RPTools.net

While this suggestion could be added as a feature to MT or even TT, I thought I'd suggest it as a seperate tool because a) it might be quicker to code up as a seperate tool, and b) it would probably be more suited for seperate use processing "batch files" in an "offline" mode, rather than firing up MT.

The idea was spawned by this thread here:
viewtopic.php?f=3&t=13018&start=0

Basically, what this tool would do is allow a person (or another program) to generate text files that would then be built up to a proper RPTOK file (or multiple files) usable in MT. This would give people who write various NPC/PC generators for other systems a way to create MT usuable output without having to actually know anything about the RPTOK format, as well as allow the rapid creation of multiple RPTOK files at one time.

The initial basic tool would do nothing more than parse a text list of properties/values and write them out to a basic rptok file usable in MT:

A text file would look like this:

or this:

Basically, a list of property name, followed by value to set that property to. CSV or another common format would work, too - but I'll continue to refer to it as a text file for ease of reference.

In order to allow batch processing of files and create multiple tokens at one time, there will probably need to be some simple commands that can be embedded within the text file - like NewToken to tell the tool to save one token, and start on the next.

Later versions of the tool should expand upon the initial capabilities, for instance, adding the ability to set the various fields of the token, like Name, GM Name, Label, Notes, GM Notes, Token and portrait images, etc.


The idea behind this tool isn't really that it's useful during game play, but that it's useful for GMs to quickly build libraries of statted NPCs and Monsters to use in MT, regardless of the character generator/stat source they use, and/or the game they play, the MT framework they use, and/or their programming knowledge - basically, if they can get their NPCs/Monsters into the text file import format of this tool then they can rapidly create the tokens they need.

They fire up this TBT, set their standard options (like how to name the tokens, framework name to set, save directory, image directory, etc), point it towards an import file, and click "generate". By basing it on a simple text file, it is a neutral tool - it doesn't rely on specific character/monster generators supporting MT in any way, it doesn't rely on specific MT frameworks, it doesn't care what the game system is. Anyone who can build a text file in the format they want can use it to generate tokens specific to the way they want to use them in MT.

Character Tool can do this.

Edit: well, maybe not the import file format you discuss, though I'm sure it can do that, too (or be tweaked to do so). I know it can create framework-specific tokens as well, provided the framework author is willing to provide the right data structures/resource files.

Could you use this Excel file to do what you want?

DND4E to RPTOK

It builds a fairly decent token that you can then tweak.

Maybe. I've only opened Character tool twice. Once, early on, where I noticed it didn't support WFRP 2 out of the box, and just now to see.

CT may be able to do this - but it's not intuitive at all, if it can, because I don't see how. Plus it doesn't appear that it could do batches of tokens.

I'm thinking about something that is nearly as intuitive as Token Tool. One window that has a few options - point it towards the import file, the output directory, set a couple of options (like standard token image vs randomly selected from a folder vs image file name embedded in import file, etc) then hit generate.

It could be added to CT as well, instead of being a seperate program.

My thinking behind this is something that is VERY, VERY simple to use in operation, like TT is. With a very simple import format, just about any character generator out there could be used to create an import file. Some of those generators might even decided to generate it "natively", but even if none do, there are a lot of people who could use spreadsheets, etc to tweak the files

Too game specific for what I'm talking about.

I'm not trying to do something, I'm merely suggesting a tool that would be generic and simple for anyone to do stuff like the referenced Excel file.

CT can do it, but it requires a lot of configuration which isn't necessary for what you are needing. However, you could reuse the code that is already available in CT if you could create your own user interface or command line interface for it.

Eliminating the configuration hassles was exactly what I was getting at.


I'd be willing to tackle it if I had the skills necessary. Sadly, I don't. But I do have friend I'll talk to about it.

I'm suggesting this because I think it's a tool that would allow more people to use the tools they already know - like spreadsheets and existing character generator programs - to generate truly useful content for their own games. And do so without having to really worry about how to make an RPTOK file, or configure something in CT and then run it just right.

I know that right now, with the skills I do have, I could create Excel spreadsheets to generate "random" data in my proposed format, as well as pull data from other sources (like websites) and format it to work. I reallly would see this as the property and data entering equivalent of Token Tool and it's use of images. I don't have to know how to use a paint program to use TT to create a great looking token. And thanks to other users who know how to use paint programs, I don't even have to know how to create my own frames.

I could easily see myself - with the very little coding skills I do have - being able to provide spreadsheets to convert the data take from website X to this format as a payback to the community, and as an aid for those who can't do it themselves.

I see what the tool would be like and that it would be quite useful.

Some of the features should be possible completely inside Maptool macro-based. Okay, multiple file import would be impossible. But copy-paste from website to maptool should work. And the parsing of a simple data format is in the capabilities of the macro language.

Hmm ... complex data structures might be problematic. And en/decoding of special characters..

Just to give a general idea of how I see this being used by me:

For Tabletop/F2F use, I currently have a spreadsheet for WFRP2 where I can put in a standard monsters stats, and it automatically gives me multiple critters whose stats are randomly varied by 5 to 10 points off that standard. So if I put in an basic orc with a standard Weapon Skill (WS) of 33%, then the list of orcs generated will actually have WS scores ranging from 23 to 43%. Same for all the other stats. I then print out that list for play, and viola, while my orcs all average out to the standard, they have subtle differences that make them more interesting.

I don't do this in MT - honestly, it's a time consuming PITA to modify the tokens to be "individuals" like that. Instead, I drag my standard orc token into the map, copy it several times, and if I have time, I might hand tweak the pictures and a few random stats.

With a tool like this, though, I could take my spread sheet output, and use the tool to make a bunch of different tokens representing orcs. Better yet would be if the tool could look at a designated directory and randomly pull images from it as it creates each token. Anyway, end result would be that I would have a folder full of orc tokens that all happen to be "unique" just sitting and waiting for drag and drop during game play.

To put it another way, this would be sort of a Mail Merge for token creation.

I can see it being put into one of the other tools as a feature, I was just thinking that it might be better as a seperate tool, because it would keep the interface simpler for both this, and the other tools.

The file can be made into any system you want. Just strip out the 4E stuff. If you want, just send me a smattering of what you want and I can make it work.

Would your spreadsheet still require CT?

No, it provides a generic token with macros.