General RPG DiscussionDiscussion of all RPGs and non-system-specific topics. DM/GM/player issues, settings, etc. Rules discussion belongs in one the forums below.
Here's a relatively common issue that I am having with the Character Builder. What if you don't use the D&D, Eberron, or FR deities and have replaced them with your own? What if you want to create deity-specific feats (such as Channel Divinity feats)? Can't currently be done.
I'd really like to see a Character Builder that allows you to create your own feats, powers, and items. Mark it 'houseruled' for all I care. It stymies those of us who do like to tinker.
My players are all addicted to the Character Builder and frankly, I like it that way. But I need to be able to customize it more than what's available right now.
Yes, I agree, more customization options would be nice. And obviously, it should be exportable. That would also be the way for 3rd parties to get into the Character Builder, if they or their players want to.
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What I really, really want is the ability to change fluff text/power names/class names but keep the same rules.
I guess I'm weird like that.
Not at all. I'm currently developing new classes and powers, and feats for a Knights of the zodiac game using the 4e rules. Also I'm going to do the same with Avatar universe. If I could get the bunch of powers, classes and feats into the CB and give that to my players, my life would be simpler. But I guess it doesn't sale. I mean, if they don't have a financial motive to make the CB customizable, why would they?
__________________ English is NOT my native language!
Mri'Thas: "Useless primates... " Sheng Zim: "Your existence brings the world out of balance. The chaos I bring shall revert it; unfortunately, your soul will be destroyed in the process."
-------------------------------------- Tuk Heavy Hands Apeldan: "Trolls are afraid to cats. Good to know" (Yttermayn's "Saga of the Dragon Cult") Cnosos: "I bet there's plenty of wonderful devices in that ship. Let's scavenge them at once!" (Blackrat's "After Earth") Metliz: Sounds like fun! (Arkandus's "The First") Thok: "Thok eats a lot, Thok big. Thok not good at first impressions." (MnL's "Valley of the Dead")
Mri'Thas: "Useless primates... " Sheng Zim: "Your existence brings the world out of balance. The chaos I bring shall revert it; unfortunately, your soul will be destroyed in the process."
-------------------------------------- Tuk Heavy Hands Apeldan: "Trolls are afraid to cats. Good to know" (Yttermayn's "Saga of the Dragon Cult") Cnosos: "I bet there's plenty of wonderful devices in that ship. Let's scavenge them at once!" (Blackrat's "After Earth") Metliz: Sounds like fun! (Arkandus's "The First") Thok: "Thok eats a lot, Thok big. Thok not good at first impressions." (MnL's "Valley of the Dead")
Here's a relatively common issue that I am having with the Character Builder. What if you don't use the D&D, Eberron, or FR deities and have replaced them with your own? What if you want to create deity-specific feats (such as Channel Divinity feats)? Can't currently be done.
I know, I submitted a suggestion to allow creation of house-ruled deities several months ago. I keep hoping it'll show up in the next update... but I am repeatedly disappointed.
__________________ "We have not come to save you, but you will not die in vain!"
I'm sure is quite simple. They just have to make open database of the powers and classes and such, and allow edition and addition of new content. Hell, they could even get profit from it, like a community developing stuff for free, which could inactivate more people to become insiders and pay them money.
__________________ English is NOT my native language!
Mri'Thas: "Useless primates... " Sheng Zim: "Your existence brings the world out of balance. The chaos I bring shall revert it; unfortunately, your soul will be destroyed in the process."
-------------------------------------- Tuk Heavy Hands Apeldan: "Trolls are afraid to cats. Good to know" (Yttermayn's "Saga of the Dragon Cult") Cnosos: "I bet there's plenty of wonderful devices in that ship. Let's scavenge them at once!" (Blackrat's "After Earth") Metliz: Sounds like fun! (Arkandus's "The First") Thok: "Thok eats a lot, Thok big. Thok not good at first impressions." (MnL's "Valley of the Dead")
We still don't know what ALL of the adventure tools are right? Perhaps they plan to include some sort of House Rule building thing that will integrate with the CB?
I'm sure is quite simple. They just have to make open database of the powers and classes and such, and allow edition and addition of new content. Hell, they could even get profit from it, like a community developing stuff for free, which could inactivate more people to become insiders and pay them money.
Actually it wouldn't be quite simple.
Not only would they have to expose certain properties, but they would need to build UI to support each of the different customization items (powers, items, deities, backgrounds, etc..) but they would have to develop a back-end set of systems to deal with House Rules. What powers and such are legal or not.
EDIT: Plus, they have to be careful how they "open the database". They don't want to give away any secret sauce, and the CB/Adventure Tools is a big IP item for them. These tools are one of the things that WotC has created to help set 4e apart from past editions.
This only scratches the surface.
Quote:
Originally Posted by Scribble
We still don't know what ALL of the adventure tools are right? Perhaps they plan to include some sort of House Rule building thing that will integrate with the CB?
I agree. Adding onto the DDI something as complex as a House Rules module will likely be something they will want to unify into a master module that can be reused across the CB, Monster builder and any other tools they have to integrate.
It needs to work across the board, otherwise they'd have to build house rule modules for each section that may or may not play nicely with each other.
__________________ Game on, gang! Ptolus #16 (with customized, personalized sig from Monte. Awesomesauce.), Rappan Athuk Reloaded #37 (Another Awesomesauce, the Necromancer way.)
Try to not let failure to use technical language properly get in the way of getting to the real point under discussion. - Umbran
Characters & Games
Books currently in play: Dungeon & Dragon Magazine (*Scales of War AP*), WOTC 4e Core and Supplemental books
Current Campaign: Scales of War - Lost Mines of Karak -- Kodirgo, Minotaur Barbarian 6; Vondal, Dwarf Cleric 6; Karithul, Gnome Bard 6; Marshaun, Elf Druid 6
Last edited by catsclaw227; 5th November 2009 at 11:25 PM..
“A human being should be able to change a diaper, plan an invasion, butcher a hog, conn a ship, design a building, write a sonnet, balance accounts, build a wall, set a bone, comfort the dying, take orders, give orders, cooperate, act alone, solve equations, analyze a new problem, pitch manure, program a computer, cook a tasty meal, fight efficiently, die gallantly. Specialization is for insects.”
“A human being should be able to change a diaper, plan an invasion, butcher a hog, conn a ship, design a building, write a sonnet, balance accounts, build a wall, set a bone, comfort the dying, take orders, give orders, cooperate, act alone, solve equations, analyze a new problem, pitch manure, program a computer, cook a tasty meal, fight efficiently, die gallantly. Specialization is for insects.”
“A human being should be able to change a diaper, plan an invasion, butcher a hog, conn a ship, design a building, write a sonnet, balance accounts, build a wall, set a bone, comfort the dying, take orders, give orders, cooperate, act alone, solve equations, analyze a new problem, pitch manure, program a computer, cook a tasty meal, fight efficiently, die gallantly. Specialization is for insects.”
Being able to "make it your own" and visualize it as you want is something pnp games really have over the online digital ones... (yes you are also free to make the adversaries act more intelligently too) but the game residing in our imagination is an empowerment that they need to support. If I am held back instead of enabled in this by there tool... well the tool and the game loses.
“A human being should be able to change a diaper, plan an invasion, butcher a hog, conn a ship, design a building, write a sonnet, balance accounts, build a wall, set a bone, comfort the dying, take orders, give orders, cooperate, act alone, solve equations, analyze a new problem, pitch manure, program a computer, cook a tasty meal, fight efficiently, die gallantly. Specialization is for insects.”
Being able to "make it your own" and visualize it as you want is something pnp games really have over the online digital ones... (yes you are also free to make the adversaries act more intelligently too) but the game residing in our imagination is an empowerment that they need to support. If I am held back instead of enabled in this by there tool... well the tool and the game loses.
Well I don't disagree with your assertions about what PnP games have over computer games. But if the tool isn't helping you get the job done then just don't use it. I think that the Character Builder is a great piece of software if you're playing a RAW version of 4e. And it's working perfectly well for my heavily houseruled version too because of the particular nature of my house rules not really coming into conflict with the CB. But were that not the case I would simply not use the CB and just make the character sheets by hand.
I guess I'm saying I don't see how the CB can be judged to be a hindrance to a good game. It either helps or you don't use it.
Well I don't disagree with your assertions about what PnP games have over computer games. But if the tool isn't helping you get the job done then just don't use it. I think that the Character Builder is a great piece of software if you're playing a RAW version of 4e. And it's working perfectly well for my heavily houseruled version too because of the particular nature of my house rules not really coming into conflict with the CB. But were that not the case I would simply not use the CB and just make the character sheets by hand.
I guess I'm saying I don't see how the CB can be judged to be a hindrance to a good game. It either helps or you don't use it.
I think what he means is what I ran into during 3rd Edition. If the tool (program) did not help the game as the DM needed then the tool was discarded. Word of mouth advertising then hurt the tools sells. The game also suffered as the DM normally had to find a less optimal method of doing the same thing, costing time an effort that could have been spent else where.
I think what he means is what I ran into during 3rd Edition. If the tool (program) did not help the game as the DM needed then the tool was discarded. Word of mouth advertising then hurt the tools sells. The game also suffered as the DM normally had to find a less optimal method of doing the same thing, costing time an effort that could have been spent else where.
Yup... Advertising how D&D is better ... the tools have to support that feature in my case the emphasis is expressing my game world in terms of skinning and the power of imagination.. I barely have to change the hardware of game play at all and aside from storing my alternate text as deltas, and a reference to the original it isn't rocket science programming wise either.
“A human being should be able to change a diaper, plan an invasion, butcher a hog, conn a ship, design a building, write a sonnet, balance accounts, build a wall, set a bone, comfort the dying, take orders, give orders, cooperate, act alone, solve equations, analyze a new problem, pitch manure, program a computer, cook a tasty meal, fight efficiently, die gallantly. Specialization is for insects.”
Mri'Thas: "Useless primates... " Sheng Zim: "Your existence brings the world out of balance. The chaos I bring shall revert it; unfortunately, your soul will be destroyed in the process."
-------------------------------------- Tuk Heavy Hands Apeldan: "Trolls are afraid to cats. Good to know" (Yttermayn's "Saga of the Dragon Cult") Cnosos: "I bet there's plenty of wonderful devices in that ship. Let's scavenge them at once!" (Blackrat's "After Earth") Metliz: Sounds like fun! (Arkandus's "The First") Thok: "Thok eats a lot, Thok big. Thok not good at first impressions." (MnL's "Valley of the Dead")
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