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BRP Computer Tools (multi-platform for preference...)


NickMiddleton

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Ah, good to know! Thanks!

 

I'm on another Tool which looks very interesting, too, and seems to be quite famous.

It even has a BRP add-on and is available on Windows, Mac and Linux (although not for free).

 

Does anyone of you know Fantasy Grounds?

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I bought Fantasy Grounds awhile back with Role Master kit but never much played with it. It wasn't cheap. I really should take a look...at the time RPtools was just easier for me.

Author QUASAR space opera system: https://www.drivethrurpg.com/product/459723/QUASAR?affiliate_id=810507

My Magic World projects page: Tooleys Underwhelming Projects

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I bought Fantasy Grounds awhile back with Role Master kit but never much played with it. It wasn't cheap. I really should take a look...at the time RPtools was just easier for me.

 

Hey, if you do look at it, would you mention what you think? I'm consideirng buying it, but with the BRP kit. More importantly, if you feel it handles Role Master well, then it should be able to handle anything else well also! ;)

Skunk - 285/420 BRP book

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Ah, good to know! Thanks!

 

I'm on another Tool which looks very interesting, too, and seems to be quite famous.

It even has a BRP add-on and is available on Windows, Mac and Linux (although not for free).

 

Does anyone of you know Fantasy Grounds?

 

I think that Paolo (RosenMcStern) has used Fantasy Grounds before. He published a couple of scenarios for Fantasy Grounds.

Simon Phipp - Caldmore Chameleon - Wallowing in my elitism since 1982. Many Systems, One Family. Just a fanboy. 

www.soltakss.com/index.html

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wonder if I can rewire BRP for MW...

 

if you are a programmer, and fluent in a programming language, there is a medium learing curve to change the BRP ruleset to your needs. Did it myself for a campaign. A manual for the BRP ruleset describes how to do it. Not an easy task, but possible.

 

But just for character creation it is possibly faster to hack something together within a few days. Just a few editfields, tables and buttons. I guess I could do it in 4 days to get a first version running including printing.

 

Using PyQT it would also be cross-platform compatible. Would look something like this:

 

EGS Character Tool

 

If the community is interested, I'm up for offers - a few PDFs/vouchers could persuade me into it .... ;)

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FG2 can handle everything about a character, but as pansophy said that is not its main goal.

RpTools is a great tool, too, with definitely the best mapping system for RPGs. But FG wins in terms of automation: it simply has more functionality, out of the box.

The big probem with FG2 is that it needs a dedicated ruleset. There is one, official or fan-made, for the most popular RPGs out there, but the degree of usability and automatioin varies greatly. At the top of the ladder you have D&D5 and Savage Worlds, with everything automated in-game and a top-level support from the game publisher. Alas, BRP is near the bottom level of the ladder, with all the latest features of FG still waiting to be added. I have been assured that the new Chaosium management will look into the subject of upgrading and making the system more usable on FG, but you can imagine where this sits on their current list of priorities :)

Tooley1chris, if you have already invested the money for the tool, you should definitely invest a couple evenings to learn how to use it. Once you grab the fundamentals, it saves you a helluva lot of time.

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If the community is interested, I'm up for offers - a few PDFs/vouchers could persuade me into it .... ;)

How many pdf vouchers would you require to script a MW kit for HeroLab? :)

Author QUASAR space opera system: https://www.drivethrurpg.com/product/459723/QUASAR?affiliate_id=810507

My Magic World projects page: Tooleys Underwhelming Projects

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I feel like I should toss in my two cents. Most of my gaming is via VTT these days and I've found Fantasy Grounds with a modified BRP ruleset (for Magic World) does a pretty good job of keeping track of combat and really minimizes the amount of time I have to flip through the book when it comes to looking up fumble tables and other references that I can just have hot-keyed.

 

The only thing that has confounded me is that rewriting the lua script that governs skill category bonuses has never worked for some reason; the base ruleset always overwrites my attempts to use Characteristic/2 for its primary stat . . . which isn't that big of a deal, since I like the category bonuses from the BGB better anyway.

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How many pdf vouchers would you require to script a MW kit for HeroLab? :)

 

 

hahaha, HeroLab. No way I'm touching that. I guess it is a descent software, but changing it to suit BRP is a lot of work - it's easier for me to start from scratch and do it the way I want. That being said, I'll look into it. ;)

 

Edit: just had a look at HeroLab Authoring Kit - no way I'll do that. It's using XML and I loath XML. Will use Python/Qt - at some time.

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hahaha, HeroLab. No way I'm touching that. I guess it is a descent software, but changing it to suit BRP is a lot of work - it's easier for me to start from scratch and do it the way I want. That being said, I'll look into it. ;)

Edit: just had a look at HeroLab Authoring Kit - no way I'll do that. It's using XML and I loath XML. Will use Python/Qt - at some time.

I know some XML and that thing was still confusing. I tried to reverse engineer the CoC part to try and tweak it into MW but I'm not even sure how some things in there even work. It's like magic. Lol

Author QUASAR space opera system: https://www.drivethrurpg.com/product/459723/QUASAR?affiliate_id=810507

My Magic World projects page: Tooleys Underwhelming Projects

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OK, my BRP Tool is about 50% finished.

So far a few options are supported:

  • EDU Attribute
  • Total Hitpoints
  • Sanity Points and Madness Threshold
  • Fatigue Points
  • different Professional Skill Points for normal/heroic/epic/super settings

Additional I included the option to load the Skill list from an external file. This way a GM can modify it as he needs it and use it for all characters.

The ToDo List got a bit shorter:

  • add Equipment section
  • add Powers List
  • support external character portraits
  • add some meaningful note boxes (background, campaign, etc)
  • print the character!

Saving and loading as well as rolling up characters already works. The EDU special rules gave me a bit of a beating, but I got to a point where they work for Character creation and do not mess up everything during Character Advancement - I hope.

Altogether I am happy with my progress so far.

And the best thing:

  • it's free.
  • it's cross-platform, Windows, Linux, Mac OSX (PyQT is needed to be installed). I'll put up a detailed install manual once the BRP Tool is done.
  • I'll make the (ugly) source code available, so people can modify the tool to their needs.

Attached are some pictures. What do you guys think? Will it be useful, is it helpful, will you ignore it ... please keep me motivated ;)

BRP-Tool-1.png

BRP-Tool-2.png

BRP-Tool-3.png

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Looks a little like the old Rolemaster character companion. (I think that's what it was called)

  Simple user interface and uncluttered. That will make it easier for both new users and people new to the game.

If I were designing it I would add a little color or maybe some fancy borders, but that's all cosmetic. What matters is functionality. 

Will it print the character sheet horizontal as it's displayed?

Didn't know you were adding EDU as an option. Bet that WAS a pain! Good job!

Author QUASAR space opera system: https://www.drivethrurpg.com/product/459723/QUASAR?affiliate_id=810507

My Magic World projects page: Tooleys Underwhelming Projects

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Envious of your time and skills. This looks amazing!

Present home-port: home-brew BRP/OQ SRD variant; past ports-of-call: SB '81, RQIII '84, BGB '08, RQIV(Mythras) '12,  MW '15, and OQ '17

BGB BRP: 0 edition: 20/420; .pdf edition: 06/11/08; 1st edition: 06/13/08

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Thanks for the support :) I think I get an alpha version running by the end of the week and will post the link so you guys can give it a try.

It will print a character sheet similar to the one in the book. I'll keep it as close to it as possible. Maybe later I can add some other sheets - but honestly, programming the printing part takes most of the time as I have to address the exact position for each row and column. But what is a tool without proper printing: nothing ;)

So, in the beginning it will print the BRP character sheet and then we'll see.

The layout shown here is not final and already has changed a bit. Will change further while I add things, so don't be surprised. As far as colours go, I could add a background image to the main Window, but then I keep it simple as I want to have it look the same on every platform - and setting neutral.

I better spend some time to get fancy printing running than fiddling around with fancy looking software - I'm a pen & paper gamer after all and don't use electronic stuff a lot at the table. ;)

Thanks to Trifle... to upgrage the Forum BTW, as it makes adding pictures a LOT easier ! :D

 

BRP-Tool-4.png

BRP-Tool-5.png

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Don't take my observations/opinion the wrong way! ;)

Constructive criticism and I forgot about the multi-platform nightmares!

It looks to be an excellent tool and I can't wait to play around with it!

Quite right about printing being more important. 

What about a sound track for background music? (Just kidding)

 

Author QUASAR space opera system: https://www.drivethrurpg.com/product/459723/QUASAR?affiliate_id=810507

My Magic World projects page: Tooleys Underwhelming Projects

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This looks great, pansophy. I tried working on something like this but it was slow going as I have very rudimentary programming skills. 

This looks great, pansophy. I tried working on something like this but it was slow going as I have very rudimentary programming skills. 

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Pansophy,

One question and one request (if I may)...

i am currently playing my first game ever of Magic World / BRP but in that game there are magic points which I don't see in your screenshots... Are they perhaps displayed in the powers section?

 

Also in my Magic World game we have foregone rolling characteristics in favor of giving everyone a fixed number of points to spend. Any chance we could get that type functionality in your program? I would be happy to contribute a PDF to the cause if we can figure out how to do it!

 

In any case wonderful stuff!

Check out our homebrew rules for freeform magic in BRP ->

No reason for Ars Magica players to have all the fun!

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