House Rules

[DaggerdaleDM]

So, lets say I get my house rules put into Hero Lab and I convince my gamers to each buy a copy of Hero lab. Can I export my house rules in such a way that they can then import them into their own copy of Hero Lab?

[rob]

Absolutely yes! The house rules you enter into Hero Lab will be saved in one or more (your choice) data files that you'll create with your custom material. You can then give those files to the others in your gaming group, and they can simply drop them into the d20 data file directory, re-compile everything, and reload.

When you add your own material, it's keep separate to make it easy to give to others. The compiler builds a merged database of everything that HL uses at run-time, which includes all the core material and your custom material.

Hope this answers your question sufficiently. If not, let us know.

-Rob

At 09:20 AM 12/24/2006, you wrote:

So, lets say I get my house rules put into Hero Lab and I convince my gamers to each buy a copy of Hero lab. Can I export my house rules in such a way that they can then import them into their own copy of Hero Lab?

[DaggerdaleDM]

This is excellent news! Definately the way to do things.

[Brand]

Just an additional question. Will the demo allow for at least testing putting in your own information.
Or should I have the time (yeah right) I can grab say the Complete Adventurer and add in the Classes and Feats and other such as well.

Just making sure about this is all.

[Foxbat]

How do I enter House Rules? I don't seem to see an option for that in any of the file menus in Hero Lab.

--Bruce

[rob]

The demo version WILL allow you to add your own custom material to the data files. So you can definitely test drive that facet of the product before shelling out your hard-earned cash.

Please note that the editing capabilities will be released in stages over the next few weeks. I just posted an announcement about this in a separate thread. You'll be able to see how it all works at some point on Tuesday. Feats, races, skills, and spells will be editable in the first stage. Classes will be added after that. Custom weapons, armor, and magic items will be added last.

If you do add in all the material from a particular book, you may want to share your hard work with others. I'm sure there will be some users keenly interested in not having to re-enter everything themselves. Based on how things went with Army Builder and Card Vault, there may even be sites where users can share material showing up in the near future.

Thanks, Rob


At 03:16 PM 12/27/2006, you wrote:

Just an additional question. Will the demo allow for at least testing putting in your own information.
Or should I have the time (yeah right) I can grab say the Complete Adventurer and add in the Classes and Feats and other such as well.

Just making sure about this is all.

[rob]

It's not included yet. That functionality will be added over the next few weeks, and you'll be able to take your first test drive of it at some point on Tuesday.

-Rob


At 10:07 PM 12/28/2006, you wrote:

How do I enter House Rules? I don't seem to see an option for that in any of the file menus in Hero Lab.

--Bruce

[Foxbat]

Thanks for the prompt holiday reply, Rob. I'm very much looking forward to putting Hero Labs through its paces, but won't really be able to use it for my campaign (or any of the games in which I play) until I can enter custom stuff.

--Bruce

[rob]

Take tonight's release for a test drive and give us your feedback. Everything will be preliminary and subject to change at this point, so it's a great opportunity to help shape the end result. We're expecting to have the core editing tools in place and fully documented around the end of the month. That gives us some time to incorporate user input and refine things for maximum usability.

-Rob


At 12:55 PM 12/31/2006, you wrote:

Thanks for the prompt holiday reply, Rob. I'm very much looking forward to putting Hero Labs through its paces, but won't really be able to use it for my campaign (or any of the games in which I play) until I can enter custom stuff.

--Bruce

[Reinstag]

I've played around a tiny bit with the new editor and noticed there's no function for building new classes (core or prestige). Will these be available later perhaps? I'm sure prestige class editing/creating will be there but I'm hoping to see the ability to edit core classes too.

[rob]

Classes are next up on our list for editing support. After that, we'll be adding items like weapons, armor, magic items, etc.

You'll definitely be able to add your own core classes via the editor. However, adding a core spellcaster class will likely NOT be able to be done entirely within the editor. There's just too much nastiness involved to do in the editor while also maintaining a good level of user flexibility for how they want things to work. Other base classes will hopefully be fine, but setting up spell progressions and the like will likely require a little bit of direct editing of the XML data file. It's a text file, so it won't be too hard, plus you should be able to do all the non-spellcasting stuff via the editor. So you'll only need to do 5% of the work without the editor.

-Rob

NOTE! The above is our current plan. However, it's subject to change as we get stuff fully implemented. :-)


At 08:46 PM 1/4/2007, you wrote:

I've played around a tiny bit with the new editor and noticed there's no function for building new classes (core or prestige). Will these be available later perhaps? I'm sure prestige class editing/creating will be there but I'm hoping to see the ability to edit core classes too.

[aikidragon]

I'm leaning towards purchasing Herolab. I waiting to see how the class editing tools work before making a final descision. I use most of the option books published by wotc and a few by others in my campign. This results in a lot of the wierd rules functions being in my campaign. This means whatever tool I use has to have a lot fo flexibility. One in particular is the spell point system in unearthed aracana. Essentially it works like this A class has a certain number of spell points based on level and bonus stat (int for wizards). But they still have their number of spell slots that they memeorize spells into. They simply dont' have to memeorize spells more than once if they want to cast more than once. And they have one huge honkin pool of spell points to draw from for spells of all levels. Is this feasable in this program and can the characters sheets be user modified to accomodate stuff like this. (This is example is the big one for my campaign. Also are psionics in this?

Thanks.

[rob]

We're working on adding classes right now. Our current target is to get a new release that includes them out next Friday (12th). So you should be able to see how class editing works very shortly now.

I just dug out my copy of Unearthed Arcana. With regards to the Spells Points mechanism, the answer is "yes" - you should be able to implement it. However, due to the complexities of the mechanism, you would NOT be able to add this via the editor. You would need to add the handling for the progressions of spell points and their tracking via the addition of a new component, a new component set that incorporates the new component, and replaced class objects that derive from the new component set. None of this is all that difficult to do, except that it will require a significantly more indepth familiarity with the engine (i.e. a non-trivial learning curve) and will utilize mechanisms that haven't yet been documented (and that probably won't be documented by next Friday). I'm not trying to scare you off here - note my previous comment that none of this would actually be "difficult" - but I DO want to make sure your expectations are properly calibrated. We'll also be happy to help guide you through the process when you launch into it. :-)

Psionics are one of four components of the SRD that have not yet been added (the full list will be found in other threads). So far, very little interest in seeing support for psionics has been voiced by users. If it turns out there is a strong interest in seeing psionics added, we can definitely do so. It's a matter of juggling priorities to do the stuff that the most users want to see added. Right now, that's adding custom material. After that, it really depends on what users ask for most.

Hope this answers your questions. Please let me know if you've got additional questions or if my answers above didn't address everything you were looking for.

Thanks, Rob


At 08:53 AM 1/5/2007, you wrote:

I'm leaning towards purchasing Herolab. I waiting to see how the class editing tools work before making a final descision. I use most of the option books published by wotc and a few by others in my campign. This results in a lot of the wierd rules functions being in my campaign. This means whatever tool I use has to have a lot fo flexibility. One in particular is the spell point system in unearthed aracana. Essentially it works like this A class has a certain number of spell points based on level and bonus stat (int for wizards). But they still have their number of spell slots that they memeorize spells into. They simply dont' have to memeorize spells more than once if they want to cast more than once. And they have one huge honkin pool of spell points to draw from for spells of all levels. Is this feasable in this program and can the characters sheets be user modified to accomodate stuff like this. (This is example is the big one for my campaign. Also are psionics in this?

Thanks.

[Billoseth]

Okay, I am currently using the demo version of Hero Lab d20 3.5, as I am considering buying it if I find it easy to work with. I and my group have a lot of house rules, classes, races, a whole new skill sheet, a few added feats, etc.
I think I've figured out how to add the majority of it into the files so it can be used on hero lab, however, I still am not sure how to add in house rules, and the last replies on this thread are 7 years old. :eek:
I really am loving how this thing works, but it is simply too confusing if I can't add in the established rules we play with. Help? :confused:

[TobyFox2002]

That all depends on what rules you are trying to add, and if its simple, class mechanic changes or something more crazy.

For house rules that use the editor like modifying how classes work, creating variation on how feats/abilities or spells work use the following method:


Create a new file with the modifications you want.
Make sure EVERYTHING has the a new source that use

Source Name: The name of your House Rules (whatever you like)
Source Unique Id: a short code that normally begins with a capital letter and can be no longer than 8 characters (i think 8)
Parent Source: House (parent source: "House" indicates that is in the parent source section for house rules. Very Important.

Save and test file.


This should get you started, and also assumes some knowledge of how to make the rules you want. That's beyond the scope of this question I think. Once you have done this you can select or deselect whatever house rules you wish to use. Keep in mind that not all house rules can be made in this way, some require XML coding which, I suggest you don't mess with, or ask someone else to help with (not me, I wouldn't touch that XML with a 40-ft pole.)

[Billoseth]

Well I get class Specific changes and such, as well as adding new classes, races, skills, etc. *though the additional stuff on the right of the editor has me very confused but I am trying to figure it out. I'm not good at this kinda stuff:o*
But what about stuff like....well, for every Dex mod above 5, add ten to your speed. and dm rolls a 1d4 every time the character would get ability score points from level. Whatever he/she rolls is how many points you get. Or having quickdraw as an automatic feat. Things like that...

[ProphetPX]

Has anyone updated anybody with how to add DM-specific House Rules, yet?
I read the comments in this thread and (sorry but) they are VERY SPOTTY and ambiguous and i really do not understand which files or which database "keys" I should be either adding or modifying? Please is there a video or (better) a document which explains how to make a full House Rules data file?

I want to do things like add free feats, custom regions, homelands, local kingdoms, social organizations, and give skill synergies (because 3.5 may do that by default but i want to give my own) and many other things that customize PC building. I like some of the other man's ideas too (about DEX mod for speed increase, etc)
etc etc

so how do we add these things?

[Dami]

@ProphetPX - It's not that simple, and in another way it's not complicated either.
Note too, that most of what is in this thread is a decade old and very out of date.
How do you "build" house rules? - with the editor.
You can build your "house rules" the same way as everything else... make up something in the editor and (like TobyFox said earlier) give everything a source, so that when you select that source (or "set" of "rules") what you have developed becomes active - whether it is new feats, skills, or alternate feats/skills, or changes to something existing. Search the forums for individual elements of what you want to do. Some things will be creating a new item, other will be scripts that modify something that already exists.

If you haven't done much with the editor, use it to look at how someone else has already done something and look at the many examples/guides that people have done to assist.
Eg: Hero Lab Help - Hero Lab FAQ (http://forums.wolflair.com/showthread.php?t=15524), Editor Tutorials and Videos (http://forums.wolflair.com/showpost.php?p=69392&postcount=4), Editor & Scripting Resources (http://forums.wolflair.com/showthread.php?t=21688).