Software, Computers, Video Games and D&D UtilitiesGeneral discussion on computer software and hardware, PC and console games, and RPG utilities such as eTools, PC GEN, etc.
I’m looking for a similar application. One that gives grammatical and vocabulary suggestions or ever has the ability to check for story logic and one that might even convert information from one speech tone to another speech tone – any thing out there that could help with these sorts of things?
__________________ "Damned are those born to the evil soil, for the very fabric of its existence is slowly unraveling..."
For my D&D content management I use a program called The Journal.
Like the other programs already mentioned, it provides hyperlinks to locations internally as well as other files or web pages. It has a spell checker and thesaurus as well as powerful formatting options (even supporting styles) but, for me, its killer feature is its support for templates. This can be used for simply inserting boilerplate text or something quite complex as it supports scripting.
Also, the website has a section on incorporating the program into roleplaying sessions.
It's not free though ($US39.95), but worth the money in my mind.
Is there a list of which of these features would have been included in e-tools anywhere? Or a list of adventure requirements, like the list you've started but I'll assume is incomplete?
It occurs to me that I'd like something like that as well, and it's certainly within my capability to create. I just need a reference for whatever requirements would be necessary.
Simple. Just take a look at any WOTC adventure (e.g. The Sunless Citadel) or maybe even their free downloadable adventures.
If you do put something together, make sure you let us know!
__________________ Mike McConnell, Freelance RPG Writer Currently Working On: Starblazer Adventures: The Planet Killers
Co-Owner of Imagineering Inc, formerly known as BC-Products, and the owner of the original Tact-Tiles.
Follow me and Imagineering Inc on Twitter: Mechalus
For my D&D content management I use a program called The Journal.
Like the other programs already mentioned, it provides hyperlinks to locations internally as well as other files or web pages. It has a spell checker and thesaurus as well as powerful formatting options (even supporting styles) but, for me, its killer feature is its support for templates. This can be used for simply inserting boilerplate text or something quite complex as it supports scripting.
Also, the website has a section on incorporating the program into roleplaying sessions.
It's not free though ($US39.95), but worth the money in my mind.
Regards
Wombatmaster
This is a nice program. Glad I haven't cut a check to anyone yet. Thanks for the 4-1-1.
__________________ I suffer from chronic apathy, I was going to go see a doctor about it, but I didn't really care.
I use ProjectBuilder, the Macintosh development environment. It does basically what all those tools do (though less pretty) with the benefit of saving everything in straightforward text or rtf files. I can include images, too, and html. Downside is that of course it includes about a zillion features I will NEVER use (hm, "Define Class" just doesn't mean what I think it should), and it's kinda ugly, and it doesn't do text styling very well.
GMGen looks okay but my primary experience with PCGen is SSSSLLLLLOOOOWWWW. Oh, and incredibly ugly. I looked at GMGen but it seemed to be more of an in-game tool which I have no use for. But those screenshots have piqued my interest.
The tool I really want is not very complicated -- it lets me create rtf, txt and html files at will, keeps them neatly organized and does multi-file searches, allows me to open multiple panes so I can view two files at once. Supporting styles would be great, as well.
Could someone provide a list of features they would like in these programs? I've read people toting various programs, but I'm not sure what they are really looking for in these programs. To my mind, I can use almost any program to create a campaign and I am wondering what it is that makes these programs especially useful.
Could someone provide a list of features they would like in these programs? I've read people toting various programs, but I'm not sure what they are really looking for in these programs. To my mind, I can use almost any program to create a campaign and I am wondering what it is that makes these programs especially useful.
What attracts me to my campaign information tool (was MyInfo, now KeyNote) is the drill-down tree structure. The lefthand pane has a tree structure, almost like Windows Explorer with one-click drill-down capability. Each page then has it's material in the larger, right-hand pane. This structure makes it easy for me to find, organize and add to my notes.
When there are so many varied topics and inventive, knowledgeable and imaginative people on these boards, I will often find someone mention some bit and quickly be able to move to a specific page in my campaign notes to add that bit or whatever bits it inspired in me.
It's just very handy, very portable (inspiration strikes at work sometimes), and, to my thinking, very elegant.
What I look for is output - how does the finished adventure look. I use a word processer (Word Perfect 10) for most things, and a database for critter, common traps, etc. I also like having a decent mapper, and have several programs that I use to handle this part of the mess,, erm... I mean creative process.
Role Playing Master now creates some decent output, and includes a simple but fully functional word processer, but my habits, I think, have become too ingrained. (That and I really like WP10...)
What I think makes an ideal adventure writing utility from the available Personal Information Manager (PMIs) programs out there...
1.) A customizable tree structure pane.
2.) A rich text editor with the ability to insert pictures and hyperlinks.
The hyperlinks should be able to link to websites, local executable files, or other documents within the program. Also, pictures that can be made into hyperlinks also.
3.) A search feature, idealy with both find and replace functionality. A feature I have not found but would like to see in these programs is the ability to find a particular word in a document and replace it with hyperlink code. This way I could link every occurance of a particular spell to its description located on some other note.
The following features I have not found in any of the PIM programs but would like to see.
4.) The option of having an HTML page to act as a note instead of just an rtf document. Of course the HTML page would need a side tab for editing the coded and a tab for viewing the results. This would be great because then adventure maps could be inserted in the notes that could also have image maps attached to them. THis way you could click on a portion of the adventure map and it would take you to a note with the description of the area. The HTML would be great also for the reason that you could run javascript programs right off the page you were viewing. For instance you could have an HTML page with an encounter description that contains javascripted controls for rolling dice, calculating jump distances, or various other rules helping programs.
By the way, I believe Keynote is planning this option for their upcoming version 2.0 rewrite of the program. There is a program called ideaspad that almost pulls this off but lacks a lot of functionality that other programs have.
5.) customizable toolbar buttons for loading various outside programs.
I've been using "The Journal" now for a couple days. I really like the tabbed view, and being able to assign different tasks to them. One tab is a dated journal where you can throw down random thoughts for use on another tab where you actually have your campaign organized. You can build templates that you can right click into another project your working on. For instance I've made Orc warrior and barbarian templates from 1st - 10th and I can just add them to a particular encounter that I'm building with just a right click. Very handy. I'm building another separate tab that will hold the SRD for quick lookups if I'm not on the web. You can't build tables that I've found, however you can insert objects like spreadsheets and other things. All in all a very nicely done ultility.
__________________ I suffer from chronic apathy, I was going to go see a doctor about it, but I didn't really care.
Another type of program that I find useful, especially in the development phase, is mind-mapping software. It's a great way to visually brainstorm ideas and develop links between them. It gives a greater dimensional representation of info as compared to the more traditional hierarchal view.
I went with GS Notes, tab databases, selectable databases, tree structure, import of pics and text, drag and drop freatures, hyperlinks, tables, template printing (have to find out if I can create a template) . I am still looking at a couple of the others and now that mind-mapping.
__________________ Signature:
All I need is minions and I would rule the world.
Here is a sample of some of the PIMs (Personal Information Managers) I have come across on the internet. This is by no means a full list as I have seen many more of these types of programs on the internet.
If anyone finds any creative ways to use these programs for their RPG adventures please post them here.
The killer for me is file format. I got burned once by a program that used a proprietary file format -- when the program went kablooie and I found out the company that made it was no more I was hosed -- and all my data went bye-bye.
Save it in text files, rtf files, html -- but don't pack it into some binary format that nobody else can read.
Word to the wise.
For features, I don't want "drill-down" functionality, really. What I want is quick access to disparate items -- to be able to switch from my campaign calendar to my NPC description, or whatever. To be able to create and group items. To be able to print items out for reference at the game table.
Before I ran across this thread, I had started work on WorldBuilder, a program in java used to organize the various entities of a D&D world. Basically, it is a tree structure organizing specific nodes for planes, characters, etc, with specific data for each and the capability to randomly generate an entire plane. Attached are some early screenshots of what's done. I'm kinda glad that there seems to be intrest for this type of thing...
For features, I don't want "drill-down" functionality, really. What I want is quick access to disparate items -- to be able to switch from my campaign calendar to my NPC description, or whatever. To be able to create and group items. To be able to print items out for reference at the game table.
As a software engineer, I'd be interested to hear what sort of interface you'd recommend in place of a drill-down. Are you differentiating between a strict drill-down and one with a tree/folder structure?
I think this is what the icon-based gui is all about.
Most of these organization programs aren't any more functional than your average filesystem with a gui interface (e.g.: Finder, Explorer, Nautilus, Konqeror)
However, on the other hand, I do really like TreePad's publish to HTML feature.
As a software engineer, I'd be interested to hear what sort of interface you'd recommend in place of a drill-down. Are you differentiating between a strict drill-down and one with a tree/folder structure?
Yes, exactly. A folder structure is perfect -- AS LONG AS I can quickly switch from one item (in path foo/bar/hidyhoo) to another (in path tom/dick/harry). What I like about my ProjectBuilder is that as a development environment, it keeps track of files I've opened and builds up a pop-up menu with them all. Which does the trick admirably. It also provides "Back" and "Forward" buttons so I can flip between two files easily. And finally, it allows me to create a "split-screen" view so I can view two files simultaneously. Those final three features (the menu, the buttons and the split-screen) provide far more useful functionality than any "drill-down" would be. To me, anyway.
But see, for me, "Publish to HTML" is useless. When I want HTML, I write HTML. But I'm a bit of a cantankerous old coot when it comes to HTML.
One thing I noticed that most of these PIM programs don't have is an html note format. I would like to see one of these programs with the ability to create an html note or an rtf note. Where the html note needs both a source editing pane and a browser pane. Of course links within either type of these notes should be able to jump to any other document wihtin the program. I would like to be able to create an image map over one of my adventure maps and be able to link the areas description in another note within the program. A standardized microsoft gui is always welcome also.
It will be interesting to see how MicroSoft's OneNote program works for a campaign organizer, the cost is high 100$ but intergration to all things MS and a very common format.
__________________ Signature:
All I need is minions and I would rule the world.
Thanks for the 4-1-1.
Linear Mode
And yet another word from our sponsors
