Accurate and time saving monster/npc tool...

[Cergorach]

I'm looking for a monster/npc tool that is (in order of importance):
1. Accurate
2. Time saving
3. Custom output
4. Custom datasets

Things that would be nice:
- SRD included
- Cross platform
- Open source

What i need it for:
Someone like John Cooper shouldn't have to pick out so many number crunch mistakes in publications, but checking statblocks by hand (or calculator) invites error. If a program can do all the number crunching accuretly for you it would save the editor a lot of time. Of it saves time on monster/npc creation, then all the better...

 

[kingpaul]

PCGen


But I'm biased.

 

[Vascant]

While this is a very good concept on paper, the community in general does not support for such a tool. This takes more time for testing then really anyone is willing to lend.

I will say NPC Designer is pretty high for what you have requested.

I will comment on 2 things you won't see from me:

Cross platform: This is a numbers game, do you risk pushing away most of the market to touch a small share? I don't use other platforms other then windows anymore so this would require people testing it, which never happens. End conclusion is not worth the time. What I have done is switch over to .Net which has considerable time already being provided to making the framework cross platform.

Open Source: Why bother? All of the applications I provide are extremely open and can be tweaked and changed by users. Evolution hits this mark even higher.

 

[Cergorach]

While i appreciate both your imput, i was looking for a somewhat less biased perspective...

@Vascant:
X-platform: Why push away people? There are numerous crossplatform solutions that are relatively 'easy' to implement. If no one sents you bug reports or complains that something ain't working, it ain't broke. The folks that are tech savy enough to use computer RPG tools are a whole different demographic then folks that can use a computer...
OSS: Yeah, but what happens after you pull the software? This isn't a simple program, users will invest huge amounts of time to fully utilise your program, make datafiles, etc. It's more then a little frustrating when the one-man-programming team has enough of the little app they made and stops supporting it. This happens quite often...

But these things would be 'nice' to have, they are not high on my prioryties list right now...

 

[Vascant]

While i appreciate both your imput, i was looking for a somewhat less biased perspective...

@Vascant:
X-platform: Why push away people? There are numerous crossplatform solutions that are relatively 'easy' to implement. If no one sents you bug reports or complains that something ain't working, it ain't broke. The folks that are tech savy enough to use computer RPG tools are a whole different demographic then folks that can use a computer...
OSS: Yeah, but what happens after you pull the software? This isn't a simple program, users will invest huge amounts of time to fully utilise your program, make datafiles, etc. It's more then a little frustrating when the one-man-programming team has enough of the little app they made and stops supporting it. This happens quite often...

But these things would be 'nice' to have, they are not high on my prioryties list right now...

Call it a "Point of view", you see it as I am pushing people away when in my view I am attempting to offer the best possible solution to a pretty sizable group as it is rather then encounter the normal downfalls of cross platform apps. If the only complain I get right now is it doesn't work on Mac, I am pretty happy.. Rather then both Mac and PC users stating, runs to slow or a library beyond my control is behaving in correctly. I look at the fact that well over 4000 people enjoy NPC Designer as customers to feel this was a good choice. I have had more people tell me it is worth more then 15 dollars, then ask me if it will ever run on Mac or Linux based systems.

All I can say is been doing this for over two years now and still going strong, have released a few different applications handling different areas of gaming that I felt could use some Generation support and some, just because I wanted code it. While I have decided to not roam forums like I used to and deal mostly from my own site, I still code for 8-12 hours a day. All emails are answered usually in hours if not sooner and can be reached thru a few different methods. I like to think that the most valued thing I offer is the level of customer service.

 

[Joshua Randall]

I'll pimp my favorite such utility once again, DM Genie

1. Accurate
2. Time saving

Yes and yes.

3. Custom output

Yes, if you don't mind fooling with some XML sheets.

4. Custom datasets

No. You have to make the custom data yourself. Fortunately, making a custom monster is quite easy -- much easier than in any other tool I've ever used.

Things that would be nice:
- SRD included

Yes.

- Cross platform

Don't know.

- Open source

Not as far as I know.

 

[kingpaul]

While i appreciate both your imput, i was looking for a somewhat less biased perspective...

Well, I am biased because I'm a PCGen Board member, but:

I'm looking for a monster/npc tool that is (in order of importance):
1. Accurate

Yes, to the best of our knowledge/ability. Bugs are reported and we set about to fix them.

2. Time saving

Yes

3. Custom output

Yes, you can create your own output sheets

4. Custom datasets

Yes, you can create your own custom datasets, or use the ones that come with the program.

Things that would be nice:
- SRD included

Yes. And the RSRD and MSRD as well....among others.

- Cross platform

Yes. Its in java for that very reason.

- Open source

Yep. Code is LGPL and the datasets are OGL.

 

[3catcircus]

I'll pimp my favorite such utility once again, DM Genie
Yes and yes.

Weeeelllll... It depends - if you have non-core stuff, you have to enter it by hand, and *then* if it is something that causes a change (a feat that increases your Fort save, a new cleric domain power) you gotta figure out how to properly script it...

Yes - it is powerful, and yes, it is relativiely easy and quick, but if you want to customize it, you can plan on a quick 15-minute foray to add something new and end up spending an entire evening and not realize that 6 hours have gone by...

 

[Joshua Randall]

Re: DM Genie, for most simple feats/abilities, you can copy and modify the scripting from a similar feat; e.g. for Divine Might feat you can copy and modify Smite Evil from the paladin.

It uses Visual Basic, BTW, so if you know that, you can probably do a lot more with it than I can.

 

[Cergorach]

I have some experience with PCgen, had some problems with it in the past (and a lot of frustration with the datasets), will try it again. I'll also try the demos of dmgenie and npcdesigner. Thanks for the info...