Custom Attributes - Does Anyone Else Use Them?

[RayPrancer]

When travelling to work today it suddenly struck me that I'd like to add another attribute called "Creativity" to characters in the setting I've been working on. At the moment this isn't possible within HL, but I thought I'd ask to check with the rest of the users if it's worth getting adding the function to the Editor to create custom attributes on the "To do list".

I've also found it's common for certain types of DM to use attributes known as Comliness and Luck - do any other Hero Labs Users use either?
(Generally I don't use either, but I have known my usual DM to use Luck in the past)

These tend to be used with groups that Roll attributes - but if a game used all three it might be the next level of Point Buy, however it could alternatively create situations where you get non-standard point buys not currently covered by HL - but do people think that an option called "Point Buy - Other" where we can input the number of points is needed?

In summary does anyone think the new fetures I was going to request when I sat down to write this post are worth requesting?

[Colen]

RayPrancer wrote:
>
>
> When travelling to work today it suddenly struck me that I'd like to add
> another attribute called "Creativity" to characters in the setting I've
> been working on. At the moment this isn't possible within HL, but I
> thought I'd ask to check with the rest of the users if it's worth
> getting adding the function to the Editor to create custom attributes on
> the "To do list".
>
> I've also found it's common for certain types of DM to use attributes
> known as Comliness and Luck - do any other Hero Labs Users use either?
> (Generally I don't use either, but I have known my usual DM to use Luck
> in the past)
>
> These tend to be used with groups that Roll attributes - but if a game
> used all three it might be the next level of Point Buy, however it could
> alternatively create situations where you get non-standard point buys
> not currently covered by HL - but do people think that an option called
> "Point Buy - Other" where we can input the number of points is needed?
>
> In summary does anyone think the new fetures I was going to request when
> I sat down to write this post are worth requesting?


I think one or two other people have posted about wanting to add a new
attribute. The editor doesn't allow it yet (attributes still need some
cleaning up before we let people edit them), but you can find examples
of how to define attributes in the
HeroLab\data\d20\source\srd_attributes.dat file.


You should be able to copy, say, the Charisma attribute, change its name
and unique id, and put it in a new file under data\d20\ to have Hero Lab
recognise it.


Hope this helps,

--
Colen McAlister, colen@wolflair.com
Chief Engineer, Lone Wolf Development

[Darkechilde]

I use Luck and Perception. I have a GM friend who uses Comeliness (he says he just likes to be difficult). I appreciate the tip on this one...

[Darkechilde]

Okay, so the Authoring kit is out, but I found a reference saying that if you're altering an existing datafile (D20), then you don't really need the authoring kit to make modifications. I've been savign up for a new laptop (my old one is on it's very last legs) until I invest any more in any programs, but the laptop is about to arrive.

So, my question is, do I need the authoring kit to effecively incorporate the Luck and Perception attributes to my D&D character sheets, or can I do the editing in HL in 3.0 without the authoring kit?

Thanks!

Bill

[Colen]

The authoring kit makes virtually no difference to your ability to change the d20 files. The only difference is the availability of more documentation, which you can find here:

http://hlkitwiki.wolflair.com/

The authoring kit is intended for people who are writing new game systems. Modifications (such as extra attributes) should be able to be added to the d20 files without it. For example, to add a "Creativity" attribute, you would copy and paste the following into a text file under the data\d20 folder, called something like "newattribute.dat":

<?xml version="1.0" encoding="ISO-8859-1"?>
<document signature="Hero Lab Data">

  <thing
    id="aCRE"
    name="Creativity"
    compset="Attribute"
    isunique="yes">
    <fieldval field="aAbbr" value="CRE"/>
    <tag group="explicit" tag="35"/> <!-- appear after charisma -->
    </thing>

</document>

That should add a new Creativity attribute for you to use.

Hope this helps.

[Darkechilde]

This really helped a lot, thanks! I was able to add two new attributes (Perception and Luck) and then taught myself how to modifty the skills Spot and Listen to reflect bonuses from Perception instead of Wisdom!

I really appreciate your help!

[Darkechilde]

This suggestion has been working since I first tried it, until i updated to 3.2a today. Now I can't ever recreate these files from scratch after installing 3.2a from scratch.

Does anybody know what changed, and what I need to change to make it work?

I really liked having my Luck and Perception stats as part of the program...

Here's what i've been entering into the files:

luck.dat file:

<?xml version="1.0" encoding="ISO-8859-1"?>
<document signature="Hero Lab Data">

<thing
id="aLUC"
name="Luck"
compset="Attribute"
isunique="yes">
<fieldval field="aAbbr" value="LUC"/>
<tag group="explicit" tag="40"/> <!-- appear after perception -->
</thing>

</document>


perception.dat file:

<?xml version="1.0" encoding="ISO-8859-1"?>
<document signature="Hero Lab Data">

<thing
id="aPER"
name="Perception"
compset="Attribute"
isunique="yes">
<fieldval field="aAbbr" value="PER"/>
<tag group="explicit" tag="35"/> <!-- appear after charisma -->
</thing>

</document>

[Colen]

I'm not sure exactly what problem you're having. You say you can't "recreate" the files, but what do you mean? Unless you deleted the file when you imported the new d20 files, everything should continue to work as before.

[Dark Lord Galen]

Originally Posted by Colen

The authoring kit makes virtually no difference to your ability to change the d20 files. The only difference is the availability of more documentation, which you can find here:

http://hlkitwiki.wolflair.com/

The authoring kit is intended for people who are writing new game systems. Modifications (such as extra attributes) should be able to be added to the d20 files without it. For example, to add a "Creativity" attribute, you would copy and paste the following into a text file under the data\d20 folder, called something like "newattribute.dat":

<?xml version="1.0" encoding="ISO-8859-1"?>
<document signature="Hero Lab Data">

  <thing
    id="aCRE"
    name="Creativity"
    compset="Attribute"
    isunique="yes">
    <fieldval field="aAbbr" value="CRE"/>
    <tag group="explicit" tag="35"/> <!-- appear after charisma -->
    </thing>

</document>

That should add a new Creativity attribute for you to use.

Hope this helps.

Does this have to be done to each license you own? meaning I have several HL Licenses and if I add these "abilities" to one, the code would have to be added to each? or does it "travel" with the newly saved POR file?

[Aaron]

You't have to have the .user file that has defined the new attribute on the system where the portfolio was opened, or you'd see an error.