Simon

HD is tracking that just fine and discounting 1 point TF for any flying vehicle type...even gives the benefit of the doubt for the various mecha.

30 minutes ago, Old Man said:

The test solution does not go in your eyes or nose, people! 

"If you need to go to the bathroom after this next series of tests, please let a test associate know, because in all likelihood, whatever comes out of you is going to be coal. Only temporary, so do not worry. If it persists for a week, though, start worrying and come see us, because that's not supposed to happen."
 

- Cave Johnson

Java's versioning has always left a bit to be desired....but at this point, you'd have to actively try to download a version of Java that wouldn't run HD.

So you've followed all of the instructions except for that pesky bit about Java being required to run a Java application?

Go to www.java.com - click the big red button.

*golfclap*  you got me on that one -- I had to do some reading to figure out why it wasn't implemented.

Fewer Tasks is a variable Limitation which reduces the number of tasks relative to the character's EGO that are required...which is itself a table based on the friendliness of the summoned being.

Your solution (custom modifier) is likely to be the best way to go.  I'll see if there's any way to automate the logic (without undue complexity in the code) once the current holiday (and it's side-effects) are past.

Edit: understand that the complexity is not just in calculating the value of the Modifier (which could be a simple drop down list), but in configuring the displayed number of tasks required (which would be necessary once the value is changed from default)

52 minutes ago, HeroGM said:

 

Thread drift - do you update the source when you update the "compiled"?

When there’s more than a one line change that affects only the rare build, yes. Beyond that, I tend to wait until various minor/esoteric changes add up a bit

FWIW, I have a new update posted which essentially implements the logic above (slightly different in that there's already a check for an ability that doesn't use END, so it checks if the original Duration is Instant and the ability does not have a continuing effect -- disallowing if so).

15 hours ago, Beast said:

pretty sure that advantages do not add to the end cost

 

False.

18 hours ago, Steve said:

Using build 20210804, created the following power.

 

Deflection, Constant (+1/2), Uncontrolled (+1/2) (40 Active Points); Costs END To Maintain (Half END Cost; -1/4)

 

The program is reporting that this costs 4 END instead of 2.

This is a bit of a tricky one.

1. The Power does cost 4 END to activate...which is what the app is showing.

2. The tricky part here is that I'm not sure that Costs END to Maintain is valid on that construct -- it would normally cost END to maintain the ability (as stated in the rules for applying Uncontrolled to Deflection). Costs END to Maintain is generally intended for continuing _effect_ abilities (e.g. many Mental Powers). I think the best way to handle this is to add an additional check for the modifier intelligence on Costs END to Maintain -- have it check if the original/unmodified duration of the ability is Instant - if so, check if it normally costs END...and if so disallow the Modifier.

I'd suggest familiarizing yourself with the rules regarding Charges.  Particularly Continuing Charges - the concept does not apply to an Instant ability.

Likely missing that you can only apply Continuing Charges to a Constant (or better) ability...if you apply Charges to an Instant Power, Continuing (and the Fuel options) will not be available.

Also note that, like the Highlander, there can be only one (such container).

Slight trick: you need to pair it with 

<!--IF_IMAGE-->
...
<!--/IF_IMAGE-->

IF_NO_IMAGE is only processed during the handling of that tag (or the straight IMAGE tag)

<!--IF_IMAGE--> image stuff goes here <!--/IF_IMAGE-->
<!--IF_NO_IMAGE--> no image available stuff goes here <!--IF_NO_IMAGE-->

9 hours ago, Pariah said:

A question for Simon: Has the Russian invasion of Ukraine become a big enough issue to justify a thread of its own? 

No, as it's not about the size of the issue - this continues to be a site for a roleplaying game.

While there's not much that can be done unless the sharing becomes widespread, I suspect the obvious statement is that no, you should not give copies of the PDFs to other people (be they players in your game or otherwise). 

18 hours ago, HeroGM said:

 

I'm curious how you do that

call the overloaded singleton getter:  com.hero.HeroDesigner.getInstance(true);

That'll give you an instance of HD without a GUI constructed. From there you can call the non-GUI methods as normal (loading characters, exporting, etc.). Most of the methods you'd be calling will be in the HeroDesigner class itself.

12 hours ago, unclevlad said:

HD is just a jar.  Java can open and run a jar file, typically in its own thread, instantiating a variable.  There's an option to open in headless (no GUI) mode that's probably what you'd need to do.  That should give you the main dialog's controls to do things to open files, export, etc.

 

It's probably easier to just use HD unless you intend to do that a lot.

 

Option 2:  .HDC files are just XML.  It would take some work, but building a parser for them wouldn't be too bad.  OK, I did this for data analytic purposes for several years, so my notion of "not too bad" might be different.  It might have to be a constant work in progress, depending on what you want to support...I'm thinking things like auto-calculating (and displaying) adjusted height and/or weight based on the powers that tweak them (DI, alternate Desolid if you incorporate it, Growth, Shrinking).  Or something I'd probably do:  show net speed, for running, swimming, or flight, both combat and non-combat, or similarly distance covered for leap or teleport.  Especially if you, like me, maybe slap a Naked Advantage onto Teleport, for MegaScale.  Because by the rules, a Teleport with MegaScale is *always* non-combat, and thus takes an extra phase.  Doesn't work real well in combat.  Same with Flight, given that I have a High Scale advantage that's similar to MegaScale, but not as ludicrously fast.

 

The parsing is easy enough.  I'm used to SAX parsing so that's what I'd do.  Linking up the info...that'll take some thought but the mechanisms are there to do it.

 

I wouldn't say this is for a novice coder, but it won't be rocket science either.  And it need not be Java, if there's some other language you prefer for text processing, with good XML support.  I would say, if you don't know Java, you'll have some problems.  The attribute names aren't always self-explanatory;  how they combine is, at times, less than clear.  Having the code base helps...but only if you can read it.  You also need the template for some specifics, too;  for example, in the HDC file, for characteristics, there's Levels (how much did you buy up) but the Cost Per Level isn't there.  That's in the template.  The template has the full, but empty, power/skill/characteristic object;  the HDC file has the user-specified data to fill it out.  Now, OK, maybe you don't need to export the costs;  for play purposes, you may not need them, or need only easy ones to look up.  But that's why this might be a long-term work-in-progress.

 

And it's not nearly as bad as refactoring the entire HD code base.  THAT is a royal PITA.

You'd be refactoring more than you think -- the HDC files are only half of the story. They have the build information (how many levels, what options are selected, etc.) but the rules are contained in the template -- you need to combine the two to get at a full character (determining costs for abilities, etc.). And that wouldn't take into account the...idiosyncrasies in display, layout, and cross-ability interaction that need code to handle.

The answer is mostly no -- HD can be run without a UI, but that needs to be done programmatically (i.e. a separate Java application can create an instance of HD without any graphics, intended for creating exports of character files)

One of the more sobering pieces I've seen was a climate scientist being interviewed some months back, saying that it's not a matter of _if_ Florida will be lost, it's a matter of how quickly -- how much warning/time we'll have to move the population of an entire state.

1 minute ago, Cancer said:

I feel OK, but my COVID test yesterday has come back DETECTED again, so I am probably still contagious.  I will bunker down for a few more days, run my classes via Zoom, and revel in the extra hour of sleep I get for not having to do the physical commute.  Long live pants-optional lectures!

 

Grumble.

Unsolicited information:  pay attention to what type of test you're taking.  PCR tests (or PCR-equivalent NAAT tests) can return positive results for up to 90 days from infection -- they don't really represent transmissibility. Antigen tests are less accurate than PCR, but better for determining if you're infectious.

Again, the above is unsolicited info that you likely already know...just posting it because I wasn't fully up to speed on that when I had it over the holidays (likely stayed in full isolation a bit long as a result).

Just now, tayliffe said:

Thank you Simon. 

Much appreciated. When I can try it I will. If it works, I will owe you a virtual block of chocolate, 🍫🤗

FTFY

The name field is always optional...and the export tag always requires the surrounding IFNAME container.

Same way you see Tasha doing it for the overall Compound Power:  

<!--IFNAME--> ... <!--NAME--> ... <!--/IFNAME-->

In a word: no.

In more words:

1. Make a separate "character" to use as a scratch pad

2. Use the Equipment tab

3. Use a List on the Powers tab with a x0 Cost Multiplier

Any/all of these methods will allow you to cut and paste Powers.

A little bit of troubleshooting in advance for folks to follow up on this post:

If you double-click on HD6.jar and nothing happens (specifically, you don't see the loading splash for HD), then .jar file associations on your system are not properly setup. If you haven't installed Java on your system yet, go to www.java.com and click on the big red button to install Java. If you have Java installed and are not seeing anything happen when double-clicking HD6.jar, then Google "jarfix" to find a small executable that will correct the .jar file associations on your system for you.

If you double-click on HD6.jar and see the loading splash for HD, but it stops at "loading plugins" then you're running HD from a directory that you don't have full access to.  There're some technical details about how the startup process works, but the long and short of it is that HD needs to be in a directory that both your account and Java have full read/write access to (Windows UAC in particular gets a bit hungup about C:\Program Files and similar directories) -- move HD to your Desktop or Documents folder and run from there, if only to verify that the issue is fixed (you can always move it afterwards).

56 minutes ago, Pariah said:

Thank you all for your kind words about my daughter. She's feeling better day by day. Still got a fever, but we're managing that with ibuprofen.

Very glad to hear that she's on the mend.