Hi there! I'd like to post a link to a SR4 GM Tool that I created in Excel (2007 and up only atm, sorry).

It stores up to 30 characters PC or NPC with stats and allows you to outfit them all with customizable weapons and armor.
These characters can then be selected on the Combat Sheet where most combat modifiers can be adjusted through tick and radio boxes.

Here's the link:
SR4_GM_Tools.zip

v.1.01:
SR4_GM_Tools_V1.01.xlsm


Please let me know what you think.

It's all mundane combat atm but I'm working on adding magic next.

Cheers!

EDIT: Removed a lot of the bloat that was causing a slowdown. File-size now less than half and running much faster.

Since it's been nearly a month and no one has commented on it: I love this sheet. I'm waiting eagerly for Shadow Master too, but aside from the (laborious) process of entering stats, this sheet is fantastic. Haven't had the chance to fully put it through its paces owing to my slow-to-launch current campaign, but the amount of lookups and mental math it eliminates from combat dice pool calculation alone is staggering. Ten Internets to you!

Hey thanks, I appreciate that.
After 50 downloads and zero comments I was beginning to wonder if I had gotten it all wrong

I've actually added quite a few features to the sheet since then but due to the apparent lack of interest I didn't bother to update the link.
The sheet now includes: spellcasting, conjuring. spirit tracking, vision enhancements in gear and opposed skill tests.
I've also included a few macros that send stuff like damage taken, drain, magical healing and current ammo count automatically to the main status sheet. If you're interested I can make that available for download.

Working on matrix stuff, but it's a bit slower going atm.

I realize that the data-entry might be a bit of a bother but I wanted to focus on getting all the data and rulesets in first before working on improving the interface.

Cheers.

For me the reason to not use it, was exactly the reason that i looked at a sheet were thousands of things stood. I just couldn't find a order at first sight and didn't want to work with these flashing colors all time. So the interface is it for me...


gonna have a closer look this evening... downloaded it yesterday...


(maybe its because i use openoffice but i hope thats not it)

Vivyen, unfortunately you're right, the amount of info on the screen can get overwhelming and to be honest adding spells and spirits and stuff hasn't done much to improve that I'm afraid.
Two reasons for this:
1. I've never constructed anything like this before and was actually learning both Excel and the SR4 rules as I went along.
2. I wasn't sure what GMs would find more important: ease of use, or the ability to check to make sure that my calculations and formulas were accurate. I could have hidden everything under the hood but then you'd have to puzzle through the formulas to see if what I was presenting was actually correct. The colours were therefore necessary to be able to distiguish certain types of info from others in within the maze of text.

I've actually starting rebuilding the whole thing from scratch using an alternative method of hiding all the character data away in one single datasheet which the user can then update via a cleaner and much more intuitive charactersheet type input form.
I would dispense with the radio buttons in the encounter simulations in favour of drop down boxes and list all the formulas in a separate window at the bottom of the screen for those who would prefer to see or check on the numbers.

Well I heartily support what you're doing, whichever method you follow. Certainly a data entry method that wasn't one loooong row for each character might be a bit easier to use, my sideways-reading eyes get tired! Please don't eliminate the flowchart format though radio buttons or drop-downs, it's a great memory jog on all the myriad little things I forget in the heat of combat.
If the magic-using version of the sheet's in as good of shape as this one I'd love to see the link updated.
The method of hiding sections and bringing them out with a click I find to be very useful; if there's any way to go from "just the facts, ma'm" to "TOTAL INFORMATION OVERLOAD" I'm in favor of it. If you want any help testing, opinions on formatting or interface, feel free to PM me.

Well here it is:
SR4_GM_Tools_V1.01.xlsm

This version includes a number of fixes to the original sheets and includes a number of additions, including spellcasting, conjuring and opposed tests. In the gear section you can now add custom vision enhancements for each character which will reflect in the visibility mods on the encounter (action) sheets.
The combat, two weapon and casting sheets now have a macro button, top left, that will send the result of the action (damage, drain, ammo count etc.) to the main status sheet that tracks the character's current condition.

This file was very much a work in progress so please forgive the loose ends. Since I've abondoned this format and will be restarting from the ground up I haven't done a manual or tutorial for it but if you have any questions please feel free to ask.

Thanks for the update! The visibility thing in particular had perturbed me. Definitely excited for the new look.