Dashifen Character Record System, dcrs.dashifen.com Options

[Kanada Ten]

Here's a couple of ideas.

Clicking on skills in non-edit mode could act as a dice roller and spit out a list of the results on the same page.

Contacts could be linked to NPCs in the database.

[Dashifen]

[prionic6]

This is a very nice project and I am sure I will use it in our next session on saturday! I especially like the simplicity aspect, not overloaded and only the features you really need!

Two suggestions:
- Ammo tracking would be nice. This could be as simple as an input box in the fight status view where you simply store the number of bullets per-person or more fleshed out with different clips carried by the charakters with ammo types and load status.

- Our adventures tend to last more than one session (we 're a bit slow :)) So I try to track information about what the individual players did regarding the individual karma categories suggested in the BBB. I'm not sure how you could make a module for this but maybe it would be a nice idea.

[Dashifen]

Ammo tracker -- you're awesome. Good idea. I've also wanted to add a way to track spell pool to the combat screen but I'm running out of space ...

I was thinking of adding a notes field to allow GMs to keep notes to themselves in the system, but size is always an issue. I have a limited amout of space and if I need to upgrade to a new package with my hosting company, it becomse more expensive for me. I'll investigate it.

[prionic6]

If you would make your software Open Source, it would be possible for anyone to install it on his own server and you could even get help for the development of the project. :)

Don't know if that's an option for you, though...

[Dashifen]

It's not really. It's housed along with other things that are private (like my email until I download it at least) so open sourcing really isn't an option. Plus, I like doing it all.

As for installing it locally on a user's computer, that really wouldn't work because the PHP/MySQL setup requires a web server. Sorry!

[prionic6]

It's really not a big problem to locally install an Apache/PHP/MySQL setup :) But actually I talked about installing it on one's own webserver. I'm sure there are people out there that have the ressources needed - almost every provider gives you access to PHP and mysql. You have. I have. Also, Open Sourcing would not mean giving anyone access to your server but only giving out your .php-files and maybe a script for setting up the database. It would also not include giving out personal (GM/Player/Game) data in your database! Plus you would still be the holder of your intellectual property and the creator of the project. You could host your code for free (so you won't have to pay for people downloading it) on sites like sourceforge.org

This is not to argue you into doing it, it's your project, your code, your property. You decide what to do with it, of course. Just consider it as an option, especially if you later come to a point where you don't have the money or the time to further develop it!

[KeyMasterOfGozer]

I would like to re-iterate somethings that prionic6 said.

1) It is your project, and your property, so don't think of this as trying to talk you into doing it.

2) I, as do many other people, have a couple of webservers, where I already have php/mysql programs running. Some I wrote myself, and some from other places. This is certainly an enviroment that many people already have, or could setup in very little time. This does not put your own data in jeopary, it simply lets someone else run your program on their server.

3) I understand that you want to keep full control of it now, that's cool, but please consider if you get tired of working on it (or bored with it) Releasing it as Open Source would let other people who like the product, to forward it and keep it going after you interest lapses.

Once again, I'm not trying to convince you. It just sounded in your post like you had some possibly unfounded misgivings.

Cheers!
-Mike

[prionic6]

The sr3-import won't work with melee manouvers... The Line in the file is

Skill1=MA:Kung_Fu(STR)/MN:Fußtritt~[2]=4X

and the error is

MYSQL QUERY ERROR!!
Query: INSERT INTO sr3_skills (character_id, skill, skill_rating, specialization, spec_rating, linked_attribute) VALUES (287, 'Kung Fu', 2, 'MN:Fußtritt~[2]=4X ', , 3)
Problem: You have an error in your SQL syntax. Check the manual that corresponds to your MySQL server version for the right syntax to use near ' 3)' at line 1

[KeyMasterOfGozer]

Will it work if you change the line to:

Skill1=MA:Kung_Fu(STR)/MN:Fusstritt~[2]=4X

I wonder if the characterset of his MySQL DB maybe won't handle the Esset(or however you spell that thing)?

[KeyMasterOfGozer]

[Dashifen]

Yup. That'll do it. The parsers for the .sr3 files are pretty slim right now and I know of stuff that it's just plumb not importing. I think the problem is in the semantics of the maneuvers. Thery're not really specializations, but in the .sr3 file they're recorded as if they were. As such, they don't really get a rating and that's what's causing the parser to become confused. It's added to the list of things to do.

[Dashifen]

[Dashifen]

Okay ... working on getting the page titles to not show you the page id (md5 hash of the filename) that I was using before. While I fix the bugs above, I'll change page titles as I go. To try and be sure that I don't miss any, if you all could post pages that have bad titles below. Hopefully I'll get them all soon so we won't have pages and pages of posts about bad titles.

Also: quick poll here -- who would find a notes page helpful? Just something that would provide you a spot to type a note to yourself and save it in the database. Then, you could delete notes when you don't need them anymore -- or perhaps they would auto delete after a month or so to save space. Any comments?

[Kanada Ten]

The notepad is a good idea, but it should be persitant (the same notepad on every page), and maybe toggleable (like the Fast Reply here).

Hash marks on the first page following log in and all subsequent returns to the "GM's Home".

Hash marks on "Add a Game" and "Remove a Game."

Hash marks on "Add a Character" and "Remove a Character," but not "Edit."

Hash marks on all "Combat Tools" and "Matrix Tools" including sub pages.

[Dashifen]

Hrm ... not a bad idea there, Kanada Ten. So, for example, you would want to be able to connect a note to any screen that you're on -- like if you were taking notes on a combat situation you'd want to have them only appear on the combat's status screen and not in a central location? What about both? Although, if the notes are already in the database, it's not hard to display them on multiple screens. Any other thoughs.

P.S. -- And thanks for the notes. I think I got most of those but I know I missed the Matrix Tools one. New pages with some fixes uploaded tomorrow morning when I get back to a broadband connection.

[Kanada Ten]

I think each "Game" entry should have a notepad that holds the notes for all the "Tools."

For example:
Kanada opens the Day Job game and clicks on Mickey becasue Mickey just attempted to bribe the Mafia enforcer, Bobby. He goes the the skills section and clicks on "Negotiations 6." The dice roller spits out the results, and Kanada copies them into the Notepad (or clicks on "Send them to the Notepad"). Then he goes back and clicks on Bobby (error). He clicks on Bobby's Willpower to resist and compairs the dice roller results to the Notepad.

The error I got was from hitting the Bobby NPC. It appears that all NPCs are missing unless I use the "Edit a Character" tool. After I "Stop Editting" it allows me to view the character, but not if I go from the "Characters in..." screen. Also, it would be good to have names on the "Damage Record for..." screen link to the character sheets. Picky picky I know.

[Dashifen]

You're not an ass -- your a tester :) You're supposed to do that. I know about the no npc from the character list problem -- I changed the file name and forgot to change it for npc's when I did it for pc's. I'll get that one shortly.

I'm not a big fan of floating windows because they get in your way. I'd be more inclined to add something to the bottom of everypage more like the Fast Reply idea you stated above. then, you could drop stuff into the text field and it would be persistent for your account. Making it persistent to a game would be more difficult because I don't always track which game you've most recently been involved with. However, with enough information (for your example, if the note pad would say Mickey -- Negotiations -- 08 06 05 03 01 01) Then it would be pretty easy to recall what the purpose of the note was.

And you know we have to call this the Pocket Secretary :silly:

[Dashifen]

Bugs fixed today:

View NPCs from Game List now works (don't have to use the Edit a Character link)

Get back to correct list of characters from the view a character page

Link to character record from game's damage record

adding characters no longer throws a bad insert message on the damage record

Import other game's characters into your game has begun. It's not finished yet.

Can no longer edit other game's pc's (thanks Kanada Ten)

[Kanada Ten]

[Kanada Ten]

Something weird happened. One of my NPCs named Lester is not the NPC I made. Did someone else make a character named Lester with the Friends Abroad Edge and a contact called Bad Czech? I used the SR3 import to do it and it was right once...

[Dashifen]

Yeah, I forgot that you can't detect the gm if the gm isn't logged in for the character viewing. I wasn't done with that stuff anyway. Fixed in about fifteen minutes.

I'm not sure what happened with Lester, though. It shouldn't matter if the NPC has the same name as someone else as all characters are given incrementing numerical id's. Then, these id's are used to keep track of the characters and not their names. If you figure out what's up, let me know about that one.

Oh -- and I didn't do anything, either, considering I have god-like powers over the DCRS :)

[Kanada Ten]

The Matrix tools are a little awkward. You need to make the Add Security an Edit Host function. Then have tabs like you do with the Character Sheet for Security Ratings, Security Sheaf, and the Note needs editing space. Also, there isn't any reason to stop the edit box for the Security Sheaf after they add Shutdown because you may want to add earlier trigger steps or whatever later. Also, there should be a way to add deckers at trigger steps. I know you can just type in Decker rating whatever, but it would be cool.

There is also a bug with the Log on to Host option where it doesn't keep the Decker displayed in the box.

Somehow my first ICe became an NPC too.

Change Tally doesn't do anything, though I don't know if it is supposed to.

[Dashifen]

IC will become an NPC when you set up a matrix combat session from within the matrix tools. It's the only way that the system can recognize the IC as having initiative and reaction and what not. So that's what happened there.

I think the Change Tally does store the tally in the database. It won't appear to do anything the first time you look at the page, but if you return to the page later, the tally that you entered into the field and saved (by clicking change tally) will remain in the field. I'll check on that, and I thought I had it say "Tally Saved" underneat the button, but that may have just been what I wanted to do and not what I did do.

I'll check on the log on to host stuff. I don't think I've noticed it when I was working with my deckers.

Now, you're looking to take the concept of the host and its security and meld it into one page, I think, with your first comment. So you want a way to simply click on add a host and then enter security ratings and sheaf on the same page with a menu like on character editing. I don't see a major issue with that. However, I would prefer to have something like a link after you add a host that automatically takes you to the adding of security for that host. It would save a click and some time to move the mouse around if that link were more prominently displayed.

You're right on the closing of the fields after you enter shutdown. I think you can still edit old steps, but not enter new ones. I'll change that.

As for Deckers at trigger steps, what would you like it to say? I suppose it could provide a link to the NPC decker that you have in the database, but it wouldn't be too much more difficult to simply put the decker's name in the sheaf and then view them with the character viewer as normal.

Thoughts?

[Kanada Ten]