Screenshots
[Main Page]

Last update: May 15 2003

These are only a sample of the possible screens available in RPM, but they show the most instructive. It's true that there are a large number of possible screens, and you might be tempted to think that RPM is very complex to learn. After all, RPM is taking care of a huge amount of detail (both information and games rules mechanics) that you find spread amongst many, many pages in the core source books.

RPM isn't necessarily complex. A combat tutorial is available in "The Guide" that can quickly and thoroughly take you through full creature generation, followed by a combat encounter. It only needs get complex if you want to get down and tinker or add or modify your own campiagn specific rules (complete with modifiers for in-game automation).
 
Most if us will just use it "out-of-the-box", and use just a fraction of it's full potential, to get the best computer assistance available.

 

Screenshot categories:

The Basic Program
(screenshot)
 The basic program provides a familiar "Outlook" style interface, with options organized by category.

By default, RPM will also show you the "The Guide" at startup. This provides help and tutorial information, with a quick and easy "Do It!" to perform the function you need.

The Outlook interface and the Guide are good ways to navigate to the function you need, but once you become familiar with RPM, hot-keys are available to instantly get you to what you need.
 
Creating/Maintaining Characters (and NPCs/Monsters)
(wizard)
 There are several handy ways to create characters and creatures. The "Wizard" is recommended for in-depth character creation. Basic, automatic equipment is done according to class and race.

You can print out single or group character sheets, or use the information in-game. You can even export your charcters to the DM's copy of RPM.
(List Grid)
 The List Grid is recommended for quickly creating large encounter groups.
(Text/Jamis)
 "Text/Jamis Import" is recommended for quickly generating characters complete with skills, feats and spells.
(Level Up)
 "Level Up" can be used to add further levels and assign feats, skills, new classes etc. You can use this for characters, or for further development of quickly created encounter groups
(maintain)
 The standard "Creature" window provides you will the full statblock, as well as all the various class, feat, skill and item details you need.
(items)
(magic)
 The "Add Items" window provides you with a large, categorized list of items to choose from.
You may also add and maintain an items magical effects.
(modifiers)
 The real time-saver behind RPM is it's ability to understand 3rd edition rules mechanics. It understands the effects of modifiers from magic, items, skills, feats, racial traits, class features etc. and also understands how to apply the stacking rules. Equipping items will corectly apply the effects.

This can be considered a complex part of RPM, but you don't need to understand it, unless you want to build your own house rules, or campaign extensions.
(attacks)
 RPM will let you quickly build up fully calculated attack forms. You choose the weapons, and any magical affects, and RPM will pull together all the different strength, dexterity, magical echantments, feats and other considerations such as dual weapon penalties and feats, to show you the full picture !!
Various Generators
(creating Tables)
 A single, basic window is used to create generators and lists for all sorts of uses, which can then be used as lists to select from (as when creating PCs), or as random generators. The types of lists include:
  • Races, for encounter ganeration (such as DMG dungeon levels, by CR, or by terrain type).
  • Items, for all types of needs ( such as armor, weapons, random treasure, dungeon room contents, appropriate equipment by race and class).
  • Spells (complete spell lists by class for random generation).
  • Classes.
  • Feats (lists of standard feats for races and classes, as well as random generation).
  • Skills ( lists of class skills, racial skills and for random selection appropriate to race and class).
  • Abilities (lists of domains, schools, random generation, and other creative uses).
These tables can be easily constructed by simple selection of items from the various extensive areas of RPM's database. They can also be linked together.
(magic shop example)
 This example shows how a magic shop can be put together using various categories of other tables with magic items.
You could easily make copies of the basic shop, and change the numbers to suit different items chances for different kinds of shops selling magic (such as an alchemist, a temple, an armory, a weaponsmith, or a standard wizard's shop).
(randon dungeon) You can use the random dungeon generator to generate a dungeon according to your needs (level, size, appearance, and other options).
Appearance (such as colors), can be changed to get anything from an underground dungeon, to a woodland "village").
Even large and heavily populated dungeons can be generated in seconds, and then imported into your current adventure.
Adventure Building
(adventure)
 You can build up comprehensive adventures, starting with the basic adventure detail.
Created adventures can be printed out, complete with ALL details, for use at the gaming table. You can also play out the adventure using the computer, with significant computer assistance.
(maps)
 From there you can add maps to the adventure. You'll typically add a map description.
(tilemapper)
 Whilst you can use any "copy-and-paste" graphic as a map from another program, you are provided with a multi-layered mapper that supports "smart draw". You can knock up very good looking maps in a matter of minutes (with smooth water bodies, automatic bridges for roads over water etc).
(locations)
 A map can have any number of locations within it, complete with the DM descriptions, player descriptions, items (booty, or traps), and a log.
(groups)
 You can create groups of monsters/NPCs, and have the encounter level (EL) accurately worked out for you.
Basic strategy and details for a group can be recorded, to complement the individual creature notes.

 
Campaign Management
(planner/
diary)
 A planner/diary is available, in outlook style, to help you record details as your campaign progresses.
(Encyclopaedia)
 Still in it's beginning stages, a full RPG encyclopaedia is available to store text and graphical data you require.
This can be anything from history, notes and maps for a campaign setting, to specific rules, or an on-going history of player activities.

 
(Sources)
 You can create and share your own sources for different campaign settings. There is also an unofficial fan site dedicated to this.
Sources can be easily shared using import/export (below).
In-Game Computer Play
(BattleMap)
 The crowning glory of RPM is it's ability to help you with all the rules complexities at the gaming table.
The BattleMap can be used to visually play out encounters, provoding assistance with relevant information, automatic distance calculation, and quick mouse-over information lookup.

The BattleMap can be used as a blank canvas, but excels at utilizing pre-built adventures for quick in-game play.
(Enc. setup)
 You can quickly set up an encounter between te party and opponents. You can generate  new opponents as required, or pull them in from a prepared adventure (individually, or by group, even from other adventure modules - or templates).
(Enc. XP)
 RPM keeps tracks of defeated opponents, and can automatically calculate and apply experience at the end of an encounter.
(initiative/
rounds)
 RPM will properly calculate initiative, taking into account the D20 roll, and any feats, dexterity, or other racial or class adjustments. Flatfooted, and other considerations are taken into account.
Prior actions and targeting are remembered from round to round.
If you need to make "out-of-sequence" attacks of opportunity, or "Delay" actions, RPM will return you to the correct creature with the click of a button (or hotkey).
(Attacks)

(Skills)

(Saves)

(Damage)

 Definitely the big time-saver for in-game play!
RPM understands the rules behind attacks, skills, saves and other actions.
You can always accept a computer dice roll, or edit in a real one, and RPM will then display an unsurpassed ability to work out the outcome for you. It will display all the relevant modifiers (such as attack and AC), and let you apply any situtation-specific, or other DM modifiers!

Whilst use of the BattleMap is optional, it's extremely useful here for visualizing and targeting. It also keeps track of steps and movement, with distance calculation.
 

 
Exporting/Importing
(export)
 You can share your information with others. This covers everthing from complete adventures, to characters, to entire "Source Books" complete with race, spell, items, class etc information.
RPG database
RPM contains a fully open and expandable database, especially suited to 3rd edition. You may modify and add any classes, items, spells, skills, feats etc that you like.
For advanced users, you have 2 options to place game mechanics behind the things you create. Adding "modifiers" is a simpler way to add game mechanics, but a full RPG-optimised scripting engine is available. Sometimes you just have to get down to code, such as working out the special monk attack and damage rules, which don't follow the normal D20 preocedure.

Here are some example RPG database tables:
(races)
 The "Race" window defines the racial basis upon which all creatures are based. Racial templates (such as half-dragon, or lich) are also defined here.
(skills)
 The "Skills" window is the view and maintenance screen for all skills
(feats)
 The "Feats" window is the view and maintenance screen for all feats
(conditions)
 The "Conditions" window defines all the standard conditions that creatures may experience (blindness, entangled, dazzled etc). They have modifiers, or even script code where necessary, to ensure that the effects are properly applied.
(classes)
 The "Classes" window defines all standard and prestige classes available. You can define standard equipment, skills, feats, features, and qualification rules.