no hero builder?

[anotherscreenname]

Since DA is consistently in the top 5 rpgs sold quarter to quarter, why is there no hero builder app for DA???

[drakahn99]

by hero builder do you mean character generator like lone wolf Hero Lab

http://www.wolflair.com/index.php?conte ... er_edition?

[Disemvowel]

by hero builder do you mean character generator like lone wolf Hero Lab

http://www.wolflair.com/index.php?conte ... er_edition?

Yeah just like except different; Dragon Age not d20 or other non-AGE

[drakahn99]

by hero builder do you mean character generator like lone wolf Hero Lab

http://www.wolflair.com/index.php?conte ... er_edition?

Yeah just like except different; Dragon Age not d20 or other non-AGE

probably because one or all of a combination of the following

dragon age character creation is relatively simple.
the complete rules aren't published yet (supposedly set 3 is the complete core rules).
no one that owns that character gen program plays the dragon age game.

that company does have other green ronin products for their character generator. so im sure if enough people asked for an official data set and promised to buy it. telling green ronin they wanted it then it would probably get done eventually.

[Jasca]

There was that one excel based character generator. I don't know, how "up to date" it was, however...

[Sync]

You probably mean the Dragon Age 'Forge:

viewtopic.php?f=33&t=9865

I haven't updated it for a while, but all the Core Rules from Set 1 & Set 2 are there. I don't think there are any bugs in it (no-one's reported any for a while).

I'm saving the next major work on it for when Set 3 comes out, now. I don't plan to incorporate any House Rules into it.

[ronaldo1]

Since DA is consistently in the top 5 rpgs sold quarter to quarter, why is there no hero builder app for DA???

As a programmer the reason for me is simple, it takes too long to write up all the content into an electronic form that is useful. In doing so you may also be breaking some laws regarding copyright.
I could write up a useful character generator quickly AND make it portable between Mac, Windows and Linux. But I am not up to typing up tons of content from the books into XML.

[Loswaith]

The trick to that is only using pertinent information. If you wanted to build something like that and keep the data set down, code it up assuming the user has access to the information contained in the rule books, it prevenets treading on the toes too much along the copyright issues and minimises the data required to essential stuff only.

Though from what I've seen of Dragon Age Forge, there may be little reason to do so as thats quite a solid character builder.

[shonuff]

Though from what I've seen of Dragon Age Forge, there may be little reason to do so as thats quite a solid character builder.

The one problem that I see with Forge is that (from my experience) everything is locked in. I can understand why you wouldn't necessarily want to allow for house rules, but at the same time it doesn't allow for non-level up based growth, which limits its usefulness.

That said, I do believe it's a strong program and appreciate the work that went into its creation (and upkeep).

[drakahn99]

Since DA is consistently in the top 5 rpgs sold quarter to quarter, why is there no hero builder app for DA???

As a programmer the reason for me is simple, it takes too long to write up all the content into an electronic form that is useful. In doing so you may also be breaking some laws regarding copyright.
I could write up a useful character generator quickly AND make it portable between Mac, Windows and Linux. But I am not up to typing up tons of content from the books into XML.

what i would do if i had the tools and ability to create one that i wanted to release to the general public would be to make the basic frame work but not put in any information, so that the gm/player is required to enter in all the information into his own database. this would also allow further expansion by allowing to add new Specializations, spells, talents and what not. that gms might house rule into their own game that are not part of the official rule set.

[Disemvowel]

Since DA is consistently in the top 5 rpgs sold quarter to quarter, why is there no hero builder app for DA???

As a programmer the reason for me is simple, it takes too long to write up all the content into an electronic form that is useful. In doing so you may also be breaking some laws regarding copyright.
I could write up a useful character generator quickly AND make it portable between Mac, Windows and Linux. But I am not up to typing up tons of content from the books into XML.

what i would do if i had the tools and ability to create one that i wanted to release to the general public would be to make the basic frame work but not put in any information, so that the gm/player is required to enter in all the information into his own database. this would also allow further expansion by allowing to add new Specializations, spells, talents and what not. that gms might house rule into their own game that are not part of the official rule set.

That sh*t is called DM Tool Kit from lvl99games

[Sync]

*laughs*

Ever seen the Heroforge excel sheet for DnD 3.5 Edition? The currently-available version is 6.1.0.1 - it has most of the official rules, a good number of the supplemental rules, room for some House Rules and custom data...and is over 16.5MB (that's NOT a typo) in size before you add your own data to it! And let's not forget Spellforge if you're playing any kind of spellcaster - at an additional 18.5MB.

The tricky part with adding space for House Rules is: what do you allow for? You have to try and second-guess every person - past, present, and future - who has played, or is likely to play, the game. Then you have to try and work out how you're going to implement the possible combinations results that come from that second-guessing.

It's all very well to say "I'd make the perfect program that does X, Y and Z, with generous helpings of A, B and C on the side, topped off with garnishings of D and E"...but when you actually sit down to do it, it's not that easy.

I learned a lot about Excel while making the 'Forge...but I don't know half of what it can do, still. And I'm sure that what I've done is crude and primitive by some standards. But I'm happy with what I've done. It does what I intended for it to do - and that is to be a program that allows for the creation of a perfectly functional Dragon Age character in under 10 minutes (and is about 700KB in size).

The next release will include significant format and layout changes, more options for things such as weapon and armour enchantments, allow for different materials used in the construction of armour and weapons, and may include some House Rule flexibility...but right now, that's waiting for Box Set 3 to arrive.