Making a new game system

[The Great Wolf]

I was wondering if there would be a update for the authoring kit to build your own game system instead of just duplicating an existing one and having to keep the tabs and attribute of the parent game system.

Since I was planning on building a Dark Heresy game system but can't get the right attributes for the game system.

[Mathias]

I have Dark Heresy files in progress.

What you're asking for is exactly what the authoring kit is. Read through the authoring kit wiki.

[rob]

Originally Posted by The Great Wolf

I was wondering if there would be a update for the authoring kit to build your own game system instead of just duplicating an existing one and having to keep the tabs and attribute of the parent game system.

When you create a new game system with the Authoring Kit, it starts you out with a working set of data files. You are then expected to modify those data files to change everything, as necessary, for the intended game system. By starting you out with a fully operational set of data files, a large chunk of work is avoided and you can immediate start seeing results as you make the appropriate changes.

The wiki provides a detailed walk-through of how the Skeleton data files (starting files) were adapted for use with Savage Worlds. Entirely new mechanisms were added and the interface was substantially changed in an incremental fashion. I highly recommend you take a look at the walk-through, as it explains the entire process in great detail. You'll find it at the URL below:
http://hlkitwiki.wolflair.com/index....s_Walk-Through

[The Great Wolf]

Thanks working now

[Jamz]

How do you modify/change/create outputs for printing? I can't find any information on creating your own sheets anywhere

[Mathias]

Near the bottom of the Savage Worlds walkthrough is the section on creating character sheets for that game. However, that only helps for the Authoring kit games (Savage Worlds, 4ed), and not the package games (d20, M&M, WoD), which don't have their character sheets exposed.

[Jamz]

Ahh, that explains it. And poo. What's the chance of them opening up just the character sheets for those games like WoD? I can't see how that would violate any copyrights letting users make extensions. Especially since we can add just about anything else (bloodlines, merits, etc) to the game.

[rob]

Originally Posted by Jamz

What's the chance of them opening up just the character sheets for those games like WoD?

It's one of the things on our seemingly infinite todo list. The main problem is that the d20 and WoD files in particular are still using some antiquated mechanisms within HL. We've replaced these mechanisms with newer and better stuff for use within the Authoring Kit, but the d20 and WoD files are still using old stuff. Consequently, we have to revamp the d20 and WoD files to use the new stuff before we can publish the character sheet data files.

[Agriworld Commisar]

Awesome that someone is working on Dark Heresy. Can I get notification when you complete it?

Is anyone toiling away on Cyberpunk 2020? If not, is scratch building a system not in use anymore easy to do with the authoring system?

[rob]

Assuming that the Dark Heresy files get completed and the author chooses to release them (I can't imagine why he wouldn't), then the data files will show up as a new game system in the Updates mechanism within HL.

As for Cyberpunk 2020, I think building data files for that game would be comparatively easy. The complexity is a function of the game system itself, since an out-of-print game like AD&D2E or Rolemaster would be significantly more complex than an out-of-print game like Cyberpunk or Amber.