PDA

View Full Version : Character sheet help



arras
April 7th, 2005, 00:23
Can anyone take the time to explain how to begin making a new character sheet for use with Castles and Crusades?

I think I can figure out how to change some of the XML, but there is a HUGE disconnect between changing numbers in the XML files and changing the actual image of the character sheets and then getting it all to work. I don't even know where to begin working on png files to create new frames for character sheets.

I really, really want to learn to do this, but I am going to need a tutor first. Any advice? Any files you can send? Any pointers would be very helpful.

Thank you all in advance for any help...and especially for your patience.

Arras

richvalle
April 7th, 2005, 02:06
Only help I can give is to down load the new characters sheet that someone already made and posted here and try to see what they did to change things. It might point you in the right direction.

Good luck... and share what you make!

:)

rv

Cantstanzya
April 7th, 2005, 03:27
Hello Arras, welcome to the boards. I am in the middle of updating the 1st edition character sheet that elric has created. I am working on automating many fields so that they will be "auto populated" based on the 1st edition ruleset. I would be more than happy to help you out with this. As a matter of fact I was thinking of creating a word doc as a tutorial of how to customize character sheet, but this will be in the future.
Try copying the D20 ruleset that comes with FG and put it in a ruleset directory called CastleAndCrusades.
In this new directory C:\Program Files\FantasyGrounds\rulesets\CastleAndCrusades\fr ames directory (CastleAndCrusades being the name of your ruleset) you will see png files used for what the character sheet looks like. Use a Graphics program (whichever you choose) to create what you character sheet looks like. It would probably be easiest to edit the ones that are in thereI would recommend downloading "The GimP". This is a FREE graphics program that I have been using for about 4 weeks now and I'm getting hooked on it. It is almost as powerful as Photo Shop (some say more powerful) and it cost nothing. There is a bit of a learning curve, but much more powerful than Paint (that comes with Windows). You can use Paint, but it is much too weak IMO, but much simpler to use and may work for what you need it to do.
Once you have the look of your character sheet you would start to edit the CharacterSheet.xml file with a text editor. I can help you out with this when you get to this point. I hopefully will be done with the character sheet I am working on and be able to send it to you and show you some examples of how I automated things. I don't know anything about Castle and Crusades so you would have to fill me in on what you want to do with the character sheet. But for now just start with the character sheet image and then we'll work from there.

arras
April 7th, 2005, 12:58
Thanks for the replies.

Cantstanzya, I am vaguely familiar with GIMP and will seek it out when I get home from work today and begin the process of editing the image files. I truly appreciate your willingness to help me through this process. I will be in touch soon with some specifics about C&C.

If this process meets with success, I will gladly share whatever our collaboration creates with the rest of the FG users. Also, if I can get this thing to work it may attract some C&C fans to purchase FG and add to the user base of this wonderful program.

Thanks again for the advice and the help.

Arras




Shameless plug from a C&C fan:

As for Castles and Crusades, it's a d20 game that, in my opinion, takes D&D back to its origin. It has the feel of OD&D / AD&D 1st Ed. but modernized to the d20 standard. You can learn more about it by visiting https://www.castlesandcrusades.com/candc.htm

arras
April 9th, 2005, 22:43
Update.

Thanks to the help of Cantstanzya, reading over the forums, and getting the nerve to edit and fool around with the xml files...I now have a working character sheet for Castles & Crusades.

I will post a link to the files as soon.

For anyone else hoping to make their own sheets, the process was not too bad. FYI, I used the following programs to help me out: Altova XMLSpy (for the XML files) and GIMP 2 (for the images). Both can be found easily enough by doing a Google search.

Looking forward to some game-time with FG!

Cheers!

richvalle
April 10th, 2005, 02:58
Congrats!!

rv