MS Access Database (For Gaming)

[Scribble]

I'm (somewhat) handy at working with/creating access databases, and VBA coding, so I decided to use my skills to start building myself a database for gaming.

I started it because originally I thought it might be a neat way to track Quests, but since I started I've been adding tables for:

Campaigns
Locations
NPCs
Characters
Quests
Rumors
Artifacts

It doesn't track stats... The idea is more of keeping track of relational stuff like where things are, who people are, where they live, what they belong to, what quests are open, or completed, and who they came from. etc...

(IE how things relate to one another.)

I like databases because it's really easy to like tell it to give me all the open quests of level X in region X for Campaign X... And then like have it print out a bunch of quest cards or something.

I'm planning an upcoming campaign that I want to be a bit more "sandboxy" so I want to detail a whole slew of quests and locations and such ahead of time, and let the DB easily help me track it all, and be able to print out material for use at the table.

Ok I'm a nerd... but... Would anyone be interested in a copy when I'm done?

Also any other things people thing would be useful in something like this?

It's not going to be the prettiest thing ever, but hopefully usable.

 

[jimmifett]

I've started some similar projects myself a few times, but life/work keeps getting in the way.

You may find xml (with a well defined xsd schema) is a good way to distribute your data in a platform agnostic way.

I should really dust off some of my older projects now that rugrat is starting school.

 

[Scribble]

I've started some similar projects myself a few times, but life/work keeps getting in the way.

You may find xml (with a well defined xsd schema) is a good way to distribute your data in a platform agnostic way.

I should really dust off some of my older projects now that rugrat is starting school.

Well in this case it's not so much the info (though I guess if someone wanted that I wouldn't care) but the actual database itself.

 

[Festivus]

I wouldn't mind taking a look at it. I made something similar in Excel a few years back when I was running Age of Worms to track all the look, NPCs, plot points, etc.

 

[Stumblewyk]

I've started similar projects in the past, with an eye towards presenting the info on the web. Eventually, I just settled on using MediaWiki and connecting all my info that way (and letting my players collaborate). I'd be interested in seeing the database though. I'm always interested in seeing other, possibly better, ways of doing things.

 

[Scribble]

I wouldn't mind taking a look at it. I made something similar in Excel a few years back when I was running Age of Worms to track all the look, NPCs, plot points, etc.

The thing I like about DBs over spreadsheets, is their ability to link multiple different types of data together.

So for instance once I enter an organization into the DB, I can then put in NPCs and link them to that Organization, which is in turn linked to a location, which is linked to a world, in a campaign.. etc...

So in the future I will be able to say... ok show me all the areas of interest in the Tyr Region... and get a nice list.

I've started similar projects in the past, with an eye towards presenting the info on the web. Eventually, I just settled on using MediaWiki and connecting all my info that way (and letting my players collaborate). I'd be interested in seeing the database though. I'm always interested in seeing other, possibly better, ways of doing things.

I kind of at some point, want to have it be able to generate a page with wiki code on it, so I can run a report and then cut/paste that info into a wiki- If that makes sense.

 

[Festivus]

The thing I like about DBs over spreadsheets, is their ability to link multiple different types of data together.

So for instance once I enter an organization into the DB, I can then put in NPCs and link them to that Organization, which is in turn linked to a location, which is linked to a world, in a campaign.. etc...

So in the future I will be able to say... ok show me all the areas of interest in the Tyr Region... and get a nice list.



I kind of at some point, want to have it be able to generate a page with wiki code on it, so I can run a report and then cut/paste that info into a wiki- If that makes sense.

I picked excel for two reasons:

1. It was very easy for me to rapidly punch in information and massage the data as I wanted, totally unconfined.

2. Pivot Tables... nuf said.

I'd still like to see what you have done. At the moment I am using nothing, but also not running a campaign.

 

[Markn]

I'd be interested in seeing it.

I'd even XP you for your troubles too!

 

[ExploderWizard]

I made one as a school project for my old GURPS campaign. It was a database of NPC's, and multiple linked Locations for the city of Tredroy.

I have been thinking of doing one for my current campaign but don't have the time.

I would enjoy seeing what you have done with yours.

 

[renau1g]

I would like to see it also. I'm more of an Excel proficient PC, but Access is something I'm somewhat famliar with