Monday, April 28, 2014

Pathfinder RPG Database by Harry Lotis JR

I've been trying to come up with a fast character generator so players can just make a few choices and then their character is up and away.

Very basic and quick but able to save everything in the database and output it to a format like Adobe's PDF or Microsoft's XPS formats (which codes are readily available).

User inputs their name into a text field to be saved as the filename for later reference.  Then he is given his first drop-down menu choice:  Race.

After making this selection the application then grabs data from the database and will modify the next dropdown choice: Core.  These are the core groups which everyone seems to miss in conventional role playing games but those whom have played MMORPG's online know these concepts already:  melee, ranged, arcane, divine, and skilled.  Depending on what is chosen his stats start with the Elite Array and are then modified by Race. This is done automatically for the user and are saved for the final output.

Then the next dropdown choice is what Classes are available by the previous Core choice.  There will be a limited listing due to the Core choice made.

Last dropdown choice will be Class Level (CL).  In the Free Version CL is limited to 1st thru 10th level.

No experience is listed because GM's use one of three varieties of Progression:  Slow, Medium, Fast.  This option may be picked up on the Advanced Version.

The Free Version (FV) will only save to the database but may be output in PDF or XPS formats.  Printing will also be available.

The Advanced Versions (price yet determined for "Unlocked Player Version (UPV)" or "GM Mode (GMM)" features).  There will be more data available in the UPV and GMM but the only difference is that the GMM is able to add/modify existing data.

Currently I am planning to encrypt all data so they may not be reverse engineered.

Everything which I am using is out there on the Official D20 Pathfinder SRD Site and I choose to use it in a different fashion to welcome new players into the fray of the hack-n-slash storytelling game which I like to run.

I have minor experience in programming VB & C+ so bare with me...  what comes next is how I want to explain things and feel free to comment (send to Marcaise at Gmail ) in what I call... English Coding.

-=-=-=-=-=-=-

open program

display banner/graphic saying the name of the program

look for existing FV, UPV, or GMM keys  (FV is always included)

  • Display main menu for FV:
  • - choice : generate a pc  (g)
  • - choice : exit program (x)

  • Main Menu for UPV:
  • - choice : generate a pc  (g)
  • - choice : exit program (x)

  • Main Menu for GMM:
  • - choice : generate a pc  (g)
  • - choice : edit a pc (e)
  • - choice : edit database (d)
  • - choice : exit program (x)


Generate A PC

1. Input Name :
- user inputs name, 6 to 24 characters, no spaces, no special characters
- this will become the filename for this PC

2. Select Race
- dropdown appears and user must make decision
a. choose race:
  i. FV : dwarf, elf, gnome, halfling, half-elf, half-orc, human
  ii. UPV : as (i) plus : goblin, dhampir, catfolk, drow, oread, tengu, kitsune, samsaran, svirfneblin, duergar
  iii. GMM : as (ii) with the option of making their own via editing the data prior to running generation
b. chosen race data will carry modification data for stats for use with Core

3. Select Core
- dropdown appears and user must make decision, or choose "Go Back";  if go back is chosen he is asked "Are you sure?  (You only get one Go Back)".
  • A. melee
  • - fv: fighter, barbarian, monk
  • -  upv/gmm: fighter, barbarian, monk, samurai, ninja
  • B. ranged
  • - fv: ranger
  • - upv/gmm: ranger, gunslinger
  • C. arcane
  • - fv: wizard, sorceror
  • - upv/gmm: wizard, sorceror, magus, summoner, witch
  • D. divine
  • - fv: cleric, druid, paladin
  • - upv/gmm: cleric, druid, paladin, inquisitioner
  • E. skilled
  • - fv: rogue, bard
  • - upv/gmm: rogue, bard, alchemist
4. Class Level
- fv: single dropdown appears with a single scroller with 1st through 10th on it
- fv: single class, 1st thru 10th
- upv/gmm: dual dropdowns appear with 1st through 10th on them
- upv/gmm: upto 20 CL's, may choose from two cores but these may only be CL 1-10 each

Note: before going on to the next session there will be the dropdown appearing and asking the user to make a decision, or choose "Go Back";  if go back is chosen he is asked "Are you sure?  (You only get one Go Back)".

Final...
- fv: preview by screen
- fv: print (no saving)
- fv: save to PDF or XPS
- upv/gmm: preview by screen
- upv/gmm: send to printer
- upv/gmm: save to PDF or XPS
- upv/gmm: save to database
- gmm (only): edit, but must keep filename

-=-=-=-=-=-=-

That's pretty much it.  The code will be input from Microsoft's Excel spreadsheets and Access databases in conjunction with this application created in Microsoft's Visual Studio for use with Windows XP and 7.  Created for XP/7 it should run in Windows 8/8_1.

I've always told people that I can make it look like a beauty of a program but it has no brains.  There may be menus but they do not function.  I hope to make this program up in parts and have someone help me put it together.  I have the pieces to the puzzle but I cannot quite see where the pieces fit together.

I'm in the Maryland area around College Park so let me know and I'd like to get 1-on-1 with someone to crunch this up.  I'm a typer, know some VB6 / C+ / VisualStudio (-ish), have taken some college level entry programming, and want to get this database application up and working.  Those helping me will get lifetime access for your efforts.

Let me know and let's rock some coding!

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