If this is your first visit, you will need to register before you can post. (All members of the forum must adhere to the Code of Conduct, as outlined in the Terms and Conditions)
Moderators: Da Boss
2170 Posts in 329 Topics by 283 members
22 February 2012 at 9:13pm
I did D&D through RPGA for years. -Even published a few adventures through RPGA (published with a little p).
We had templates that helped with format and structure. We even had some basic patterns for encounters. A lot can be systematized, leaving a framework for creative writing. We also had great editors. The combination allowed us to produce high-quality (high-consistency) D&D adventures with semi-pro writers.
10 May 2012 at 10:45pm
I'm pretty sure Da Boss said that Adventure Cow is developing the iPhone/Android app for DQ.
I started working on a character tracker and combat manager for Android (for my own use at least), but I don't want to re-invent the wheel if an app is releasing in a few months.
I have some questions...
1. The app developer is Adventure Cow (http://adventurecow.com), correct? They seem to emphasize interactive fiction, not app development. Why choose them as the developers instead of a company known for phone app development? The answer may be obvious, but I want to know if there is more to it than the interactive fiction connection.
2. What is the extent of the app? Is it a 'helper' app with character management and combat tracking, or does it have all the book text included? That said, is the app specific to the new book, or is it generic-enough to to be used for all DQ books?
3. This one is somewhat technical, but while I'm asking... Will the special abilities data be stored in an accessible format (like XML) so that new or custom abilities can be added?
4. When can we expect the app to release, and how much will it cost?
5. Are there any opportunities for a qualified individual to be a play-tester or contributor? Follow-up: Is there a way to speak to the Adventure Cow development team (like through a message board like this one)?
10 May 2012 at 10:57pm
Da Boss: "I don't have any plans at the present time to produce a 'developer kit', although I see the potential and it does put me in mind of something that I'd like to create further down the line, should the books become successful. We'll have to wait and see! Fingers crossed!"
This is the approach I have taken in case any other developers on the forum would like to weigh in with affirmation or advice.
I've started codifying the special abilities. I'm building a rules engine around all the ways special abilities interact with the core game system. Once the boundaries and interactions of special abilities determined, that whole 'engine' can be put into an API.
Now for humans: You can build web-app/phone app, or whatever (interface). In combat, just refer back to the special abilities engine. The engine will reference your abilities, and tell you what options you have at each stage of combat, and what happens.
You can even reference a database of opponents, so the engine can tell you what happens to your hero based on the opponent you are fighting (like how much health you lose minus any resistance). The web/phone app calling the engine can update your character sheet, if that's what it's designed to do.
Of course you can layer interactive storytelling on top of that system as well.
11 May 2012 at 3:27am
I've started an online character sheet, but I wasn't planning on putting any dice rolling features. I haven't worked on it for a while. I've been stuck on real work, writing, and how to do the database. But, I want to get back to it soon. The thread for that should be on the second page (if not the first).
11 May 2012 at 4:43am
I checked your other posts. Great work so far! I don't want to muddy the water there, so I'll respond here.
The main difference in the solution that I'm proposing is that the abilities are abstract. So if you found an item (whatever the name), you'd click 'add item' and type the name, select the slot and abilities. That way you would not have to make an entry in the database for every single item ever published.
A similar table needs to exist for opponents, and their special abilities. In this case it's probably also important to "pre-assemble" opponents, so that you can select the opponent name from a dropdown list instead of building every opponent from an abstract list of abilities and stats.
On the other hand I don't know why building your loot provides satisfaction, it just does.
---
I've found that there are a lot of conditions that pop-up, making it so that some abilities are only applicable as certain stages of combat. Some stack; some don't. Some are multi-use, some are single use, or always-on. This is the codification I was talking about earlier. Each of these corner-cases is essentially a 'business rule'. I can codify these rules into an engine so that the character just needs an indexed collection of IDs that correspond to abilities. If the character has a relevant ability at a each stage of combat, the player has the option to use that ability.
So right now, I'm working out the logic for the engine.
11 May 2012 at 3:18pm
Ah, you're looking at an actual combat engine, then. Yeah, mine was just going to be something to keep track of your stats and items easily. On my first play through, I kept worrying that I was miscalculating things.
Good luck with that. If you want to use any of the data in my spreadsheet, go ahead. That's what I intended it for.
Currently Online: There is nobody online.
Welcome to our latest member: Chemnerd42
Copyright © 2010 Michael Ward | Terms and Conditions | Acknowledgments | site built by nomad
