Software Support

[WarpedWolf]

Probably somewhat early to be bringing this up, but has any thought been given to software support for the new Iron Kingdoms RPG? Some sort of character generator program or electronic character sheet is what I'm thinking of.

[jdripley]

They have an app for the wargame, so I guess it's not too far out there to suspect that they'll have an app for the RPG at some point.

[WarpedWolf]

I suppose that's true. I like electronic character sheets because a) it's harder to lose my laptop than a piece of paper and b) I have horrid handwriting.

[jdripley]

And after several levels, all of the erasing and re-writing starts to wear on the paper, too. I tend to re-write my character sheets every few levels for that reason alone.

Additionally, a well written application can help you catch your mistakes - which in my experience most often weaken your character more than strengthen them!

[WarpedWolf]

That's true enough. I just started playing in the Pathfinder Society organized play. After my first session, I entered my character into Hero Lab. I found I'd shorted myself two skill points!

[technodemon]

An excel type sheet be nice to have and finding somone who knows the program ro create a database sheet for the game will be tough.

[lifelesspoet]

It will depend on success I think. If the game is only marginally successful, you might be out of luck unless a devoted fan makes one in its place.

[notsoevil]

They'd be smart to get their system supported by Hero Lab.

[PG_UndeadDan]

I would be very happy if PP and LWD let bygones be bygones and work together to bring IKRPG to Hero Lab. Cause I don't want to code it.

[PG_ThatRickGuy]

Honestly, I'd have more faith in a fan developed solution than I would in a LWD developed solution.

-Rick

[Whimper]

I'd have more faith in fan-developed anything, pretty much. I don't mean to be a debbie-downer, but all sorts of fantastic freeware apps get squashed every time a company decides to make an official one. Sometimes the official product never surfaces, but all the fans' creativity and hard work is wasted nonetheless.

RPGs are essentially driven by the creativity and community of their players, so I hope Privateer is wise and supports that, instead of stifling it to make a buck.

[Sosthenes]

A good "online policy" would help, even with the lack of something like a SRD. That way people would actually bother to start something without fear of getting C&D'd (especially a bother when doing mobile dev).

But I'm not getting my hopes up. I expect either nothing or shoddy Windows-only software (written in whatever's the current equivalent of Visual Basic). Not that I'm really needing anything, given that in all likelihood I'm staying with HERO as rules, and thus I'm able to use their not-entirely-too-crappy Hero Designer software.

[PG_ThatRickGuy]

Hey now, don't be ragging on VB

These days, it's VB.Net anyway, and it compiles down to the same common .Net language as C#.

I'm actually tempted to look into this. I wrote a Silverlight based solution for my old White Wolf games. With some motivation and time, I could probably put together a straight ASP.Net solution for a full web based interface.

-Rick

[PG_UndeadDan]

Honestly, I'd have more faith in a fan developed solution than I would in a LWD developed solution.

Do you have a specific experience with Hero Lab that makes you feel this way? Or is this just an A RM Y BU ILDER problem (either the C&D letter or just the fact that the standard output format sucks for WM/H)?