New "Ruleset" creator

[Arion]

I know this was covered partly in the Kickstarter thread, but i thought it deserved its own thread.

I love FG. Almost all of my gaming is done via FG and i couldn't even contemplate using another VTT. I recommend FG online, at cons etc.

But. And it is quite a big But. I am limited in what i can play. I have a huge library of dead tree and pdf games. Hundreds and hundreds. But i can realistically only play a handful because there is no way to easily create a character sheet. I don't necessarily need a full ruleset with automation etc although they are nice. I just need a character sheet.

And so when i was thinking about starting the next campaign, the only checklist i considered was what commercial or fan FG rulesets were out there. Even as a publisher i would love to be able to release a FG character sheet for my games. I managed to persuade someone from here to create one for AFF, but i shouldn't have to.

Not only would this capability (WYSIWYG sheet creator) greatly increase the user base (because everyone could easily play their favourite game, no matter how obscure) but i would be willing to pay an annual subscription of say £10-20 for that capability. I am sure many other full or ultimate license holders would feel the same. And when they posted their character sheets, that would gain new purchasers of the software. Win all round.

Will it happen? I doubt it will in the next five years, because it partly threatens revenue from licensed commercial properties (although only partly) and i hate to say it but does not seem to be viewed as a priority.

Any thoughts?

[Valarian]

There is a feature list which has that on it, and someone was trying to develop something in the community. Vote for the feature and, hopefully, it'll get done. One of the two biggest suggestions on the Kickstarter thread (tablet version was the other one). Personally, I think that this is the biggest need for Fantasy Grounds - an easier way to customise the tool. With FG3 bringing a common core to rulesets, this tool would be far more feasible.

https://fg2app.idea.informer.com/

[Griogre]

I am hoping the new Core ruleset will also be functional as a generic ruleset as well, out of the box.

[Zeus]

This is something that has been suggested and considered many times over the last few years. As Valarian and Griogre have stated, the new 3.0 structured and layered rulesets should make it easier for new rulesets to be developed and maintained.

I too would love to see a full rapid development tool for FG rulesets This is functionality which is on my to do list as well. I have a couple of prototypes built from past exploration.

P1: Uses an external GUI prototyping tool (Glade). I use Glade to create a basic looking GUI form and required fields, then export its definition to XML and then finally transform it to FGII compatible XML. It works but its clunky and no where near as streamlined as it would need to be, its also not true WYSIWIG and whilst can handle style and placement of controls, it cannot cater for script logic.

P2: Uses FGII's in-game engine with a custom built run-time window class editor. Its actually based on some earlier proof of concept work from another community member (Valarian? can't remember.). Its currently implemented as a 2.x extension for 4E so it needs to be reworked to run from the new Core Rules ruleset before it can be released for wider use. Its also limited by the fact that the character sheet is created at run-time with field information saved to the database, this results in a slightly slower sheet operations. I need to have a chat with moon about opening up some API ability to output XML files (similar to current /export functionality).

Lots to think about. Is anyone else working on anything?

[Trenloe]

Is anyone else working on anything?
psicodelix previewed the ruleset wizard he is working on there: https://www.fantasygrounds.com/forums/showthread.php?19549-New-project-Ruleset-wizard This would be ideal for creating custom character sheets and making the modification/creation of custom windows a lot easier than it is now.

[Zeus]

psicodelix previewed the ruleset wizard he is working on there: https://www.fantasygrounds.com/forums/showthread.php?19549-New-project-Ruleset-wizard This would be ideal for creating custom character sheets and making the modification/creation of custom windows a lot easier than it is now.

Wow. Just seen the video. A full blown IDE. Looks very promising. I'll drop him a PM.

[RosenMcStern]

Yes, please do! This thingy can be useful to both casual sheet designers and game publishers who would like to offer their products for FG.

[psicodelix]

well, my goal is to allow any user to easily create their own custom rulesets. Stay tuned for upcoming news...

[Arion]

well, my goal is to allow any user to easily create their own custom rulesets. Stay tuned for upcoming news...

Fantastic! I wait with baited breath

[Sunspoticus]

I got tired of hacking out Module and Ruleset creation. So I leveraged my 30 years of programming experience and have a module editor about 50% complete as of this writing.

[damned]

@sunspoticus and @psicodelix you have us all on the edges of our seats :)
perhaps you ought to talk to each other and see if their is some crossover or a way to combine your efforts to make it easier on you both (not that combing always works....)
@sunspoticus - module or ruleset editor? maybe the module editor is a training run for the other :)

[Sunspoticus]

I'd love to collab with someone on an editor, as I've had to essentially hack out functionality gleamed by looking at modules, extensions, and rulesets.

My editor, which I call "Alchemist" already builds library modules and extensions (tho I have some bugs I gotta iron out) and the last time I cracked opened the project I was attempting to build a LUA editor for the app.. I find it ironic/funny that two of Smitework's kickstarter goals some of us are already doing...

[damned]

I find it ironic/funny that two of Smitework's kickstarter goals some of us are already doing...

SW are only 2 people and they are busy delivering FG3 - a massive update and bug teting the many existing rulesets with FG3.
There is nothing wrong with the community delivering any of these - and Im sure if you build tools or offer to build tools and there is demand for them you could either charge for the tools or request donations :)
I would happily support the RuleSet builder even though I doubt very much I would ever actually use it.

[Xorn]

I'd kill for a Ruleset Builder. I'd pay into a Kickstarter for it.

[viresanimi]

What Xorn said.... Indeed. Very much so!

[Sunspoticus]

I hereby promise to get off my *** and get this into a presentable form for the rest of you to review. Now I'm curious what you think.. Stay tuned.

[velshandru]

Looking forward to it. :)

[Bidmaron]

This will balloon the FG2 audience since so many new rulesets and modules could be produced.
Zeus, we need XML output from FG2 so badly.

[Xorn]

Any update?

[Sunspoticus]

No update per say. Been one fire after another after work... This weekend perhaps, I'll post some screenies. There's still some bits I've yet to hack out as the lack of substantial documentation makes it alot of trial and error for me.

[Xorn]

Awesome. I hear you about work. If you want anyone to help test it/break it, let me know.

[Sunspoticus]

I would like to steal a few people who have some experience in module creation to come help me finish it off. Would love to partner up with some people if there was interest..

[Griogre]

I would be interested in helping. I sent you a PM.

[Sunspoticus]

I updated my FG install to v3 then tried to push a simple library module at FG thru my nacent editor and it crashed. Gonna wait until I see some bug fixes for FG3 then pick this up again.

Griogre, I responded did you not get it?

[Valarian]

Hopefully the CoreRPG base will help greatly for the ruleset builder.

[Griogre]

Griogre, I responded did you not get it?
I didn't see anything.

[Sunspoticus]

Considering its being endorsed by SmiteWorks the project here: https://www.fantasygrounds.com/forums/showthread.php?19549-New-project-Ruleset-wizard clearly is getting more "press" so I'm bagging my effort altogether.

[damned]

my understanding from both of these threads was @psicodelix was mostly building the visual builder and you were building more of a content builder?

[Doswelk]

Yes the content builder is of more interest to me, as that is what I do all the time convert adventures and settings to FGII (well FGIII now :S)

I'll help if you want?

[damned]

reminder - we have 292 people or thereabouts that voted for a Ruleset Builder in the wishlist - so wherever you are all hiding come out and show some love for the new crowd funding project: https://www.verkami.com/projects/7992-ruleset-wizard-for-fantasy-grounds
If every one of the voters was able to tip in $50 we would have the project funded :)