Doctor Who

[SAbel]

I have started working the Doctor Who: Adventures in Time and Space from Cubicle 7 games. I am making this thread to post working questions ect and to let others see how I stumble through the process
Hope this helps more than just me!

[SAbel]

Okay Working in Doctor Who I have run into two stumbles.

1. Skills are all listed on the character sheet there is only 12 (like in 4E/3.5 ect) but once a skill is brought to level 3 (bought with CPs @ 1 CP/ skill level) the Player has the options to add a(n) Area of Expertise[AoE] (or multiples) this cost is 1 CP per Area of Expertise, at creation and AoE is used defined Example Skill Medicine could have an AoE of Doctor, or Disease, Wounds ect. So I am not sure how to achieve this one.
I have the skills in. I have them working for CPs. I have no clue how to set up the Areas of Expertise let alone allowing multiples. This is a suggested option but may be turned of by the GM (something that would need to be allowed in the clipboard options but that is for later I would think, still looking ahead)

2.The game has Traits (defined as talents, hang-ups and abilities) Traits come in 2 major groups Good and Bad, they have 3 catagories which define the cost of the Trait.
Minor, Major & Special.

Minor = +/- 1 CP (good/bad)
Major = +/- 2 CP (good/bad)
Special= various CP and they can reduce the characters story points maximum.
*** Story points is a set number for all characters = 12 points, but these points are effected by characters design AKA if your alien you may have less b/c you get special attributes/skills/ or gear to start or some special traits reduce your story points. Story points are spent durning the game to effect dice rolls, find clues, alter the game to help the players (and some NPCs).

I have the tab_abilities.dat/ thing_abilities.dat for Traits I have created tag groups for the Traits as follows
<identity group="GoodTrait"/>
<identity group="BadTrait"/>
<identity group="Minor"/>
<identity group="Major"/>
<identity group="Special"/>
I am having a problem with Traits(aka abilites) working off of character points. I have them adding/ subtracting but they only add to the "special Abilites" amount not CPs I am stuck in the area of having abilities cost go to the CP amount instead of the defult "ablilities/special abilities" amounts. I have looked at the Wiki in referance to Hindrances but did not think I need the seperation of Hinderances/Edges from abilities but maybe I am wrong.
Example of Trait (aka Ability)
<thing
id="abAnimalFr"
name="Animal Friendship"
compset="Ability"
isunique="yes"
description="Description goes here">

<tag group="GoodTrait" tag="Ability"/>
<tag group="Minor" tag="Ability"/>

<eval index="1" phase="Setup" priority="5000"><![CDATA[
#resmax[resAbility] += field[abiMajor].value - 1
]]></eval>

</thing>

The hardest part is going to be the special Examples are "Time Agent" cost = 2 CP and 2 Story points, or "Experienced" = 3 Story points but the character gains +2 CP and +2 Skill points, and some are multiples "Cyborg" = 1-3 CP user choice.
I am open for any help here.

I figure I am going to have to add Story Points maybe removing PP and converting that area.

*** Oh yea PS I forgot this stumble block (probably sub-consciences) The dame has not Hit Points! you take damage to your attributes, altering them during the combat and for recovery time after (another use of Story Points) so damage would have to be delt to those without really removing the Abilities. Of Course heres a Good one Init is done by your actions in order with ties going to attributes, Talkers, Movers, Doers, Fighters interesting hun? Okay thats all for tonight Work in the early AM which starts out with a big meeting Yummy.

This is a repeat from the User thread so it may cause problems with your Time and Space reality

I have since removed the Tag groups from above in favor of this file in the tag.1st file
<group
id="TraitHelp">
<value id="Good"/>
<value id="Bad"/>
<value id="Major"/>
<value id="Minor"/>
<value id="Special"/>
</group>

Which was suggested by Mathias, whom has been a great help in all questions with programing, language editing, as is Colen and Rob (in no set order).

[Mathias]

Originally Posted by SAbel

1. Skills are all listed on the character sheet there is only 12 (like in 4E/3.5 ect) but once a skill is brought to level 3 (bought with CPs @ 1 CP/ skill level) the Player has the options to add a(n) Area of Expertise[AoE] (or multiples) this cost is 1 CP per Area of Expertise, at creation and AoE is used defined Example Skill Medicine could have an AoE of Doctor, or Disease, Wounds ect. So I am not sure how to achieve this one.
I have the skills in. I have them working for CPs. I have no clue how to set up the Areas of Expertise let alone allowing multiples. This is a suggested option but may be turned of by the GM (something that would need to be allowed in the clipboard options but that is for later I would think, still looking ahead)

You'll have three components for skills. The first is the Skills component that already exists. That will be used for all the behaviors that apply to all skills.

The second is General Skills - for all the behaviors that apply to those, and not to AoEs.

Obviously, the third one is for AoEs.

You'll merge those into 2 compsets - The first will contain the trait, skill, and general skill components, the second will contain the trait, skill, and AoE components.

The AoEs will have a linkage defined that links them to their parent general skill. They'll also have prereqs that require 3 levels of that general skill.

It sounds like you may end up bootstrapping all general skills, but not bootstrapping AoEs - if the 12 general skills are on the character sheet with blanks for the AoEs.

Originally Posted by SAbel

2.The game has Traits (defined as talents, hang-ups and abilities) Traits come in 2 major groups Good and Bad, they have 3 catagories which define the cost of the Trait.
Minor, Major & Special.

Minor = +/- 1 CP (good/bad)
Major = +/- 2 CP (good/bad)
Special= various CP and they can reduce the characters story points maximum.

Tell me more about the special traits - what costs/cost ranges are available?

Originally Posted by SAbel

*** Story points is a set number for all characters = 12 points, but these points are effected by characters design AKA if your alien you may have less b/c you get special attributes/skills/ or gear to start or some special traits reduce your story points. Story points are spent durning the game to effect dice rolls, find clues, alter the game to help the players (and some NPCs).

Study what's come before, even if you're only doing it in demo mode. Cortex has Plot Points that do the same thing. Study how that works from the user's perspective.

Originally Posted by SAbel

I am having a problem with Traits(aka abilites) working off of character points. I have them adding/ subtracting but they only add to the "special Abilites" amount not CPs I am stuck in the area of having abilities cost go to the CP amount instead of the defult "ablilities/special abilities" amounts. I have looked at the Wiki in referance to Hindrances but did not think I need the seperation of Hinderances/Edges from abilities but maybe I am wrong.

This is caused because you have a script:

Originally Posted by SAbel

<eval index="1" phase="Setup" priority="5000"><![CDATA[
#resmax[resAbility] += field[abiMajor].value - 1
]]></eval>

Applying the cost to resAbility - the ability total, and not resCP - the character point total.

There's already a script in the ability component in traits.str that applies the cost of an ability. Your example here seems to be duplicating that. Since trait cost is something exists on all traits, the mechanics should be in the component, not duplicated on each thing.

Originally Posted by SAbel

The hardest part is going to be the special Examples are "Time Agent" cost = 2 CP and 2 Story points, or "Experienced" = 3 Story points but the character gains +2 CP and +2 Skill points, and some are multiples "Cyborg" = 1-3 CP user choice.
I am open for any help here.

You'll simply have fields for story point modifier and skill point modifier, and then have a script in the ability component that applies that modifier where it belongs. So Time Agent will have -2 CP and -2 Story Points, Experienced will be -3 story, +2 cp, +2 skill, and cyborg will have an incrementer that allows the user to choose the level once they select the trait.

Originally Posted by SAbel

*** Oh yea PS I forgot this stumble block (probably sub-consciences) The dame has not Hit Points! you take damage to your attributes, altering them during the combat and for recovery time after (another use of Story Points) so damage would have to be delt to those without really removing the Abilities. Of Course heres a Good one Init is done by your actions in order with ties going to attributes, Talkers, Movers, Doers, Fighters interesting hun? Okay thats all for tonight Work in the early AM which starts out with a big meeting Yummy.

Look in actor.str for a set of fields whose names start with acHP - those are the fields that control the Hit Points. You'll take those fields and the eval scripts that go with them, and move them into the attribute component. That way, each attribute has its own damage mechanism, independant of the other attributes. On the in-play tab, each attribute will have its own row. Get character creation working before you worry about in-play things.

Once more character creation is done, tell me more about the initiative system.

[Tashtego]

SAbel - how far did you get with this project? We're starting a Doctor Who game soon, and I'm quite interested in your work.

[SAbel]

Tashtego I am into the main programing right now which means about a 1/3 way through, RL work keeps me very busy this time of year so I will see if I can get some time to run through and see what all I have working and post an update by Next Sat.

[Tashtego]

Thanks, SAbel - let us know how it goes.

[TCArknight]

SAbel,

Any update on this? WIth both the Doctor Who and the Primeval RPGs using the same system, I'd love to have them in Herolab.

Thanks!
TC