice rolled

/roll 6d4dh2

Rolls 6d4 and drops the highest two dice rolled

/roll 6d4dl2

Rolls 6d4 and drops the lowest two dice rolled

Tip: Rolling Advantage & Disadvantage

In many tabletop games, rolling with advantage means rolling two of the same dice and taking the higher value. Disadvantage is often referred to as the same but keeping the lower value instead. These rolls can be configured using Keep/Drop notation in the following ways using a d20 as an example.

Advantage: /roll 2d20dl1

Disadvantage: /roll 2d20dh1

Dice Pools

Sometimes, a specified number of dice can be rolled and the values they roll don't need to be added, but instead need to meet a particular compare point. These types of rolls can be accomplished through the following notation and the number displayed in the Journal Panel reflects the number of dice rolled that met that criteria.

The notation below rolls 6d10 and will reflect a count of all dice that value either an 8, 9, or 10.

/roll 6d10>=8

Rolls 6d10. The result is the total number of dice that rolled a value greater than or equal to 8

Compare points can also be specified as the failure criteria; subtracting 1 from the total number of successes.

A failure point can also be specified. When doing this, the total failure rolls will be subtracted from the total successful rolls.

/roll 6d10>=8f<=3

Rolls 6d10. Any roll 8-10 is considered a success and any roll of 1-3 is considered a failure. The total number of failures are subtracted from the total number of successes. Rolls of 4-7 have no influence as they are not considered successes or failures

Sorting Rolls

You are able to sort rolls in either ascending or descending order.

/roll 4d6s

Sorts 4 d6 rolls in ascending order

/roll 4d6sd

Sorts 4 d6 rolls in descending order

Math Rolls

Common mathematical operations can be incorporated to modify the results of dice rolls.

/roll 4d6+5

Addition: Adds 5 to the result of 4d6

/roll 4d6-5

Subtraction: Subtract 5 from the result of 4d6

/roll 4d6*5

Multiply: Multiplied the total result of 4d6 by 5

/roll 4d6/5

Divide: Divides the total of 4d6 by 5

/roll 4d6^5

Exponent: Multiplies the total of 4d6 by itself 5 times

/roll 2d4**5

Exponent: Same as above

/roll 4d6%5

Modulus: Takes the total of 4d6 and finds the highest factor of 5 out of that total. The highest factor is then subtracted by the result of 4d6

Dice can also be influenced by specified static values. When adding 2 to 1d6, the notation would look like this.

/roll 1d6+2

Adds 2 to the total of 1d6

Parentheses can also be added to combine the totals of separate values before additional operators take effect.

/roll (4d6+2)/5

Divides the total of 4d6+2 by 5

/roll (3d10>=6)+(3d6>=6)

Roll 3d10 and 3d6. Add the number of individual roll with a die value greater than or equal to 6. Displays that total in the journal panel

Grouped Rolls

Rolls can be enclosed within curly brackets to have the modifier apply to the total.

/roll {4d6+2}/5

Divides the total of 4d6+2 by 5

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