PCGen/CMP datasets

Greylock · Sep 28, 2005

Can't get them to work.

Any advice, or mockery, is welcome.

I am not a coder, and am feeling beneath my depth.

The CMP forums are getting me nowhere.

Help plz?

http://www.codemonkeypublishing.com/index.php?name=PNphpBB2&file=viewtopic&t=11342

Vascant · Sep 28, 2005

*chuckles* After reading all that.. get a refund and type it all in by hand, given the time you have already spent on this single issue it would be faster.

In all seriousness, if you really want to get it work you need to get off these forums and get someone on the phone. You probably need to take a breath and calm down too.

Greylock · Sep 29, 2005

This is a slow burn. Nothing I am rabidly angry about, but their replies get snarkier and snarkier. One of the owners promised to reach a resolution if I emailed him, which I did, almost 24 hours ago. No reply from him yet.

A friend of mine decided to give CMP a shot, thinking he can make it work on his newer and completely updated machine. Just received a message from him that all the problems I reported are coming up for him as well.

Apparently, the CMP datasets need to come with two warnings tagged in the sales pitch: 1. You need to buy the 3.5 bundle IN ADDITION to the book datasets [said nowhere on the main pages or in the FAQ]; 2. You must have extensive experience in coding Java in order to get these progrrams to work.

In other words, Code Monkey Publishing is a complete and utter rip-off.

Mynex · Sep 29, 2005

Greylock said:
This is a slow burn. Nothing I am rabidly angry about, but their replies get snarkier and snarkier. One of the owners promised to reach a resolution if I emailed him, which I did, almost 24 hours ago. No reply from him yet.

A friend of mine decided to give CMP a shot, thinking he can make it work on his newer and completely updated machine. Just received a message from him that all the problems I reported are coming up for him as well.

Apparently, the CMP datasets need to come with two warnings tagged in the sales pitch: 1. You need to buy the 3.5 bundle IN ADDITION to the book datasets [said nowhere on the main pages or in the FAQ]; 2. You must have extensive experience in coding Java in order to get these progrrams to work.

In other words, Code Monkey Publishing is a complete and utter rip-off.

Well greylock, I'm the one who told you to email me... and I have yet to get an email from you.

I'll get your email and email you directly.

Mercule · Sep 29, 2005

Greylock said:
1. You need to buy the 3.5 bundle IN ADDITION to the book datasets

If this is true, then I'm seriously unimpressed.

But, as long as we're on the topic, does anyone know what's in the 3.5 bundle that's not in the base dataset? PCGen looks good to run a core-only game "off the shelf".

Greylock · Sep 29, 2005

The CMP datasets are not compatible at all with the free PCGen. You must first download the CMP 3.5 dataset to get the subsequent datasets to work. However, this is said nowhere in any of the documentation online, or in the READMEs.

And the instructions that are included are deeply flawed. You cannot simply drag'n drop the new files into your PCGen directory, or unzip them into your PCGEN580 directory. It simply doesn't work. The folks at CMP are terribly fond of mocking the computer skills of the less than elite, and Mynex's comments above are tame compared to what he suggested about my capacity for intelligence in a private email.

I have, however, after 5 days of trying to tame this beast, found a solution to the problem. And I came online feeling mighty proud of myself for discovering this. Then I found Mynex's email in my inbox, and am in no way feeling conciliatory. I am, you see, an utter and complete fool who can't use his computer.

CMP goes on the permanent ignore list from here on out.

kingpaul · Sep 29, 2005

Mercule said:
But, as long as we're on the topic, does anyone know what's in the 3.5 bundle that's not in the base dataset? PCGen looks good to run a core-only game "off the shelf".

The items that PCGen includes in its core datasets (SRD, RSRD, MSRD) are what's found in the those documents. Since CMP has a license with WotC, all items that aren't in the xRDs (gods, named spells (Bigby et al), certain creatures (gith, beholders, etc) and the like.

HTH

Greylock · Sep 29, 2005

Mynex said:
Well greylock, I'm the one who told you to email me... and I have yet to get an email from you.

I'll get your email and email you directly.

I just had to add this, Mynex, but the email function at CMP requires using Outlook, and I don't use Outlook. Which was why I sent you a PM via the CMP forums last night including the email address you could contact me at. You didn't have to use your 1337 admin powers on me. The address you used to insult my intelligence was not even registered at CMP.

HTH

The snarkiness continues from everyone involved with CMP...

Sieobahn · Sep 29, 2005

Greylock said:
You must have extensive experience in coding Java in order to get these progrrams to work.

I have no java coding experience and have had no problems installing and running pcgen.

Greylock said:
In other words, Code Monkey Publishing is a complete and utter rip-off.

I have been using it for over a year and have been quite happy with it. I think it is worth the money.

kingpaul · Sep 29, 2005

Greylock said:
I just had to add this, Mynex, but the email function at CMP requires using Outlook, and I don't use Outlook.

This sounds like you don't have your web browser preferences set up to allow the email client you use to be defaulted to. If you're using IE, Microsoft likes to default to all of their programs.