Where do I start?

[Madmaxneo]

Hopefully someone can help me here as I don't see any tutorials for what I need to do. I want to use hero lab for a system that is not yet in any of your downloads. The tutorial listed in the program is for the d20 system and the game I will be using Hero Lab for is nothing like the d20 system nor any other system listed. The game I will be creating hero files for is called HARP from ICE and the stats have numbers between 1 - 105 with a total of 8 stats. In particular Strength, Constitution, Agility, Quickness, Self Discipline, Reasoning, Intuition, and Presence.

I'm not sure where to start in the authoring kit to do this. Please help!

I'm starting to think that creating a new character system in Hero Lab may not be possible, if that is the case then I may have to ask for a refund because that is the only reason I purchased this program for.

Bruce

[Mathias]

For the link to the authoring kit wiki, within Hero Lab's help menu, choose "More Documentation" and then "Authoring Kit Manual".

[ShadowChemosh]

Originally Posted by Madmaxneo

I'm starting to think that creating a new character system in Hero Lab may not be possible, if that is the case then I may have to ask for a refund because that is the only reason I purchased this program for.

The software is incredibly flexible and you can build any game system using the Authoring kit. What you are going to learn is that it takes time and patience to do this. If you have not worked with HL's editor for other game system like Pathfinder or Shadowrun you may find it bit of a learning curve to start.

If you keep with it you can make any game with it. All the games HL currently supports are built using this Authoring kit. So if LW can make it so can you but it will take time.

Have fun!

[Madmaxneo]

I just found the tutorial for adding a new game system on youtube the url is: Creating a new game system in Hero Lab. There are a few other youtube video tutorials on Hero Lab.

[BoomerET]

Madmaxneo,

I created that video a couple years ago. My apologies for never getting around to adding a soundtrack.

The video is about as bare-bones as it gets. Shortly after creating that video, i started work on my Castles & Crusades ruleset for Hero Lab.

That became an obsession, and takes breaks from 1 to 2 months, then I get motivated again to add more stuff.

BEWARE: Once you get going, you're going to love it and try and sneak in 30-40 minutes whenever you can.

You've been warned.

I learned by reading through the Wiki, and looking at the Savage Worlds sample code.


Good Luck!


BoomerET

[Madmaxneo]

Question for those that know Maptools: Is this going to be as difficult (and somewhat interesting but frustrating) to learn as it was to program a new system into Maptools?

Bruce

[Madmaxneo]

Ok, I am confused. I have no idea on how to add anything for a new game system. I followed the tutorial that BoomerET made and it shows how to create the files for a new game system but it does not show how to add anything to the character sheet like stats. There is nothing in any of the manuals for something like this. I followed Mathias's direction and opened the "Authoring kit" documentation and that led me to go to the wiki. But the wiki doesn't help either as it doesn't explain how to add stats or anything of the like.

1. How do I add Stats for a new game system character sheet?
2. How do I add all the other pertinent fields like skills and their input fields?

Please Help!
Bruce

[Mathias]

Here's the Savage Worlds walkthrough from the Authoring Kit wiki: http://hlkitwiki.wolflair.com/index....s_Walk-Through

Have you scanned through that yet, especially the "getting started" section?

[Madmaxneo]

Nothing in the "getting started" section helps with actually entering in the "Stat blocks" and other pertinent info. I don't need to know what to do beforehand or how to plan it out. I've been developing character sheets for RM and HARP for over 18 yrs. I know how each system works and all the mechanics by heart. I've also developed the entire character system and some of the actual game mechanics into Maptools, but so far Maptools is a lot easier to manipulate than the Hero Lab Authoring kit. Because right from the beginning I had an idea of where to start, learning the code was a different matter entirely. I am still not sure where to start in Hero Lab.

I'd like to start experimenting with adding the stat blocks and other fields that will make up the character sheet. But where do I do that?

It looks as though I can get a slight idea from the Savage Worlds walk through. But so far there is one thing to note in the first code I see. In HARP I use a point based system for character development and level advancement, not die rolls. No dice are involved in character generation or character advancement, only in game play. I believe the code I am looking at is for using dice to generate stats or for level advancement and none of that applies to the HARP character generation system. In HARP there is only one die type used and that is percentile dice. They are open ended for most things where if a 96 or higher rolled then you roll again and keep rolling until you get less than a 96, then you add all the die rolls together along with the pertinent skill, RR, or stat bonuses, and any other modifiers that may affect the outcome (like difficulty or opponents defensive bonus {DB}).

Bruce

[Madmaxneo]

According to the wiki there is a definition.def file I need to open, where is that located? The only files in the HARP folder are *.dat files, and no *.def files.

EDIT: I found the files but have a question: Why are there so many file locations for everything Hero Lab? I believe I have at least three different locations with Hero Lab folders. Wouldn't be better and easier if all the folders/files where in the same area? There is a section in my "D:: drive, a section under my documents in the "C:" drive, and a section under ProgramData in the "C:" drive. Are there more locations than those three? The ones under the programData are the ones I need to manipulate so why aren't they located in the files I placed in the D: drive? IMHO it would only make sense and be much easier to find.

Bruce