I'm baaack... (no, really)

[Valavien]

Count me in for this software as well. I am just about to inherit a Palm Vx

 

[SaiZai]

Count me in for this software as well. I am just about to inherit a Palm Vx

Any suggestions, then?

- Sai

 

[SaiZai]

BOOYA! A years' work saved.

I finally managed to recover my full Palm Familiar project directory.

Not the absolute latest version, but close enough - beta 2. I know I made a bunch of unreleased changes since then; I'll have to check how far along this one is. And I'll have to refamiliarize myself with my own code (*groan*), completely revamp the database backend, and plenty of other stuff.

But at least I'm not starting from scratch.

Of course, this means it'd be less easy for me to do it in C++ now (it's all pure C). And I'll have to go through everything to see what I can replace with the new MSL and Glue libraries. But still... woot.

 

[Hatchling Dragon]

I'll have to make up (yet another) list on my Palm, "Things I need in a PalmOS-based character 'sheet'.

Inventory tracking, with the 'stock containers' stats already in place (ie: Bags of Holding stats), or the ability to create 'custom' containers and no built-in examples. Perhaps limiters so that you can't wear 15 rings and 3 sets of bracers and still get all the 'buffs' they'd grant.

Will try to think up more stuff if work's not insane, which of course it will be since I'm going to bed late and don't want it to be busy

Hatchling Dragon

 

[SaiZai]

Inventory tracking, with the 'stock containers' stats already in place (ie: Bags of Holding stats), or the ability to create 'custom' containers and no built-in examples. Perhaps limiters so that you can't wear 15 rings and 3 sets of bracers and still get all the 'buffs' they'd grant.[/b]

Okay... I'll break that up a bit.

First, it presupposes that one can "equip" items, have something that says "where" that item is equipped, and (*way* more complicated) have those items actually affect stats. (more on that later)

Limiters would be simple, with the second part in place.

Exactly what do you mean by "Bag of Holding stats"? Do you want the program to actually calculate how much a given container can hold? (By weight, that shouldn't be too difficult; by volume, it would be near impossible.) Do you want it to be *editable*?

And what do you mean by "the ability to create 'custom' containers"? Is this an either-or with the previous - not necessary if that's implemented - or do you want both?

Will try to think up more stuff if work's not insane, which of course it will be since I'm going to bed late and don't want it to be busy

Please do. I welcome all suggestions; it's my job to determine what's insane, not yours (yay). It's sometimes surprising to non-coders what is and isn't; often the opposite of what one might think.

Now then, to expound on the "modifiers & other stat-effecting" bit...

Currently, I plan to have PF be "hardcoded" - *not* very customizable, except by myself. The reasons are twofold: first, it's way easier to code, and second, it's much more compact and fast. Customization, scripting, and whatnot is more suited to a "large" system like desktops than tiny handheld devices (in terms of memory, processor speed, etc.)

Thus, it means I have to specify ahead of time exactly what can be changed, and how. For example, have every item have a list of "things it modifies" - which in turn have to come from a preselected list. E.g., "strength", "attack bonus", "magical attack bonus", etc. I suppose that one way would be to give every single used stat a list of modifiers - from the standard list ("inherent", "holy", "circumstance", etc.) - plus another "custom" field that you could modify for other stuff.

That would be able to handle most things. However, stranger things (like "+2 vs. goblins" or "grants stoneskin 1/day") wouldn't really be feasible to do.

Does that work for you? (If that was confusing, feel free to ask for clarification. I do tend to ramble and get technical at times...)

- Sai

 

[Hatchling Dragon]

Since I'm more the 'straight from the book(s)' type the 'not very customizable, except by me' thing isn't a big issue. I can see it being potential trouble down the road, unless you expect to expand the flexability at some point in the future. But that's for the future itself, so enough about that subject for now.

In regards to the container issue though, I'll try to clear things up a bit. I tend to ramble too and usually go back and edit for brevity, usualy...

The stats I was interested were the weight stats for the containers themselfs, particularly the magial containers like a Bag of Holding that have a 'set' weight regardless of the total mass of it's contents. Volume would be the perfect stat to religate to the computer for tracking, but there aren't any stats for item volumes that I'm aware of, so this would be pointless. Perhaps just listing them in descriptive text for DM reference.

A main reason for wanting 'stats' for containers was at least two-fold: First, so that you couldn't realy exceed total carry capacity and Secondly, so you could keep track of total weight and thus weight penelties to those skills that take that into account. This could prove especially useful if you have a Jump (or other) skill calculator built into the program.

As to 'slot' tracking, I was refering to the rules for allowing only one item for certain locations of the body (ex: One necklace, two rings, ect...). This of course wouldn't be important until/unless you have the program add-up the bonuses or reductions from items worn by the character. Then you'd need the 'slot tracker' feature to be sure that nobody was cheating by wearing multiple helmets/headbands or whatnot.

Hope that cleared things up for you. And what sort of availability can we hope for in way of the 'old stuff', namely what you've just recovered and are planning on building back up from?

Hatchling Dragon

 

[SaiZai]

Since I'm more the 'straight from the book(s)' type the 'not very customizable, except by me' thing isn't a big issue. I can see it being potential trouble down the road, unless you expect to expand the flexability at some point in the future. But that's for the future itself, so enough about that subject for now.

It's actually a fairly important point from a design perspective. Retrofitting a static system to dynamic/customizable one is a lot of work, depending on how modular it was made in the first place.

The stats I was interested were the weight stats for the containers themselfs, particularly the magial containers like a Bag of Holding that have a 'set' weight regardless of the total mass of it's contents.

Oh, I see. Well, of course; all items have a 'weight' attribute. Have it on you, and that's added to your total weight carried, compared against your carry capacity, etc. down the line. Of course, "special" containers, like a Bag of Holding, negate the weight of actual contents from what I remember...

Volume would be the perfect stat to religate to the computer for tracking, but there aren't any stats for item volumes that I'm aware of, so this would be pointless. Perhaps just listing them in descriptive text for DM reference.

A couple other problems with volume... a) where would I *get* the info (I'm not about to estimate every item extant), and b) 1+1 != 2 for volume. Unfortunately, as anyone who's tried to pack for moving would know, there's a rather large amount of wasted space.

- Sai

 

[Hatchling Dragon]

It's actually a fairly important point from a design perspective. Retrofitting a static system to dynamic/customizable one is a lot of work, depending on how modular it was made in the first place.

I understand the importance, at least in an 'intellectual' way (to use that term very loosely ), and I'm of course all for Modular designs. Might as well as there's little doubt that the program will need changes down the road, be they add-ons or whatever. This is, of course, much easier to say when you're not slaving over a hot keyboard on the acutal code

Oh, I see. Well, of course; all items have a 'weight' attribute. Have it on you, and that's added to your total weight carried, compared against your carry capacity, etc. down the line. Of course, "special" containers, like a Bag of Holding, negate the weight of actual contents from what I remember...

That's what I meant, though I'm not having much luck being 'clear' in what I mean vs what's coming out in text I meant that the program would be able to differentiate between 'weight in a container' and it's acutal weight in respects to skill checks 'n what-not. The Bag of Holding is of course a prime example.

Without an ability to distinguish between the two the 'magic bags' become relatively useless, and of course shoot any skill calculation accuracy out the window.

A couple other problems with volume... a) where would I *get* the info (I'm not about to estimate every item extant), and b) 1+1 != 2 for volume. Unfortunately, as anyone who's tried to pack for moving would know, there's a rather large amount of wasted space.

Sorry, another goof. I wasn't implying that volume was to be considered, I just pointed-out that computers would be ideal to keep track of it if it were an 'essential' stat. Thank goodness it's not. That's another thing that DM's are there for, keeping people from stuffing Halflings into the main pouch of thier Haversack to avoid those pesky weight limits.

Hatchling Dragon

 

[SaiZai]

I meant that the program would be able to differentiate between 'weight in a container' and it's acutal weight in respects to skill checks 'n what-not. The Bag of Holding is of course a prime example.

Isn't it the *only* example? (Barring BoH-equivalent items, like the magic quiver, portable hole, etc.)

Without an ability to distinguish between the two the 'magic bags' become relatively useless, and of course shoot any skill calculation accuracy out the window.

Not so. You could have a "custom" modifier to the Weight entry listing -X lbs. to account for it. But that is, of course, more inconvenient.

That's another thing that DM's are there for, keeping people from stuffing Halflings into the main pouch of thier Haversack to avoid those pesky weight limits.

I thought this came under the listing for "torture"...

 

[Valavien]

What I would like is the character sheet and the ability to track hitpoints.

I have a really great auto calculating sheet in excel and it would be good to do all of your modifications in there and upload a file to the palm that it could read and display. Apart from hitpoints, a little notes section would be good as well. So that way you could graffiti in any penalties or items that have been acquired and then add them to your excel sheet when you get home. Is that any help?