ETools integration to RoleplayingMaster
Just a quick note to let you know I've started work on importing from E-Tools into RPM. This work starts with things such as using the same names and statblock outputs so that things can be properly matched on imports. Whilst import for things such as characters/creatures is pretty obvious, I also hope to be looking at things such as table generators, to see if the ETools format is somewhat compatible with my own format, and if an import for them is a good idea.
I'm using a quick questionnaire/survey from my website to see what people's general attitudes, issues and desires are. It's early days yet (I only have a small percentage of RPM users replying so far - about 90), and surprisingly, desire for an ETools import is scoring quite low.
Perhaps this forum is a better way to find if there's strong support for this
I've always been ready to listen about ways to improve RPM, and I'm also ready to listen about how you can get the most out of ETools with it.What's RolePlayingMaster about?
If you've never seen RolePlayingMaster (or not for a little while anyway), there are too many features to list here comprehensively. I'd just recommend that you start off looking at the screenshots at http://www.roleplayingmaster.com and go try the download. The screenshots are bit out of date, and don't quite do RPM justice, but they paint the picture. If you're not expecting much, I'll bet your in for a big surprise. Personal tastes will differ, but I often get a "best thing available" response from people using it.
Why might you want to import from ETools to RolePlayingMaster?
- To build on the basic ETools starting functionality, as follows:
- So you can take advantage of the full game preparation features to complete your RPG work. This includes the Adventure Builder ( a mapper, maping imports, locations, descriptions (full rich text format wordprocessing), encounter groups etc).
- RPM also gives you full in-game support, if you want it, down to using prepared adventures, encounters and maps, along with combat management, time (effects expiry) management. Full continuous recalculation of characters/creatures is done according to equipped items, abilities, conditions, current spell effects and selected options. It can also work out results for attacks, AC, damage, skills, saves etc.
- Easy support for templates (half-dragon, lycanthrope etc).
- Easy support for character/creature flexibility, down do changing base ability rolls for correct racial adjustments, and even chaging the race.
- A fully open and expandable system supported by source management (import/export) and built-in user interfaces for adding your own material and modifiers (feats, skills, classes, prestige classes, races, items, campaign setting, spells etc). No need for external database applications like Access, or hand-editing of text files.
What's new in RPM?
If it's been a while since you looked at it, the last few releases included the following basics:
- Expanded Adventure Builder descriptions, similar to what's available in the Campaign Encyclopaedia (including hyperlinks, tree-like data entry, rich-text wordprocessing and graphics support).
- New spell support for all the different types of spell casters, to make learning, memorizing or casting spells very simple. Especially important fixes for Clerical domains in spell casting.
- Better support for importing and exporting your source, user, adventure and creature information.
- Speed, usability, and stability.
- Time management for spells and other effects - automatically applying the effects, and expiring them.
- Important fixes to mechanics calculations - especially for attacks and damage. This work is for the various attack styles, ability bonuses, feats, class features, and race features.
- Better info lookup, where you can click on list items, and get full popup info dialogs. Particularly useful when "Levelling up", to check out classes, skills, abilities or feats.
Finally: The latest release is now available for download.
Regards,
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