Critters
 

I know this was on the to do list awhile back, but it seems to be slipping by the wayside.
When are you going to put in support for critters? Hopefully before the addons come out at the middle of this month.

There are a number of security teams that deploy critters as part of their protocols. It's a pain having to keep track of them separately from the dashboard and the tactical display. It seems like you could make an addition to the race list like you did for sprites and spirits. Once the format for the critters database is included, I'm happy to transcribe the info from the books into the program as a user file at this point. I just happen to suck rocks as a code monkey.

Sorry, but the priority we've assigned to adding the critter mechanics is lower than the priority we're giving to getting the 5 core supplements added to Hero Lab.

There's been quite a lot more people asking about the core supplements than the critters, which makes us think that finishing those books first will provide more benefit to more of our users.

If it's a matter of being vocal let me throw my voice in the ring. I had hoped also that the critters would be added with the upcoming updates. While I would would love to get Street magic, Augmentation, and Street magic in the next couple of week. I wouldn't mind at all getting the critters added before Unwired or Runners Companion.

I would.

Ah, well, more waiting to be done then. Ok <crashing sound of broken piggy bank> mid Feb is coming up soon..must make sure I have enough funds for the 5.

I'd prefer the karma system before critters myself ;-)

It will be handy having critters, but its painful not having the karma system, or the other books for equipment and stuff.

at least it give you reasons to crack open the books or PDF's...

I hate to say it but if the main data files are any indication I really doubt the karma system will be included when Runners Companion is released.

They stated it was not coming with Runner's Companion earlier...

Most of my Shadowrun players have opted for free-ware and spreadsheets to build their characters and won't pick up hero lab until they do the Karma system.

Hopefully it won't be too far away.

Calabim, have you read the Shadowrun section of our January newsletter? That discusses the release schedule for Runner's Companion: ttp://wolflair.com/index.php?context=newsletter&page=january_2012

I had seen that but it had slipped my mind. Runners Companion is not one of my wish list priorities so I'm sure I just glossed over that section. Really looking forward to the others though.

Need manual Critter option
 

I've got to second this.

If we could just manually enter a creature, that would cover most situations until they got around to a critter release.

And really the work on the spirits has laid the ground work.
Most of the power are already in Hero Lab.

So the only thing we need is a way to enter a "Critter" manually in Hero Lab and add any missing powers.

If I need some thing exotic like a succubus or a death rattle, I can enter the stats and skills and then just select the powers it should have.

If they could eventually include the critters in the main rule book, that would cover most "guard" critters. It would also make adding any additional creatures very easy since you could use the existing critter as a template.

Critters are definitely not as important to me as the core supplements. I'm still looking forward to their release though.

One thing I'm really looking forward to is to have all of the new SPIRITS and all of the new Spirit Powers from Street Magic put into the game. Designing custom Spirits currently is a little difficult.

If you need to use Hero Lab for Critters in the meantime, I would just plug them into Hero Lab as NPCs. Adjust their stats, and add their Powers in the note section.

If the Critter has an usual attack, such as a bite or whatnot that you need available, just go into the Datafile, and create a copy of "Club" for example, rename it "Devil Rat Bite", and change the numbers for it to correspond to the damage of a Devil Rat. Then buy it for your "Devil Rat" NPC, and equip it. Presto, your Critter is pretty much done.

Might not work for really complicated Critters, but it will stop you from having to track them both on the Combat Tracker AND on paper.

I agree about core supplements before critters.

I do think it would be very easy to create a "critter" NPC option/panel as a stop gap so you could have all the opposition in Dashboard and the tactical display.

I second that... Not having the critters in the tactical display makes it less useful.

What would be the best way to use the editor to create critters? Would each be a race? Or is it not possible without an update?

Hi, and thanks for all the feedback on what everyone's looking forward to in terms of our Shadowrun content. On the critter front, we'll be publishing some good news in this month's newsletter, which will be out soon.

New critter section is nice.

Any ETA on when we get the rest of the critters?


The custom critter button is not working.

Just need the critter powers after added.

And Thanks

If you mean Running Wild and Parazoology, we're not ready to make announcements about those books yet


I'm afraid I don't understand what you mean here.

I'm also not sure what you mean b this.

1) Fair enough. Thanks!
2) Go to vehicles in a character. If you go to Vehicle tab you can click add new vehicle and then there is a customize button between add and close. Go to Vehicle Tab and click add new critter and biodrone there is also a customize button, but it doesn't work. Also there is no option to add a customized critter or drone. Looks like you are working on it. Is there an ETA?

Ok, Saw that if you select a portfolio Critter then you have to select a race (like Hellhound).

Didn't catch that. And when I selected critter and checked the critter powers, the tab was blank with no options.



What if I (as a GM) want to do a customer critter or just add a critter power for a custom critter (a boss critter or mutant of some sort)?

Like adding Engery Aura to a hellhound (so it is a flaming hellhound) or coming up with some sort of giant toxic mutated grizzle bear?

How would I get access to all the critter powers?

And Thanks!

You can use the editor (Tools menu...Launch Editor) to make new critter races, and you can start by copying one of the existing races.

Can you give me the file name and path for the shadowrun critters?
I can open editor, but I don't know where to find the critter file to copy one and edit it.

I assume on my PC it is some thing like D:\ProgramData\Hero Lab\data\shadowrun.

I can find .dat files in D:\ProgramData\Hero Lab\data\4E, but I don't see any in D:\ProgramData\Hero Lab\data\shadowrun.



Thanks

To create new things in the editor, start by creating a new file, then switch to the critters tab, and at the bottom left, click the "New (Copy)" button, and decide which critter you want to copy.

Thanks