nyakki Posted July 22, 2003 Report Share Posted July 22, 2003 Long time no write. Ready for a story that will thrill and delight. A story that will enhance your very being. A story like no other told before. Then you've come to the wrong thread. This is just an update on what is happening with The Random Character Generator (RCG). For those who don't know (and for those who do but have forgotten) I made a Champions and Fantasy Hero RCG as well as a Character Combat Rating, Random Dice Generator and Name Generator. All of those great programs can be found online at http://www.trimira.com/hero_stuff/hero_stuff.html Now on with the story. I've been working on the update for the RCG for a few months now (between family life, my job, and this, I've gotten 3 1/2 hours sleep... that's total for the few months) While making the web version is all fine and good, I've been trying to think of ways to bring it to your computer so you don't need to access the internet everytime you want to generate a character. I don't really know how to program for computers so I thought "Hey, I'll write it in Javascript and everyone can use their browsers" (direct quote -- did I tell you I only had 3 1/2 hours sleep?) To make a long post a bit shorter, Javascript ain't easy. Sure, it can do some neat browser stuff, but for database/random/layout it wasn't cutting it. The commands I needed only worked with certain browsers and certain versions. Plus I didn't know Javascript language so I was teaching myself from tutorials from the web and there just wasn't anything on Random Character Generators (there were a lot of having annoying stuff follow your mouse, but I'll save that for another thread). So, I thought, "Why don't I learn a programming language" HA HA HA HA HA HA HA HA (my brain laughing - it has a strange sense of humor) I opened a few books and had brain freeze. I gave up on the idea of programming the RCG for use on the computer. Could that be the end of the story? Does this mean that the RCG is stuck being a third rate hack on the Internet? Say it ain't so. Say it ain't so. Then, one day, I stumbled upon a program that helps you program. RealBasic. I've seen some shareware stuff built with it, but the comments to them were always "Learn a real language" and "How good can it be if it was made with RealBasic" So I thought I'd give it a try. What a breeze. I got the Demo version 4 days ago. Spent 2 days doing on-line tutorials and made a couple of cool tiny programs. I then made a test program that was also useful and would use some of the stuff needed for the RCG. And guess what. It worked great. It also turns out that I'm able to make a program for both Mac and Windows with just a push of the button. Now for the catch... I have a Mac and run Virtual PC (program that simulates Windows... mine simulates Windows 98) but I really don't know how it looks/feels on a real Windows computer. And I don't want to invest a whole lot of time in programming the RCG in RealBasic if it doesn't work (or look good) for all who want it. So, if you want to try out the program I call HeroHelper*, you can find it here: http://www.trimira.com/hero_stuff/hero_stuff.html The Windows version will download an .exe file (don't know if my MacZipIt program will work in Windows). The Mac version is in a StuffIt file and you need to unstuff it. Leave feedback, comments, critisism, and money. Oh, and let me know what you think. nyakki * For those who want to know what the program is. It is a Random Dice Generator and a Random Name Generator. These programs use some of the stuff I need for RCG. Also there's a Disadvantage Generator but I haven't done anything to that yet. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
VictorVonDoom Posted July 22, 2003 Report Share Posted July 22, 2003 nice work.. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Insaniac99 Posted July 22, 2003 Report Share Posted July 22, 2003 cool, I use your site all the time... Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Guest C_Zeree Posted July 22, 2003 Report Share Posted July 22, 2003 Snazzy. You've got a good foundation. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Ndreare Posted July 22, 2003 Report Share Posted July 22, 2003 This is easily the best resorce I have found. Thank you for creating it. I like the character balance system (ER) how I can just go there and get it doen and every thing were do you find the time to do all this work? Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Killer Shrike Posted July 22, 2003 Report Share Posted July 22, 2003 Good start, but before you kill yourself, check out Table Smith: http://www.mythosa.net/Utils.html It can easily be used to do dice algoritims and random name generators.... Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Citizen Keen Posted July 22, 2003 Report Share Posted July 22, 2003 Solid Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
BenKimball Posted July 22, 2003 Report Share Posted July 22, 2003 Most excellent. One request, if I may be permitted: I'd love to be able to resize the window (specifically, to a tall, narrow format). Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
VictorVonDoom Posted July 22, 2003 Report Share Posted July 22, 2003 if you have to select the skills for the hero, you should have to change as in a interactive character generator . Suppose there is a skill i want from your list it becomes a droplist and you can point it with your mouse and "v" it off or with an "x" so with powers, talents, ... Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Ben Seeman Posted July 22, 2003 Report Share Posted July 22, 2003 Good stuff... works fine on my Win 2000 Professional system Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
nyakki Posted July 22, 2003 Author Report Share Posted July 22, 2003 Thanks everyone. A couple of general questions to everyone (who didn't already answer them) What version of the program did you try (Windows/Mac)? What did you particularly like/dislike about the look/feel/taste/smell of the program? (remember that this was a test but if people liked the design, then I might go with this look for the RCG) Now for the personal responses and a Q/A session. ----- To: VictorVonDoom, C_Zeree, Citizen Keen and Ben Seeman Thanks for the nice praise. ----- ----- Insaniac99 wrote: cool, I use your site all the time... Thanks. Which part do you use? What would you like to see added/deleted? Would you rather have a desktop version or are you happy with just having it online? ----- ----- Ndreare wrote: This is easily the best resorce I have found. Thank you for creating it. I like the character balance system (ER) how I can just go there and get it doen Here's the Character Combat Rating page online http://www.trimira.com/hero_stuff/combat_rating.html This was my one of my first attempts to write Javascript so you can actually download the script and run it on your computer without being hooked up to the internet. Here's that link: http://www.trimira.com/hero_stuff/combat_rating_text.html and every thing were do you find the time to do all this work? I have no social life ----- ----- Killer Shrike wrote: Good start, but before you kill yourself, check out Table Smith: http://www.mythosa.net/Utils.html It can easily be used to do dice algoritims and random name generators.... Thanks for the link. This mini-test program was just for me to see if I can program cross-platform (and actually program at all). Having a Mac is great, except that I would only be programming for about 3% of the population. My ultimate goal is to have the RCG as a program. So I took easy things (dice generator and random name maker) which are elements in the RCG to see if I could do it. So far so good.... ----- ----- BenKimball wrote: Most excellent. One request, if I may be permitted: I'd love to be able to resize the window (specifically, to a tall, narrow format). Thanks for the idea. I agree. Resizing windows is an excellent idea... um... I'm still trying to figure out how to do it The final version, no matter what I do, will have resizable windows. ----- ----- VictorVonDoom wrote: if you have to select the skills for the hero, you should have to change as in a interactive character generator . Suppose there is a skill i want from your list it becomes a droplist and you can point it with your mouse and "v" it off or with an "x" so with powers, talents, ... Thanks for the idea. Your idea also started me thinking about having the "database" for the RCG editable so that you can place Limitations/Special Power Make-ups/Skills to fit your campaign Let me see if I'm able to do that (with my Computer Programming at 8 or less) ----- nyakki Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Insaniac99 Posted July 22, 2003 Report Share Posted July 22, 2003 Originally posted by nyakki ----- Insaniac99 wrote: cool, I use your site all the time... Thanks. Which part do you use? What would you like to see added/deleted? Would you rather have a desktop version or are you happy with just having it online? ----- nyakki mainly the Die roller, and the random name generator, though i use the other parts to get ideas some times. I can't think of anything to be added right now, but please don't delete anything. well, my opinion doesn't count that much because i use a cable modem so am almost always online and dont really care much one way or another. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
RadeFox Posted July 23, 2003 Report Share Posted July 23, 2003 I use WinXP pro, and it worked fine. I love the site, though it will be good when you do figure out how to make it downloadable so we can run it on our own PC/laptop away from an 'net hookup. I found the Die roller a bog help, but, could you re-adjust how it prints out the results?? Use the space fully, if I want 100 pre-rolled results for 3d6, Id like it to fit on 1 page, not be 100 lines of one number per line. Other than that, awesome shiznit! Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
rayoman Posted July 23, 2003 Report Share Posted July 23, 2003 The program works fine on my Win98 system. RealBasic. I might have to check it out. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
nyakki Posted July 23, 2003 Author Report Share Posted July 23, 2003 Glad it's working on Windows. Now I can go ahead and start programming. I think I could have a Version 0.0.1 of the RCG within the week (no promises) Now's the time to tell me what you want added, changed, deleted, etc. from the program. Feedback always welcomed. Insaniac99 wrote I can't think of anything to be added right now, but please don't delete anything. I'll try not to delete anything. RadeFox wrote I found the Die roller a bog help, but, could you re-adjust how it prints out the results?? Use the space fully, if I want 100 pre-rolled results for 3d6, Id like it to fit on 1 page, not be 100 lines of one number per line. Other than that, awesome shiznit! I was having trouble with the new line command for windows. I found a tutorial that helped. Problem solved. Killer Shrike wrote: Good start, but before you kill yourself, check out Table Smith: http://www.mythosa.net/Utils.html Downloaded the program but couldn't get it to work on my Virtual PC program. I wish I could look at it because it does look interesting. Do you use it? If so, how is it? rayoman wrote: RealBasic. I might have to check it out. Do it. I think they just came out with a Windows version (it was on the Mac only from what I hear). It's very addictive. You can make a program in about an hour. The dice/name stuff, when all said and done, took about 10 minutes layout and 1 hour programming. This is, of course, not counting the "How the heck do I do THAT?" research on the internet. nyakki Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
DocMan Posted July 23, 2003 Report Share Posted July 23, 2003 Originally posted by nyakki Having a Mac is great, except that I would only be programming for about 3% of the population. Depends on how you think about it. If you program for Windows, you would be lucky to get 3% market recognition of that 97% marketshare you're desiring. If you program for the Mac, it's fairly easy to get 75% market recognition of that 3% marketshare. So ask yourself, how hard do you want to work for your level of "success"? Of course, you still need to deliver a good product anyway... Doc Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
nyakki Posted July 23, 2003 Author Report Share Posted July 23, 2003 Originally posted by DocMan If you program for Windows, you would be lucky to get 3% market recognition of that 97% marketshare you're desiring. If you program for the Mac, it's fairly easy to get 75% market recognition of that 3% marketshare. That's true. Us Mac users are pretty fanatic about our machines (well, I'm not... you window sucking heathen) So the scary question is: How many Hero Game Players (who are also fanatics) own a Mac...? nyakki Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
VictorVonDoom Posted July 24, 2003 Report Share Posted July 24, 2003 Can we please continue? Stop rambling on mac users !! Is Realbasic for internet use or also for under other applications (like in the time quickbasic 3.5) Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
nyakki Posted July 24, 2003 Author Report Share Posted July 24, 2003 Originally posted by VictorVonDoom Can we please continue? Stop rambling on mac users !! Sorry... Can't help myself... Mac Fanatic you know... Is Realbasic for internet use or also for under other applications (like in the time quickbasic 3.5) Realbasic makes regular programs. So if I ever finish the program, you can have it on your computer without the need for internet. I don't know QuickBasic but it sounds like the same thing. nyakki Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
VictorVonDoom Posted July 26, 2003 Report Share Posted July 26, 2003 Quickbasic was under dos ... Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
McCoy Posted November 30, 2003 Report Share Posted November 30, 2003 bump Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Nightfly Posted November 30, 2003 Report Share Posted November 30, 2003 Excellent Work! I will definitely be visiting & using your site often from now on (as well as linking to it via my own RPG page)! Thanks so much (for sharing) Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
bloomann Posted December 1, 2003 Report Share Posted December 1, 2003 In three seconds I made Mystic Arrow, Techno Queen and War Clash this could impend on normal good old fashion creativity you know... good though, gosh! Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Pteryx Posted December 1, 2003 Report Share Posted December 1, 2003 Mac user here. I'll look at the Mac version of your program later today. -- Pteryx Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Pteryx Posted December 2, 2003 Report Share Posted December 2, 2003 ...only it turns out to be OS X only. Darn it. -- Pteryx Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Recommended Posts
Join the conversation
You can post now and register later. If you have an account, sign in now to post with your account.
Note: Your post will require moderator approval before it will be visible.