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Upcoming Release

R

rob

Administrator
Staff member
Greetings,

At some point in June, probably about three weeks from now, we'll be
releasing another update for HL. This next update will focus on
simplifying the editing of custom material, adding the flexibility to
easily leverage many of the special wrinkles introduced by the myriad
d20 supplements, and a few nifty new features. Once we get the next
release out, we'll be focusing heavily on wrapping up and finalizing
the data files for other game systems, so there will likely be a
substantial period before the next d20 update will occur after the
late-June release.

The reason for this post is to give you the chance to sound off
regarding any feature or change that you feel is critical we add in
the next HL update. All suggestions should be either focused on d20
support or generic to the product. Suggestions that we work on other
game systems are NOT appropriate for this next update, so please
don't do that. :-)

If there is something important we need to add, let us know here on
this thread. We'll give serious consideration to all suggestions. The
final determination will hinge largely on the utility of the feature,
the complexity involved in implementing it, and what other stuff we
have planned that will need to be dropped to allow for the new
feature. So your suggestions may not make it into the next update,
but they will definitely be noted for the future if we can't add them now.

Thanks in advance for your suggestions!

-Rob

---------------------------------------------------------------------------
Rob Bowes (rob@wolflair.com) (408) 927-9880
Lone Wolf Development www.wolflair.com
 
Ok here is mine.

Add the ability to adjust the initiative modifier in the in play adjustments.

Add the ability to add class skills in the in play adjustments.

With those 2 additions you can fake most non listed feats.

Add a custom race, class, skill, spell, special abilities and template option so that some one could chose one on the fly. Like they can a custom feat.

Add stats for familiars/animal companions.

Add Psionics.

Thanks,
 
More tutorials/documentation to help me learn XML would be nice... My brain fails me for the rest. I'll try and think of something more.
 
I thought I had posted, guess it didn't go through. Let me try again:

I would also like to see the ability to add class skills in play adjustments. Stats for Companions/mounts would be cool, especially if they could be modified.

I would love to have a generic counter in in play adjustments as well. Something with just a description field and a counter. Could be used for anything...tracking wounds to a mount or companion, anything.

I would really like to see the Epic stuff from the SRD added. We seem to be playing a lot of Epic level stuff recently.

thanks,

Sean
 
Ah, here is something that I am not sure if it can be done already. I am creating a class that gets special abilities (called Knacks) and also Bonus Feats. Is there a way to make 2 seperate pick tables in the class panel, one for the bonus feats and one for the knacks? If not, can you create a way? I don't want to have to pick bonus feats and knacks from the same table because they are gained at different levels.
 
I'd like to see support for monstrous classes, epic level stuff, and an easier way to get some of the trickier stuff done in the editor.

For example, while we can use the editor to add a spell level to an existing caster, I had to do some manual editing of the file to add one divine caster level and one arcane caster level. I also had to manually edit the file to get a class to have access to fighter bonus feats; actually being able to choose which feats are a classes bonus feats would be a great extention of the editor.
 
I second that last one. I am adding the Sword of Righteousness from Book of Exalted Deeds, and they get a bonus exalted feat at each level. I haven't been able to complete the class because I can't figure out how to do a custom bonus feat list, even though it is extremely simple class otherwise.
 
dartnet wrote:
>
>
> Ok here is mine.
>
> Add the ability to adjust the initiative modifier in the in play
> adjustments.
>
> Add the ability to add class skills in the in play adjustments.
>
> With those 2 additions you can fake most non listed feats.


This should be pretty reasonable to add.


> Add a custom race, class, skill, spell, special abilities and template
> option so that some one could chose one on the fly. Like they can a
> custom feat.


This is a good idea, but it has a couple of issues that we haven't
solved yet. For a feat it makes sense, since you just need to type in
one thing, the name. But for a race or a class, there's dozens of pieces
of information that would need to be set. And then once you've done it,
there's no good way to save it out and use it again on another hero.


> Add stats for familiars/animal companions.


Unfortunately, this is a big enough can of worms that I'm not sure it's
feasible for the next couple of weeks. The problem is that to do it
"properly", we'll need to add a whole new "Companions" tab which can
display one or more companions properly (not just familiars, but also
animal companions, mounts, and potentially humanoid followers). Which
means we need to enter all the statistics for all those entities, as
well as defining how they can be displayed.

All in all, it's a big job that I don't think we're ready for yet. It's
definitely on our list, though.


> Add Psionics.


I should be tackling this next week. :-)


Thanks for your feedback!


--
Colen McAlister (colen@wolflair.com)
Chief Engineer, Lone Wolf Development
http://www.wolflair.com/
 
seanabrady wrote:

> I would love to have a generic counter in in play adjustments as well.
> Something with just a description field and a counter. Could be used for
> anything...tracking wounds to a mount or companion, anything.


Very good idea. I'll get it added.


> I would really like to see the Epic stuff from the SRD added. We seem to
> be playing a lot of Epic level stuff recently.


Epic stuff is definitely on our list, but I don't think it'll make it
into the next update. Sorry! :(


--
Colen McAlister (colen@wolflair.com)
Chief Engineer, Lone Wolf Development
http://www.wolflair.com/
 
Lawful_g wrote:
>
>
> Ah, here is something that I am not sure if it can be done already. I am
> creating a class that gets special abilities (called Knacks) and also
> Bonus Feats. Is there a way to make 2 seperate pick tables in the class
> panel, one for the bonus feats and one for the knacks? If not, can you
> create a way? I don't want to have to pick bonus feats and knacks from
> the same table because they are gained at different levels.


That should be possible. I'll see if I can unlock this for the next release.


--
Colen McAlister (colen@wolflair.com)
Chief Engineer, Lone Wolf Development
http://www.wolflair.com/
 
Culhwch wrote:
>
>
> I'd like to see support for monstrous classes,


What do we need to do to support these? I was under the (perhaps
erroneous) impression that you could do these just like normal classes.


> epic level stuff, and an
> easier way to get some of the trickier stuff done in the editor.


We've added some improvements to the editor this week, to make it easier
to (for example) pick which weapon proficiencies a class has and which
attributes a skill is linked to.


> For example, while we can use the editor to add a spell level to an
> existing caster, I had to do some manual editing of the file to add one
> divine caster level and one arcane caster level.


You added Arcane and Divine spellcaster levels to the same class? How
did you do it? I didn't think that was possible :)


> I also had to manually
> edit the file to get a class to have access to fighter bonus feats;
> actually being able to choose which feats are a classes bonus feats
> would be a great extention of the editor.


We don't have a good solution for bonus feats yet, unfortunately. The
ideas we have outlined so far come under the category of "Would work
really well, we just need to spend 2 weeks working solidly on it and
doing nothing else" which is sub-optimal.


Thanks for your feedback!


--
Colen McAlister (colen@wolflair.com)
Chief Engineer, Lone Wolf Development
http://www.wolflair.com/
 
>>
>> I'd like to see support for monstrous classes,
>
>
>What do we need to do to support these? I was under the (perhaps
>erroneous) impression that you could do these just like normal classes.

Monstrous classes combine a monster's hit dice and level adjustment into a class. So, for example, a "centaur class" would be 6 levels, 4 of which add hit dice, skill points, etc. and 2 that do not, but could add other things (say going from a medium creature to a large creature for a centaur). If this currently can be done, that's cool. I would just need to figure out how to do it.

>
>> epic level stuff, and an
>> easier way to get some of the trickier stuff done in the editor.
>
>
>We've added some improvements to the editor this week, to make it >easier
>to (for example) pick which weapon proficiencies a class has and which
>attributes a skill is linked to.

Very cool!

>> For example, while we can use the editor to add a spell level to an
>> existing caster, I had to do some manual editing of the file to add one
>> divine caster level and one arcane caster level.
>
>
>You added Arcane and Divine spellcaster levels to the same class? How
>did you do it? I didn't think that was possible

Instead of the template the editor puts in for added magic levels, I changed the template to the Mystic Theurge template which lets you choose a divine and arcane spellcaster level to add. I had to edit the file manually as I didn't see a way to to it in the editor. Not that big of a deal, if I only have to do it once, but I have had to redo the class panel a couple times for that class, so I do have to remember to go in and change it.

>> I also had to manually
>> edit the file to get a class to have access to fighter bonus feats;
>> actually being able to choose which feats are a classes bonus feats
>> would be a great extention of the editor.
>
>
>We don't have a good solution for bonus feats yet, unfortunately. The
>ideas we have outlined so far come under the category of "Would work
>really well, we just need to spend 2 weeks working solidly on it and
>doing nothing else" which is sub-optimal.
>
>
>Thanks for your feedback!

Not a problem. Keep up the great work!
 
Culhwch said:
>>
>> I'd like to see support for monstrous classes,
>
>
>What do we need to do to support these? I was under the (perhaps
>erroneous) impression that you could do these just like normal classes.

Monstrous classes combine a monster's hit dice and level adjustment into a class. So, for example, a "centaur class" would be 6 levels, 4 of which add hit dice, skill points, etc. and 2 that do not, but could add other things (say going from a medium creature to a large creature for a centaur). If this currently can be done, that's cool. I would just need to figure out how to do it.
Click to expand...

Oh, and I should also mention that, unlike other classes, if you are taking levels in a monster class, you can't multiclass until you have taken all the levels in the monster class (so, for example, I can't take my first level of fighter until I've taken all 6 levels of centaur). Also, I can't take levels in any other monster class (so no 6th level centaur/5th level hill giant's running around).
 
I'm not sure how you'd implement it, but something for substitution levels? Right now I am making a second class for one of My PCs who has taken a substitution level that assumes he'll take all the available substitution levels, but in case I change my mind and decide to take the normal level at a later date I would have to re-design the class.
 
How about the ability to make custome materials, i.e. in the Dragonlance Campaign Setting there is no such thing as Mithral, instead there is Dragonmetal, which is similar but with a natural enhancement bonus. Adamantine is replaced by starmetal, so on and so forth. Certain sourcebooks have added new materials, like Green Steel in one of the Feindish codexs (I can't remember which) and Kheferite (sp?) from Sandstorm...
 
At 06:45 PM 6/8/2007, you wrote:
All in all, it's a big job that I don't think we're ready for yet. It's
definitely on our list, though.
Click to expand...
Just to clarify. By "ready for yet", Colen is saying that we've got too many other things on our todo list that we want to get done first. We're not yet ready to stop work on everything else for the better part of a week to get this one capability added. There are other things that are more important still.
 
At 06:25 AM 6/7/2007, you wrote:
More tutorials/documentation to help me learn XML would be nice... My brain fails me for the rest. I'll try and think of something more.
Click to expand...
Do you honestly mean you want docs on XML in general? Or do you want more docs on the XML structure of the HL data files? For the former, there are a myriad good resources available - both online and via books you can buy at the local computer store. For the later, I hear you. I want to be able to write the docs, but there just aren't enough hours in the day to get everything done right now. If I only had a clone, I'd be in great shape....
 
At 08:49 PM 6/11/2007, you wrote:
I'm not sure how you'd implement it, but something for substitution levels? Right now I am making a second class for one of My PCs who has taken a substitution level that assumes he'll take all the available substitution levels, but in case I change my mind and decide to take the normal level at a later date I would have to re-design the class.
Click to expand...
This is something that we've mapped out how to solve, and it's not going to be all that difficult, provided I get one critical new thing added to the engine. Now I just have to get that added (amongst dozens of other things that are needed) so that Colen can integrate substitution level handling in the d20 data files. :-)
 
Lion_Knight wrote:
>
>
> I have a small suggestion that would be nice.
>
> maybe a house rule or optional rule for action points.


I was just reading up on these, and the rules seem a little unclear.
They say you start at 1st level with 5 action points, then gain 5 + half
character level each level after that. So does that mean that a second
level character who didn't spend any of his first 5 action points now
has 11 when he hits 2nd level? Or once you get to 2nd level, are your
1st level action points forgotten entirely and you now have used 0 of a
possible 6?


--
Colen McAlister (colen@wolflair.com)
Chief Engineer, Lone Wolf Development
http://www.wolflair.com/
 
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