LEGEND Character Generator Software

[Cyporiean]

Thanks. So it'd be $40 for Legend, then extra for Elric, MoL and so on. that could get a bit pricey for some, me included.

I think the product owner has some say in the pricing, but not 100% on that. IIRC the WoD Module for Herolab includes both Vampire and Werewolf... but has no addons beyond that.

 

[Bifford]

I also GM Exalted, by White Wolf, and there's a great program http://www.edexalted.com/Default.asp for that....and that is I guess the sort of thing wanted for Legend?

(This post was designed to show people what can be done for RPG....)

Sam / Bifford

 

[andyl]

One of the big problems for Herolab for me is that it only runs on Windows.

I really like the "The One Ring" online character generator ( at http://azrapse.es/tor/sheet.html ). Which is just HTML5 I believe.

Obviously a Legend character generator is a much larger prospect to write. But it isn't insurmountable. If I haven't got much work on in the new year I may have a bash myself.

 

[mwsasser]

With php it could be web based, in fact it typically is. So anyone with a web site and php on their server could host the script. There are some significant things in my way of doing this though including the holidays and studying for a certification.

If I do decide to do it later, maybe midyear... anybody else half-a** with php or css interested in throwing their hat into the ring with me? I'd need a data layout for mobs maybe in flat file I guess. *shrug* Adding sql might just complicate it for non-server folks.

 

[phantomwhale]

Would love to see Legend on Herolab... but then I OWN Herolab (for 3.5E and Savage Worlds - saved me lots of time, and time really is money).

Otherwise I'm a rails developer (basically, I make magic web things) and could be talked into looking at a free Legend character generator web application. The only things slowing me down might be:

(a) Look and Feel - suspect a lot of effort to making something good will be to produce a nice printable character sheet afterwards. After all, if you just want an character rolling ENGINE, you may as well use Excel and copy the results onto your own character sheet. So say someone knocked up some nice static HTML / CSS for a character sheet, I'm sure I could wire it up into a dynamic app and even put PDF sheet generation in there too.

(b) Copyright - If I post up a generator using the tables and charts from Legend to generate characters, am I at risk of violating any copyright ? Typically these projects have been done on a "beg for foregiveness over ask for permission" basis, but I'd really rather have the blessings (as opposed to curses) of Mongoose on this one.

Also would be good to understand WHY other people would want a web-based character generator (rather than an Excel spreadsheet, which would be easier to produce, I suspect) ? Understanding that might help trigger what sort of first cut to produce if spare time drops onto my lap.

Cheers,
Ben (-PW-)

 

[Prime_Evil]

Copyright - If I post up a generator using the tables and charts from Legend to generate characters, am I at risk of violating any copyright ? Typically these projects have been done on a "beg for forgiveness over ask for permission" basis, but I'd really rather have the blessings (as opposed to curses) of Mongoose on this one.

So long as you comply with the terms of the Open Game License, you are free to use any of the Open Game Content from the various Legend books. Since all of the text in the Core Rulebook is designated as Open Content, you should be good to go.

The main requirements are a link to a copy of the OGL and an update to Section 15 of the license to indicate which books you are using open content from.

Here's the official word from Mongoose:

By using any Open Content material in any of these books, you also have permission to freely use the Legend Compatible logo on any publication or web site where this Open Content is used or modified. The Legend Compatible logo may be re-sized but may not otherwise be altered in any way.

Legend, the text of Legend rulebooks, the Legend logo and the Legend Compatible logo remain Copyright Mongoose Publishing 2011.

Any and all artwork included in Legend rulebooks is specifically not designated as Open Content, and may not be used without written permission from Mongoose Publishing.

This means that you may post a character generator online, provided that you follow the license.

Also would be good to understand WHY other people would want a web-based character generator (rather than an Excel spreadsheet, which would be easier to produce, I suspect) ? Understanding that might help trigger what sort of first cut to produce if spare time drops onto my lap.

One reason is that a web-based character generator makes it easy to quickly whip up opponents for a game. And web-based generators also have advantages over spreadsheets for people who don't use Microsoft Excel - they are cross-platform and don't require you to install any executable code on your computer. And they should also be accessible from mobile devices, which can be an advantage at the gaming table...

 

[phantomwhale]

Interesting point - the difference between an NPC generator and PC generator could be quite significant. The RQ enemy editor (http://runequest.aamunkoitto.net/enemyeditor/index.php?system=1) for instance is excellent for throwing up a quick and dirty NPC band, but for a PC generator I was thinking of lots of nice UI components for selecting your backgrounds / extra skill points / starting spells e.g. to conform with the PC generation rules. Rules I suspect you'd ignore for generating fully statted NPCs.

Also suspect mobile support would be better for those sorts of "in-game" tools, like NPC generation. For a PC generator, I'd be thinking desktop-only to allow lots more real estate for big lists / viewing lots of info at once etc...

 

[duncan_disorderly]

And web-based generators also have advantages over spreadsheets for people who don't use Microsoft Excel - they are cross-platform and don't require you to install any executable code on your computer.

True, at least after a fashion. "Spread sheet based" generators may be usable in Open Office (and/or Google Docs?) in addition to Excel (Possibly with a little tweaking). Web based generators may have problems with some browsers and/or versions of Java/Flash etc.

And they should also be accessible from mobile devices, which can be an advantage at the gaming table...

A generator that is "installed" - either as a stand alone program or as a spreadsheet will work regardless of network connectivity. A web-based generator is useless at the gaming table if you are not connected...

so there are advantages and disadvanteges to either approach...

 

[Bifford]

Interesting point - the difference between an NPC generator and PC generator could be quite significant. The RQ enemy editor (http://runequest.aamunkoitto.net/enemyeditor/index.php?system=1) for instance is excellent for throwing up a quick and dirty NPC band, but for a PC generator I was thinking of lots of nice UI components for selecting your backgrounds / extra skill points / starting spells e.g. to conform with the PC generation rules. Rules I suspect you'd ignore for generating fully statted NPCs.

Well that just saved me lots of time! thanks!