Encounter Designer Beta has started

[Vascant]

When I originally started NPC Designer, it was the initial step to a bigger dream. I had this simple question, What could I do if I had a decent NPC Generator? I initially started toying with JB NPC Generator source code but as he even stated in his own blog, would require a complete recode to handle some aspects of d20. So I started creating my own system.

Though I am by no means finished with NPC Designer, I am starting to become happy enough to look at other aspects.

Encounter Designer is the first of them, it allows you to create encounters and the engine will call upon NPC Designer to create the needed stat blocks to flesh them out. Though we are just starting to scratch the surface as to what is possible, in a short time I see it possible to use Encounter Designer to create a complete Tavern with description, menu, staff and customers.. all with a single click.

Screenshot of Encounter Designer:

 

[rom90125]

Excellent work Vas....I've been eagerly awaiting this since your first announcement.

And now for a little pimping of NPC Generator...

From Monte Cook's Line Of Sight article (http://www.montecook.com/cgi-bin/page.cgi?mc_los_150)

Even before 3rd Edition D&D came out, while I was working on Return to the Temple of Elemental Evil, I asked for a computer program that would generate random NPCs that fit the rules. I wanted it to be customizable, so that I could not only select basics like the race, class, and level of the character, but also tailor it so that the resulting character's skills reflected a general concept (and of course, so that the skills all made sense together, rather than just being totally random). And I wanted it to generate equipment appropriate to the character, befitting its level. I wanted it to layer on templates and prestige class levels as well as handling regular multiclassing, and I wanted it to cover things far beyond just the core Player's Handbook races.

 

[Vascant]

Each day we get new feedback and come up with new ideas how we can expand Encounter Designer and make the impossible.. reality. With a click of the button you can have the complete stat blocks for a random encounter or an encounter you design. Each script is capable of having its own options for you to select so the encounter fits what you need.

Screenshot of the new feature added to Encounter Designer:

 

[Dimwhit]

I assume this is a Window-only program, right? Looks cool.

 

[Vascant]

Yes correct, Windows based but you can VMWare it as well. I have it running on a Mandrake system with VMWare installed to handle windows apps. When this all started the goal was very direct, to see if a specific of functionality could be achieved. That still is the goal in many cases. I am proud to say there is nothing like NPC Designer.

 

[Morrus]

What does this scale to? Encounters for the 1-20 range, or does it go into Epic? My party is currently 19th level and will hit Epic soon, and I have a hard time coming up with interesting encounters for them.

 

[Vascant]

There are no limits set by the Core program there, just depends upon the data it runs from. We are about half way done with Epic stuff. The numbers all work correctly, just do not have the feats finished. I pretty much spend my time working where I had the most support to test things as I moved into Encounter Designer functionality. I finished up the remaining initial functionality today.

The Demo shows all the monsters and races NPC Designer handles thus far, which is constanting growing based on scripts being done by users and myself. Encounter Designer uses the NPC Designer Engine to create the stat blocks needed for the encounter.

 

[the_sandman]

Well, I purchased this program tonight, and although I am a dumbass and had problems with the installation of this program, Vascant showed me the most amazing turnaround to the technical issues! I am also playing with the program and I am thinking "Hey! I got something like 40$ here for 15!" I'm telling you right now, this program ROCKS!

Jason Sandeman

 

[Vascant]

We have added the last tab's functionality into Encounter Designer and has been named Table Designer. Personally I have always enjoyed the functionality Tablesmith has added to generators. So I have decided to explore the functionality of it while combining it with the power of NPC Designer's current engines.


Screenshot of Table Designer: