NPC Generator...

[Vascant]

As some will know I have been working on a NPC Generator for a few months now and got some good feedback on one of the other topics concerning cleaning up the stat block. I am now making it about half way into the Equipment Engine part of it. Where it stands now, 98% of all the items in the DMG are handled in script files outside of the core exe. This means you can edit, remove and even add new items. I am expanding the functionality of the internal script engine to allow for the magic of items to effect the outcome of the stat block.

Example: This call in the script
equipment.ACModifier("Deflection", 1, "Cloak of protection +1")

Tells the program what to do with the item when it is selected. The system is pretty good about making sure if things should stack or not though this is not perfect yet. The key functionality I was aiming here was to allow others to add new items and for my own personal gaming needs I want a script file called "Dragon326" which would contain all the items from that issue of the magazine and be able to apply the logic of them to the stat block. Without the need for someone to fix a database or recompile a new executable. With the core engine now coded and me at a point of adding new items and functionality, I am asking if there is anything others have in mind they would like to see or it needs to do to meet their needs? Do not pay any attention to the plus items perhaps not matching the CR of the NPC, the function there is a default one and just for me coding at the moment, there is also a script for armor, shield and weapon so you can create your own method of figuring out what the strength of the item should be.

My personal goal is simple; to be able to create a npc stat block I will not have to edit because of equipment and such. I know the stat block is not perfect yet but it is getting there. I am focusing on equipment but have a list of small errors I have found or things I wish to test further like weapon combinations with Two Weapon Fighting and such. Also I think I forgot to code a feat or two.. *chuckles*

<Name> human Fighter 11/Sorcerer 5: CR 16; Medium Humanoid; HD 11d10+33 plus 5d4+15 (HP 124); Init 7 (+3 Dex, +4 Improved Initiative); Spd 30 ft.; AC 16 (+3 Dex, Cloak of protection +1, +1 Light steel Shield), touch 14, flat-footed 13; Base Atk +13; Grp +17; Atk +20 melee (1d6+6, +2 Pick (Heavy)); Full Atk +20/+15/+10 melee (1d6+6, +2 Pick (Heavy)); Space/Reach 5 ft./5 ft.; SA ; SQ ; AL CN; SV Fort +13, Ref +7, Will +8; Str 18, Dex 16, Con 16, Int 13, Wis 12, Cha 17.

Skills: Bluff +6 (+3 Cha), Climb +7 (+4 Str), Concentration +9 (+3 Con), Diplomacy +4 (+3 Cha), Gather Information +3 (+3 Cha), Handle Animals +11, Heal +4 (+1 Wis), Intimidate +11 (+3 Cha), Jump +8 (+4 Str), Knowledge (Arcana) +9 (+1 Int), Knowledge (History) +1 (+1 Int), Knowledge (Local) +1 (+1 Int), Knowledge (Nobility and Royalty) +1 (+1 Int), Listen +4 (+1 Wis), Ride +6 (+2 Dex), Search +4 (+1 Int), Spellcraft +1 (+1 Int), Spot +3 (+1 Wis), Swim +8 (+4 Str).

Feats: Alertness, Blind-Fight, Combat Expertise, Great Fortitude, Improved Disarm, Improved Initiative, Improved Precise Shot, Persuasive, Quick Draw, Shield Proficiency, Skill Focus, Weapon Finesse, Weapon Focus (Pick (Heavy)).

Sorcerer Spells Known (6/7/5, base DC = 13 + spell level): 0 -- acid splash, detect magic, ghost sound, light, ray of frost, read magic, touch of fatigue; 1st -- cause fear, hold portal, hypnotism, magic weapon, protection from law; 2nd -- blindness/deafness, darkvision, eagle's splendor.

Possessions: +1 light steel shield, +2 pick (heavy), cloak of protection +1, ring of major acid resistance, druid's vestment, ring of minor fire resistance, robe of eyes, potion of lesser restoration, potion of invisibility, potion of resist energy (fire) 30, potion of good hope, potion of water walk, potion of eagle’s splendor, 153000 gp



Any input, suggestions or comments are welcome..

 

[Vascant]

*laughs* okay, I can see this will be a waste of time to even beta test with others.. Thanks and sorry for wasting your bandwidth to read.

 

[Eternalknight]

*laughs* okay, I can see this will be a waste of time to even beta test with others.. Thanks and sorry for wasting your bandwidth to read.

No need to be like that, you gave it less than 24 hours mate

However, a customizable stat-block generator sound interesting. Is this kind of like Jamis Buck's generators? If so, it definately interests me.

My only suggestion would be make sure it can handle Epic levels.

 

[smetzger]

Possessions: +1 light steel shield, +2 pick (heavy), cloak of protection +1, ring of major acid resistance, druid's vestment, ring of minor fire resistance, robe of eyes, potion of lesser restoration, potion of invisibility, potion of resist energy (fire) 30, potion of good hope, potion of water walk, potion of eagle’s splendor, 153000 gp

Cloak of protection and robe of eyes can't be worn at the same time. It doesn't look like the robe of eyes bonuses have been incorporated in the stats, so perhaps a note saying that it is carried and not worn.

Not sure what kinds of comments you are looking for. I would be interested in more about the script design. How does it fit in with the rest of the program? Why not a GUI interface to add new items into the DB instead? Why not a way to import & export stuff into the DB?

 

[Vascant]

Cloak of protection and robe of eyes can't be worn at the same time. It doesn't look like the robe of eyes bonuses have been incorporated in the stats, so perhaps a note saying that it is carried and not worn.

Not sure what kinds of comments you are looking for. I would be interested in more about the script design. How does it fit in with the rest of the program? Why not a GUI interface to add new items into the DB instead? Why not a way to import & export stuff into the DB?

Okay, I know we have a house rule of that very same thing but no where can I find a real rule... pg 214 of the DM states you can wear a robe and a cloak, and pg 265 does not give an exception..

When I first started coding this, I couldn't figure out any advantages to using a DB over flat script files however with flat script files, it is easier to make changes without having to worry about more gui's. Late things may change, I have a single function that handles input.

The script language is starting to grow, now that the program can create a NPC from start to finish I am going thru and fleshing things out. I am also putting Event Markers in locations so users can develop their own functionality as well (The event system will have a gui at some point).
Example - Armor quality (This is where you figure out if it is normal armor, masterwork or enchanted). There are 3 options within the system
1. The normal system and it figures it out based on wealth and CR
2. A script call and the user can develop his own method for his world
3. Equipment Designer - Every need a NPC who has certain kinds of equipment or you want an NPC and randomness just doesn't fit. This screen is where you can select weapons, armor, shield and magic items worn. Eventually, you will be able to save your designer selections.

 

[Vascant]

No need to be like that, you gave it less than 24 hours mate

However, a customizable stat-block generator sound interesting. Is this kind of like Jamis Buck's generators? If so, it definately interests me.

My only suggestion would be make sure it can handle Epic levels.

Okay, no offense to Jamie's because I not only used his Gen for along time before coding my own but I even went thru the source code for design ideas as well. This went way beyond Jamies and thats why I am coding it, cause I needed more. Also Jamie's system is keyed off a single seed, while this may be great for testing and being able to duplicate a NPC it doesn't give me the kind of NPC's that have personality and reflect the regions they come from. In Jamie's system there is one skill list for each class which is based off the the PHB, in mine the NPC's skill list is designed based on Class, Race, Region and Alignment. These elements though are hard coded at the moment will also reside in the script function for it's specific event.
Epic levels: The system will handle 4 Core classes up to 50th level in each, why did I stop coding it at 50th.. sounded good but can change easily.
I already have templates working as shown in one of my examples I posted before, Half Fiends. With equipment getting done I am going back into Prestige Classes and working out what I need to have this functional.

Now here something I special I am striving for, unlike pretty much every other RPG Tool in the market, I am trying to keep it simple and smooth. Jamie did a very good job at this. Like his system, mine can also start creating NPC's with the selection of class and level, then click. You can leave as much as you desire up to randomness or delve as deep as you desire for perfection of what you envision. I am also working extremely hard on keeping the stat block itself to some kind of standard, at the moment using those designed more recently by wizards for such a standard. Now if any of the PC Creation software people want to create imports for stat blocks, easy migration of data could be accomplished or if one already exists maybe I need to code an export function to meet that.

 

[Vascant]

I have 2 attachments to this, screen shots.

 

[rom90125]

Wow, you've got my attention. I too have started making mods to Jamie's Gen, but nothing on the scale of what you have already completed. I'd be eager to test this app out...
Since you asked for comments, I'd like to see an NPC Gen with the ability to specify specific schools of magic for a NPC and have the spell list automagically created for this specialist. Unless I've missed something, none of the current NPC Gens support this feature.

 

[devilish]

Looks good -- as I mentioned in the last post, we all need an equipment
generator for NPCs.

How do you do divine spells -- do you list the spells they have memorized or
just a block of spell levels available?

 

[Vascant]

School Specialization: Is it done, no - Will it be done, Yes. The current spell selection is only my initial code "Lets get something running and testing". I have about 2 pages of notes for what I want to change and add to the system.

Divine Spell Casting: I was almost done when I started to purge my Equipment issues. I have all the spells in the system though and classes are not that big of a deal to add now but I have yet to work out all the quarks for adding new core classes outside of "Hard Coding" them. With all the work equipment is causing me to do on the scripting, I am seriously thinking about just working out all the external issues so classes can be added by script files rather then hard coding them. I just have not figured out how to overcome certain things yet, more design issues. *chuckles* Which is why I probably have been coding for 29 years, I love the challange. As far as what I will list, the idea is for when you generate a NPC under this system, it comes out complete, correct and ready to run. So the spell selection will be made and listed.