Any good MgT char generators?
- Thread starter SJE
- Start date
I put an app together for my own use a little over a year ago that lets me or a user quick-generate a character from one of the core careers, going through each step. It also has all the mishaps, events, and career quirks coded in for each (yes, it took a while). It exports the character into text and into a print preview. I'd be happy to post it some time before end of December (I'd really like to clean it up first). Here are some screens in no particular order:
The books are the paid alternative if the program generates characters without need of the book, as most of char gen is not in the dev kit, IIRC.
See http://www.mongoosepublishing.com/pdf/travdevpack.zip (also stickied Traveller Developer's Pack thread at top of the forum)
Asking is good advice - it is also what the pack docs instructs one to do! :wink:
See http://www.mongoosepublishing.com/pdf/travdevpack.zip (also stickied Traveller Developer's Pack thread at top of the forum)
Asking is good advice - it is also what the pack docs instructs one to do! :wink:
Well if the program obviates the need entirely for the book, then yes, I suppose it would cause some damages. But if you don't give Skill descriptions or provide information on how to actually play, then it's just a character assistant, not a book-replacement! At least, that's what I'd argue...
Mongoose is a publishing company - not a software company.
Problem is support - software doesn't just 'work' in the wild like books do... books can have all sorts of flaws (and do), but still be 'useable' - software flaws and just unaccounted for differences between user setups can make a product unusable more frequently than a book is physically damaged.
That is also assuming Mongoose has or can get licensing rights from FFE.
There is also the business aspect. For instance, chargen for the base careers is largely missing in the open content - you need to buy a book. With a program, you don't for chargen - which is over 10% of the missing content in the SRD (good luck with that 'argument' apoc527
). Software is also easily copied.
Since right after my first two games in the '80s, I've never played Traveller without using a computer for these chores. Fact is, with a good program there isn't much need for any books.
Book sales, piracy and copyright aside, there is also the issue of implied support - i.e. when the program fails to match the books and the book publisher gets blamed.
Software could cost Mongoose not only real dollars, but image and customers - I'm sure they are aware of this. At some point, I would suspect they will figure its not significant enough to worry about, and if they have the license rights, condone anyone sharing software for free.
Either way - doesn't hurt to ask!
Matt and Mongoose seem very approachable and definitely aren't some faceless company just looking to make a buck - they are fans of their own work and it shows.
Problem is support - software doesn't just 'work' in the wild like books do... books can have all sorts of flaws (and do), but still be 'useable' - software flaws and just unaccounted for differences between user setups can make a product unusable more frequently than a book is physically damaged.
That is also assuming Mongoose has or can get licensing rights from FFE.
There is also the business aspect. For instance, chargen for the base careers is largely missing in the open content - you need to buy a book. With a program, you don't for chargen - which is over 10% of the missing content in the SRD (good luck with that 'argument' apoc527
). Software is also easily copied.Since right after my first two games in the '80s, I've never played Traveller without using a computer for these chores. Fact is, with a good program there isn't much need for any books.
Book sales, piracy and copyright aside, there is also the issue of implied support - i.e. when the program fails to match the books and the book publisher gets blamed.
Software could cost Mongoose not only real dollars, but image and customers - I'm sure they are aware of this. At some point, I would suspect they will figure its not significant enough to worry about, and if they have the license rights, condone anyone sharing software for free.
Either way - doesn't hurt to ask!
Matt and Mongoose seem very approachable and definitely aren't some faceless company just looking to make a buck - they are fans of their own work and it shows.
Would it be allowable if it had empty tables with only the tables for the Scouts filled in from the SRD as an example, then let users fill in the tables for other services on their own?
This might also make it easier for people to make their own branches of service tailored to their own TU.
This might also make it easier for people to make their own branches of service tailored to their own TU.
Good idea this dev.
Technically, it would be a good thing if you separate the contents of the core software, by using XML for example, in order to translate the files more easily in other languages. I have faced this problem several times (hard-coded, no easily translated without sources), and I hope you think about it (I can translate into French).
:mrgreen:
Technically, it would be a good thing if you separate the contents of the core software, by using XML for example, in order to translate the files more easily in other languages. I have faced this problem several times (hard-coded, no easily translated without sources), and I hope you think about it (I can translate into French).
:mrgreen:
The SRD explicitly doesn't apply to software.Ishmael said:
It would be legally ok (at least by US copyright law) to reproduce the mechanics... as long as the text content wasn't included and no reference was made to Traveller. (Not that one can't be challenged in court for doing so - only that there is precedence for 'based on similar principles' being allowed when a game has been made public.)
You are talking the bulk of chargen, btw, especially when considering events, mishaps and mustering out benefits. Don't forget, those tables need some way to assign skills, enemies, allies, DMs and required rolls, etc. Its not just simple text, but game mechanics. :wink:
Again, the first step would be to simply ask Matt .
GamerDude
Cosmic Mongoose
From the current Traveller Developer's Pack (http://www.mongoosepublishing.com/pdf/travdevpack.zip), in the document "Read Me First.doc"
So, according to the Dev Pack, the answer is "No, don't publish/distribute". But, I would email Matt for a final word on this.
(Spelling In Context, BOLD/UNDERLINING mine)
So, according to the Dev Pack, the answer is "No, don't publish/distribute". But, I would email Matt for a final word on this.
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