Narrator's Jukebox 5.2: a little more room for your story :) (Patreon)

Hey everyone! :)

So... about that YouTube video on the map.

You told me it was getting in the way, and you were right. I wanted to make that part of the Jukebox feel better at the table. A little less moving things around. A little more room for the game you're actually playing.

Narrator's Jukebox 5.2 gives the video somewhere else to live, with a choice for each player. And while I was there, I made a little guide for anyone who's ever opened the Jukebox and thought, “okay... where do I start?”

Let me show you. <3

A small heads-up before we start: 5.2 needs Foundry v14. If your table is staying on v13, you can keep using 5.1.0.

Your Jukebox has a window of its own

The GM's Jukebox now opens in its own window. Your library, your controls, and your YouTube video stay together. If you have a second monitor, you can put the whole thing there and give the game its screen back.

The video sits in the Stage, beside your library, with the current song, your listeners, and what's coming next. YouTube videos still need to be in view to start. This gives them a place of their own.

My Exalted library, with the video right beside it in the new Stage.

On one screen, Ctrl+Shift+M brings the Jukebox back when you need it. And Escape doesn't accidentally close it anymore. Small thing, but yes, I wanted that fixed too :)

A smaller window when you need one

You still have the full library and Mini view, and Compact replaces the old Micro view. The Stage comes along in each layout, moving to the top in the smaller views.

Mini and Compact, with the video above the controls. Compact replaces Micro.

The little windows come with you, too

Add a song, edit something, pick a local file... those dialogs now open inside the Jukebox window. If you're working on another monitor, you don't have to go looking for a tiny dialog back on the game screen. Tbh, this is one of those quiet changes I hope you stop noticing very quickly.

Adding music where your library already is. The Stage stays beside the dialog.

Your players get to choose

Everyone has a different setup. One screen, two screens, a laptop balanced somewhere it probably shouldn't be. So the first YouTube video brings up a little card asking each player where they'd like it to play.

Each player picks their own spot, and can change it later from the music widget. Floating is greyed out here because this game uses HTTP.

Video window: a small separate window they can put wherever it works for them, including another monitor. If it's in view, new songs start straight away. If it isn't, a notice says a new song is ready, and their next click in the game brings the window forward.

Floating: a small window that stays on top. One click inside each new Floating window, and it's ready for the session. It needs a supported browser and a secure game address, such as HTTPS.

Inside the game: the small video in Foundry, like in 5.1.0, for anyone who liked it there :) This is also the option on tablets.

The choice belongs to each player. They can change it from their music widget or the module settings, and the GM can invite everyone to choose from the update notice.

A little less “can you hear it?”

The Listeners list shows who's listening, who's waiting for a click, who's paused, and whose video window is closed. Waiting doesn't mean something broke, btw. Sometimes their next click is all that's needed.

Song changes now share the same timing across the table: the old song fades out together, and everyone joins the next one at the same point. Reloading the GM's page no longer stops the table's music, and playlists keep moving even when the GM's Jukebox is closed.

And a little welcome guide <3

The Jukebox has grown quite a bit. I don't want opening it for the first time to feel like homework.

There's a new guide for music, ambience, the soundboard, the queue, your library, and your players. One small thing at a time, with examples you can actually click.

The examples are silent. You can try things in the middle of a session without suddenly giving everyone a thunderstorm. You’re welcome, nervous button-clickers. I understand you.

A few pages from the new guide. You can explore it without playing sound at the table.

It appears when you open the Jukebox until you choose not to show it again. You can always find it in Module Settings → Welcome guide. The paintings and objects used in the guide come from The Met's public-domain Open Access collection.

A few useful things to know

Chrome and Edge are the easiest fit. Firefox asks for a click inside each new video window. Safari doesn't have Floating.

Allow pop-ups for your game. These really are separate windows. If the browser blocks one, the Jukebox shows a card to help you allow it.

On one screen, Video window can mean an extra click when a new song arrives. Floating or Inside the game may feel more comfortable.

Minimizing pauses your video; reopening brings you back in sync. Closing its window stops your YouTube playback until you open it again. Other audio keeps playing. Firefox, macOS, and Linux also pause when the video window is out of view, because they can't reliably distinguish that from minimizing.

YouTube remains for the Music library. Ambience and Soundboard use local files. Also, a hidden track's title can still appear in YouTube's player or your computer's media controls. The Jukebox can't hide those.

A few small repairs, too

The green play button on Home cards works again, the Jukebox shortcut is back in the v14 Journal sidebar, and a missing or disabled socketlib now gets a clear warning instead of leaving you wondering why only you can hear the music.

There are newer Foundry dialogs underneath, too, plus updated translations and API notes for module makers.

Thank you for telling me

This update started with you telling me what wasn't comfortable at your tables. Thank you for doing that, and for giving me the chance to make it better.

I hope this feels nicer in your next session. And if something still gets in the way, or you can't find a button, please come tell me on our Discord. That helps more than you might think.

Much love,GabúWand & Widgets

A little backup, just in case

I’m leaving a copy of the 5.2 ZIP here too, just in case Foundry gives you trouble downloading it. Same update, one extra place to find it :)

This download is for W&W Adventurer and W&W Arcane Circle members. Thank you for keeping these little projects going. <3