Topic: AutoHarp 1.0

[DavidKlecker]

Nicholas said he's going to put the whole lot up again the update should be available soon.

[NicholasHMCaldwell]

Nicholas said he's going to put the whole lot up again the update should be available soon.

Which I have hopefully done.

Best wishes,
Nicholas

[dagorhir]

I definitely have the new files now.

I have a lot of work ahead to update my setting specific databases with all these changes. 

Thanks

[DavidKlecker]

Excellent!

[Judas]

Howdy...thanks for putting all the time and effort into AutoHARP. Excellent program and worth every penny! A few things I have noticed while testing it.

I should mention I'm running AutoHARP 1.0.4 on Windows 8.

Errata
1) A couple skills had the incorrect stats when compared with the HARP Manual.
All resistances are listed as SD/CO. They should be Stamina - CO/CO, Magic - IN/IN, Will - SD/SD.
Blindfighting is ST/AG, should be IN/RE
Trickery is PR/AG, should be PR/SD

Issues
1) When creating a Thief if you select Assassin Training, the description of Assassin Training will be saved in the XML file with an '&' causing an XML failure when you try to load the character.
2) When you get to the adolescence/profession skills page it doesn't calculate existing profession ranks in the total bonus. If you hit back and then come back they are calculated, but the number of ranks you received from your profession is doubled.
3) When I print a character, the categories print in a random order on the skills sheet. Can this be alphabetical?
4) The printed skills sheet lists all skills with Self Discipline as "se" and not "sd"
5) During hybrid talent selection when you click on the Stat Bonuses talent, the description box retains the description of the last highlighted talent.
6) When right-clicking a skill, "Unlock Cost for Skill" doesn't appear to do anything. I can edit the cost before clicking this so not sure what it does.

Oddities - I have a few issues which crop up occasionally, but I cannot duplicate them on demand.
1) When adding/subtracting ranks to a skill during the adolescence/profession phase, somehow I can break it. For instance Ranks will be listed as 4, but Total Ranks will be 2. Then when I remove all 4 ranks I will have -2 Total Ranks. Although I have broken this several times, I have yet to figure out how I do it. It might be specific skills. I'll try to narrow it down.
2) When adding/subtracting ranks during adolescence/profession, sometimes it will prevent me from adding ranks even though I am not at 6 for the skill yet. I can add a rank to any skill which I haven't already bought a rank in, but if I have already purchased ranks in the skill it will not allow me to add another one. If I set all skills in the category to zero, then I can go back and reassign the ranks normally.
3) When switching rank types on the Skill List, the Total will be calculated off the current number of ranks in the selected Type and not the total ranks. This happens quite frequently but I cannot figure out what's triggering it.

Suggestions
1) When selecting Hybrid Talents, having the stats in the Blood column even though they haven't selected Stat Bonuses is a bit confusing. I don't think they should display until the talent is selected.
2) It would be nice to see the Stats of each skill on the skill list during creation. I don't know why, I just like knowing the stats while I buy skills. 
3) How about a search box on the skill list for quickly finding a skill?
4) On the Items page, how about a dropdown for location that ties to the Equipment Worn section of the printed character sheet?



I'll be running a campaign this weekend so we'll put your program through the ringer. My players have a gift when it comes to breaking character generators. 

Thanks again for all the hard work!

Oops...meant to post this to the Errata thread. Brain fart.

[DavidKlecker]

Oh wow. I guess I have a few things to look at. Thanks for that feedback! I was unaware the adolescence ranks still breaks like that. I was hoping this change would have removed that issue. I think your oddity 1 and 2 are related. Somehow the ranks and the ranks left are in conflict. I'm not sure how it happens either. I'll have to dig into that. Number 3 i believe is as coded. I'm not sold on it either but I will look into it.

as for the suggestions

1) I display the talent bonuses only to show the user they exist. They do not get added into the stat total until you click the stat bonus talent.
2) I plan to create a better skill information window so a user can get more information from the skill. I may also think about taking the same additions I put into the skill tab and add them to the new level wizard skill section (searching for skills based on a stat, etc).
3) A search box for finding a skill is a great idea. Consider that added.
4) This is another great idea. Consider this added as well. 

[dagorhir]

I haven't encountered any of the issues yet. Version 1.0.4 has been working remarkably well for me.

The issue of having "&" saved to the xml file is avoid by changing all the "&" in any database files to "and". That's what I did will all my custom files.

[DavidKlecker]

2) When you get to the adolescence/profession skills page it doesn't calculate existing profession ranks in the total bonus. If you hit back and then come back they are calculated, but the number of ranks you received from your profession is doubled.

I didn't catch this until now. I'm not sure I understand this error. I can see the error where things are getting doubled but what do you mean you don't see any profession ranks? Did you mean Adolescence ranks? The confusion here comes from the idea that you wouldn't see profession ranks when you get the adolescence page. All profession ranks are inputted by the user. The adolescence ranks I can see are added but you shouldn't see profession ranks at all when you first get to this page and even if you go back and return. The profession ranks are cleared when you go back. Could you let me know a little more about what it is you expected to see?

Thanks!

[DavidKlecker]

On the Lock Cost for Skills

The idea here is to prevent certain skills from getting updated when a user selects to update a category to favored. This only prevents the cost from updating when the user selects to update the category to favored, it doesn't prevent them from making any changes to the cost itself.

[Judas]

I didn't catch this until now. I'm not sure I understand this error. I can see the error where things are getting doubled but what do you mean you don't see any profession ranks? Did you mean Adolescence ranks? The confusion here comes from the idea that you wouldn't see profession ranks when you get the adolescence page. All profession ranks are inputted by the user. The adolescence ranks I can see are added but you shouldn't see profession ranks at all when you first get to this page and even if you go back and return. The profession ranks are cleared when you go back. Could you let me know a little more about what it is you expected to see?

Sorry for the slow response. It's been a hell of a couple of weeks for me. To be honest I don't even remember what I meant at this point. You can probably ignore that first bit.

On the a side note, we started a campaign a few weeks ago and six knuckleheads were able to make their characters without issue. If those meat-fisted SOBs couldn't break it then you are doing a superb job. LOL.  I would be a lot happier if the campaign was going as well as character creation. 

They'll probably be leveling this weekend so we'll see how that goes.

[DavidKlecker]

Wow! That's an awesome compliment. I have a friend whom is the same way. If he can't break it then I suppose I can remove it from beta!

[The Dude]

Running AutoHARP 1.04 on Ubuntu 13.10... or should I say, not running.

I installed it using the Java jre archives. That went through without a hitch. However, the executable file for actually running the program isn't doing diddly. I get no response at all -- no windows, no popups, nothing to tell me it's doing anything at all.

Am I doing something wrong? At this point I'm half tempted to install the Windows version and run it under WINE.

Some help here, if anyone has it running properly under Ubuntu/Linux.
Thanks.

[Bruce]

I've seen autoHARP on RPGnow for more than 6 months. If your selling it, why is it still ion beta? I was thinking of ordering AutoHARP for use in my game but if it is still in beta I don't think I will. Unless it is out of beta?

My actual questions:
1. Is it possible to add my own things to AutoHARP like spells/new professions/new combat actions/etc?
2. How hard is it to add house rules like a reduction in the penalty for scaling spells?

Essentially can I add and tweak AutoHARP to fit my game?

Bruce

[Bruce]

Also, how hard is it to input my own character sheet? I prefer something more like the HARP character sheet from the core books than the one in AutoHARP. I would like to use something that looks like the one I am currently developing in excel (though it has been put on hold due to other ICE related projects).

Bruce

[dagorhir]

Also, how hard is it to input my own character sheet? I prefer something more like the HARP character sheet from the core books than the one in AutoHARP. I would like to use something that looks like the one I am currently developing in excel (though it has been put on hold due to other ICE related projects).

Bruce

That is currently not supported, but I think Monk had a plan to use html/css to allow users to customize the character. The way the program is coded, I think is pretty much to only way it could be achieved that would be simple enough.

[Bruce]

Ok, I might be able to live with that. I think in the demo I had I was able to get into and see a way I could change the character sheet. I don't remember.

What about my previous post?
------
I've seen autoHARP on RPGnow for more than 6 months. If your selling it, why is it still ion beta? I was thinking of ordering AutoHARP for use in my game but if it is still in beta I don't think I will. Unless it is out of beta?

My actual questions:
1. Is it possible to add my own things to AutoHARP like spells/new professions/new combat actions/etc?
2. How hard is it to add house rules like a reduction in the penalty for scaling spells?

Essentially can I add and tweak AutoHARP to fit my game?

Bruce

[dagorhir]

Ok, I might be able to live with that. I think in the demo I had I was able to get into and see a way I could change the character sheet. I don't remember.

What about my previous post?
------
I've seen autoHARP on RPGnow for more than 6 months. If your selling it, why is it still ion beta? I was thinking of ordering AutoHARP for use in my game but if it is still in beta I don't think I will. Unless it is out of beta?

Autoharp itself is not being sold. You can actually download it for free. What is being sold are the various databases. If it is out of beta or not is up to Monk.

My actual questions:
1. Is it possible to add my own things to AutoHARP like spells/new professions/new combat actions/etc?

Yes, you can add whatever you like to the database files so long as you know xml. I have completely changed the databases to suite my own campaign world. But instead of changing the standard Autoharp database files, I created my own files that are in a separate file folder. In short, I created a new book.

I should stress that it is very easy to break the database when doing this. I've done it quite a few times.

2. How hard is it to add house rules like a reduction in the penalty for scaling spells?

I don't think there is currently a way of doing that. None of my house rules are supported by AutoHarp.

Essentially can I add and tweak AutoHARP to fit my game?

You can add/modify database elements (Professions, races, cultures, skills, etc.) as I stated above, but about as far as it can take you at the moment.

[The Dude]

From dagorhir:
Yes, you can add whatever you like to the database files so long as you know xml. I have completely changed the databases to suite my own campaign world. But instead of changing the standard Autoharp database files, I created my own files that are in a separate file folder. In short, I created a new book.
--------------------------------------
Once you have a book created, how do you import it?
Also, in the "Manage Books" menu, there's a column labeled "Base Rules," with each option as a true/false choice. Most options in Martial Law and CoM are false, and a few are true. What is this selection supposed to represent? I'm sort of confused with that, and am not changing anything until I get clarification.

[dagorhir]

Once you have a book created, how do you import it?
Also, in the "Manage Books" menu, there's a column labeled "Base Rules," with each option as a true/false choice. Most options in Martial Law and CoM are false, and a few are true. What is this selection supposed to represent? I'm sort of confused with that, and am not changing anything until I get clarification.

You simply copy the folder into the Harp databases\Harp Fantasy (or Harp Sci-fi) folder and open Autoharp and let the magic happen. Important note, you need to have a version.xml in your new book folder for that to work right. You can take one of the existing files from the other books as an example. That's what I did.

I think the base rule checkbox tells Autoharp which file has priority over the other similar files in other books, but I guessing here more than I know. There is also a checkbox to determine if the file is used or not. I use that last option since my files tend to replace the standard database files instead of adding to them.

[DavidKlecker]

Running AutoHARP 1.04 on Ubuntu 13.10... or should I say, not running.

I installed it using the Java jre archives. That went through without a hitch. However, the executable file for actually running the program isn't doing diddly. I get no response at all -- no windows, no popups, nothing to tell me it's doing anything at all.

Am I doing something wrong? At this point I'm half tempted to install the Windows version and run it under WINE.

Some help here, if anyone has it running properly under Ubuntu/Linux.
Thanks.

I haven't test for 13.10 yet, however I don't think that should be an issue. Did you check to see if the application can be executed? Perhaps the JRE installer wasn't able to make that switch. If you still can't get it to work we can try and wait to see if someone else on 13.10 was able to get it to work. If you are comfortable with WINE that could be a solution. If all else fails, you could try and talk to Nicholas about a refund.