Character Builder and Sheets and 3pp

[darjr]

Don't know if this still works.

http://laughterforever.com/Shados_Generator/

I had a link to the original authors profile on the WotC forums somewhere. I'm not sure if it's been updated recently. I started to take this flash and munge it to work with other sheets but didn't go to far.

http://www.enworld.org/forum/5223944-post16.html

 

[Scribble]

I'm still confused... People seem to be saying it can't be done, but also that it can be done at the same time?

Again how do sites like iplay4e do it, if it can't be done?

Or is it just that it can be done, but it's a pain to do it because the XML isn't formatted right, so not many want to do it?

 

[Jan van Leyden]

I'm still confused... People seem to be saying it can't be done, but also that it can be done at the same time?

Again how do sites like iplay4e do it, if it can't be done?

Or is it just that it can be done, but it's a pain to do it because the XML isn't formatted right, so not many want to do it?

The XML gives you some kind of object ID. You can use this ID to access the compendium. The result is something like the power you see when you access the compendium manually. That is, you get something like text or, even worse, a graphic.

But if you want to adapt it to your own PC you would have to parse it and "understand" it.

iplay4e essentially displays the info culled from the Compendium without interpreting it, so you see something like "Hit: 1[W] + Strength modifier + Constitution modifier damage" instead of "Hit: +7".

One can dissect the info and generate a formula from the data, but the XML being not in accordance with a schema, you would have to implement this for an ungodly amount of rules elements.

And, rest assured, on the next day WotC implements a new rules element which means you'll have to extend your system.

On the other hand I can understand why their XML is so ugly. To properly develop a schema, you have to know what sort of data you'll describe with it; it is like a template for your data. Definition and adherence to a schema would essentially limit the design space for the RPG development team. Much easier to throw around your custom elements and invent the wheel again every other day!

 

[ghaladen]

I think what all of us developers really want to ask, but haven't, is how much is it worth to you?

 

[jimmifett]

I'm still confused... People seem to be saying it can't be done, but also that it can be done at the same time?

Again how do sites like iplay4e do it, if it can't be done?

Or is it just that it can be done, but it's a pain to do it because the XML isn't formatted right, so not many want to do it?

It's not impossible, but the amount of work involved is considerable.

The xml contains a portion of the information you need, but it is poorly formatted and woefully incomplete. The CB makes up for this by having references to the entries and calculations to make power cards in an encrypted library file.

The other portion of what you need is accessible via the compendium, but is also not in an easy to parse format, it can change without notice, and the number of custom templates you would have to create to accommodate inconsistencies is not insignificant.

Monkeys, room, typewriters, Shakespeare.

I find it a lot easier (or at least less stressful) to create myself a schema to map the system from scratch, and from that load everything manually into my own xml. This is the route I've gone. It is not an easy route either, but I have total control over the accuracy of data, presentation, validation, and can manipulate it however I wish into whatever format I wish. It just takes an awful lot of data entry.

 

[TikkchikFenTikktikk]

What? Wizards of the Coast would hire cheap .Net devs to spit out a web product to meet an already late deadline just because no one ever got fired for buying Microsoft. Shutup. I haven't lived through trying to secure the fallout from such shortsighted decisions before...

I'm not saying there are any security vulnerabilities in the new, hastily-developed, web-based character builder published by a company with a terrible history of deploying digital tools.