Its been almost a month since the last RPM update, and I've been busy with a bunch of new features and improvements.
New yahoo fan site
Firstly, some guys have started a new RPM yahoo fan site , for sharing ideas, and RPM export files that they've created.
I've no official capacity there, and like that, since this group is a free and independant community initiative.
There are rules concerned with copyright material, and I ask that they be respected.
There's a lot of good open game content available out there, and this should be a great and easy way for people to create and share their material.
Discount sale on registrations
I'm currently running a 20% discount sale on RPM registrations, should you choose to support further RPM development efforts, and get the most of everything available.
New Features
- Firstly, I've created a new random dungeon generator - styled after the efforts of the "Generator King" - Jamis Buck. You have lots of options for sizes, levels, colours, and limited editing, which you can then import into an RPM adventure, and do further editing.
This is certainly quite usable, and great fun, just as it is, but I plan on much greater control, editing capabilities, and flexible use of generator selections. On-going work on this will be prioritised according to community interest.
I'm hoping that there's interest in been able to select different types of generators for different types of dungeons (types of creatures, rooms, and features). Creative option choices (particularly with colors and path editing), could just as easily generate an elven forest city, as an underground dungeon crawl.
- Next, I've started to tackle the networked gaming issue at the most difficult end - getting decent internet voice capability to work. This seems very important to me anyway, though I may be ignorant of just how successfully people do play, with just text chat for communication. Much more is planned in this area, but I'm keen on feedback from people on the voice quality of whats already available. If sufficient interest is there, I'll outlay to get get full voice quality with conference capability working. The "player map with reveal" and other features will follow, but first I'd like to solve the more difficult issues, and see exactly how well we can aim at the best possible internet experience.
For now the text chat and basic single client voice is there, in case somebody in the group can't personally make it to the game one night (no baby sitter?), or if you just want to chat to other RPM users. I find that the built-in mike and speakers in my own laptop give great "round table" sound pickup and relay.
Once again, if the interest is there, I could look into a web service for an on-line directory of logged on RPM servers.
General improvements and fixes
- There's been a significant restructure of how characters/creatures are created and ReCalculated (eg if you change the race, or do later templating). This is not only for speed, but also fits in much better for generators, and encounter generation editing.
---------------
Some of the more visual changes include:
- Automatic equipment generation is back in (according to monster manual stats).
- Statblocks now show a full breakdown of modifiers for skills. Naturally, they adjust according to currently equipped magic, and other conditions.
- RPM now stores the fundamental rolls for hit points, which means that on-going Con changes can correctly reflect the base hit points.
- Natural weapons are now included in appropriate equipment lists, so that you can easily apply feats such as weapon focus in any appropriate cases.
- Weapons now have a "Proficiency name" which groups equipment together appropriately for feats such as weapon proficiency or focus. So now the different mighty composite bows (+1/+2 etc), are all considered the same, as are the different types of longsword (eg. longsword, Flame Tongue, or Nine Lives Stealer).
- You can now equip double weapons in both your primary and off-hands, to get the extra attack (with all rules appropriately worked out). Other issues to do with number of hands used, extra strength bonuses etc, were also fixed.
- Plenty of new items have been entered (gems, dungeon features, art etc) - primarily for generators.
Expect much more in this area, including permission from Johnn Four (GM Mastery, www.roleplayingtips.com - all recommended) to include his tables for excellent NPC traits generation.
On this area, I can recommend bringing up the "Generators (Table)", and typing "mag" to bring up the "Magic Shop" generator. Generate a complete magic shop (1000 items?), and then try fiddling with the generator definition, to play with the item breakdown chances (chances for potions, magic weapons, common wondrous, rare wondrous etc). When you realize this can be done for classes, races, sci-fi, and any manner of RPG object, you may start to get the picture of where this is all headed
- More screen adjustments, as appropriate, such as with the Character/Creature window. This includes some compression of the actual statblock, and better general layout.
- Almost all editors now have a "Copy" button to copy and modify a current entry (spells, classes, feats etc). It seems that people are starting to get seriously into creating and entering their own material, as I got this type request from several different individuals in the last couple of weeks. I suspect they're meeting on the unofficial group, and "ganging up on me"
----------------------------
There's currently a small army of RPM fans working on various areas, from tutorials through to data editing. I'd like to that them for their efforts, and hope to bring you the results soon.
Regards,
New yahoo fan site
Firstly, some guys have started a new RPM yahoo fan site , for sharing ideas, and RPM export files that they've created.
I've no official capacity there, and like that, since this group is a free and independant community initiative.
There are rules concerned with copyright material, and I ask that they be respected.
There's a lot of good open game content available out there, and this should be a great and easy way for people to create and share their material.
Discount sale on registrations
I'm currently running a 20% discount sale on RPM registrations, should you choose to support further RPM development efforts, and get the most of everything available.
New Features
- Firstly, I've created a new random dungeon generator - styled after the efforts of the "Generator King" - Jamis Buck. You have lots of options for sizes, levels, colours, and limited editing, which you can then import into an RPM adventure, and do further editing.
This is certainly quite usable, and great fun, just as it is, but I plan on much greater control, editing capabilities, and flexible use of generator selections. On-going work on this will be prioritised according to community interest.
I'm hoping that there's interest in been able to select different types of generators for different types of dungeons (types of creatures, rooms, and features). Creative option choices (particularly with colors and path editing), could just as easily generate an elven forest city, as an underground dungeon crawl.
- Next, I've started to tackle the networked gaming issue at the most difficult end - getting decent internet voice capability to work. This seems very important to me anyway, though I may be ignorant of just how successfully people do play, with just text chat for communication. Much more is planned in this area, but I'm keen on feedback from people on the voice quality of whats already available. If sufficient interest is there, I'll outlay to get get full voice quality with conference capability working. The "player map with reveal" and other features will follow, but first I'd like to solve the more difficult issues, and see exactly how well we can aim at the best possible internet experience.
For now the text chat and basic single client voice is there, in case somebody in the group can't personally make it to the game one night (no baby sitter?), or if you just want to chat to other RPM users. I find that the built-in mike and speakers in my own laptop give great "round table" sound pickup and relay.
Once again, if the interest is there, I could look into a web service for an on-line directory of logged on RPM servers.
General improvements and fixes
- There's been a significant restructure of how characters/creatures are created and ReCalculated (eg if you change the race, or do later templating). This is not only for speed, but also fits in much better for generators, and encounter generation editing.
---------------
Some of the more visual changes include:
- Automatic equipment generation is back in (according to monster manual stats).
- Statblocks now show a full breakdown of modifiers for skills. Naturally, they adjust according to currently equipped magic, and other conditions.
- RPM now stores the fundamental rolls for hit points, which means that on-going Con changes can correctly reflect the base hit points.
- Natural weapons are now included in appropriate equipment lists, so that you can easily apply feats such as weapon focus in any appropriate cases.
- Weapons now have a "Proficiency name" which groups equipment together appropriately for feats such as weapon proficiency or focus. So now the different mighty composite bows (+1/+2 etc), are all considered the same, as are the different types of longsword (eg. longsword, Flame Tongue, or Nine Lives Stealer).
- You can now equip double weapons in both your primary and off-hands, to get the extra attack (with all rules appropriately worked out). Other issues to do with number of hands used, extra strength bonuses etc, were also fixed.
- Plenty of new items have been entered (gems, dungeon features, art etc) - primarily for generators.
Expect much more in this area, including permission from Johnn Four (GM Mastery, www.roleplayingtips.com - all recommended) to include his tables for excellent NPC traits generation.
On this area, I can recommend bringing up the "Generators (Table)", and typing "mag" to bring up the "Magic Shop" generator. Generate a complete magic shop (1000 items?), and then try fiddling with the generator definition, to play with the item breakdown chances (chances for potions, magic weapons, common wondrous, rare wondrous etc). When you realize this can be done for classes, races, sci-fi, and any manner of RPG object, you may start to get the picture of where this is all headed
- More screen adjustments, as appropriate, such as with the Character/Creature window. This includes some compression of the actual statblock, and better general layout.
- Almost all editors now have a "Copy" button to copy and modify a current entry (spells, classes, feats etc). It seems that people are starting to get seriously into creating and entering their own material, as I got this type request from several different individuals in the last couple of weeks. I suspect they're meeting on the unofficial group, and "ganging up on me"
----------------------------
There's currently a small army of RPM fans working on various areas, from tutorials through to data editing. I'd like to that them for their efforts, and hope to bring you the results soon.
Regards,
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