New NPC-sheet

[Crusader]

All this started as a discussion in the tavern where msd requested a NPC-sheet with fields for spells.

kalmarjan made new graphics for the NPC-sheet and I agreed to make the code, however as I explained in the tavern I have no idea whatsoever how the d20-system work so I can't tell what field should be present, on what page they belong, whether it should be a string or a number or whatever, and what the logical order should be.

In the meantime I've coded the graphical definition based on kalmarjan's images. I had to alter the images somewhat to make room for the name-field, windowopencontrol and identityactivation, I hope you don't mind kalmarjan.

https://www.arecta.se/images/screenshot.jpg

The other pages will be 'working' (in the sense that it will be possible to click the tab to bring that page to the front within an hour of work, tops. They will still be empty sheets though.

I guess the 'Hook' page would make most sense with another formattedtext-field much in the same way as the description on the first page - yes?

Suggestions, ideas and above all - where to next?

[Crusader]

The other tabs are now clickable. I'd post the ruleset, but there's not really much to look at at the moment.

https://www.arecta.se/images/screenshot2.jpg

[Snikle]

Interesting, if you are in need of any graphics, let me know, I am fairly adept with Fireworks and can usualyl make whatever is needed.

Isn't that a different background than the normal sheet? Just curious, I am at work and I cannot check at the moment.

[kalmarjan]

Yep, it is a different background. I wanted something like a rough paper background to differentiate what is done through the normal FG. So we have a unique ID for user/fan work!

My appologies for my lateness, as soon as I get home from work, I will post what it is that I was requiring, and then I will definately look into cleaning up the actual graphics.

Looks great so far. I wish I had half the skill you have at coding.

Just a note too, once we are finished with the NPC, if you don't mind, the monsters are to follow next. If you got no time, let me know how you did it, then I can code it. As it is, it will require some big changes into the actual coding of the monsters in the XML files, which I can do and am confortable doing. (It is just data entry after all :) )

Thank you so much for your time, and again, an awesome job!

:)

Cheers,

[kalmarjan]

Yep- the hook page is where you would put things such as favourite sayings, stuff like that.

[kalmarjan]

The question that I want to ask is though, I don't really want everything to be seperated.... is there a possibility that we can incorparate this into the other sets as well, for the SRD, or is a reality that everything will have to be recoded??

I would like to see this as a standard for the community if possible, just for the sake of enrty... and my own campaigns, and others.

What do you all think?

Again, great job!

P.P.S. for the person who did the fantastic NPC.exe programming, when we get the code for this finalized, is there a way to modify the exec program to give us the XML in this fashion???


Cheers,

[Crusader]

My appologies for my lateness, as soon as I get home from work, I will post what it is that I was requiring, and then I will definately look into cleaning up the actual graphics.

No problems!


Looks great so far. I wish I had half the skill you have at coding.

Millennias ago I worked as a programmer. Then I switched to networking. I forgot almost everything about programming, but these static codes I can still do. :)


Just a note too, once we are finished with the NPC, if you don't mind, the monsters are to follow next. If you got no time, let me know how you did it, then I can code it. As it is, it will require some big changes into the actual coding of the monsters in the XML files, which I can do and am confortable doing. (It is just data entry after all :) )

Actually, the monster-sheets are basically a copy of the NPC, so a selective copy and paste-job will do the trick. It will be done in minutes.


Thank you so much for your time, and again, an awesome job!

Thank you! I like helping people whenever I can.

[Crusader]

The question that I want to ask is though, I don't really want everything to be seperated.... is there a possibility that we can incorparate this into the other sets as well, for the SRD, or is a reality that everything will have to be recoded??

The changes are fairly minimal beyond the files that contain the NPC-sheet and the monster-sheet. All we need to do is to supply those two files, the modified beastiary and a bit of text to be pasted into the graphics.xml with instructions to alter the path for the images. No problems.´

One thing that must not happen though, is to remove existing fields, because if someone tries to use this on existing data, with an NPC that contains fields that aren't defined in the code, it will crash the program. Do you think this is a risk? If it is I might have a workaround, so it might not be a problem. Just let me know.

[kalmarjan]

Could be a risk, yes, I think the best way to workaround this is to keep the fields that FG has now the same, No? Then the others can be slipped in nicely. The part I think we have to worry about is the actual XML info, which if we manage to keep the code the same for that at least, there should be no problem. Then it is just a matter of where that information is displayed.

I could be off base here, I will know better when I get home and plow into the XML, and write out what is needed to make this happen.
Thanks again!

[Crusader]

Could be a risk, yes, I think the best way to workaround this is to keep the fields that FG has now the same, No?

Yes, but if there are fields that aren't used, I had the idea that I might make those fields hidden to make it look better.

[kalmarjan]

Okay, so here are the specs that I was looking for. For each entry, a N signifies a numbercontrol, where a S signifies a stringcontrol. Keep in mind that it is just suggestions though.

ID & Encounter
Name: xxx CR:XX - These are already on each sheet. The CR should have the same font as the name if possible.
Race: - S
Class: - S
Level: - S
Alignment: - S
Size/Type: - S
Initiative: N
Senses: - S
Aura: S
Languages: S


Defensive
AC: - S
HP: - N
Immune: - S
Resist/SR: - S
Fort - N Ref - N Will - N (Keep these the same, we will just change the position.)
Weakness: - S


Offensive

Speed: - S
Melee/Ranged: - S
Space: - S
Reach: -S
Base Atk: - N
Grp: - N
Atk Options: - S
Combat Gear: - S
Spells Known: -S
Spells Prepared: - S
Diety: - S
Domain: - S
Spell Like Abilities: - S



Other

Abilities: - N (Just like currently, just changing tab & position.)
SQ: - S
Feats: S
Skills: - S
Posessions: - S
Spellbook: - S
A spot for Description of Special abilities, Etc. - S


Roleplaying Hook

A spot for description of creature/NPC, and or other fascinating things, i.e. battlecries and such. - S

I hope this is not all too much, and every effort is greatly appreciated. Thanks a billion! (My players will thank you too, on some level... :) )

[Crusader]

A question here, wouldn't it be better with a windowlist for the spells (i.e. a smaller version of the spell-list found on the charactersheet)? That way you would be able to drop spells from the reference to the sheet and it would automatically create a new entry.

[Crusader]

This is what I mean. I tried to fit a field for spelldescription but it would have been so small as to be practically useless. This would replace the field for known spells as well as prepared spells - right?

https://www.arecta.se/images/screenshot3.jpg

Oh, and note that I haven't added the 'headline' for level and prepared yet, but that's what the two numbercontrols are.

[Crusader]

Oh, and a second question, Abilities - is that strength, dexterity and so on?

[kalmarjan]

As for abilities... yes, it is str dex and so on.

As for the spells... If it can be fit on the sheet like so, then it is worth a shot. The only thing I can see against it, is the statblock should be harder to read. The spells memorized would be seen first, in reverse order (I.E. 2nd level spells, first level spells), where if the two are comined, (spells prepared/spells known) I think it would be a little difficult to find out what the NPC or monster has memorized.

What does everyone else think? After all, this is a community affair, no?

Great work BTW!

[Crusader]

Yes I see what you mean. I fiddled around with the code, and at one point I thought that I had found a bug in the program but it turned out that I'm only stupid. Fortunately I'm curious as well, and wondered "What happens if I do it like this...?" In the end I found what I was looking for and I have an alternative:

The spell-list can be sorted in reverse order by the number of prepared spells, and then by level (also reversed). It would be something like this:

https://www.arecta.se/images/screenshot4.jpg

And so on, would this work for you?

[kalmarjan]

You know what? That is really cool. The question is, if the NPC/monster does not have the spell prepped, is there a way to sort by Level/Prepped then have the non prepped at the bottom of the list, in reverse order? (If you understand this question on the first try, congrats!)

The best way to understand the stat block is to sort by Level (Reverse order), alphabetically next. The prepped number is cool. If there is some way to place the spell at the end of the list if the prepped box = 0, that would be exactly what we would be looking for.

The only other thing is something to show Clerical Domain spells (They get these for free). Maybe a spot to indicate this where they can type d?

I hope that I am not complicating things, but this looks really good!

Fantastic job!

[Crusader]

That is actually what this is doing (if I understand you correctly), because the Prep-box is a numbercontrol, which by defalt contains the value 0, but the value is hidden if it is 0. When I do a reverse sort on prepared, it automatically sends the spells which aren't prepared to the bottom of the list.

If I understand you correctly you would rather have it sorted by level (reverse) and all unprepared spells at the bottom? Unforunately I think that's impossible at the moment, because the first sort can be by one field only. Maybe it will be possible to do more with version 1.6 when there's scripting available.

It's easy enough to add a small field to mark the spell out as a Clerical Domain spell. What should the headline be?

[kalmarjan]

Okay, if it is impossible, life sucks :)

Available spells with the prepped spells sorted by level is the best I think, and because no one is objecting yet, I guess that is the consensus.

So, lets conglomerate the spells prepared with the spells known (all one list,) sorted by level, in reverse order. Sound good?

For the domain spells, the headline could read Dom.

Hope this helps. Can't wait to see the result!

[Crusader]

OK! I've got some Real-Life work to do so I wont be able to finish this until this weekend. I hope that is OK.

[kalmarjan]

Its all good! Lookin forward to seeing where this goes!

Rock on!

[Crusader]

The weekend has come, and I have been busy. Kalmarjan, I've sent you a message. Have a look and tell me what you think.

[Novalith]

I like the looks of the NPC sheet you are working on. One question though. Once it is finished will I have to re-enter all the NPC and monsters that are in my ruleset by hand?

[Crusader]

No, I've made sure that they are backwards compatible. There will be couple of new fields though so you'll have to update them but otherwise it shouldn't be a problem. :)

[kalmarjan]

So far they look good. I am doing the monster.xml data entry now, and I believe the NPC will be backwards compatible, you can update them as you go along.

Cheers,

[SalmonElla]

Sorry to intrude but where could I download the latest prototype to look at? I would love to take a look at how you are doing things.
--SE

[Crusader]

Since this is a work in progress, we haven't made this public yet. However since you asked so nicely, I'll PM you a link. :)

Remember though that it is a work in progress, and we still have a bit of work to do.

[kalmarjan]

Yes, I am currently in the data entry stage to make the monsters mesh with the NPC cards. It is a pretty long process, but I expect that I can be done sometimw late next week. Then all being well, we will release this "expansion".

Cheers,