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Dumpshock Forums _ Community Projects _ Another SR4 Character generator

Posted by: Nychuus Sep 13 2007, 12:37 AM

I can post? Finally?

So there I was, bored at work... I was reading the SR4 core book (I just picked it up recently, around a few months ago ) and realized that there was plainly too much math to do for one character that a whole day may be used to make a single character in my gaming group. That's when I decided to make my own character generator.

This was before I discovered the dumpshock forums. This also was when the copy of the generator I had was lacking, IMO, some very critical bits of information for complete noobs (which I was at that time)

Anyhow, I'll post more details when its less morning and more afternoon and I'll upload it on some channel when its less today and more tonight.

Also, are the moderators against yousendit links? (because that's the only thing that pops to mind at the moment )

Posted by: Nychuus Sep 13 2007, 07:11 AM

Since it is now more afternoon (where I'm from that is).

Some details off the top of my head:
- Everything is done purely on Excel.

~~- No dirty macroes (if I wanted scripting I would have made a learned php and website out of it... which is also a future project. Very distant)~~
- It's updated till Street Magic till I get working on it for Augmentation (which comes in at the end of the month )

- Its still a work in progress...

- Right now I don't have an auto filled character sheet, but I'm pretty close. It's still in a "WRITE-IT-YARSELF-YA-FILTHY*snipsnipsnip*" version.

- I'll create a yousendit link later tonight (in roughly 5 hours) for anyone who wants to see the work in progress. (Interested parties PM me with their emails or something... bleh, brain no werk!)

- I'd appreciate feedback from the parties I send it to...

Posted by: Nychuus Sep 13 2007, 11:32 AM

I promised a link, so here it is: http://download.yousendit.com/B4D32AC656060D71
Valid for 7 days or 100 downloads, whichever comes first.

I'd appreciate feedback from downloaders.

Edit: Sept 17, 2007

Posted by: Eleazar Sep 13 2007, 12:10 PM

One thing I see right away, please start at the 1 place marker for the attributes instead of the 0 place marker. This means to max out any stat I will be entering a 5 and not a 6 in the points column. It doesn't make sense to have the user fill in the form with 1 when they will have a 1 in the attribute anyways. This way, the number entered in the points column "agrees" with the number in the cost column. If I enter a 4 in the points column I just spent 40BP and see that represented in the cost column. I don't really see any advantage to doing it the way you do it.

More comments will come as I have a chance to look at more of this.

EDIT:
1. I like how you separated the Physical and Mental abilities. Don't really know why, but I like it.
2. The average age, height, and weight are a nice touch.
3. The Skill description tab and Qualities description tabs are amazing. This is very handy, this is a great idea you have here.
4. The active skills tab is well done.
5. Wow, I just noticed all the other tabs in this workbook, dang this thing is exhaustive. You get the award for the most exhaustive chargen ever.

You did a really good job here from what I can tell. I would suggest using Ismo's character dossier if you are going to be having these values inputed into a .PDF. Your chargen and his sheets seem to fit each other rather nicely.

Posted by: Nychuus Sep 13 2007, 12:53 PM

QUOTE (Eleazar)

Yes... that seems... logical. That makes me wonder why I even made it base 1 input...

QUOTE (Eleazar)

5. Wow, I just noticed all the other tabs in this workbook, dang this thing is exhaustive. You get the award for the most exhaustive chargen ever.

No bonus points on guessing how bored I was at my "job"

Thanks for the feedback. I'll get to that base 0 input.

Posted by: Eurotroll Sep 13 2007, 04:21 PM

Gotta agree with Eleazar here, this is certainly the most exhaustive SR4 creator to date. Haven't stumbled over any glaring errors yet -- but here are a few smaller, rather cosmetic ones.

For some reason, the Height and Weight boxes keep converting my input into dates (2.25 for Height becomes Feb 25, for example).
Once you put in more than 95 points for attributes, the corresponding field to the right showing BP allotment goes blank (shows ##, to be exact); I suspect the three-digit number is too wide for the field?
The row height for Pilot Exotic Vehicle is off.
"Adept Powers (CC)" always shows "You have too many Powers" in the top cell of the F column.

These are all I could find in my first run-through transferring a char made with Daergann's SR4 CharGen.

Posted by: eidolon Sep 13 2007, 05:26 PM

QUOTE (Nychuus)

Also, are the moderators against yousendit links?

Sorry you didn't get an answer to this sooner. Yousendit is fine.

Posted by: Nychuus Sep 14 2007, 12:58 AM

QUOTE (Eurotroll)

For some reason, the Height and Weight boxes keep converting my input into dates (2.25 for Height becomes Feb 25, for example).

Hmm... I'll hardwire the cells to be numbers.

QUOTE (Eurotroll)

Once you put in more than 95 points for attributes, the corresponding field to the right showing BP allotment goes blank (shows ##, to be exact); I suspect the three-digit number is too wide for the field?
The row height for Pilot Exotic Vehicle is off.

Eyng? I think this has mostly to do with Excel itself

QUOTE (Eurotroll)

"Adept Powers (CC)" always shows "You have too many Powers" in the top cell of the F column.

This is quite possibly because I made the generator for starting characters. Your troll adept is probably a little well into the karma points. OR you have the right amount of powers... checked this just now. And fixed

I'll add in a "Advancing characters" section in my to-do list for this generator.

Also, this (looking through the adept powers area) lead me to a few other problems.

Thanks for the feedback

Posted by: i101 Sep 14 2007, 06:38 AM

@Nychuus: Nice Work. If you need Webspace PM me. Got some Webspace over ...

Posted by: Kronk2 Sep 14 2007, 07:23 AM

So you really are planning on doing the Aug thing when it comes in? AWesome. Mostly my group is composed of abject noobs so any tools help greatly.

Posted by: Eurotroll Sep 14 2007, 01:02 PM

QUOTE (Nychuus)

QUOTE (Eurotroll)

Eyng? I think this has mostly to do with Excel itself

Well, it can be remedied by simply widening the column for the former and shrinking the row for the other, so it's certainly not a glaring, this-breaks-the-whole-damn-thing sort of error. (I'm using MS Excel 2002 though, I'd've expected that sort of formatting problem were I to open it with Open Office. Well, stranger thigns have happened.)

Posted by: imrtlcomp Sep 15 2007, 07:22 AM

Nychuus

I like the design of your chargen. The one thing that I have seen that needs to be changed is the Build Points.

On the main tab it is set to a default 400 and it can not be chaged. Our GM has a tendency to change this to 450 or 500 depending on what type of campaign he is running.

Other then that it looks good. I haven't had that much of a chance to play with is due to all my starting chars are at a 450 build.

Thanks

Posted by: Eurotroll Sep 15 2007, 01:06 PM

Have you tried the Prime Runner Percentage? That's exactly for such things. You enter a percentage and the BP are scaled accordingly. Granted, it works as a percentage and not an absolute number, but it works.

Posted by: imrtlcomp Sep 15 2007, 07:15 PM

Oh... I thought that was some sort of house rule kind of thing. I guess I will play with it some more.

Posted by: Kronk2 Sep 16 2007, 05:24 AM

Only problems I am having are

A) there is no numerical limit to the number of powers an Adept could have. if a character chose to have 24 .25 point powers he could. ( if its magic rating was 6)

B) no method for initiating a character to raise its magic rating.

Other than that, so far this is the most complete generator out there.

Would like a few common knowledge skills listed. My players always get stumped on what to spend those on.

Posted by: Nychuus Sep 16 2007, 05:47 AM

QUOTE (Kronk2)

A) there is no numerical limit to the number of powers an Adept could have. if a character chose to have 24 .25 point powers he could. ( if its magic rating was 6)

There is a rule on how many adept powers an adept could have?

I didn't read\remember this rule. Thanks for bringing it up. I'll look it up in a bit.

QUOTE (Kronk2)

B) no method for initiating a character to raise its magic rating.

Advancement by way of karma and initiation will be put in the "to-do" list

QUOTE (Kronk2)

Would like a few common knowledge skills listed. My players always get stumped on what to spend those on.

I think I have a list in an old file somewhere I was going to put into the generator, but voted against it. I'll see if I can filter that long list down into something helpful.

Posted by: Kronk2 Sep 16 2007, 06:44 AM

QUOTE (Nychuus @ Sep 16 2007, 12:47 AM)

I didn't read\remember this rule. Thanks for bringing it up. I'll look it up in a bit.

no there isn't but it seems that the way the adept sheet is put together it acts like there is. It goes from telling me I have one point left to telling me I am over if I add another points worth of powers.

Also, please make an exception that allows Adepts to be able to use Weapon foci.

it would also be nice if it ouput a printable sheet. I know thats a bit down the road.

And thank you by the way.

Posted by: blakkie Sep 16 2007, 05:50 PM

QUOTE (Nychuus @ Sep 15 2007, 11:47 PM)

There is a rule on how many adept powers an adept could have?

I didn't read\remember this rule. Thanks for bringing it up. I'll look it up in a bit.

Yeah, there is. Did you incorporate the other rules for limiting the number of spells, spirits, foci, complex forms, sprites, and so on? Feel free to, no please use http://pavao.org/shadowrun/index.html (scroll down to it, I don't have the file myself anymore, I've changed computers and it somehow got sucked into the Archive bin instead of the new computer) to find all these obscure rules (and more!) embedded right in the code there. AFAIK that XLS has all the little niggling rules in there, handles the Adept Powers vs. Attributes as per canon, pre-Augmentation cypberlimbs, and so on.

So how soon do you expect to get Augmentation support added in? I guess I'm going to have to go with a mage for a slap-together character for the session this evening.

Oh well, I guess the team could use a little magic anyway. The only magic right now is an Adept Face.

Posted by: Nychuus Sep 17 2007, 02:08 AM

QUOTE (blakkie)

Yeah, there is. Did you incorporate the other rules for limiting the number of spells, spirits, foci, complex forms, sprites, and so on? *snip* AFAIK that XLS has all the little niggling rules in there, handles the Adept Powers vs. Attributes as per canon, pre-Augmentation cypberlimbs, and so on.

@that silly little error on the adepts page:
I think we're missing out on something here.

There was an error in some of the equations in the file you have now regarding the adept powers. I fixed that, so when the spend points equal the power points, it no longer errors. I'll upload a new copy of the file later. (in around 10 hours from this posting)

What I meant was something like the max spells known = Spellcasting(or ritual whichever is higher) Skill *2. Is there a rule that says that your adept can only have (attribute/skill equation) different powers? (if there is, I can't find it

)

@blakkie
Yes, I did add in the limitation equations for sprites\spirits\spells\complex forms. I didn't know there was a limitation on foci other than it's force counting as BP (and counting the cost of the foci)

Little niggling rules? If you mean using Improved Physical Attribute to put an attribute past it's natural maximum and into the augmented value, then yes. I already included that, its in the equation itself.

QUOTE (blakkie)

So how soon do you expect to get Augmentation support added in?

Augmentation comes in at the end of the month. I'll be updating as I read through the new stuff in Augmentation.

@Kronk2
Honestly, I didn't know adepts could or had a use for foci.

I'll find a way to add in a foci area for adepts

Posted by: Fortune Sep 17 2007, 03:21 AM

QUOTE (Nychuus)

What I meant was something like the max spells known = Spellcasting(or ritual whichever is higher) Skill *2. Is there a rule that says that your adept can only have (attribute/skill equation) different powers? (if there is, I can't find it

)

Nope.

Posted by: blakkie Sep 17 2007, 01:59 PM

QUOTE (Fortune @ Sep 16 2007, 09:21 PM)

I didn't know there was a limitation on foci other than it's force counting as BP (and counting the cost of the foci)

Yes there is a limit (or two?). I forget offhand the exact details, it's been about 2 years since I did the main part of my work and just short of year since I updated for SM. There are other commonly forgotten rules in there too that didn't make that list.

I'm not even sure if it is just that goofy Improved Physical Attribute rule that is the only one there. I don't actually think so. I just know they were all in there....so I wouldn't have to remember them a couple years later.

QUOTE

Honestly, I didn't know adepts could or had a use for foci.

It isn't just Weapon foci either. I'm not sure you even need to be a Mage/Mystic/Adept...I'd have to recheck Street Magic to confirm the wording on that.

P.S. I think the later is one detail from SM that didn't get implemented in SR4CharGen. You can still bond the focus but it shows in error colours.

Posted by: Fortune Sep 17 2007, 02:53 PM

QUOTE (blakkie @ Sep 17 2007, 11:59 PM)

QUOTE (Fortune @ Sep 16 2007, 09:21 PM)

I didn't know there was a limitation on foci other than it's force counting as BP (and counting the cost of the foci)

Yes there is a limit (or two?).

Where the hell are you getting those quotes that you are attributing to me?

Edit: Ahhh, I see now that they are actually from Nychuus' post.

Posted by: Nychuus Sep 17 2007, 03:14 PM

New release:

http://download.yousendit.com/B4D32AC656060D71

Current to-do list: (in random order)
-Character advancement tab
-Printable character sheets (for both OO and Excel)
-Implement Augmentation
-Open Office version (more stable? so there isn't anymore of those "row height"\"column width" problems.
-Online Version (php powered with printable sheets, waaaaay into the future)
-Common knowledge skill tab (for reference)
-More research into SM:
- Foci for everyone tab(?)

Did I miss anything?

Posted by: blakkie Sep 17 2007, 09:07 PM

QUOTE (Fortune)

QUOTE (blakkie @ Sep 17 2007, 11:59 PM)

QUOTE (Fortune @ Sep 16 2007, 09:21 PM)

I didn't know there was a limitation on foci other than it's force counting as BP (and counting the cost of the foci)

Yes there is a limit (or two?).

Where the hell are you getting those quotes that you are attributing to me? I have no idea how my pants got undone, I didn't touch the goat, and there is no way you can prove that sequined eggbeater was mine.

Come on, take responsibility for what you say!

Posted by: Nychuus Sep 21 2007, 12:32 PM

Good news: I got Augmentation early. I'm holding it in my hands right now.

I'mma go make love to it now.

Posted by: Patrick Goodman Sep 22 2007, 03:18 AM

QUOTE (Nychuus)

Good news: I got Augmentation early. I'm holding it in my hands right now.

I'mma go make love to it now.

At least buy it dinner first.

And do let us know when AUG support is added. So far, I'm quite impressed.

Posted by: Eurotroll Sep 22 2007, 07:37 PM

Hey Nychuus, I was just playing around with a sammie concept and found that installing Hydraulic Jacks in Obvious Full Legs takes up the entire capacity when it should, according to my BBB, only take up 1 point of capacity per rating of the Jacks, making 6 in each leg the maximum. Why's that?

ETA: Also, I found that the calculation for BP allotted to Attributes is off -- it considers an input of 6 to be the highest level and correctly deducts 25 points for that last step. Unfortunately, since all Attributes start at 1, you only need to enter a 5 to get to a total of 6.

In short, the Attribute input field stubbornly deducts 10 BP unless you enter a 6, which you never need to, because the total is always 1 higher than the input. Also, the metatypes' different Attribute caps aren't considered in the calculation either.

You see the problem, I'm sure.

Posted by: Creepy Sep 25 2007, 12:46 PM

Just adding a comment to the previous post... This problem is pretty easily fixed by changing the formula in column I from comparing column B and 6 to column C and column E. So, for example, the updated formula for the Body row (row 6) would be:

CODE

=IF(B6="","0",IF(B6=0,"0",(B6)*10+IF(C6=E6,15,0)))

The sheet already does the work to generate the actual and max attributes, so this just makes use of those values. I guess this is much a suggestion on how to fix the sheets for current users as it is to Nychuus.

Anyway, I really like this sheet. Thanks for the effort in putting it together!

Posted by: Nychuus Sep 25 2007, 03:09 PM

QUOTE (Eurotroll)

*shrug*

I blame the crazy pills I took when I signed my work contract.

QUOTE (Creepy)

CODE

=IF(B6="","0",IF(B6=0,"0",(B6)*10+IF(C6=E6,15,0)))

Hey, thanks for the code Creepy! You really took a big brainfart off my head.

UPDATE
Fixed those problems: Got both that annoying glitch for the attributes and the hydraulic jacks part.

Since I'm now working behind the facism of websense, updates may come slower.

I think the link expired again

If anyone wants a copy before I create another yousendit (probably with Augmentation already), PM me

Posted by: Creepy Sep 25 2007, 08:25 PM

Happy to help.

Posted by: Eurotroll Oct 10 2007, 05:25 PM

Hey Nychuus,

I've run across a massive breakdown in the quick-fix sheet you sent me, on that makes creating a magic character impossible. For some reason, fields A19 (the one controlling the row handling Magic attribute BP allocation) comes up with an #N/A error (this extends to S1, the hidden field checking for the appropriate Street Magic qualities). I couldn't code Excel if my life depended on it, so I don't know where exactly the error comes from, but I hope it can be fixed.

Other than that, I am exercising Zen-like patience in anticipation of the Augmentation update. Ommm~~~~

Posted by: MaxHunter Oct 11 2007, 01:52 AM

Also waiting for the Aug update... and cheering. Feel the Cheers!!! Ny-Chuus NY-CHUUS!!! NY-CHUUS!!

Cheers!

Max

Posted by: Nychuus Oct 11 2007, 04:17 PM

QUOTE (Eurotroll)

I've run across a massive breakdown in the quick-fix sheet ....

Ah yeah, that problem.

I fixed that already. If you want a quick solution, in case you need the generator semi functional, just remove the contents of cell S1

That's where I dumped all the functionality to deal with the Spirit\Spell knack quality.

I'll put Augmentation into high gear seeing as how everyone is cheering.

Posted by: Eurotroll Oct 25 2007, 04:50 PM

Hey Nych, I know you're working on implementing Aug first and foremost, but I've been playing around with Prime Runners creation and found that it would probably make creating high-level antagonist much easier if the PR% influenced not just the BP, but also the allowed max of points going into gear. It's somewhat silly to be limited to an amount of cyberware equivalent to 50 BP when you're trying to create a top of the line cyberzombie.

Perhaps the Gear BP could be scaled? Parallel to the rule that defines the maximum of Attribute points at 1/2 of a character's total BP, we should be able to put 1/8 of our BP (i.e, 50/400, 75/600, 100/800, etc) into Gear.

Posted by: Ryu Oct 29 2007, 02:05 PM

Stupid me, this thread has more than one page?! Damit.

Are you ready incorporating Augmentation?

Posted by: raverbane Nov 1 2007, 09:14 PM

Is there a link that works? Last two I tried from earlier in the thread says expired

Posted by: Eurotroll Nov 1 2007, 10:24 PM

Until Nychuus gets around to uploading his newest version, http://rapidshare.com/files/66815597/SR4CharForge2.xls.html

Posted by: JBlades Nov 2 2007, 04:49 AM

Cool! Thanks Eurotroll! And of course, Nychuus!

Posted by: Nychuus Jul 1 2008, 02:22 PM

Yes, I realize that its been around 10 months since I posted anything. So where the hell have I been?

Thank the wonderful people who employed me to bore me into a state where I just sit at my desk and stare at my screen for around 9 hours a day. For me to post anything, much more be on the internet, is an epic feat altogether.

http://www.headinjurytheater.com/abcexcuse.htm

Yeah, that site is awesome.

I do realize that I still haven't complete Augmentation in my generator (its just two more sections in the Misc gear tab...) there still is the monster that is Arsenal (oh god the sheer amount of GUNS and doodads!!!) and the upcoming and I expect very soon, Unwired. Whatever else they put out may kill me. To date, I have not read, cover to cover, almost all the books.

Anyhow, I've probably been outdated in the character generator business... but this has kept me sane at my dead-end job. So here's the latest upload link:
https://rcpt.yousendit.com/575449742/ab58867e45d5aab3def463a41fc0cb77

There is a lot of new stuff in there. I'm not going to enumerate, I'll just let you find it. Oh, that reminds me to put in actual Easter eggs into the final thing...

It is 10:30pm now, I'm going to bed to get some sleep for more screen staring tomorrow morning.
(no, quitting is not an option until October 23, 2008...)

Posted by: Nychuus Jul 3 2008, 06:17 AM

Yeah... More updates.

http://rcpt.yousendit.com/578613632/4644abf845a1b64585ef499ac1551c4a

Posted by: cndblank Jul 3 2008, 02:16 PM

Nice work.

Thanks!

I have a question.

I have excel 97 and I'm not getting any drop down boxes on SR4CharForge2.xls.

I can type in Elf and get the elf stats, but I don't get the chance to pick from a list.

Is this an excel version issue?

Is my only option to upgrade?

Thanks

Posted by: Nychuus Jul 3 2008, 03:12 PM

QUOTE (cndblank @ Jul 3 2008, 09:16 AM)

1. I can type in Elf and get the elf stats, but I don't get the chance to pick from a list.

2. Is this an excel version issue?

3. Is my only option to upgrade?

1. Yes. Though I'm pretty sure it would have worked for 97... -_-
2. I think so.
3. Not really, but to steal a line from Augmentation: "Upgrade or die"

Posted by: cndblank Jul 3 2008, 10:08 PM

Works with Excel 2007.