RPM: Beta features update

[Leopold]

Hey Leopold,

The CR is actually displayed in the main section, above the statblock window between Dodge and Speed. You don't need to be looking at the statblock to see it.

Regards,

[To the tune of Amazing Grace]
I was once lost, but now am found. Blind but now can seeeeee!


How you like them apples! It was hidden away up in there! Anyway you can put that into the statblock down below as another entry? This is highly helpful when copying from the statblock into a .doc with the CR plainly visable

 

[Luke]

[To the tune of Amazing Grace]
I was once lost, but now am found. Blind but now can seeeeee!


How you like them apples! It was hidden away up in there! Anyway you can put that into the statblock down below as another entry? This is highly helpful when copying from the statblock into a .doc with the CR plainly visable

Hang on. It's already in the statblock. The first thing after [Name, Gender, Race, Classes] (before size).

Gotcha twice! You would've thought I already knew that though...

 

[Cergorach]

*hands Leopold his glasses*

You need them more than i do Bro ;-)

 

[Leopold]

this stuff is hidden away! how's a man supposed to see it?

 

[Luke]

this stuff is hidden away! how's a man supposed to see it?

Well... It's the start of the 2nd line in the statblock, but you're very right. That's 3rd edition game mechanics for you - reasonably comprehensive "physics" simulating an entire fantasy/whatever universe. So much darned information...

It's why I started RolePlayingMaster. The original vision was to be an automated in-game assistant for MasterTools. All the character and adventure generation only came in because of the lengthy MasterTools delays, followed by all the cutting of MT functionality.

 

[Luke]

Integrated Generators

We've lost some posts here, so I'll cover the "Integrated Generators" territory, and give an update.

There are a lot of text generators already available in RPM for all sorts of things, but I recently asked about

delaying release 1 to get properly integrated geenrators into RPM.

A "properly integrated generator" is something that allows you to build a random table by selecting items available

from the RPM database (races, items (equipment, armor, magic etc), spells, skills, and so on...).

The answer was a resounding "yes" to delay release 1 for implementing integrated generators.

So, I revisited some work I did before I asked the question, and have some decent results already, as follows:

What's working now:
You can create various table types (races, items etc). You pull across any items from your selected "Sources"

list, and give them a chance to occur.

You can actually generate from the tables.
You can create different tables for different purposes. For example, you could have different equipment tables for

different classes, or different wandering monster tables for different localities or climates.

What I plan to do for release 1
Implement basic use of the generators. This includes equipment generation (weapons, armor, magic etc), and also

Encounter tables (wandering monsters etc).

For example, a quick click can create you an encounter group from the appropriate encounter table.

What I plan to do after release 1
Get fancier in the possibilities for generation.

Actually create encounter charts that you can attach to a prepared adventure. You may have a chart for the

adventure itself, or a map within the adventure, or even a location within a map. Exporting the adventure for others,

this information would be included!

If *you* have any great ideas, feel free to share them! Chances are it will have to wait till after release 1, though.

Regards,
Luke

 

[Leopold]

i want a generator where i hit a button and it spews out this:

1. Random encounter based on a spread of CR's i put in a number and terrain and it spits out the monsters and what equipment they might have and what loot they might have.

2. NPC's that are FULLY equipped. This is a big one for me as I am doing the 2E to 3E conversion and do this the hard way in RPM.



Those 2 would be worth holding off the release for.

 

[Luke]

i want a generator where i hit a button and it spews out this:

1. Random encounter based on a spread of CR's i put in a number and terrain and it spits out the monsters and what equipment they might have and what loot they might have.

2. NPC's that are FULLY equipped. This is a big one for me as I am doing the 2E to 3E conversion and do this the hard way in RPM.



Those 2 would be worth holding off the release for.

1. I have a few Dungeon Encounter tables entered, and it's going pretty well with quick, random encounter generation.
What you're talking about isn't really table generation, and hence you don't have a way to say what the relative chances of different races appearing are (eg. Orc as likely as a Dragon).

What you can do right now with RPM is to create tables for a wilderness encounter, of different ELs (as per the DMG). The whole autogenerated CR thing isn't obvious, since you can build an EL using a creature that fits it, a number of low CR creatures that add up to what you want, a combination of the 2, and a further complexity where you can use low CR race creatures, but level them up! Too many degrees of freedom.

Whilst I'd like to do other variations, release 1 will be about giving you the ability to create your own tables. It should be okay to have the standard tables, and you can then go create others for a specific campaign location setting, or even a particular adventure.

2. NPCs that are FULLY equipped is a very loaded question. The harder I look at it, the worse it gets.
There's a LOT more to SENSIBLE NPC equipment generation than creating tables, and if you want an expandable system that works, then you're asking people to possibly learn scripting.

The problem with sensible generation, is to make sure that the equipment fits in with the feats, race and class features. Examples are: Druids avoid iron, ignore weapons that you don't have feats for (or especially proficiency), ignore magic you can't use, ignore obvious alignment issues with magic, Barbarians possibly prefer hide/leather armor etc. Worse yet, RPM (like PCGen - you know what I mean here) is designed for openly expandable D20 systems. You can't *assume* classes, such as the core ones, and code for them specifically. You don't know what other classes people will invent, with particular equipment bias, and code for it.

Going away to think...

Any suggestions welcome...

 

[KingofStorms]

LUKE:

Large groups of creature or NPC generation could be done like this: (I apologize if this turns out to be too confusing. I think I could actually create the screens quicker in Photoshop to SHOW you what I'm talking about than to describe them, but oh well...)

Step 1: THE 20's FORM. (A form pops up with 20 questions, ranging from what three armour types to use to what race (creatures included), to what type of weapons they use, all selected by the DM. Next to each of these types of questions is another box where the DM then puts in the percentage chance of them using such items, with a third box next to THAT where they put in the percentage chance each item is magical.) The last question of the 20 is "how many creatures of this type do you wish to create?" and if we want 8, 3, or 20 of them, we enter it here.

We must fill out the form until it is complete (the "Process"ing button should be grey out until all questions are complete). We then hit Process. It then uses all of your generation matrixes to auto generate each character based on the paramaters we put into the 20 questions. The weapon types, the armour, the percentage of use, and the chance that each item is magical...all of that is controlled by us DM's in the entry stage. Now, the generation proceeds automatically, using our rules. As each creature is completed, it is auto-"green lighted" right into .... the Approver Form....

Step 2: The APPROVER FORM. (This form shows all of the creatures generated and allows you to quickly modify the weapons that were created (if one creature's magic item turned out to be too weak or too powerful, it can be replaced here...) The Approver Form is just like any one of your NPC Groups but it resides in limbo here until you are completely finished, no creatures are yet added to the game at all. If you need to add more creatures to this list (say you want 4 Orcs with full gear, and 4 Hobgoblins will full gear, and 2 Sorcerers at 15th level with full gear....) you finish each group and it gets put here until you are finished generating your armies... You just pop up another 20's Form and add new creatures that, when processed, are moved into the Approver Form also.

When you are totally finished, you hit ADD TO GAME at the bottom and all the creatures generated get added into the Adventure you are currently in.

Hope this makes any sense to you at all, I do ramble a bit, and for that I am sorry. Good luck on your dilemna, Luke!

 

[Luke]

...
Step 1: THE 20's FORM. (A form pops up with 20 questions, ranging from what three armour types to use to what race (creatures included), to what type of weapons they use, all selected by the DM. Next to each of these types of questions is another box where the DM then puts in the percentage chance of them using such items, with a third box next to THAT where they put in the percentage chance each item is magical.) The last question of the 20 is "how many creatures of this type do you wish to create?" and if we want 8, 3, or 20 of them, we enter it here.
...

Thanks. I think I get the picture being painted.

The main issues I have are this:
- I already have several ways to instantly generate batches of creatures. The main issue is how to equip them. Speed is really important here.
- We're really looking for a completely automatic system. If you can pre-build appropriate tables (or, worst case, scripts), you should have to ask the "20 questions" all the time.
- For example, if I import from the integrated Jamic NPC generator, I get just about everything except the equipment. If RPM can fill this out automatically, we have sensible, fully constructed creatures. We still have issues with equipment being compatible with current profociencies, feats, and class features/restrictions.

To zone in a bit more clearly on my problem: How can you automatically, instantly generate appropriate equipment for a crature of random race, with random classes and levels?

Thanks,