Cypher SRD Development

[wndrngdru]

I was just adding this to the cyphers I am coding last night! (I have add all cyphers up to those that start with "H" from both Numeneras, the Strange, and CRS)


I am coding all the cyphers I can find into the items, and then hope to make the cyphers into a .mod file to share with everyone. I've got about all the Types and Descriptors into a Reference manual, need to start to tackle the Foci and powers soon...

@Poe If you are coding things to be able to distribute, you can only include things that are actually in the CSRD. Numenera, The Strange, and Predation (among others) are specifically off limits (unless the content in the CSRD also happens to be in one of those books, but as of now I don't know of any). This is all spelled out in the CSOL, including that, if you violate it, they can prevent you from using the CSOL at all for your products. The good thing is that pretty much the entire CSR is in there and they added stuff from Godforsaken and The Stars Are Fire for fantasy and sci-fi settings back in Feb.

Obviously, you can code stuff for your own use. You just can't give it away, sell it, etc.

You can read the CSOL, the FAQ, and get a copy of the CSRD (it's a big, somewhat messy Word doc) at the CSOL Site (https://csol.montecookgames.com/).

I'm only pointing this out because I know how much you love MCG's stuff and I don't want you to accidentally end up outside their good graces. :)

[Poe the Homunculus]

@Poe If you are coding things to be able to distribute, you can only include things that are actually in the CSRD. Numenera, The Strange, and Predation (among others) are specifically off limits (unless the content in the CSRD also happens to be in one of those books, but as of now I don't know of any). This is all spelled out in the CSOL, including that, if you violate it, they can prevent you from using the CSOL at all for your products. The good thing is that pretty much the entire CSR is in there and they added stuff from Godforsaken and The Stars Are Fire for fantasy and sci-fi settings back in Feb.




Yes, I am aware. The Numenera and Strange cyphers are in the CRS, just under different names and how they look. Other settings have specific cyphers to their setting that are not being coded.
The document is over 800 pages. I can share the .mod with others for proof, and will be sharing with MCG to help promote FG. I've been in contact as a "pitch". But this is a slow process - over 800 pages will take time.
I'm aware of the license and have the disclosures in the work.

[wndrngdru]

Yes, I am aware. The Numenera and Strange cyphers are in the CRS, just under different names and how they look. Other settings have specific cyphers to their setting that are not being coded.
The document is over 800 pages. I can share the .mod with others for proof, and will be sharing with MCG to help promote FG. I've been in contact as a "pitch". But this is a slow process - over 800 pages will take time.
I'm aware of the license and have the disclosures in the work.

Very nice. Sorry, you talk about Numenera cyphers and I get nervous. :D

Yeah, 800 pages is a lot. I've got a number of the abilities already coded if you've not already started those. I've been doing the ones my players need first so I've been working from the types/descriptors/foci/flavors they're using. I've also been working on a reference manual. I'm willing to help out in any case, in whatever way works best for the workflow you've got going.

[Poe the Homunculus]

Very nice. Sorry, you talk about Numenera cyphers and I get nervous. :D

Yeah, 800 pages is a lot. I've got a number of the abilities already coded if you've not already started those. I've been doing the ones my players need first so I've been working from the types/descriptors/foci/flavors they're using. I've also been working on a reference manual. I'm willing to help out in any case, in whatever way works best for the workflow you've got going.

That's great! I'm not sure where you are with the reference manual because I've been doing the same, but only added types and descriptors so far. We should divide work and share everything via .mods so we can get the long work done :). Where are you at in the reference?
I'll take all the cyphers text and add those chapters to any reference manual progress.

[Saagael]

Hey folks! I love the discussion and look forward to seeing what comes of it, but I also moved the posts to their own thread to keep the announcements thread a bit cleaner.

[wndrngdru]

Hey folks! I love the discussion and look forward to seeing what comes of it, but I also moved the posts to their own thread to keep the announcements thread a bit cleaner.

Thanks @Saagael!


That's great! I'm not sure where you are with the reference manual because I've been doing the same, but only added types and descriptors so far. We should divide work and share everything via .mods so we can get the long work done :). Where are you at in the reference?
I'll take all the cyphers text and add those chapters to any reference manual progress.

I have Reference framework set up through the Foci but the text isn't complete through there by any means. For the Types, I have the text in for the genre examples, player intrusions, pools, and background connections with a rollable table. Each Tier is basically just a list of links to the abilities in the Abilities library. I have a page for each Descriptor with the text of the Descriptor and a link to it in the Descriptors library. Flavors are set up like the Types in that they're mostly just lists of links beyond the instructions. I've been basically taking a Tier, coding up the abilities for that tier and linking them in as I go. I figured that would get nearly all the abilities in, so when I got to the Abilities part of the RefMan it would be a pretty easy copy/paste/drag/drop.

The Descriptors are complete through "Hideous", including their coded entry in the Descriptors library. The main Descriptors page in the RefMan has links to their respective RefMan pages. That page has a link to the library entry.

I've been trying to keep the structure as similar to the bookmarks of the CSR pdf as much as I can (with obvious differences due to the injection of the GFS and TSAF content), though it might get unwieldy if we keep to that format for the abilities. I expect there will be some stylistic differences in our respective reference manuals as well; e.g., what gets bolded or italicized, how tables are laid out, etc.

I've attached some pics of the way I started laying things out.

[wndrngdru]

I'm thinking that the Reference Manual module would need to be the "master" module because of the way links work. If we're linking to things in the library from the RefMan, then those need to actually live in the module where the RefMan is being developed.

Is that how you have it set up?

[Poe the Homunculus]

I have not gotten as far as you. I am still just loading text and have not created any links yet.
But yes, I've been working on a RefMan looking the same way.

So how can we share or merge work, if we can at all?

[wndrngdru]

I think we can do the libraries separately, then copy them into the RefMan module for linking. It'll be a bit tedious because we can't bulk copy, but still less time than just one person doing it.

When we get to the abilities, maybe do them one or two letters at a time?

[Poe the Homunculus]

I think that would be good, but not sure how to merge them. You're talking about creating links/character sheet coding and not the RM, right?

[wndrngdru]

You're talking about creating links/character sheet coding and not the RM, right?

Both, actually.

If you just drag a link from a module you have loaded into the reference manual, it does not make a copy of the item that link points to. That means if you click the link in the RM and you don't have the other module loaded, it will pop up a window saying you need to load it.

FG is moving to a RefMan-As-Story model so you don't have make duplicate entries in both places, so RefMan pages are acting a lot more like Story entries these days. This isn't quite like that since we're not creating an adventure module. However, I would like to have as many links to library items within the RefMan as we can, so you can just drag right from there instead of needing to go to the library to get it, though you can certainly do it that way too. I try to make all my RMs like this.

As far is linking and including item links to loaded modules, the campaign containing the RefMan would just need to have the items from the module copied to the RefMan campaign from the module. I've done this before when I work on my laptop and pull it into my desktop campaign where I do most of my work. Like I said before, it is a little tedious because you have to drag/drop the items one at a time, but it works well. You just need to remember to drag them into a different Group so you don't have to edit the "(copy)" out of all the names.

The copied items can then be dragged to the RefMan/Story/etc. as will be exported with the module when that step is finally taken.

[wndrngdru]

I have all the Descriptors done, coded, and linked in the RefMan at this point.

I think we should get the Abilities all created before I really dig into the Foci for the RM. I like to do complete pages when I work the RM so I'm not forgetting things as I go through. The Foci pages will mostly be lists of links to those Abilities with the short description of the Foci above the lists. Having all the Abilities done will make those RM pages go pretty quickly.

I'll probably start working on more of the GM rules in the RefMan next, though I like to bounce around a bit between those pages and abilities some.

Do you have a spreadsheet or anything where you're tracking who's working on what?

[Poe the Homunculus]

I do not have any tracking sheet, as I've been doing everything on my own so far. I know @MentalChillness had also offered to help at one point.

I know how to share a bunch of story entries, items, and campaign links with a .mod. With a RefMan would that just be copy-and-past or could you merge the RefMans somehow if I did 14 pages and add them to your RefMan? Sorry, I'm a bit lost with using the new Reference Manual at this point.

[wndrngdru]

With the latest update, RefMan pages can be copy/pasted without needing to unlock them so it's easier than it used to be. Do you want to share a mod with me of everything you have done so far? We could make a Google sheet with what still needs to be done and split things up into bite-sized chunks from there.

I'm thinking one person should do the bulk of the RefMan, if only to keep things consistent throughout unless we want to take the time to make a style guide. :D
I'm willing to be that person. I've spent many hours making RefManuals for my own games using both the Author extension (pre-Builder) and the Builder.

[Poe the Homunculus]

Can do.