Do we want a Character Generator?

[Styracosaurus]

I think that, given that house rules can have any form you like, that this is not a reasonable request. You cannot design a thing with infinite flexibility, and expect it to be usable.

Which is not to say that they can't create a character generator with a lot of flexibility, but they have to have some base assumptions.

As a basic example - you may have a house rule for a race that has a type of movement that is neither walking, swimmming, or flight. It could have some crazy limitations (can only move on square diagonals, or something). As a game house rule, you can make it. But I don't feel it reasonable to expect WotC to allow for it.

Yes, but you could have the ability to allow certain books or disallow certain powers if you so choose. You could place an asterisk next to certain feats/powers/skills that might be different in your game.

Many house rules will involve the description of a certain power rather than reworking a part of the system. For example, many people feel that Careful Strike should be +4 to hit rather than +2. You could click on the Careful Strike power and remove it and replace it with a different at will. Or, you could just make your own at will power and place it in the list of choices as well.

You could design in homebrew Paragon Paths fairly easily as compared to prestige classes in 3e.

 

[Lord Xtheth]

I just hope that DDI works for one
and it will allow for DM created content for games
Also, the ability for the DM to award bonuses as they see fit, without calling up a rule program.

"Wow, what an awesome backstory for your chivalrous and dedicated paladin, gain +2 to Cha."

 

[Umbran]

Yes, but you could have the ability to allow certain books or disallow certain powers if you so choose. You could place an asterisk next to certain feats/powers/skills that might be different in your game.

Oh, sure. There are many things you could do to help incorporate house rules. Handle the math of any and all possible house rules, however, isn't one of them. In general, as far as software design goes, you can get high flexibility or high usability, but not both.

 

[Rodrigo Istalindir]

Hell, yes. And I'm not paying $15/month for one for the next 5 years.

 

[withak]

I'll be writing my own, but I doubt I'll be distributing it in any fashion. I'd rather not get a C&D from WotC lawyers.

 

[Darth K'Trava]

Honestly, I'd be happy to type up my own power cards and put in all of my own information, but I do NOT want to pay a monthly fee to have access to the thing. Sadly, I feel like what's going to happen is that WotC is going to want to control all character generator software of any sort, so things like PCGen and DMGenie will have to close up shop, and the only alternative I'll have is to code up my own character generator and use it privately, or pay a monthly fee.

I hope either other generators are able to remain available by becoming generic (though that'll probably make them less useful) or that WotC decides to sell their character generator with a one-time fee instead of a monthly subscription.

They yanked alot of the Star Wars character generator programs, according to someone I used to know who got ahold of at least one of them..

There's various fan made generators out there.

Here's one I got off the sticky thread over on the WOTC boards.