DSForgeworks for PocketPC Beta

[BeerSkunk]

I just wanted to drop by and announce that we will be having a beta test for DSForgeworks v2.0.

We'll be accepting applications for the beta from now until Oct 31st. It's a simple application process. All you need is a first name and a valid email address.

DSForgeworks (DSF) is a PocketPC application for Dungeons & Dragons roleplayers with integrated support for the e-Tools XML character format. In addition to acting as a digital character sheet for players, the program includes a number of useful DM tools such as random generators, combat management, and spell duration tracking. The program also features the entire 3.5 SRD which can be viewed as a standalone component or accessed directly by hot links from within DSF.

DSF v2.0 represents an ambitious effort to develop a useful, portable, and easy to use tool for pen & paper roleplayers with PocketPCs. Please drop by our website for more information and feel free to contact us with any questions you may have.

 

[Mercule]

A couple of simple questions to which I did not find the answer on your web page:

1) Can this be used stand-alone, or do we need e-Tools?

2) Are the classes, etc. customizable? For example, I've upped the skill points on all classes by 2.

3) Could this be used by a DM to track initiative, etc. in combat?

 

[BeerSkunk]

1) Yes, it can be used stand-alone. e-Tools is NOT required.

2) DSF isn't a character creation program. It doesn't try to figure out your skill points, it can't determine whether your elligible for a prestige class, or any of the things you would associate with a character creation program. You can add a new class, new skills, new feats, new spells, and other things, but what it can't do is determine the benefits or modifiers from those items. At the time we were designing DSF, PocketPCs just weren't powerful enough to support character creation. If we had included it, the performance would be dreadful.

3) Yes! There is a combat tracking tool that tracks the initiative order, provides instant access to the current creature/player's HPs and AC, tracks spell durations and notifies you immediately on the turn they expire, and allows you to easily add new combatants to the combat and inserts them correctly into the initiative order.

There were several reasons behind our decision to not create a character generator. I would be happy to elaborate on those reasons if you'd like, but I'll spare everyone the commentary as the boredom factor would be so high that it might be considered criminal.

 

[Mercule]

There were several reasons behind our decision to not create a character generator. I would be happy to elaborate on those reasons if you'd like, but I'll spare everyone the commentary as the boredom factor would be so high that it might be considered criminal.

I can imagine. So, how do we get a character into the app? Do we have to edit the XML ourselves (no e-Tools), or can we enter it into DSF directly (with no math, obviously)?

 

[BeerSkunk]

Adding a new character is as easy as clicking the "New Character" button in DSF and giving him or her a name.

Internally, what this does is create an "empty" XML character with default values for items like attributes and skills. At that point, the character is ready to be edited from within DSF. There's no need to ever touch the XML file itself.

From within DSF, you can add classes, feats, skills, spells, equipment, & companions to a character. If a class you want to add isn't already in the program, you can create a new class, add some features to it if you want, and then add it to a character. From that point on, the new class will be available to all other characters as well. The same goes for skills, feats, spells, etc. You can add new items into the program very easily and even share those items with other users by beaming them over the IR port.

So, you can create a new character. You can make him a 2nd level Fighter and 3rd level Wizard. You can then create a new piece of armor called "Odorous Leather Cod Piece", give it an armor bonus of 5, weight of 3lbs, and then equip it on your character. The total weight carried will be calculated, but what it can't do is figure out what your new AC is. Then, because all your friends will be envious of your new armor, you can export the armor data and share it over the IR port.

DSF acts like a standard character sheet, except that it's all digital, ties directly into the SRD, and gives you quick access to the details of your character without having to shuffle through reams of books and paper.

 

[Hatchling Dragon]

Is the Expanded Psionics Handbook part of the SRD? I've never used it, never seem to find those links to it everyone claims are out there. Basicaly I well and truely stink at anything 'web'

Hatchling Dragon

 

[Calim]

i am interested in beta testing this

 

[Kristian Serrano]

Is the Expanded Psionics Handbook part of the SRD? I've never used it, never seem to find those links to it everyone claims are out there. Basicaly I well and truely stink at anything 'web'

Hatchling Dragon

Original RSRD
http://www.wizards.com/default.asp?x=d20/article/srd35

HTML RSRD
http://www.systemreferencedocuments.org/35/sovelior_sage/psionic.html