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View Full Version : Parameterized Rolls for MoreCore



mcortez
November 6th, 2018, 01:24
The Problem: As I continue to work towards getting a homebrew ruleset for running an Infinity RPG campaign setup (Infinity uses a branch of Modiphius' 2d20 system) - and rather then knocking up a ruleset completely from scratch, I was looking to use MoreCore. I kind of like the way MoreCore handles Rolls - but I wasn't as fond of having players manually editing the dice strings every time they got more expertise or focus in one of their skills. I to have some nice little input fields where they can just simply type in the attribute numbers, expertise, focus, etc - and just having the dice roll strings take care of themselves.

The Solution: A little extension for MoreCore that adds up to 3 optional fields to each Roll. When editing a Roll there's a couple new fields added:

Enable Formula: this turns on parameter functionality for the current roll

Param Formula: this is where you can enter the template, or formula, that will be used to create the dice string. Here you can use the variables (p1) , (p2) and (p3) to lay out how you would like your dice string put together. So for example, if you wanted to create a 2d20 role using the /conan dice string, and you wanted to add two new fields - one for the target number, and one for the focus number of the skill - then you might use something like "/conan 2d20x(p1)y(p2)" for your formula

Enable p1 / p2 / p3: these three checkboxes are for turning on/off each of the parameter fields for the current roll.

25228

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I've tried to keep the extension as non-invasive as I could, but I'm learning as I go and dealing with the anchoring for the new fields got a little less elegant then I could have hoped.

I could use a bit of help testing this little beastie out by those more familiar with MoreCore than I am. So if this is something that might interest you, please give it a whirl and drop me back some feedback.

damned
November 6th, 2018, 02:42
Awesome work mcortez. I will have a play with this later in the week and try and give you some more feedback.

damned
November 9th, 2018, 12:19
mcortez has added the code with some nice improvements to MoreCore and there are a few rolls this will really work nicely with.
Will be available in the next build.

ShotGun Jolly
November 15th, 2018, 13:34
In my conan extension, we eliminated this issue by having the dice roll modifier be what adds or subtracts from the dice.. Everything is set for 2D20, and then +1 to +3 in the modifier box adds or subtracts from the roll. Works well. But I am interested in seeing how this works out!

mcortez
November 15th, 2018, 15:01
In my conan extension, we eliminated this issue by having the dice roll modifier be what adds or subtracts from the dice.. Everything is set for 2D20, and then +1 to +3 in the modifier box adds or subtracts from the roll. Works well. But I am interested in seeing how this works out!

I know conan and Infinity share a lot of the same 2d20 mechanics, but Im not personally familiar with how conan plays.

In infinity, each character has 7 attributes, Agility, Brawn, Intelligence, etc, etc. They then have about 2 dozen skills, each of which are based on one of those attributes, and each of which also have an Expertise and Focus value.

When making a skill test, you roll a minimum of 2d20 but through various mechanics that can be increased to 5d20 -- I'm using the modifier box to get this variable much the same way the /conan die command works.

The target number that the player is looking for on their roll is equal to the attribute score, plus the character's expertise in the skill they're rolling on. Each roll equal to, or less then this target number generates a success. Any roll equal to, or less then their focus value generates an additional success. The existing /conan roll I believe models this, although it takes the target number as a single value, rather then taking the attribute and expertise separately.

With the current MoreCore roll system, if a player or GM wants to see what the Target Number or Focus for a roll, they either have to open up the configuration window for the die roll, or they have to include that information in the name of the die roll so that it'll show up on its label. If the value changes during your campaign due to XP, the character has to open the die configuration and manually change the die roll command.

What this extension does, is add up to 3 visible input boxes on each roll, that become variables when you define your roll command. So for example, you could have a visible input box for each of the 3 values that go into calculating the skill test. For example for /conan you could use two inputs, one for Target Number, another for Focus and then hide the third. You would then use the 2 variables generated from those fields to create your roll command like this "/conan 2d20x(p1)y(p2)" -- the (p1) would be replaced by the first input field's value, and the (p2) by the second.

Players and GM can now see at a glance what their target numbers and focus values are without having to stick those numbers into the labels for their skills, and when they earn experience points they can upgrade their skills without having to edit the underlying dice roll commands.

Additionally, I've just added support (but not released yet) the ability to reference an additional separate field when defining your roll. What this will let you do is define your 6 or 7 character attributes as rolls with a single visible input box. For example Brawn with a value of 12. Then you define your skill roll for say Athletics, with two visible inputs for Expertise and Focus. When configuring the roll command for the skill, you can drag the input box for the Brawn attribute onto the configuration window, and now you would have the two local variables (p1), (p2) and a reference variable (r) that refers to the brawn attribute score. This would separate and make visible, and easily to update-able all 3 components of a skill test. In the case of infinity, I added a new roll that would take all 3 values (attribute, expertise, focus) as inputs.

Example:
Brawn 12
Expertise 3
Focus 1

/infskill 2d20a12e3f1

Extra d20s are added via the roll modifier box.

Using the parameter values this roll is configured as

/infskill 2d20a(r)e(p1)f(p2)

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For those more familiar with say D&D 5th edition, this could let you have visible input boxes for things like attribute scores, attribute modifiers, proficiency scores, and pull all those values into your dice commands as variables.

I hope all that makes it a bit more clear as to what this is try to accomplish and how it could help make meaningful quality of life improvements to building rulesets/campaigns on top of MoreCore.