Hi All, I'm looking at the NDS infrastructure and using it to make a VR Tabletop for RPG has not been explored, so I'm thinking about doing it homebrew for local gaming. I don't like to have character sheet and has a GM I could manage a game faster with that.

If you think it would be impossible just tell me ! I am planning to do that in my spare time and I'll start by doing simple stuff (No equipment chargen, dice roller and so on. ) All of those with no interaction with other DS. Then I'll try to implement the connectivity.

What's NDS?

Nintendo Dual Screen (Nintendo DS)

I don't have DSI so no video chat yet.

The project so far would include a:
- Server (GM) interface:
Ability to see all characters connected to him
Manage combat
Manage skill rolls
Manage NPCs and Thugs
Manage Contact ans shops.
Manage Rewards
- Users (Players)
Create Characters
Manage Characters
Dice rolls on a screen touch.
Include action taken in combat.
Amunition tracking.
Edge use.
tracking.
Karma Tracking

I have a lot to do before it works well. I have to :
1. Create the interface.
2. Code the dice roller.
3. Code the Chargen.
4. Create the server that you can log to.
5. and more.

Ah, i see ^^
Don't have one of those.

That's why I want to know what you think of it. Because a lan party version would be nice too.

Good idea.
It would take away the temptation of laptops while providing usefull stuff.

I would need someone that know C++

no one ?

Nope, can't even code HTML propperly, much less C++ i'm afraid

What portion of the project requires C++ coding?

Everything. Base Language for NDS homebrew is based on C++ I could search for C# but I don't think there are SDK for that.

http://code.google.com/p/shadowvrtabletop/

I see the question why on the DS, first the DS is one of the mode useful platform, and the least expensive out there. The Nintendo DS has full homebrew community and some nice SDK to be able to program nice Wifi application without too much trouble. I was playing Shadowrun Snes on my DS (emulated) and found that the interface from the Snes game would be nice to use in a VR tabletop.

--- Edit ---
Touch screen and display screen
Wifi
Light weight
unexpensive.
Easy to build a project on slot 1 card (R4 in my case)

1st phase : Getting the analyse part done
2nd phase: Coding a wifi interface, dice roller, Loading Files from Chared into the DS(using homebrew card and emulator)

All the power to you if you want to make a DS SR helper, but I think there are better platforms to target first (iPhone, Android, Windows/Mac OS X/Linux, etc). That being said what I really could use is the following:

* A separate character generator that created a character sheet that can be imported into a GM/PC gaming tool
* A character reference tool that also took care of character development (to be used when I'm playing)
* A GM tool that will import character sheets (for even reference), manage combat, have a mapping tool and other visual aids, and most importantly have a rule/book look up feature

The reason I say the character generator should be separate is because it is character generation is ultimately fire and forget.

YES°!
Go for it!
This project will hopefully make some proggress in the future!
(me n a friend could be beta-testers^^)

I was thinking about all of those but always dreamed to do a DS apps.
- Separate Chargen (Chared)
- Character ref tool will be included for the GM all the other player will only have acces to their player. Most dice roll would be hidden.
- GM tool would be included into the "Server" tool.

The mapping tool would be for matrix. The GM would have to make maps on paper (due to complexity)
Rule book look up won't be possible with the DS, not enough ram to load PDFs ...



Opensource project so testers would be apréciated (not just beta)

You know what, I owe you an apology. What right do I have to say making a game for the DS would be silly. If you want to make a game for the DS you should, especially if it is a program that you are emotionally attached to.

Actually you made me go forward because implementing a whole chargen in this would have made it too big. Having a Chargen that is external simplyfy it. It won't be a real DS game, because it is an apps that load files in it and use it to operate.

The back bone would include these features :
Espected features : up to 5 Players.
------------------
|General Features|
------------------
- Wifi
- File load
- Edit files (Advancement)
- Commlink communication
- Dice Roller
-----------
|GM Server|
-----------
- Host a game
- See all character sheet
- Manage NPCs
- Manage Combats and skill roll demand
- Manage Karma & Nuyen Awards
- Manage Shops
- Manage mission and Legwork.
- Load Matrix maps
- Manage Astral projection

---------
|Player |
---------
- Join games
- Load and use it's own character sheet.
- Interact with other player
- Advance it's character
- Enter the Matrix
- Enter the Astral World
- Enter combat
- USe legwork and follow missions.

This seems intresting, I was just given a DSI so um, how does this program work?

It will need a DSI flash card (ie I use R4 for the DS there must be one for DSI).
It's an apps, so it will never be accepted by any develloper. It loads external files eich is a bad behavior for nintendo's roms.

Sounds neat. Not sure I would use it, but definitely neat.

I might have a solution to your C++ problem. A few minutes of google-fu provided me with this. I've never used it but it looks promising.

Nice thanks. I'll still have to use C++ to modify stuff in it tho. Like loading files and stuff like that.

Delarn, have you been able to draw any conclusions about your target audience, based on the survey results?

I am thinking that the DS audience is thin. The product is fairly cheap, so if a program were written and spoken well of, people may go buy a DS in order to use your app...

But it seems to me that you are taking two narrow markets:

Item D: DS owners willing to run homebrew apps

Item S: Shadowrun Players willing to use electronics as a game aid

The intersection of D and S is going to be a very small ultra-niche.

The concept is great. Its very exciting. But I say that as a member of half of your niche

I have spent More than a year developing the SR4CG. From my experience I have learned that your community is vital for several reasons:

Motivation - A strong community motivates you to continue even when you have a SR dry spell and havent played for months

Testing - A strong community will provide many product testers. As big as shadowrun is, there are a lot of places to go wrong. Its handy to have many people reviewing your work and pointing out the faults or missing pieces.

Development - A small percentage of your users will be willing to go the extra mile to assist your development by generating actual content.

If your audience is very small, you are going to find a lot less help. If you write a great program, but users must spend a hundred dollars in order to use your app... then even if your app is great and people are interested, your community is going to have a hard time growing.

Perhaps a new survey would be relevant.

Do you have a DS.

If not, if an awesome SR tool was made for the DS, would you be willing to buy one?

The results might help you decide which direction you should go with your project.

[Edit]
I posted a poll about SR devices.