Best NPC generator and Monster Stat program

[Mynex]

As it stands, it is useless to me if it can't do it randomly. Thus PCGen is right out.

Anyways, until I get an apology from certain persons who accused me of slander and libel, PCGen will NEVER see any cooperation from me.

*NOTE: The following is a personal post, in no way represents the views or opinions of PCGen, CMP, or anyone but myself.

Ya know, I did apologize to you... both here and in private...

We even talked once over at Mortality in a non hostile manner...

I've moved on with my life, I see no sense in dwelling in the past. Nor do I hold Ambient responsible for anything you said, even though you are associated with Ambient on/in several ways, as I am with PCGen, and your comments were, well, less than pleasant to evoke my (very rude, blunt, and poor decision in wording, let alone posting) response.

Regardless... it's simple, get over it and move on. If you're going to refuse to use PCGen just because you and I don't see eye to eye, that's not my problem, concern, or care, it's yours.

I made the gestures to repair the past, you ignore or don't care, and again, this is not my problem, concern or care, it's yours.

But I'll step up again, just because it seems to be that you want me to grovel at your feet... so here it is, in black and white glory (or whatever color scheme you may have set)....

*clear throat and drops to knees, burying face in the ground*

OH please, great and mighty game designer beyond par, hear my pleas of begging for forgiveness. Forgive me my transgression that all will be well with the world now, and I may go on with my with my life filled with wracking sobs of grief and guilt for daring to raise doubts about your superior wisdom and mighty intellect. I beseech thee to have mercy and accept my humble apology, that you may know you were just and right and I was but a mere worm for daring to argue with you. Please, oh great and mighty game designer, whom the world hinges upon, accept this apology in the hopes that all who read my poor wretched words may understand the folly of daring to cross words with you, that they may avoid such pain and anguish as only you can inflict by ignoring products they may be associated with.

Hear my plea and accept of gracious one.

*gets up and dusts of knees*

You got 2 serious apologies and this one, not serious. You don't get anymore, and quite frankly, if you want to 'punish' PCGen because you can't get over the past (words are words, and a lot were exchanged, not just between us, so deal with it), that's most certainly your decision. I think it's rather silly myself, but I do understand obstinance all too well.

I'm done with rehashing the past now, and when you're ready to talk and interact without sideswipes like that, please contact me, until then, I wish you well in all endeavours you undertake, long life and good luck.

*washes hands*

 

[HellHound]

Ya know, I did apologize to you... both here and in private...

We even talked once over at Mortality in a non hostile manner...

I recall only one apology and it was for something quite different, although a part of that same "conversation" (being you emailing my wife and asking HER to shut me up on these boards and the Mortality boards). (The remainder of this paragraph has been removed and sent in email).

I'm now going to search these message boards as well as the Mortality message boards to see if I missed another apology from you that was made publically. If so, my most sincere apologies for forgetting the apology.

Regardless, my apology for bringing it up in public again, as I should have realized that it would either be ignored or result in a farce like this.

I'll henceforth keep my virtual mouth shut on these message boards and the Mortality message boards about my problems with both PCGen and Mynex.

(edit: after a search of all posts made by username "Mynex", I have found no such apology - this includes posts going back to the date of the incident in question)

 

[smetzger]

Dear Sir,

D20 Mechanic is sufficiently complicated to make creation of sensible (read: believable) random characters difficult to achieve. IMHO you need software which allows to restrict randomizing methods and results range according to certain conditions.

I am not sure what you mean by

"...you need software which allows to restrict randomizing methods and results range according to certain conditions."

I believe my RogueGenerator program, that I am currently working on, will produce 'believable random NPCs' without straight jacketing the NPC generation process into preset groups of feats or skills. Plus all randomization 'weights' will be user adjustable.

When I am closer to a beta I will make an anouncement here.

*:> Scott

 

[Twin Rose]

You got 2 serious apologies and this one, not serious. You don't get anymore, and quite frankly, if you want to 'punish' PCGen because you can't get over the past (words are words, and a lot were exchanged, not just between us, so deal with it), that's most certainly your decision. I think it's rather silly myself, but I do understand obstinance all too well.

I'm done with rehashing the past now, and when you're ready to talk and interact without sideswipes like that, please contact me, until then, I wish you well in all endeavours you undertake, long life and good luck.

I'm just unsure how the decision someone makes not to release their IP for use to another company, one that is in fact becomming a publisher in their own right, is a 'punishment'. Anyone who owns IP has the choice of whether or not they wish others to use it. It's simply his decision, and in no way follows the orriginal thread of his discussion - that being his desire for a random generator.

 

[ruemere]

I am not sure what you mean by

"...you need software which allows to restrict randomizing methods and results range according to certain conditions."

Hmm. Allow me to rephrase this: A combination of completely variable characteristics is unlikely to produce a believable character unless improbable combinations of the characteristics are excluded.

I believe my RogueGenerator program, that I am currently working on, will produce 'believable random NPCs' without straight jacketing the NPC generation process into preset groups of feats or skills. Plus all randomization 'weights' will be user adjustable.

When I am closer to a beta I will make an anouncement here.

I'm looking forward to this, though IMHO you need to create a whole script engine for this purpose, i.e. for building a new set of rules. Myself, I've devoted some thoughts to this in the past, and the best I could come up with, was a state-driven automaton with weight based state-transitions and rules dynamically modyfing the weights according to important characteristics (for example: If your strength exceeds 16, increase the likelihood of choosing of acquiring Power Attack feat. Also increase the likelihood if this character is focusing on melee combat.). The states would be defined by a script engine, with a predefined number of start states.
*shrug*
As you can see, it was a bit too complex to be efficiently designed.

Actually, I've been working with Hellhound to generate NPCs randomly, using his own product "Everyone Else" as a baseline for 80+ random 'types'. The randomization follows these guidelines and in fact creates very believable ones. Asside from your 'generic townsfolk' however, these rules can be set up for any number of different races, classes, etc. You can even generate entire groups at once.

Out of curiosity, how do you define the rules to govern the generation? Weights, intervals, pools, functions?

Regards,
Ruemere

 

[Henry]

I think that any future discourse between Mynex and Hellhound would be best handled by private e-mail, instead of through this thread, in the interest of keeping the original point on-topic, especially since PCGen does not currently possess the functionality required.

I would also humbly request that no one make any further comments on their discourse, nor the situation in question.

Thanks, everyone.

Henry Link

 

[smetzger]

I'm looking forward to this, though IMHO you need to create a whole script engine for this purpose, i.e. for building a new set of rules. Myself, I've devoted some thoughts to this in the past, and the best I could come up with, was a state-driven automaton with weight based state-transitions and rules dynamically modyfing the weights according to important characteristics (for example: If your strength exceeds 16, increase the likelihood of choosing of acquiring Power Attack feat. Also increase the likelihood if this character is focusing on melee combat.). The states would be defined by a script engine, with a predefined number of start states.
*shrug*
As you can see, it was a bit too complex to be efficiently designed.

Yes, that is what I am doing. State based Weight modifiers, with the ability to change the base weight, the amount of the weight modifier, and the ability to assign new 'items' (e.g. skill, feat, class, spell, whatever) to this condition/state.

I am also including the possibility of partial random selection. For example, you could choose race, class, level, max out one skill, and choose 2 feats. Then you could have the program 'roll' the remaining feats and skills.

To be honest I'll probably get bashed because it runs a bit slow, but I think its worth it for the flexibility.

 

[Twin Rose]

Out of curiosity, how do you define the rules to govern the generation? Weights, intervals, pools, functions?

You can set several "Critera" for each type of thing, and I believe there's about a dozen in standard data-sets, and more as you add others. You can assign a skill to the "profession" or choose a random criteria - seach string, relevant ability, whether or not it has child skills, whether it's a class skill or not - and it will then assign ranks. It does each of these things for each 'level' and will even let you determine when a character shoudl multi-class.