Astromath

I'm having a problem getting abbreviations to work. 1. With Abbreviations checked and Writers Guidelines unchecked. Example: Armor Piercing's abbreviation is AP, but HD doesn't replace Armor Piercing with its abbreviation. 2. With Abbreviations checked and Writers Guidelines checked. Same problem as 1. I checked the XML and the tag ABBREVIATION on all the problems that use ABBREVIATION is spelled correctly. So, that is not where the problem lies. Am I doing something wrong, or is it a program bug. It's not a XML bug as far as I can tell. P.S.: I'm using the March 1, 2021 update.

I see there's no posts for awhile. However, I want to put my two cents in. Create a Custom Power, and call it "Naked Limitation" with the amount of negative points you want the limitations on. (Custom Power is the only power that can be negative without using Adders.) Then create a Custom Power. Lets us a VPP for example. Let's say that the control cost is 80, but only thirty of that is based on an OIF. First, you need to figure out how much the real cost on 30 active points with an OIF is. In this case 20. That means that the OIF on 30 points is 20 points which is a difference of -10. Once you know that you can do the following which reverts the real cost back to an active cost: (20 - 30) * 1.5 = -15. You need to subtract 15 points from the active points of the control cost. Now you build the Custom Power: -10 Naked Limitation (-15 active points); OIF (-1/2). This works great for VPPs, but MPs would be a lot more difficult. I haven't found a good short cut for this yet. Multipowers would be a bit more difficult as, not only you need to do this with the MP itself, you also need to do this with every power in the MP, or you can use Adders for the MP and each power. Just call the Adder "Naked Limitation" then list the limitation(s) in the Adder. The downside is that you need to play with the points to make the real cost correct. However, there will be times that the real cost would never be correct with this method. As you can see, the two options for Naked Limitations on an MP are not good. Same goes for ECs from pre-6e (5e and below).

This is a continuation of a discussion back in 2010 (which is probably archived). Here's my two cents. The following would duplicate exactly the Transfer power in previous editions. Using the STUN Transfer example in 6E1 sidebar, I would make the Aid a Standard Effect with the custom Advantage/Limitation "Standard Effect number must equal the amount rolled on the Drain dice (+0)." I'm giving this a +0 modifier because the Aid dice, if rolled, would sometimes be greater than the Drain dice (which would be the Limitation because it reduces the Aid rolled to the amount rolled on Drain dice), and sometimes less than the Drain dice (which would be the Advantage because it increases the Aid rolled to the amount rolled on Drain dice). Using one custom modifier is better and cleaner than having two custom modifiers that would amount to the same thing.

That would be a really hot topic. Especially if the microwave oven is actually being used.

Curious about your reasoning. In the xml you have GROUP being general, where as in 6E1 79 Groups are Cultural KS. PEOPLE doesn't seem to be cultural (and is not so stated), especially if you can define a single person. The following is nothing but a personal opinion: <GROUPS DISPLAY="Cultural"> <TYPE>CULTURAL</TYPE> </GROUPS> <PEOPLE DISPLAY="People"> <TYPE>KNOWLEDGE</TYPE> </PEOPLE> <PLACES DISPLAY="Area"> <TYPE>AREA</TYPE> </PLACES> <CITIES DISPLAY="City"> <TYPE>AREA</TYPE> </CITIES> <THINGS DISPLAY"General"> <TYPE>KNOWLEDGE</TYPE> </THINGS> The above code would more accurately reflect the text on 6E1 79. But, as I said, this is nothing but an opinion. (I have not done this because PEOPLE & CITIES plus the type CULTURAL are not legal attributes.) P.S. The link to the Writer's Guidelines in the HD documentation takes me to this: Sorry, there is a problem The page you requested does not exist Error code: 1S160/2

Just tried unchecking the Use strict Writers' Guidelines compliance while leaving the Use Abbreviations checked. That works. It looks like checking the Writers' Guidelines overrules the ABBREVIATION attribute, even if the Use Abbreviations is also checked. That is behavior I wasn't expecting. P.S. Where can I find the Writers' Guidelines?

I'm not sure what you mean. Checking 6E1 325, Attack Versus Limited Defense is abbreviated to AVLD in the first sentence. On page 326, No Normal Defense is abbreviated NND. Life Support in HD does abbreviate to LS, as well as Professional Skills (PS), Science Skills (SS), and some others appropriately. I'm just wondering why the ABBREVIATION attribute is not working when abbreviations in the Preferences is activated. Never mind. I tried adding WGABBREVIATION="AVLD" and WGABBREVIATION="NND" and they abbreviated appropriately (I copied the XML to another file so the original is not altered). I guess ABBREVIATION cannot work by itself, it must also include WGABBREVIATION. Not sure why that is.

I noticed in the XML that the adder "All Or Nothing" has the ABBREVIATION="NND" on its line. However, when choosing that adder, NND does not appear in the output. When I look closer, the abbreviation "AVLD" isn't in the output either. Example: Choose Blast 1d6. Add AVLD modifier with All Or Nothing checked (I'm not changing the Defense Change or the Defense for the sake of the example). The output is Blast 1d6; Attack Versus Alternate Defense (ED; All Or Nothing; -1/2). That is technically correct, but the expected output should be Blast 1d6; AVLD (ED; NND; -1/2) because of the ABBREVIATION attributes. Preferred output should be Blast 1d6; NND (ED; -1/2). The preferred output would match all the character write-ups that have NNDs in their powers. Not only the abbreviation for AVLD doesn't show up, neither does NND even though both have the ABBREVIATION attribute in the XML and I do have the use abbreviations in the Preferences checked. Using latest build of HD. P.S. I was wondering why NND wasn't showing up until I started looking at the XML. I also just now when I was typing up this question saw that the abbreviation AVLD wasn't showing up either.

I figured a work around. Reduce the BASECOST of the main skill to 0 and add an ADDER with the title No Culture/Region Choice with BASECOST of 3. All that's left is the part of graying out the other two adders when that is chosen. I'll be looking at examples in the Main6E template where some skills do that.

Ah. I see. I'm still completely flummoxed as how to do the Bribery skill. I probably need to do each as its own skill as a workaround, but I'd rather be able to do it like Computer Programming. But, on the other side, I am learning XML by doing this.

I had a feeling SHOWALIAS was part of the problem since it wasn't defined in the docs. So, by deleting that, the adders should show in the end result. IOW, I can't get the same behavior as Computer Programming then. That's a bummer. I'm not too sure how to do it then. Any hints will be appreciated. I'm trying to add in xml so that I can add the extra stuff from Hero System Skills (6E). So far, I'm up to Bribery (6E Skills book, page 93, subsection Subdividing Bribery). P.S. Right now, you have in the Preferences the Template tab to add 5th edition source books. Will you be eventually doing that with the 6th edition source books (basically a second Template tab labelled "Template 6E")?

I've never heard of Liz Masters. Who is she? My wife had a lightning character back in the 3rd edition days called Johnny B. Goode (which is from Misfits of Science tv show).

OK. Thx.

This is what I have: <SKILL XMLID="BRIBERY" SHOWDIALOG="Yes" DISPLAY="Bribery" MINCOST="1" FAMILIARITYROLL="8" FAMILIARITYCOST="1" EXCLUSIVE="Yes"> <CHARACTERISTIC_CHOICE> <ITEM CHARACTERISTIC="PRE" BASECOST="3" LVLCOST="2" LVLVAL="1" /> </CHARACTERISTIC_CHOICE> <ADDER XMLID="FIRSTCULTURE" DISPLAY="First Culture or Region" SHOWALIAS="No" BASECOST="2" MINCOST="1" INPUTLABEL="Culture/Region" OTHERINPUT="Yes" EXCLUSIVE="Yes" > </ADDER> <ADDER XMLID="ADDCULTURE" DISPLAY="Additional Culture(s) or Region(s)" SHOWALIAS="No" BASECOST="1" MINCOST="1" INPUTLABEL="Culture(s)/Region(s)" OTHERINPUT="Yes" EXCLUSIVE="Yes"> </ADDER> <DEFINITION>A character with this Interaction Skill knows when to bribe someone, how to approach him, and how much to offer.</DEFINITION> </SKILL> What I expect: The 2 adders to show. Check. What I expect: Checking the first adder box to replace the base cost of the bribery skill with 2. Problem. It adds 2 to the bribery base cost instead. What I expect: Checking the first adder box does not produce an extra "First Culture" box for that adder. Problem. It does. What I expect: Before checking the first adder box, the second adder box to be grayed out. Problem. It's not grayed out. Expected output if adder is not chosen: 3 Bribery 11- Expected output if adder is chosen: 2 Bribery: [culture] 11- What it actually outputs: 5 Bribery 11- I was using the 5th edition computer programming skill as an example. There, the first adder chosen replaces the base cost, not add to it, then all the additional chosen adders add to the first adder chosen. It's probably something simple, but I just can't see it.

The subcontainer SHOWALIAS is not in the HD documentation. What does it do?