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Chummer for 5th Edition

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adzling

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« Reply #60 on: <07-06-14/1205:14> »
Adam, is Chummer based on an excel spreadsheet or a database by any chance?
If it is there is a way to get it onto a tablet.

horngeek - Good catch. I've already got it fixed for the next update which will be 5.112.

nTranced1 - Thank you... I've looked into doing a mobile version and frankly, it's beyond my time and skill to do it. I've got an Android tablet (as does much of my gaming group) and I'd love to have an Android version of Chummer, or even just a Chummer reader on Android but unfortunately I'm not the guy to do it.  I would however be glad to work with someone who can do it to help them however I can even if it's just putting together a useful file format for the app.  Sorry I don't have a more positive answer for you.

Adam

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« Reply #61 on: <07-06-14/1220:22> »
Adam, is Chummer based on an excel spreadsheet or a database by any chance?
If it is there is a way to get it onto a tablet.

It's based almost entirely on XML. The data files including the character file are XML and you can save the character sheet as XML or HTML.  Depending on your OS, you can "print" the character sheet to PDF.

adzling

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« Reply #62 on: <07-06-14/1243:55> »
Well for static character sheets viewing the PDF on your tablet is ok....

But there are xml viewers/ editors for tablets.

Here's one for android:
https://play.google.com/store/apps/details?id=fr.xgouchet.xmleditor&hl=en

There are ones for iOS as well.

But if it's output is xml can't you just view it in a browser that supports xml?

If so then a sandboxed browser that points to an xml/ web server on the network could work too...right?

I think the main issue would be reformatting the interface to work on a tablet.

On a separate note, does anyone know about the legality (trademark/ IP) about using shadowrun content within Chummer?

Adam

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« Reply #63 on: <07-06-14/1305:02> »
On this I can offer some generalities but understand IANAL.

There's a couple things to keep in mind... the rule system itself, Copyrights/trade dress, and the rule books.  Game system mechanics themselves are not protected under current IP law... see the Hasbro/Kenzer Co. case for an example of that (Kenzer used mechanics from 2nd Edition D&D, got sued by Hasbro, and end up owning the rights to 2nd Edition D&D).  This is also why you see collectible card games so very similar to MtG, board games that are copies of Monopoly, and so on.  But Monopoly brings up the second part... Copyrights and trade dress.  You can copy the mechanics, but the trade dress is what will bite you.  If you use logos, copyrighted terminology, or anything else that defines the overall look or flavor... that's infringement.  So while you can make a board game very similar to Monopoly, if the board too closely resembles the Monopoly board then you're infringing on their IP.  And lastly there's the rule books... while you can quote from any book under fair use, extensive quoting/copying will get you in trouble.

How does that apply to Chummer and other character generators?  Well, you'll note that Chummer hasn't and doesn't copy exact text from Shadowrun.  The only current exception is for Mentor Spirit advantages & disadvantages and that will likely change to limit that text.  Chummer also gives users the option to include and exclude content based on the book the material is from with the intention that users only use material from books they own.  All of these measures are with the intention that users buy and own copies of the source books that provide the material and that without that material, Chummer itself doesn't provide enough information to use the rules from those books.  As an example, Chummer now has the listings for the spells from Street Grimoire... listing information like its name, tags, and drain.  But deliberately missing are the actual rules of what the spells do.  So you can't really use them without the book.

I haven't looked in depth at Hero Lab or other generators but I'd imagine they're using the same system of limiting exact quotes from the books and not using trade dress unless they have a contract with Catalyst that permits it.

adzling

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« Reply #64 on: <07-06-14/1319:22> »
This makes sense, Hero Lab licenses the content for their use I believe.

Ok so regarding Chummer using xml/html it would seem fairly simple to get it setup on a tablet as long as you have an xml/html viewer.
If Chummer had an xml/html server (webserver like apache) built into you could serve the files on a local network (or the www) and view them on a tablet using an web browser that supports xml.

Does that make sense to you Adam?
Or is there something else going on?

Adam

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« Reply #65 on: <07-06-14/1558:14> »
I think I understand what you're going for but that kind of work would have to be for someone else to do. It's quite enough of a challenge for me to update it to work fully with 5th Edition.  As it is yes, you could save your character sheet as HTML (it's right there in the character sheet viewer right now), copy that to your mobile device, and open it there for mobile viewing.

Namikaze

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« Reply #66 on: <07-06-14/1615:40> »
There was an app called Mobile Runner that could read and display Chummer4 files without much problem.  It's possible that app's developer might be able to change his interface to fit Chummer5.
Feel free to keep any karma you earned illicitly, it's on us.

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Adam

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« Reply #67 on: <07-06-14/1714:18> »
I've got a request for y'all...  I'm working on updating the character sheets to 5th Edition and could really use some good sample data to test with.  So I'd really appreciate it if any of you who have worked up characters using Chummer5 could send me a copy of the saved character file to srchummer5@gmail.com

Also as long as I'm banging my head on the character sheets, if there are any requests you'd like for the existing or new character sheets, please let me know.

Thanks guys!

Namikaze

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« Reply #68 on: <07-06-14/1836:56> »
I had a custom sheet file built that was a dossier of sorts.  It was useful as a handout to my players.  I'll send that along with some of the files that I had made for 4th edition.  Quick question though: is the content from Bullets & Bandages implemented yet?  I didn't see the Drag Handle or Hemostatic Dressings.
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Most people do not listen with the intent to understand; they listen with the intent to reply.

Adam

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« Reply #69 on: <07-06-14/1843:47> »
No, haven't added Bullets & Bandages yet.  I'll have to hunt down a copy.

And thanks for the dossier! Any help is appreciated.

Namikaze

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« Reply #70 on: <07-06-14/1913:48> »
It's been a long time since I've worked in XML sheets, but I might have time to create them tomorrow, if you'd like.
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adzling

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« Reply #71 on: <07-06-14/2009:52> »
I think something really interesting would be to setup a webserver that hosts Chummer and allows people to login via password to create and view their character.

From a DM's perspective this could be a godsend.

You setup your Chummer server and your players log in to create/view their characters (on any device, pc, tablet, whatever, as long as it's got a browser that supports xml/html).

This way the dm has complete access to each player's character while in play and can monitor their characters advancement over time and reward karma etc.

If chummer really is just a bunch of xml files then it should be hostable by any old free webserver (*cough* apache *cough*).

Right?

Adam

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« Reply #72 on: <07-06-14/2027:47> »
Namikaze - I just picked up Bullets & Bandages. Doesn't look like it'll be too hard to add but I'll give it a go myself if you don't mind. It'll give me a chance to test the new code to make sure it will handle some of these new items/powers/spells/etc...

adzling - Go for it! Sounds like you've got a good start on the idea. Unfortunately I have no experience in setting up an Apache webserver and don't know java well enough to do any Android coding as a serious project.  Wish I could help but I don't have the time or skills for that project.

adzling

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« Reply #73 on: <07-07-14/0002:17> »
FYI Adam it looks like Commanding Voice isn't adding it's bonus to leadersghip and intimidate tests

also i think you are handling magic loss wrong.

afaik you deduct any essence loss from your CURRENT magic rating.

So if you start with magic rating of 4 and lose 2 essence your essence becomes 4 and your magic drops to 2.

This also means that improving your magic stat that started at 4, then dropped to 2 due to essence lost back up to 4 only costs 35 karma.
or to put it another way you always calculate the karma cost to increase your magic stat based upon your current magic rating.

Namikaze

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« Reply #74 on: <07-07-14/0019:45> »
afaik you deduct any essence loss from your CURRENT magic rating.

Your example was correct, but the phrasing of this is ambiguous.  Basically, you take whatever your Magic rating is, and reduce your Magic rating by the nearest whole integer value of Essence loss.  So if your magic is 6, and you get a datajack (0.1 essence), your Magic becomes 5.  If you then get another datajack, your Magic stays as 5.

Namikaze - I just picked up Bullets & Bandages. Doesn't look like it'll be too hard to add but I'll give it a go myself if you don't mind. It'll give me a chance to test the new code to make sure it will handle some of these new items/powers/spells/etc...

No worries!  That sounds better than me trying to hack away at XML, which I haven't done in a while.  :)  I'm really looking forward to all of this - Chummer was a godsend in 4th edition, so I'm just happy to try to give back when I can.
Feel free to keep any karma you earned illicitly, it's on us.

Quote from: Stephen Covey
Most people do not listen with the intent to understand; they listen with the intent to reply.