Topic: RAP - Rolemaster Assistant Program

[Dreven1]

Hello All!
I wanted to get everyone’s opinion on an application I have been working on.  I call it RAP - Rolemaster Assistant Program.  This is my attempt to come up with a way to help GM’s across the globe!

http://img5.imageshack.us/img5/9883/rap1f.jpg

This program assists GM’s and players by allowing either to quickly lookup and reference tables and charts which are buried in dozens of books.
After using this program for a couple of game sessions it sped up each lookup by 5 to 15 minutes each lookup!!

ALL my players commented on how much faster the game sessions went and that they want MORE improvements and enhancements!!!
Please let me know if anyone out there (or ICE!) is interested in me developing something like this for marketing it with the books or providing it as a download along with the books. 

I think most GM’s and some players would be willing to pay 30$ for this software if it were available! Especially since it is such a game enhancer! 

Rolemaster Assistant Program Charts and Tables
1)   Random Potions
2)   Brewing a Potion
3)   Resistance Rolls vs. stuff (metal, ice, glass, gold, etc)
4)   Initiative Tracker
5)   Movement Maneuver lookup
6)   General Skill Table (lookup with Random element)
7)   All other Skill Category Tables (Score lookup with Random element)
   Critical Chart Lookups
9)   Random Treasure Generator
a.   Random Gems
b.   Random Money
c.   Random Magic Items
10)   Random Weather
a.   Weekly
b.   Monthly
11)   Random Event Chart
a.   Monthly
12)   Random Horse Trait Chart
13)   Random Town Generator - Random Notes - City Creation - noble household - price of books.pdf and RMCompanion I
14)   Herb Finder – Random Herb and gathering generator while actively searching and whilst traveling
15)   Poison Finder – Same as herb
16)   Random NPC accent sheet
17)   Combat Reactions
18)   Tipping for performance/show/art/skills
19)   Riddle Generator
20)   Sinking Ship Chart
21)   Talents and Flaws (Random Flaw chart)

Here is the slideshow of some of the items so far:
http://img5.imageshack.us/slideshow/webplayer.php?id=rap1f.jpg

Here are the images:
http://img5.imageshack.us/img5/9883/rap1f.jpg
http://img3.imageshack.us/img3/3325/rap2j.jpg
http://img585.imageshack.us/img585/1315/rap3.jpg
http://img152.imageshack.us/img152/2106/rap4.jpg
http://img6.imageshack.us/img6/2371/rap8t.jpg
http://img443.imageshack.us/img443/9210/rap9.jpg
http://img88.imageshack.us/img88/5779/rap10.jpg
http://img528.imageshack.us/img528/7694/rap7.jpg
http://img225.imageshack.us/img225/3074/rap5.jpg
http://img405.imageshack.us/img405/9664/rap6.jpg
http://img152.imageshack.us/img152/7607/rap11.jpg
http://img526.imageshack.us/img526/3773/rap12.jpg

Let me know what you all think!  I do so love this game!!!
Drev

[markc]

  That sounds great but there are a few problems. First I am just a volunteer Mod but I think the program you have created to just look up info from tables is the same thing as providing the tables themselves to people. Which is like providing some of the book to people, which ICE does not allow people to do. But you should contact ICE to see if they would issue you a licence to distribute the program.

MDC   

[Dreven1]

Hey Marc!

You are correct, it is simply a table lookup program (mostly - besides the initiative tracker and town generator) wrapped in a nice GUI.

I would love to speak with someone at ICE about it!!!
Drev

[Thom @ ICE]

Drev,
I've already flagged it as something to be reviewed to the appropriate people. For now, feel free to continue development - but hold off on distribution.

We'll try to get back to you shortly via Personal Message or email.

[Dreven1]

Will do Thom!

I love working on this project and I appreciate the feedback. Also, I have not distributed any sourcecode for this project.

Breathlessly awaiting word from ICE!! 
Drev

[John @ ICE]

Hey this is great stuff!

RM is great, but the one thing that bugs me about any detailed RPG, right in the middle of the action, you are looking up stuff and you slowly feel the energy draining from the table.

We need more ideas like this - anything that can enhance play, we want to take a look at.

[Dreven1]

Good news!!! I am always very excited to help out Game masters and players alike! Do you guys mind hitting me up with some idea points?!
I know this has sped up our games tremendously! E.g. average time to look up Combat Results were 1-3 minutes. With the program its 3-5 seconds! This is with just one combat lookup.  We have 10’s or 100’s during a game session.
Also, on skill rolls (which we found to be one of the most helpful automated tables) the time decrease was 5-10 seconds, without the program it was around 1-2 minutes.
The horse trait chart is just plain fun in a city when the players buy a horse! LOL!

Let me know next steps!
Drev

[ForumFerret]

Hey this is great stuff!

RM is great, but the one thing that bugs me about any detailed RPG, right in the middle of the action, you are looking up stuff and you slowly feel the energy draining from the table.

We need more ideas like this - anything that can enhance play, we want to take a look at.

John,

If you (Well, ICE in general) would allow Dreven to roll in a character builder to his product, and Dreven, if you're willing to do so as well, I can see quite a market for a character generator/gameplay manager product.

If I could create a character, and the various static/moving/weapon/spellcasting/RR charts were all a button click away, I'd buy this in a heartbeat.

Just being able to define and resolve generic rolls as it currently stands is compelling, but adding one-click resolution of specific character rolls...that's a must-buy.

Hope you are allowed to distribute your work, Dreven.

[Dreven1]

Hello ForumFerret!

Any and all input welcomed!! there was, however, a reason why I didn’t start on a character generator already.  Basically, it’s because there are dozens of RM/Harp character generators online and two download.  I would be more than willing to do an RMSS/RM2 Character generator but it would require quite a bit of time.  Since there are others out there I focused my efforts on a GM Helper since this is what takes up most of the time during game play.

I am more than willing to create anything that would make the most players and GM's happy!
Drev

[Marc R]

What format is this, is it an executable, an excel sheet?

[Widukind]

And where is the weather generator?

[TerryTee]

I`ve got a similar thing I`ve build for SpaceMaster2. Not quite as extensive, but I have attack tables, criticals, Move/Maneuver, Fumble/Failure plus a few home made flow charts for resolution guidence. It works very well to support the GM during play.
 
-Terry

[Dreven1]

I would love to include a weather generator!   As far as the code...its an exe (with several DB's).

[Dreven1]

Thom or John, any word yet?

Drev

[markc]

Thom or John, any word yet?

Drev

 I know nothing but I think it might take a few weeks do to the holidays and all. But I could be wrong and you might want to drop them a PM and ask as you will get a quicker answer.
MDC

[providence13]

Those pics look great!
I saw a monster button..
Any possibility on getting the random bonus penalties to creature stats, lvls, hits, etc worked in there too?
Having casters summoning elementals slightly above their ability to control would be a nice bonus.

If the party is attacked by a common foe, (... orcs) it'd be neat to have the program roll the random mods so it's not "Oh, orcs again, well each one will have the same hits and lvl as every other orc we fight"... blah.
I understand that this request may be a bit premature. Just wishful thinking!
Good job.

[Thom @ ICE]

Thom or John, any word yet?

Drev

We're working on it - need to ensure that a public software program of this nature does not compromise the Intellectual Property.  As a general tool we love it - but legal stuff needs to be reviewed closely.  Thanks for your patience.

[Dreven1]

We're working on it - need to ensure that a public software program of this nature does not compromise the Intellectual Property.  As a general tool we love it - but legal stuff needs to be reviewed closely.  Thanks for your patience.

Excellent!  I know how to code but I know absolutly nill  on legal stuff!

Those pics look great!
I saw a monster button..
Any possibility on getting the random bonus penalties to creature stats, lvls, hits, etc worked in there too?

Thank you providence13 for the input! 
This is the type of input I am looking for to know what users want! 

I have basic create stats in my Database (right now I just have one Skeleton for testing - Oh no! The dreaded lone Skeleton!!! LOL!)  However, input’ing the entire Creature Database will be very cumbersome. I already have plans to include a “checkbox” for random creature stats using the rules in the front of Creatures and Monsters.   

[providence13]

 This is an exe that uses mdb's for data..
Well, if you're looking to sell it, I'd buy it.
But if you're looking for contributions..
Let us know the mdb format and we can share the work.

I don't blame you at all for wanting to make $ from your hard work.
ICE could make $ too.

But honestly, as soon as I buy it, I'm going to see how easy it is to alter the mdb files to fit into my world, expand the creatures, add races, magic items, etc.
In fact, the more malleable the mdb, the more likely someone might want to buy it. Maybe even a guide on how to do it.

[Dreven1]

Good point providence13, I was thinking of making a entry form for the DB so it could be edited in the exe.

I will wait and see what ICE's direction is on this and go from there... they might want to make the DB locked and just modify it inside the application.  If it is something they want to make available for everyone we might just use an Access DB!