Entering Stock Heroes

[Duggan]

As per an email I sent out to you, Colen, I've got everything but the Pets section of Mecha and Manga. I could go ahead and add the descriptive text and characters but... the pet feat just doesn't seem to fit in nicely right now. Can't quite put my finger on how to integrate it in so that all of its feats and powers and drawbacks work right.

 

[fillerbunny_x1]

Nathan - We shrink the size of the images before we send out the stock portfolios, so if you're noticing that they're lower quality than normal, that's unfortunately intentional. Just adding the stock heroes that you guys submitted added ~12mb to the Mutants & Masterminds download size - having the full-size images included would only balloon it more.

We're looking at a way to reduce the size of stock portfolios right now, so hopefully we can ameliorate this in a future release of Hero Lab.

Thought that me part of the issue. Unfortunately, it's not a question of bad image quality, but the wrong image altogether. If I find the time, I'll see if I can format the images into smaller files.

 

[Duggan]

And I have submitted the updates to Colen (or at least I will have when GMail is done chewing on the files). I would post them in something like the YahooGroup, but then I'd be submitting copyrighted material since it's not been locked down or anything. Sorry...

 

[JDRook]

... Just adding the stock heroes that you guys submitted added ~12mb to the Mutants & Masterminds download size - having the full-size images included would only balloon it more.

We're looking at a way to reduce the size of stock portfolios right now, so hopefully we can ameliorate this in a future release of Hero Lab.

I noticed that when I just spread the the portfolios between more files (ie Instant Superheroes from 3 to 5 files and IS: sidekicks from 1 to 2) I got a significant reduction in total size (roughly 60-80% of original). Not sure what causes that, and I haven't experimented too much with it yet, but I'm wondering if there's a ideal size of portfolio package, or even if it might be better to save them all individually and just give each book its own subfolder.

 

[KevMc]

I looked for the files for the arch-type character in the M&M folder but all I found was the core ones. Where should I look for the added ones?

 

[Duggan]

I believe that you should find them in the regular data folder. They're a series of .stock files. I believe that they do require the Ultimate Power data package. Theoretically, the Instant Superheroes ones ought not to since they're built via Core rules, but this may also have to do with them rewarding people who buy the additional dataset.

 

[KevMc]

I do have Ultimate Power. I will check that folder, thank you.

 

[Colen]

KevMc: Go to the Portfolio menu and choose "Import Stock Hero". That'll show you the list of all the available heroes that you can use.

Even if some characters require the Ultimate Power package, you should still be able to load them - any powers from Ultimate Power just wouldn't be loaded, but the rest of the hero would appear normally.

 

[jekessler]

KevMc: Go to the Portfolio menu and choose "Import Stock Hero". That'll show you the list of all the available heroes that you can use.

Even if some characters require the Ultimate Power package, you should still be able to load them - any powers from Ultimate Power just wouldn't be loaded, but the rest of the hero would appear normally.

When I go to "Import Stock Hero", I get a long list of books to choose from, but inside most of the heroes have 'Missing Source' listed next to them. Even the Core Heroes. And though they do import if selected, I get a popup error with a bunch (25 or so) of 'missing things' listed.

I don't have "Ultimate Powers" package, so is this the expected behavior?

I just updated my Hero Lab today for the first time in several months.

 

[JDRook]

. . . Just adding the stock heroes that you guys submitted added ~12mb to the Mutants & Masterminds download size . . .

We're looking at a way to reduce the size of stock portfolios right now, so hopefully we can ameliorate this in a future release of Hero Lab.

I see with the new 3.5 release most of the archetypes from the books have been covered. As has been demonstrated, however, I'm a big fan of all the other stuff : the supporting characters, the background creatures and creeps, and of course the NPC's. I'm planning to keep entering all of these ancillary characters for each book, much like I've already done with the Core and Agents books, but since size is becoming a consideration, I'm wondering if I should just keep them to myself rather than submitting them.

As a possible compromise, is there a way to break up the updates so that the fixes and improvements are separate from the prefab portfolios, thereby making them an optional download, much like the Hero Images update operates now?

 

[Colen]

When I go to "Import Stock Hero", I get a long list of books to choose from, but inside most of the heroes have 'Missing Source' listed next to them. Even the Core Heroes. And though they do import if selected, I get a popup error with a bunch (25 or so) of 'missing things' listed.

I don't have "Ultimate Powers" package, so is this the expected behavior?

I just updated my Hero Lab today for the first time in several months.

A lot of the stock heroes require something from Ultimate Power, or another sourcebook, but it looks like the core heroes were incorrectly flagged as requiring those sources.

I'll get this fixed for the next update - unless you're importing something from (for example) Book of Magic or Mecha & Manga, you can just ignore the errors that occur when you import a hero - it shouldn't affect their stats at all.

Thanks for the report.

 

[Colen]

I see with the new 3.5 release most of the archetypes from the books have been covered. As has been demonstrated, however, I'm a big fan of all the other stuff : the supporting characters, the background creatures and creeps, and of course the NPC's. I'm planning to keep entering all of these ancillary characters for each book, much like I've already done with the Core and Agents books, but since size is becoming a consideration, I'm wondering if I should just keep them to myself rather than submitting them.

As a possible compromise, is there a way to break up the updates so that the fixes and improvements are separate from the prefab portfolios, thereby making them an optional download, much like the Hero Images update operates now?

We recently optimized the Hero Lab save/load code to take up about 40% less space than they do - as a result, the Mutants & Masterminds import file dropped in size by several megabytes. It's currently only a 13mb download, which is much smaller than some of our other games.

We'd love to add the less important characters from each book, so please keep submitting them - even if you're one of the few unlucky people who doesn't have high speed internet these days, a < 15mb download once a month shouldn't be a problem for you.

Thanks!

 

[Duggan]

*facepalm* That reminds me... I have a few more files for you. I'll try to remember to send them in when I get home.

Edit: And apparently I'm confused. I already sent you those files. Incidentally, I was able to get the Mecha and Manga files I sent you up and running on my secondary install albeit on a 3.5 installation (I haven't gotten around to downloading the updates on that one). I get a series of errors, but I think they're all related to the new things in 3.6 because none of the names match what I have in my custom rules. FWIW, I installed it through the .hl file but I also sent you the .user file.

 

[Hello Kitty]

I just created Horus the Avenger in Herolab. He is exactly as printed in Silver Age book, except I noticed that the original write up only applied all power points except 1 towards his device (i.e. it was 1 short) and yet he had Improved Sunder and Weapon Break as a character.

His hammer gave him Quick Change and I thought, had the original character been designed correctly, it would have instead listed one of those feats above as a function of the hammer. I chose Weapon Break. So he can attempt strike another weapon if he successfully makes a melee attack. It made logical sense and is a good choice.

My point is, I know other characters (official ones) have similar instances of errata or strange missing bits of information or simply incorrect choices made on the characters.

If we are going to enter these as stock, making them exact might be ok, since the real use of doing so is we can individually go in and correct a mistake like I found on Horus the Avenger.

I was thinking of doing all the freedom city characters and freedom's most wanted but I know someone else has already done that probably. Can you please post you have or send them to Colen for approval. I don't mind then going back and creating a second set of corrected characters, ie I will clean up errata and mistakes like I mentioned.

 

[Duggan]

Ones I have submitted in the queue:
Silver Age Archetypes (Heroic and Villainous) and the one unique feat.
Warrior and Warlocks Archetypes (Heroic and Villainous) and Supporting Characters [No NPCs] and some additional Powers as Feats/Item Extras and Flaws.
Book of Magic Archetypes (Heroic and Villainous) [This one might already be in as of the last release. I'm not at my home computer]
Mecha and Manga Archetypes (Heroic and Villainous) and powers/feats/etc for Pets, Mecha, and Martial Artists. [There's a rougher draft you can find a link to a few pages back, but Colen had some compile problems]

I started on Foes of Freedom, but only got about two characters in before I got distracted. If you want to pick that up, feel free. I tend to work in fits and spurts.

 

[Hello Kitty]

Duggan can you do the Freedom City characters and Freedom's Most Wanted?

How about anyone else?

Colen has said they can be done and added.

 

[Duggan]

I could do that... copious spare time and all that. Tell you what, I'll continue work on Foes of Freedom. If someone else feel inspired to do Freedom City (it's really easy, if mildly tedious, work for the most part, just entering in numbers), just post as much on the thread and I'll know not to bother. Got to justify that Data File Contributor tag somehow...

 

[Captain Canuck]

My point is, I know other characters (official ones) have similar instances of errata or strange missing bits of information or simply incorrect choices made on the characters.

If we are going to enter these as stock, making them exact might be ok, since the real use of doing so is we can individually go in and correct a mistake like I found on Horus the Avenger.

I'm kinda curious about what the general philosophy is here for the stock characters myself.

I was entering the W&W PL 6 characters for my own use (since it was already being done by someone else but I needed them now) and they're all off a little. Some point totals in the summary are wrong, some skills are off due to the wrong stat mod being used in addition to pp totals being odd.

So will the final portfolios have all abilities in the book, final point costs be damned? Are they made as close as possible, but legal?

 

[JDRook]

I'm kinda curious about what the general philosophy is here for the stock characters myself.

I was entering the W&W PL 6 characters for my own use (since it was already being done by someone else but I needed them now) and they're all off a little. Some point totals in the summary are wrong, some skills are off due to the wrong stat mod being used in addition to pp totals being odd.

So will the final portfolios have all abilities in the book, final point costs be damned? Are they made as close as possible, but legal?

I don't think there's a formal philosophy here. We're all volunteers, so it's all pretty ad hoc.

Speaking for myself, I generally try to keep as close to the original printed portfolio (or most recent official errata) as possible, including any errors. My thinking is the books are the source, flaws and all, and it's what the users will be familiar with. As a player or GM, I figure you can (and should) make your own adjustments where you see fit.

That said, I also make notes in the Complications field about what seems off. I'll often theorize whether it's a math error or typo and occasionally give suggestions to fix it. That way they can make their own choices as to what to change, or leave it as is and easily wipe out my notes. After all, one of the biggest advantages of HeroLab is the ability to quickly customize any porfolio.

 

[Duggan]

For me, it depends on how blatant the error is and whether it seems like there's an "obvious" solution. If I feel like I know what the value was supposed to be (generally based off of point totals and bonuses), I make the fix. Otherwise, I copy what's there.