Simple Requests module for FoundryVTT
Simple Requests is a module I have started to maintain for the Foundry Virtual Tabletop platform. It's
forked from advance requests by Nazgob. His version was not updated past v11, and
what started as a simple "fork and update" turned into a very different project. The original had a lot of
integrations with his (paid) visual novel mod. But aside from that there was a lot of pop-ups that players
would get, and I would have to go in and do a lot of work to select the correct photos. In order to save a
few seconds of later work, I spent hours on this mod.
What does it do?
It introduces a streamlined "Requests" system that allows players to signal their desire to speak during a session, using three levels of urgency (Common, Important, Urgent). This helps GMs manage table talk and ensures everyone gets a chance to contribute, without disrupting the flow of the game.
- Real-time, synchronized request queue for all players and the GM
- Three request levels, each with customizable audio cues
- Intuitive UI integrated into the FoundryVTT chat sidebar
- Accessibility and customization options for both players and GMs
- "Epic prompt" GM can visually alerting all users
See the project on GitHub: https://github.com/achoobert/FoundryVTT-Simple-requests
Tech highlights
Cross-Platform UI Consistency:
Ensured the request queue UI worked seamlessly across different FoundryVTT versions (v12, v13), handling changes in DOM structure, sidebar behavior, and chat input placement.
CSS & Layout Debugging:
Resolved complex issues with flex and grid layouts, including handling
flex-direction: column-reverse, sticky positioning, and ensuring the request queue always
appeared in the correct place regardless of sidebar state or visibility of other elements.
Robust Event Handling:
Debugged and fixed right-click (contextmenu) event handling for removing requests, ensuring
correct user permissions and reliable DOM updates.
Automated Testing:
After about 10 manual tests, I got annoyed and got Cypress end-to-end tests working, (meaning handling asynchronous UI updates, dynamic selectors, and ensuring tests worked with both versions of Foundry)
Modern Release Automation:
Refactored a GitHub Actions workflow I found, simplifying the release process.
Settings & Customization:
Greatly simplified user and GM settings for sound, image, and queue behavior, including using a smart default for audio volume based on user interface settings.
Codebase Refactoring & Best Practices:
Modularized the code, improved maintainability, and adopted best practices from other successful FoundryVTT modules (raise-my-hand, dice-tray). I really like the original design, but bro did not have his queue logic working correctly. I moved the queue management logic away from the socket IO and UI management, because I'm lazy and that made debugging easier.