[GURPS] Wrathchild's FW v1.1

[Venatius]

GCA2MT has an odd bug with the new version of Maptool (b72, also with the newer b73). For both a friend of mine and I, tokens it has created cannot be loaded while they still have their default graphic. This is rather troublesome, since I am not sure how to set a token graphic outside of Maptool itself. When clicked in the library, it gives a very lengthy error message, and if dragged from the desktop, it's a simple
"Error during drag/drop operation
java.art.datatransfer.UnsupportedFlavorException: Group Tool Token List"

I'm hearing about errors on mouseover with DeviantNull's D&D 4E framework, so it sounds like Maptool itself may have borked something, but I'm not sure.

[Winter]

I've exchanged emails and had a phone call with staff at Steve Jackson Games, including an exchange of emails with SJ himself. It looks like the framework as designed does violate their terms of service (http://www.sjgames.com/general/online_policy.html). The relevant passage is "Anything more than a character creation game aid is a problem, because at that point it's not just like a game in your living room; it's more like a 'computer game.'" Though they didn't say so, I figure it's also problematic for me to reproduce range tables and the like in the code.

It looks like if I'm going to release the framework for free, I'll have to pull out the complex hit determination parts at least. As Venatius and others have noted, there are a few bugs that I should stomp in the process. This will take a bit of work, and a month of my free time.

There is, however, another interesting possibility. Steve Jackson did express some interest in receiving a proposal for a more fully-featured framework which SJG would make available for download, for a fee, on their electronic store. If I were to design the framework for them, of course, I'd insist on full access to the rules so I could make a decent system which would, as I put it in an email, handle "combat skill penalties based on selected combat options, damage and injury resolution, and evaluation of critical hits and misses, explosions, and area-effect attacks." Of course, I'd include spells and such.

A SJG-approved download is by no means a sure thing. I don't know if I can commit to this project the time needed to create a professional-quality system, and I'll have to contact trevor and Azhrei to see what their policy on the sale of MapTool-derivative works would be. I don't even know if SJG would accept the proposal I would send them.

However, if my schedule and the legal stuff lines up, how many of you would be willing to pay for a fully functioning framework? I'm not looking to profit here, just refine and share stuff I've already designed. Given that distribution would be digital, and I wouldn't ask for much, if anything, I'd trust we could keep the price low. How much would you think is reasonable?

Other thoughts?

[Benz72]

It's certainly worth $15 to me

[Venatius]

Sure, $15 sounds like a pretty reasonable figure for a polished and fluffed-out version, at the least. Ideally still something integrated with Maptool?

[wrathchild]

Something taken to that level would see my coin as a matter of course and support, much like GCA does.

[Woodman]

I wouldn't have a problem with paying a few buck like the others, but I'm not sure if it is possible to host a Game without distributing the Framework to anyone who connects to the Server and thereby breaking breaking copyrights.

[Winter]

Woodman, as things stand now, only the GM needs to have the framework.

As far as I know, if you don't let players edit macros, the players wouldn't be able to access the macro code without the ability to read the contents of RAM or of the network stream directly.

[Doctor Thantos]

The framework, from what I have been able to work with has been outstanding.(Subliminal hint, send me the latest)

I bought GCA because it vastly improves my game and saves me time. The framework reduces all the chart hunting, range calculation, etc. that bogs down the game.

I would be willing to pay for the framework, $15 to $20 seems about right.

I also am having problems with the Character sheet function. It errors out on some tokens.

I exported the token from GCA using the latest GCA2MT 1.2. I put it into the framework, hit set up token.
When I try to run it, it asks for value for shock twice, (I put 0 both times) then get the following error.

java.lang.IndexOutOfBoundsException: Index: 2, Size: 2 error executing expression currItemCarried = json.get (itemsCarried,counter).

I have minimal programing experience so I have no clue how to fix that error.
I can hit the advantage, disadvantage and spells buttons and get pop-up windows that display.

I try adding an inventory item, but that gives me this error.
Illegal argument type java.lang.String, expecting java.math.BigDecimal

Any help would be appreciated.

Doctor Thantos.

[Woodman]

As far as I know, if you don't let players edit macros, the players wouldn't be able to access the macro code without the ability to read the contents of RAM or of the network stream directly.

Thats good, i thought any attending player would automatically get a copy of the current campaignfile and thereby a copy of the framework.

[Winter]

Dr. Thantos, could you please post the trouble-causing token so I can look at it? No guarantees, but I'll check it out.

[Jaxilon]

I might be willing to pay for it as well. I'm just wondering though since I already own the books what am I paying for? Is it just for an electronic copy of the same information? Of course, if you add a lot of stuff in there then it could encompass several books worth of tables, etc. I wonder how SJG feels about that?

[Woodman]

You are paying for a piece of software, that does all the dice rolling and looking up tables results for you and also takes care of most of the bookkeeping issues during the game. So it automates a lot of work, that can get rather cumbersome when you have to edit electronic information instead of scribbling something on a piece of paper.

[Benz72]

Heck, even if you distribute the sftware 'empty' so that the buyer can only put in the stuff he owns I'm still good with that. I'd type in all the tables once to have them auto-referenced when appropriate. It would prevent you from distributing copyrighted info. just make sure that:
1) the default values don't mess up the program if they are not overwritten
2) every table to be filled out has the book/page for the info so there is no ambiguity of what is supposed to go where.

it's a little bit of a pain in the patootie, but if it keeps you from promulgating the values there should be a lot less to worry about.

oh, and maybe have it set up with two sets of switches; one to select the books you own and want to be prompted to fill in values from (once) and the other to select books you have 'filled in' and want to use in this particular game.

heck, if I had a program sophisticated enough to do all the decision tree and lookups for me, I'd buy more books because I'd get more use out of them.

[Winter]

Benz, that's an interesting thought. I hadn't considered that route, assuming that people would prefer not to input all that stuff. Hmmm....

[Woodman]

I would prefer not to have to enter all the data, but if that makes the whole thing possible at all, its a load of work a group could share. But i suspect the problem on the SJG side aren't the tables, but the automation in itself, as they have no problem with all the datafiles for either GCA or GCS being free downloads containing substantial data from the books in plain text format.

And i have a little problem with imported GCA2MT tokens too, if i use afflictions i cant open the character sheet in MT until i remove the affliction from the inventory and even after that i cant open the advantages window. I dont know what is getting messed up where, but i suppose its about the rather complex afflictions i entered in GCA and GCA2MT messing up the corresponding XML somehow. I'll append an example token with a problematic affliction.