5E Monster Creator Application

[Gwydion]

Ok, so I found a monster maker program for 5e that looks really cool. Caveat... I am still checking it and their are some nuances with it such as the AC and how it interplays with your abilities. Also, please note there are a lot of google ads on the page that show up as "download" links. Please look for the actual download link for the program that says "Download Monster Maker" (see picture attached). I ran a virus scan and it was fine but I always encourage everyone to do the same to be safe. I am also posting a link to an html page with an explanation of how to use it. I think I'll donate to this guy as the program is free. I've also posted another picture of what the application looks like with a simple monster I created.

Download link: (Note! - Scroll down to the black download link for the button that says, "Download Monster Maker" and is below the donation button about halfway down the page.

https://thegeniusinc.com/dd-monster-maker-download/

How to use:

https://thegeniusinc.com/dd-monster-maker-download/use-monster-making-tool/

Maybe this isn't completely necessary, but I like noodling around with monsters and this is a pretty fun tool (and free, absent donations you want to make to support him) and I like the output.

Enjoy!

[L. R. Ballard]

Ok, so I found a monster maker program for 5e that looks really cool. Caveat... I am still checking it and their are some nuances with it such as the AC and how it interplays with your abilities. Also, please note there are a lot of google ads on the page that show up as "download" links. Please look for the actual download link for the program that says "Download Monster Maker" (see picture attached). I ran a virus scan and it was fine but I always encourage everyone to do the same to be safe. I am also posting a link to an html page with an explanation of how to use it. I think I'll donate to this guy as the program is free. I've also posted another picture of what the application looks like with a simple monster I created.

Download link: (Note! - Scroll down to the black download link for the button that says, "Download Monster Maker" and is below the donation button about halfway down the page.

https://thegeniusinc.com/dd-monster-maker-download/

How to use:

https://thegeniusinc.com/dd-monster-maker-download/use-monster-making-tool/

Maybe this isn't completely necessary, but I like noodling around with monsters and this is a pretty fun tool (and free, absent donations you want to make to support him) and I like the output.

Enjoy!

That's awesome, thanks! It reminds me of the NPC Designer tool Vascant made for 3e. Is there an output format suitable for use in, say, parse?

[Gwydion]

Not a direct output that I can see. However, you can add spells and other abilities and I don't think it will be much to cut and paste. But... to your point, no direct output that I can see suitable for parse.

[L. R. Ballard]

NPC Designer had multiple output formats, including FG. A cut or copy and paste may work.

[Gwydion]

Cool. Might have to check that out!

[L. R. Ballard]

Cool. Might have to check that out!

It was a great tool, but, sadly, it was for 3e only and is no longer available. I reached out to Vascant on some forums he used to haunt, to encourage him to remake NPC Designer for 5e, but he did not reply.

[Gwydion]

It was a great tool, but, sadly, it was for 3e only and is no longer available. I reached out to Vascant on some forums he used to haunt, to encourage him to remake NPC Designer for 5e, but he did not reply.

Ah.... Got it!

[Maasq]

I have contacted the guy who wrote D&D Monster Maker to ask him to add a FG output. No reply yet, although he has replied to me about other stuff in the past.
Maybe if a few more people asked him to add it too.... hint hint..... :)

https://thegeniusinc.com/dd-monster-maker-download/

[Gwydion]

I have contacted the guy who wrote D&D Monster Maker to ask him to add a FG output. No reply yet, although he has replied to me about other stuff in the past.
Maybe if a few more people asked him to add it too.... hint hint..... :)

https://thegeniusinc.com/dd-monster-maker-download/

I will do so along with a little donation to perhaps sway his opinion!

[kp9911]

Ah yes this is a nice tool, I was referenced by maasq I think. The npc module will look more or less like this but a little more grouped up with regards to the field.

A request has also come in to have a stat block copy pasted and the tool should recognize what needs to go where. With an npc block being structured I think I can pull that off, *goes back to tinkering*

[L. R. Ballard]

Ah yes this is a nice tool, I was referenced by maasq I think. The npc module will look more or less like this but a little more grouped up with regards to the field.

A request has also come in to have a stat block copy pasted and the tool should recognize what needs to go where. With an npc block being structured I think I can pull that off, *goes back to tinkering*

I like the work you're doing and think that it will be even more valuable since the original parser is no longer supported. My only minor constructive criticism so far is that the buttons looked a little big on the screenshots I saw for--I think--the PC generator. The layout for the 5e Monster Creator Application has more or less everything visible that one needs to think about when generating an NPC, and one can see the numbers updating, which lends perspective.

If you pull off the Monster Creator style of interface in your parser, that will be ideal. Good luck with the tinkering!

[kp9911]

Having everything in one spot is the intended idea, overtime the UI will be changed and modified to what the community needs or think is required.

Currently the code and the UI are split, this gives me flexibility to make changes in one or the other and it does not have an effect on both at the same time.

One step at a time to greatness ;p

[L. R. Ballard]

Having everything in one spot is the intended idea, overtime the UI will be changed and modified to what the community needs or think is required.

Currently the code and the UI are split, this gives me flexibility to make changes in one or the other and it does not have an effect on both at the same time.

One step at a time to greatness ;p

Keep it up, and you'll hit greatness in stride!

[Maasq]

I started messing around with AutoHotKey's scripting language to take a statblock and format it. When I get it working, I'll email you it in case you want to use it for inspiration. Mainly you'll laugh, though, as I haven't coded in over 20 years and there is no structure to it :) You are most welcome to look it over, though, and use it in any way you see fit.

Maasq

[kp9911]

Laugh at another potential developer I think not! We are magicians in plain sight!

[kp9911]

This is what the NPC UI is going to look like 19132

The bottom left box is going to hold all the entered abilities as a list and the bottom right is the output section and also if I get the time to implement it a copy paste parse function area.

Also the level and XP section will be under the chr text box just noticed it was missing lol.

[L. R. Ballard]

The bottom left box is going to hold all the entered abilities as a list and the bottom right is the output section and also if I get the time to implement it a copy paste parse function area.

That UI looks clean and to the point. It's minimalist--I like that. I think it will help especially those who don't know the correct order of information in stat blocks and need help generating NPCs.

Will there be a way to save list items from build to build? In other words, if one enters a trait or ability, will it be possible to find it in a drop-down list when building a subsequent NPC? That feature appears to be absent from the other tool. There'd be a lot of repetitive data entry. So far, copying and pasting preexisting stat blocks within the .txt file has proved the quickest for me. Using a .txt file, I've found that efficiency increases as completed stat blocks proliferate.

[kp9911]

That can be arranged, complicated but possible.

[L. R. Ballard]

That can be arranged, complicated but possible.

From there, if it were possible then to enter some basic stats or categories--like class or race--and then click "Generate NPC," the utility would be able to do what Vascant's did: randomly generate an NPC with a complete stat block in just a second or two.

Even in its current version, the utility will prove helpful if it has a similar interface for generating PCs--it's the PC-generating feature of your utility that I'm planning to test and which I think will save me a lot of time.

[LordEntrails]

I'll second/third the value of being able to save entries etc. Even if we have a text or xml file which we could populate outside the tool or in another mode. Thanks for all you do.

[kp9911]

I'll second/third the value of being able to save entries etc. Even if we have a text or xml file which we could populate outside the tool or in another mode. Thanks for all you do.

Its my pass time really, and keeps me up to date with the basics on a somewhat daily basis :D. I have not forgot the XSLT thing as well, however that will be difficult to implement right now because of all the new stuff I have incorporated in. It will defiantly come in some time later though.


From there, if it were possible then to enter some basic stats or categories--like class or race--and then click "Generate NPC," the utility would be able to do what Vascant's did: randomly generate an NPC with a complete stat block in just a second or two.

Even in its current version, the utility will prove helpful if it has a similar interface for generating PCs--it's the PC-generating feature of your utility that I'm planning to test and which I think will save me a lot of time.

Funny you mention this, I had a plan to auto generate PC sheets @ in game with this tool, it was something that I would get done after the basic framework is up and thats coming along just fine. The DM modules are all pretty big modules, so this is going to take a while before I can get some concrete stuff coded out.

[Maasq]

My autohotkey statblock parsing is coming on well, btw. I will update it to be able to parse one of the outputs from DnD Monster Maker - the Reddit one, as it looks the simplest to identify.

It works just now; just need to test it with several different inputs and make adjustments for them.

[L. R. Ballard]

Funny you mention this, I had a plan to auto generate PC sheets @ in game with this tool, it was something that I would get done after the basic framework is up and thats coming along just fine. The DM modules are all pretty big modules, so this is going to take a while before I can get some concrete stuff coded out.

Got it. Thus far, my project has focused on building the framework rather than actually making the NPCs. For example, yesterday I spent five hours making an Excel spreadsheet that calculates monster CR based on the table on page 274 of the DMG.

One advantage to coding a utility for FG rather than just posting one on the internet is that the FG resource can use all the stats from 5e as long as the tool gets uploaded to DMs Guild.

[L. R. Ballard]

My autohotkey statblock parsing is coming on well, btw. I will update it to be able to parse one of the outputs from DnD Monster Maker - the Reddit one, as it looks the simplest to identify.

It works just now; just need to test it with several different inputs and make adjustments for them.

The script you're working on may be able to work in tandem with Xorn's scripts from his Fantasy Grounds parse tutorials. I spent an evening or two last week mining from one of his YouTube videos the Autohotkey scripts he uses when parsing library references and adventure modules.

Xorn's scripts may be worth salvaging. The segment on Xorn's Autohotkey scripts starts at 1:19:

https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=I_-013SMvcc

[Maasq]

The AutoHotKey script is (like all programming projects) growing arms and legs. I thought I'd start a separate thread about it :)

[L. R. Ballard]

The AutoHotKey script is (like all programming projects) growing arms and legs. I thought I'd start a separate thread about it :)

That sounds good. I'm still new to AutoHotKey and had to go to their website to get help deciphering and using Xorn's scripts. AutoHotKey has some functionality that I'd like to learn more about.

[L. R. Ballard]

I have contacted the guy who wrote D&D Monster Maker to ask him to add a FG output. No reply yet, although he has replied to me about other stuff in the past.
Maybe if a few more people asked him to add it too.... hint hint..... :)

https://thegeniusinc.com/dd-monster-maker-download/

Any luck making contact with the Genius? I messaged him two days ago but got no reply. Some of his calculations on spell save DC appear to be incorrect, and it would be preferable for those to get fixed on his end rather than through the AutoHotkey script.

[L. R. Ballard]

I will do so along with a little donation to perhaps sway his opinion!

Any luck making contact with the Genius? I messaged him two days ago but got no reply. Some of his calculations on spell save DC appear to be incorrect, and it would be preferable for those to get fixed on his end rather than through the AutoHotkey script that Maasq is working on--brilliantly I might add!;)

[Maasq]

Heheh thank you.

I have had no luck with chatting to him recently. He answered a couple of queries I had a few months ago when I first found it, but nothing since unfortunately.
I'll be working towards something like his final program, with FG output and copy-paste input. If I could figure out how to do the statblocks I'd do them too. Work for the future :)

I need to figure out how he structured his *.mm save files so I can read/write them directly.

[L. R. Ballard]

Heheh thank you.

I have had no luck with chatting to him recently. He answered a couple of queries I had a few months ago when I first found it, but nothing since unfortunately.
I'll be working towards something like his final program, with FG output and copy-paste input. If I could figure out how to do the statblocks I'd do them too. Work for the future :)

I need to figure out how he structured his *.mm save files so I can read/write them directly.

You're welcome. If it were me, I'd build the UI for the AutoHotkey program first. Then try to solve his *.mm save files. I PM'd you more or less the same message a few minutes ago.:)