Customising E-tools

[chaosoverfiend]

now that CMP have lost the license i have decided to try and manually update and customise E-tools. unfortunatly i am finding it rather confusing to do. can anyone impart their knowledge of how to do this or is there a guide out there on the vast net that can help?

 

[TheYeti1775]

Might try posting downstairs in the Software section. Got quite a few techheads down there.

 

[Primitive Screwhead]

The CMP web site still has a forum that has posts regarding with tinkering within E-Tools. There is also a download of a utility that makes creating classes and races pretty easy.

Unfortunately there is some stuff that just *cannot* be done, like granting bonus skill points

As far as I know there is no manual or guide. You can crack the back of E-Tools with MsAcess and look at the tables. Its not too bad if you are a techy minded person.

 

[Birmy]

I've been making it a point lately to sample as many character generators as I can and I've found a few I liked (Redblade, PC Gen, and especially Hero Lab) but I've yet to get the chance to try ETools; every time I try the Code Monkey site it's down. Would you say it was worth getting? It sounds sort of impenetrable based on recent comments, though that could just be consumer frustration setting in. Why wasn't their license renewed? Does one have to be "techie" to get the most out of it (I'm certainly not)?

 

[kingpaul]

I've found a few I liked (Redblade, PC Gen, and especially Hero Lab)

Glad you liked PCGen

but I've yet to get the chance to try ETools; every time I try the Code Monkey site it's down.

Their web host provider's data center got hit with the Worm from the Deep, and hasn't recovered yet.

Would you say it was worth getting?

I don't think its for sale anymore, but I could be wrong.

Why wasn't their license renewed?

The only thing that's been said is "future considerations" on the part of WotC. From folks I've talked to, it had nothing to do with anything CMP did. WotC let the license lapse.

 

[Primitive Screwhead]

I've been making it a point lately to sample as many character generators as I can and I've found a few I liked (Redblade, PC Gen, and especially Hero Lab) but I've yet to get the chance to try ETools; ... Does one have to be "techie" to get the most out of it (I'm certainly not)?

E-Tools is nice in that it works 'out of the box' and you could get a number of data sets to go with it.

E-Tools is not nice in that WOTC let the license lapse, so its not supported or and no more WOTC data sets are pending. You can still get some of the 3rd party data sets like Kenzer and Company.

The Monkey's have been working on an upgrade that has a great sales pitch. E-Tools was crippled from the start as CMP bought the base engine and could not really adjust it. RPG Tools was going to be a complete re-write from the ground up with all the lessons learned built in. Unfortunatly CMP has been saying that for a couple years now

You don't need to be a techie to use the simple things.. creating new equipment and feats is simple with the built in House Rule capability. A free add-on makes changes to classes pretty easy. Its when you try something that the core engine didn't forsee, like bonus skill points, that it gets really messy.

I like it for ease of use and the nice output options. The reports are an xml-based function so you can tweak the character sheets to how you like it relatively easy, altho being a techie does make this part alot easier