The Shop....., Question to the masses about the shop Options

[Jetmaster]

Well, I've got ahold of the source for the shop, and was wondering if you (you as in the dumpshockers) would like a new build following rigger 3 rules. If yes, I'd probably port it to C++ (as it will be the language I will be using the most) But before I start any work and get the headaches involved with debugging and recoding it, I want to know how much interest there would be for this.

All original credits go to the original author of the shop, all I'd be doing is updating it to current rigger 3 standards, and maybe adding a little XML functionality, so the community would be one step closer to having a set of tools to build everything they could want for their characters/campaign.

[Grey]

This is something I've been dieing to see happen for a long long time. I'd be willing to help anywhere I could. I don't know how to program at all, but I can update DAT files (I've done a lot of updates for NSRCG's DAT files).

[Fahr]

I had thought of doing something like this myself... and am also a C++er... and more than willing to do data entry...

I really like the riggers so this is a good project and at the very least you would get bug reports from me ;)

-MIke R.

[Tanka]

Do it! It'll save us the headache of all those nasty calculations.

[smilbandit]

Please post it as a project on sourceforge. I'll help out when I can.

[Grey]

Any ideas as to how hard this project will be and/or how long it will take to complete? This is something I've been dieing to see for a real long time.

[Jetmaster]

It'll take a while, as currently I have the programming skills (for PC at least, I can program micros like nobodys business.) of a wet paper bag. I know lots are waiting for this, and I'm going to poke at the code after I upgrade my computer and see what I'm going to need to fix after porting it to C breaks it. But its a learning experiance, and while I can get help from my instructors in some areas, I'm more or less on my own for learning C++.

[KarolTomoki]

Rules for riggers are the most complicated thing SR has ever produced. Having a program that at least does the vehicle construction part would be veeery cool.

Yeah, do it. I do know C++, but not much really (1 year of learning), so I probably could not help.

[Dashifen]

I might be able to help out. I have 6+ years of C++ experience as well as a lot of interface design, but I'm already working on three things at the moment. Let me know if you get really stuck and I can help out perhaps or if you give me some time, I might have a more open schedule in a month or so.

[Frag-o Delux]

I would like to offer words of encouragement, but that is about it. :) My programming skills (the little I had) have long since faded into a memory. Again please do this, I love riggers and the rainforest, I would hate to see any more tress die because I want a new car in SR. :)

[Jetmaster]

Thanks for the offer of your assistance Dashifen, the big ol' upgrade is probably going to happen in the near (read: hour or two) future and then once I'm back up and running i'll see what I can do to begin the process.

[Grey]

Any updates on this project?

[Grey]

Alright people. I downloaded a copy of The Shop (the old R2 version) today and took a look at it. I don't see where it really needs to have the source code updated. The only thing that needs any changes is the DAT files, which are just plain text and putting the data where it needs to go. I'm going to go ahead and get started on it myself, but if anyone wants to help out, let me know and we can break up the DAT into pieces.

[CeaDawg]

:D Much joy is had by all in this camp. There are no programmers in the group here, but several riggers who are anxiously waiting to field test the program. A couple have voiced pleas for drone rigger and security rigger support. I can't imagine why. :S

[Grey]

Well, it looks like it is going to take more than just updating the DATs to get The Shop to work for Rigger 3. I need the source code to be edited with the new mark-ups and whatnot. Anyone out there that knows VB want to take on the task?

[Dakhran the Dark]

I wouldn't mind taking a peek at the source and seeing if it's something I can put some time into. No guarantees right now, since work tends to demand a good 60+ hours a week, and I'm just starting back into a regular gaming schedule, but depending on how the source looks, I might just have enough spare time to fiddle with it.

Plus, it should get me back in the swing of running SR -- I haven't run Shadowrun in over two years...not counting the Stay-Puft debacle during "Food Fight" last year...

[KeyMasterOfGozer]

I haven't programmed in VB in a while, but I do occaisionally work in VBScript on ASP webpages. I can make the changes you need, just send me the source, let me know what version of VB I need to install and tell me what changes you need made, and I'll do it for you.
-Mike
bombadil<at>oldforest.net

[Grey]

[Jetmaster]

Thanks for taking up the mantle grey, classes are eating up 200% of my spare time (it spilled over into time for sleep.) Since christmas, i've had a whopping one day of rest for doing anything not class related (sadly, it was spent doing research for my project) all work and no play may make one dull, but the way I see it is once I'm making cash, I can have lots of play. while at work =P

[KeyMasterOfGozer]

[Grey]

Mark-Up has to do with the chassis that you use. Look at the chassis table on pages 202-205. You'll find Mark-Up Factor right next to where it gives the Design Point cost for the chassis. I need the program to calculate cost by adding all the design points, multiplying by the mark-up, then multiplying by 100.

[KeyMasterOfGozer]

Ok, I see it now. Are those all the changes we need?

Rigger2.dat needs to be updated with a field added for the Mark-Up Factor. Can anyone do that/Has it already been done? I suggest we go ahead a change that file name to Chasis.dat , because that makes more sense and doesn't tie us to a particular version.

I can't open this project in VB.NET, so I'm trying to find a copy of VB6.0 to use. Should be able to get one in the next couple of days. It doesn't look like that much code really, so I'm considering a re-write.

Is there a particular reason why anyone wants this in VB?

[Grey]

I can take care of the DATs no problem. Thats easy to figure out, I just don't know squat about VB so I needed someone else to do the source code.

If you can just tell me the format of how to add the Mark-Up line to the DAT, I can input all the numbers.

As for renaming it to Chassis.dat, that would be fine, expect that there is more in that file than chassis. There are also the power plants and all the mods you can put into the vehicle. I guess we could do three different files, one for chassis, one for power plant, and a third for mods. What do you think?

If you want to do a rewrite, I'm fine with that, I just need an exe that can extract the info from the DATs and calculate costs.

One other DAT to keep in mind is the Quality.dat. It has factors that modify the Mark-Up value.

[KeyMasterOfGozer]

Right you are, I didn't look closely enough at the file.

Being a Database guy myself, I wouldn't put different datatype in one table like this, but since it is so, it'll be less work to leave it as is.

That being said, at the end of each line that is a chasis, just add a comma followed by the Mark-Up Factor.

I have found a copy of VB6 at my office, and since no one else is using it (it being as old as the hills), I have a legal license to use it even. WooHoo! Now after I get everything installed, I'll let you know if it opens fine in VB6. I hope so, because I don't have any older VB version.

[Grey]

Ok, I'll get to work on updating the DATs to have a Mark-Up and changing all the Design Points to Rigger 3.

Rigger 3 introduced new chassis also. Can I just imput them into the DAT or do you need to code something for them as well?