D&D 4E D&D 4e Character Builder (Made in Java)

[packetpirate]

Like I said... that's just until I'm finished with the inner workings of the program. Once I'm done, I'll make a layout. But I'm not going to bother right now. I just recently converted the package from AWT to Swing, so I should be able to create a layout more easily.

 

[marli]

i'd be happy to test, suggest ideas and submit data.
however
considering the fact that once you start distibuting this to the public you may come into conflict with the BBEWOTC.

therefore I'd suggest breaking this project into two.
1)the core code that handles most of the processing.
you can keep control of this. keeping control of the code.
2)data files, powers, feats, classes etc into a external data files.
allow these files to be publicly edited and distibuted. If the datasytem fireinakasha suggests i'd go with that.

this means you could distribute an official dataset that wont offend WOTC that would produce a character that would be valid but have only power names and feat names.

if some commie feels they want to take your work and wotc and release a version they wont need to target you core program and bring wotc wrath down on you.

 

[Garthanos]

The power toolkit allows one to enter cards and create classes perhaps one could have your character constructor use there xml as source data.
Playwrite: Introducing the 4e Power Toolkit: Create your own classes, races, powers and power cards

Download page

 

[packetpirate]

Thanks, Garth. I'll have a look at it when I get back from my D&D session tonight.

 

[Charwoman Gene]

If it contains the names of any powers, expect a C&D.

No cost is not the magical copyright eliminator you think it is.

 

[TheClone]

EDIT: [MENTION=86402]marli[/MENTION] Eventually, yes. I'm not familiar with the Android API, though, so that will have to wait.

Afaik the Android API is quite similar to the JSE, except for the UI libs. So you have to o have a separate UI layer and need to completely replace it, I guess.

If it contains the names of any powers, expect a C&D.

No cost is not the magical copyright eliminator you think it is.

Is there a exact line drawn? I mean, there are quite some Android Apps out there that allow you to search the compendium or view your character including powers (which seem to loaded and parsed from the compendium). What are you allowed to do and what is forbidden? Is there any chance to use the compendium as a data source for a CB? That would make thinks a lot easier.

Basically I'm really fond of the idea of developing an own (open source) fan-driven CB. it will be a lot of work to be better than WotC, but it is very well possible, because WotC leaves room for a LOT of improvements. If there is a chance to be able to really let is become a fully usable app that can compete with the official CB (concerning the legal side).

I'm quite some experience with user interface concepts and I'd offer to create a full blown UI concept based on a solid usability process, supporting architecture and design, some programming work as my time allows and project management. But only if the legal side is cleared and there are a handfull of developers supporting the project.

 

[AbdulAlhazred]

Well, you could certainly parse the Compendium data for power information, etc. You will really not want to provide any way to save it is all. A bunch of it is XML, and the rest is well-formed HTML that is no doubt generated with something like XSLT. I'd look into that and supporting the .dnd4e XML format. With the proper mapping layer (maybe check out Apache XMLBeans) it really isn't all that hard to convert back and forth between in-memory data structures and serialized XML.

Existing online apps like iplay4e simply provide an alternate front end to Compendium content and use a .dnd4e file to display the Compendium content. As long as your program doesn't save any of that content to the hard drive you're in no danger of getting a C&D any more than iplay4e is. Admittedly it would be nice to be able to run the app off of the hard drive. If it can just READ but not write data files then you're probably still OK.

Of course you might all want to check out the CBLoader, which lets you merge custom/new content into the existing CB. From what I hear people have pretty much reproduced about 90% of the new material in it and you can add your own custom stuff within reason. You're stuck within the limits of what CB can do, but it is still a very nice program and if you still have it lying around that would be a good choice to consider.

 

[packetpirate]

I know this topic is long dead, but I've recently restarted the project using C++ instead of Java. I developed a UI, but had to trash it because for some reason, Intellisense doesn't work if you start with a Windows Forms Application project. I had to create an empty project to get it working again. I've got some simple stuff going, but mainly I'm just designing the classes right now (the programming term, not game term). So far, I've developed a method of determining ability score modifiers dynamically, rather than hard-coding them. It works like this:

If the ability score is odd, it subtracts 1. It then takes the value of the score and subtracts 10. After that, it divides that value by 2 to get the modifier. Here's an example.

Example #1:
- 17 DEX (odd, subtract 1)
- (16 - 10) = 6
- 6 / 2

Therefore, the modifier is +3

Example #2:
- 8 STR (not odd, stays as is)
- (8 - 10) = -2
- (-2 / 2) = -1

Therefore, the modifier is -1.

As far as I know, this formula should work for any valid ability score value.

As far as equipment, feats, and powers go, I was thinking of parsing XML tables to make it easier, but I'll need to learn XML and how to parse it.

As for the legal side of it, I guess I could just not include feats, powers, or equipment, and as was suggested in a previous post, let people modify the XML sheets themselves. It wouldn't matter if I used the basic d20 system though, right? By that, I mean STR, CON, DEX, INT, WIS, CHA? They're just words... they can't be copyrighted. I might also need to put races and classes in external XML sheets.

I'm trying to think of anything I could do to make the character builder unique and better than the official WotC version.

 

[AbdulAlhazred]

I'm trying to think of anything I could do to make the character builder unique and better than the official WotC version.

Make it cross platform. C++ is fine (at least for desktop apps, you'll get nowhere on iPad with that) but what is really really really needed is a cross-platform application. There are ways to kludge running some windows software in other environments but it is far from ideal.

You may want to look into using QT and QTDesigner (or whatever they are calling these tools nowadays). QT works on any platform, is the best GUI toolkit in existence by an order of magnitude, and will work in MSVS from what I understand. You also get a lot of cool stuff for free with QT, like advanced UI scripting, a fully declarative UI layout system, and lots of very excellent multi-media support. Still, if I were going to do a true cross-platform app I'd probably stick with the Trolltech/Nokia development tools. They are also excellent.

 

[packetpirate]

Yeah, I've seen Qt and have it installed on my Ubuntu laptop. I guess I could do the GUI with that.