PC Controlled NPCs.

Anyone know how tough it would be to add an NPC box on the client side in the 3.5/PF ruleset? This seems like a nice solution for NPCs that are controlled by the PCs like hirelings, cohorts, familiars, companions, and summoned monsters. Currently it is possible to share NPCs with the players but once closed the PC is not able to reopen the window.

I'm thinking if this works similar to items, images, and story.. it might be a somewhat simple addition.

I suppose it would be good if the PC can edit flag were available too.. like in items.
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FIXED! Here it is as a .ext
This version should resolve issues with it not loading properly on clients that do not have the extension locally.
It is still pretty basic.. I will work on adding edit controls eventually.

EDIT: REMOVED 7-15-14 - This Extension is obsolete due to improvements to the 3.5/PFRPG Rulesets.

There are several way (and ruleset specific dependencies) doing it so it really matters how you're going to implement it. I have done that several times to different rulesets and I found it relatively easy task to do. However since I don't know much about 3.5E ruleset I don't know if my method would be suitable in it.

Most Rulesets already support players running multiple characters. I'd handle it like that. Create a PC character sheet for the hireling with just the info required to run it. Then have the player select that sheet as well as their character. They can switch by right-click and activate on the portrait.

I actually think the idea for this is probably 80% or 90% supported by the 3.5/PF ruleset already.. it's likely just a matter of making the creatures/encounters box show up on the client side.

I think this would be a good feature to have.

I pretty much copied the approach from 4E into Savage Worlds for NPC / campaign item sharing - it wasn't too hard to get to grips with what the code did, and added better sharing controls too !

Seems like all that might need to be done is to add:

Code:

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DesktopManager.registerDockShortcut("button_people", "button_people_down", "Personalities", "npclist", "npc");

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to the appropriate spot in the client area of desktop.lua .. I'm a bit rusty though... how do I get it to recognize this file as an extension? Do I need a complex extension.xml file or should it be really simple with just that one file listed with something to notify the program to use it instead of the regular version?

Hmm .. I think I have it... now for a little testing.

Cool it works. :)

Hmm.. Now if I can just figure out to add edit controls. :D

Updated and moved it to the initial post in this thread.