Dakadin
January 30th, 2012, 21:52
I am going to try to explain how to create a new Critical Table so that it will be available in the RMC ruleset. Some basic knowledge of XML and FG module creation will be helpful but hopefully not required since I will point out what you should read to get familiar even to make these crit table modules.
You will need to create a new module for your crit tables. A module is a ZIP file that has been renamed to have a .MOD extension instead of the normal .ZIP extension. More information on module creation can be found here: https://www.fantasygrounds.com/forums/showthread.php?t=12948. You won’t need to read the whole PDF that is attached but I would recommend at least understanding through section 3.1.
The attached ZIP file is a module containing the following 3 files:
thumbnail.png
definition.xml
db.xml
The thumbnail.png is just the image that will show up when activating the module. Try to keep it around 100 pixels on the largest side.
Definition.xml is a short XML file that just specifies the name, author and ruleset of the module. The file looks like this:
<?xml version="1.0" encoding="iso-8859-1"?>
<root>
<name>MODULE NAME</name>
<author>AUTHOR NAME</author>
<ruleset>RolemasterClassic</ruleset>
</root>
Put your module name in place of MODULE NAME which is between the name tags. Put the author name in place of AUTHOR NAME which is between the author tags. Leave the ruleset as RolemasterClassic without the space. This all all you need for the definition.xml file.
The db.xml file is where your critical table information will go. You can put more than one critical table in this file. Here is what the start and end of the file needs to look like:
<?xml version="1.0" encoding="iso-8859-1"?>
<root version="2.0" RMCVersion="0.35">
<RMTables static="true">
[TABLES GO HERE]
</RMTables>
</root>
Your tables will go in the space between the 2 Tables tags (<Tables></Tables>) where the [TABLES GO HERE] message is. I’ve included a template table in the db.xml file that I will explain what you need to change to setup your own critical tables.
The table starts with the following line:
<AAA-01>
You will want to replace the AAA with an a short code that should probably match your source. Arms Law uses CT (I believe for Critical Table) and Spell Law uses SCT (Spell Critical Table). This code can be anything you like. The number after the dash is just a counter for your code so start it at 01 and increment it one as you add more tables with that same code. For example if I use the code AAA and want to add another table after the first the line would be:
<AAA-02>
Keep track of what the code and number are because you will need them in 2 more locations that we will get to later.
This next line doesn’t need to be changed:
<TableType type="string">Result</TableType>
The line after it has a possible change:
<Class type="string">Arms Criticals</Class>
This line can be Arms Criticals or Spells Criticals. It determines how the table will be categorized in the Table Manager. Just replace Arms with Spells if you want it to be a spell critical table.
This next line doesn’t need to be changed:
<SortOrder type="string">Ascending</SortOrder>
The next 4 lines will need to be changed:
<Name type="string">CRIT NAME</Name>
<Abbreviation type="string">X</Abbreviation>
<Source type="string">CRIT SOURCE NAME</Source>
<Id type="string">AAA-01</Id>
Your critical table name should go in place of CRIT NAME. An abbreviation for the critical table should replace the X (Puncture criticals use P). The critical table source name should replace CRIT SOURCE NAME. In the last of the 4 lines you should replace AAA-01 with your code from above.
After this is the <Columns> section. This section stores the Id and Title for each column of the critical table. For example the first entry is this:
<id-00001>
<Id type="string">01</Id>
<Title type="string">A</Title>
</id-00001>
You can see it has the Id set to 01 and the Title set to A. This is used for the A critical severity column. The other 4 entries in the Columns section are for B, C, D, and E. This section won’t need to be changed if it is a typical critical table with severities from A – E.
The <Degrees /> and <Criticals /> lines shouldn’t be changed.
The next section is the content of the chart. It is broken up by rows which represent the die roll for that column. There are usually 19 rows for a standard 1-100 critical table. Each row starts with an <id=#####> tag and ends with an </id=#####> that have matching numbers in place of the #####. The sample file has all 19 rows that a normal critical table would have but needs the appropriate information entered.
Each row starts with the Roll entry is where the roll numbers are stored. They look like this:
<Roll type="string">01-05</Roll>
This won’t need to be changed for a normal critical table.
The next section is the <Entries> tag which has an item for each column. These end up being the individual cells of the table for that row. You will notice they use the same <id-#####> tag identifier scheme starting with <id-00001> and going to <id-00005>.
The <Entries> section will start with the following:
<ColumnId type="string">03</ColumnId>
This specifies that it is the ColumnId = 03 which means that it is the 3rd column or a C critical.
The next section will be for the description Text of the cell:
<Text type="string"> DESCRIPTION</Text>
Just replace DESCRIPTION with the text description for the cell.
After this is an <Effects> section that looks like this:
<Effects>
<id-00001>
<Hits type="number">3</Hits>
</id-00001>
</Effects>
The example above specifies that the result is 3 Hits. The 3 could be replaced with how many Hits the critical does. The following are items that can be in the <Effects> section:
<Hits type="number">6</Hits>
<MustParry type="number">1</MustParry>
<Stun type="number">1</Stun>
<ParryPenalty type="number">-20</ParryPenalty>
<NoParry type="number">1</NoParry>
<Penalty type="number">-25</Penalty>
<PenaltyRounds type="number">3</PenaltyRounds>
<Bleeding type="number">1</Bleeding>
Most of these should be self explanatory if you are familiar with the Rolemaster critical tables. Here is an example entry an E critical or the following generic description “+20 hits and takes 2 hits/rnd. Opponent is stunned and unable to parry for 3 rounds and is at -25 for 6 rounds.”
<ColumnId type="string">05</ColumnId>
<Text type="string"> “+20 hits and takes 2 hits/rnd. Opponent is stunned and unable to parry for 3 rounds and is at -25 for 6 rounds.</Text>
<Effects>
<id-00001>
<Hits type="number">20</Hits>
<Stun type="number">3</Stun>
<NoParry type="number">3</NoParry>
<Penalty type="number">-25</Penalty>
<PenaltyRounds type="number">6</PenaltyRounds>
<Bleeding type="number">1</Bleeding>
</id-00001>
</Effects>
One thing to be aware of is the description is what shows up when you drag it to the chat. If you drag it to a combatant in the combat tracker it will use the values in the <Effects> section to filling in the effects to that combatant. This is where I’ve seen some issues with a few of the critical tables provided in Arms Law.
The one last thing you need to do is replace the </AAA-01> ending tag for the table with your code. Make sure to put the / in there so that it knows that it’s the end of your critical table.
The only thing left to do is save the files and rename the ZIP file to a MOD file with your own file name and save it in the Fantasy Grounds Modules directory.
I hope this helps people enter in their critical tables from the old Rolemaster Companions or another source. Please let me know if something isn’t clear.
You will need to create a new module for your crit tables. A module is a ZIP file that has been renamed to have a .MOD extension instead of the normal .ZIP extension. More information on module creation can be found here: https://www.fantasygrounds.com/forums/showthread.php?t=12948. You won’t need to read the whole PDF that is attached but I would recommend at least understanding through section 3.1.
The attached ZIP file is a module containing the following 3 files:
thumbnail.png
definition.xml
db.xml
The thumbnail.png is just the image that will show up when activating the module. Try to keep it around 100 pixels on the largest side.
Definition.xml is a short XML file that just specifies the name, author and ruleset of the module. The file looks like this:
<?xml version="1.0" encoding="iso-8859-1"?>
<root>
<name>MODULE NAME</name>
<author>AUTHOR NAME</author>
<ruleset>RolemasterClassic</ruleset>
</root>
Put your module name in place of MODULE NAME which is between the name tags. Put the author name in place of AUTHOR NAME which is between the author tags. Leave the ruleset as RolemasterClassic without the space. This all all you need for the definition.xml file.
The db.xml file is where your critical table information will go. You can put more than one critical table in this file. Here is what the start and end of the file needs to look like:
<?xml version="1.0" encoding="iso-8859-1"?>
<root version="2.0" RMCVersion="0.35">
<RMTables static="true">
[TABLES GO HERE]
</RMTables>
</root>
Your tables will go in the space between the 2 Tables tags (<Tables></Tables>) where the [TABLES GO HERE] message is. I’ve included a template table in the db.xml file that I will explain what you need to change to setup your own critical tables.
The table starts with the following line:
<AAA-01>
You will want to replace the AAA with an a short code that should probably match your source. Arms Law uses CT (I believe for Critical Table) and Spell Law uses SCT (Spell Critical Table). This code can be anything you like. The number after the dash is just a counter for your code so start it at 01 and increment it one as you add more tables with that same code. For example if I use the code AAA and want to add another table after the first the line would be:
<AAA-02>
Keep track of what the code and number are because you will need them in 2 more locations that we will get to later.
This next line doesn’t need to be changed:
<TableType type="string">Result</TableType>
The line after it has a possible change:
<Class type="string">Arms Criticals</Class>
This line can be Arms Criticals or Spells Criticals. It determines how the table will be categorized in the Table Manager. Just replace Arms with Spells if you want it to be a spell critical table.
This next line doesn’t need to be changed:
<SortOrder type="string">Ascending</SortOrder>
The next 4 lines will need to be changed:
<Name type="string">CRIT NAME</Name>
<Abbreviation type="string">X</Abbreviation>
<Source type="string">CRIT SOURCE NAME</Source>
<Id type="string">AAA-01</Id>
Your critical table name should go in place of CRIT NAME. An abbreviation for the critical table should replace the X (Puncture criticals use P). The critical table source name should replace CRIT SOURCE NAME. In the last of the 4 lines you should replace AAA-01 with your code from above.
After this is the <Columns> section. This section stores the Id and Title for each column of the critical table. For example the first entry is this:
<id-00001>
<Id type="string">01</Id>
<Title type="string">A</Title>
</id-00001>
You can see it has the Id set to 01 and the Title set to A. This is used for the A critical severity column. The other 4 entries in the Columns section are for B, C, D, and E. This section won’t need to be changed if it is a typical critical table with severities from A – E.
The <Degrees /> and <Criticals /> lines shouldn’t be changed.
The next section is the content of the chart. It is broken up by rows which represent the die roll for that column. There are usually 19 rows for a standard 1-100 critical table. Each row starts with an <id=#####> tag and ends with an </id=#####> that have matching numbers in place of the #####. The sample file has all 19 rows that a normal critical table would have but needs the appropriate information entered.
Each row starts with the Roll entry is where the roll numbers are stored. They look like this:
<Roll type="string">01-05</Roll>
This won’t need to be changed for a normal critical table.
The next section is the <Entries> tag which has an item for each column. These end up being the individual cells of the table for that row. You will notice they use the same <id-#####> tag identifier scheme starting with <id-00001> and going to <id-00005>.
The <Entries> section will start with the following:
<ColumnId type="string">03</ColumnId>
This specifies that it is the ColumnId = 03 which means that it is the 3rd column or a C critical.
The next section will be for the description Text of the cell:
<Text type="string"> DESCRIPTION</Text>
Just replace DESCRIPTION with the text description for the cell.
After this is an <Effects> section that looks like this:
<Effects>
<id-00001>
<Hits type="number">3</Hits>
</id-00001>
</Effects>
The example above specifies that the result is 3 Hits. The 3 could be replaced with how many Hits the critical does. The following are items that can be in the <Effects> section:
<Hits type="number">6</Hits>
<MustParry type="number">1</MustParry>
<Stun type="number">1</Stun>
<ParryPenalty type="number">-20</ParryPenalty>
<NoParry type="number">1</NoParry>
<Penalty type="number">-25</Penalty>
<PenaltyRounds type="number">3</PenaltyRounds>
<Bleeding type="number">1</Bleeding>
Most of these should be self explanatory if you are familiar with the Rolemaster critical tables. Here is an example entry an E critical or the following generic description “+20 hits and takes 2 hits/rnd. Opponent is stunned and unable to parry for 3 rounds and is at -25 for 6 rounds.”
<ColumnId type="string">05</ColumnId>
<Text type="string"> “+20 hits and takes 2 hits/rnd. Opponent is stunned and unable to parry for 3 rounds and is at -25 for 6 rounds.</Text>
<Effects>
<id-00001>
<Hits type="number">20</Hits>
<Stun type="number">3</Stun>
<NoParry type="number">3</NoParry>
<Penalty type="number">-25</Penalty>
<PenaltyRounds type="number">6</PenaltyRounds>
<Bleeding type="number">1</Bleeding>
</id-00001>
</Effects>
One thing to be aware of is the description is what shows up when you drag it to the chat. If you drag it to a combatant in the combat tracker it will use the values in the <Effects> section to filling in the effects to that combatant. This is where I’ve seen some issues with a few of the critical tables provided in Arms Law.
The one last thing you need to do is replace the </AAA-01> ending tag for the table with your code. Make sure to put the / in there so that it knows that it’s the end of your critical table.
The only thing left to do is save the files and rename the ZIP file to a MOD file with your own file name and save it in the Fantasy Grounds Modules directory.
I hope this helps people enter in their critical tables from the old Rolemaster Companions or another source. Please let me know if something isn’t clear.