Hello all, I have another project that I would like you to test and give feedback on. In this test we are doing character entry to a database that is a small part of a much larger project I am working on.

The site address is:http://www.5150press.com/shadowrun/

For a fun factor I added a page that allows testers to rate characters that have been entered. So enter your favorite characters and see what people think of them!

As always I welcome all comments and encourage you to suggest features that others will find useful.

Note: Keep in mind that though the application tracks aspects of new character creation under Shadowrun 4 rules it is not meant to be a character generator, allowing for characters with any amount of experience to be entered.

Thank you all for your past support on my little projects and I look forward to reading feedback on this project.

((repost form general forum))

Change Log:
0.01 - Spelling Corrections.
0.02 - Added "None" Options to Active skills to prevent unintentional addition of skills.
0.03 - Fixed cliping of decimals when entering height & weight.
0.13 - Addition of Nav. menu.
0.14 - Addition of change log.
0.24 - Addition of delete entry feature.
0.25 - Character Output window is now set to be open to the approprite tab during character entry (i.e. magic open when adding spells)
0.26 - Addition of text area to store notes. (10,000 Character max length).
0.27 - Addition of Notes Section to character detail on rating page
0.28 - Addition of Genetech in all sections.
0.29 - Addition of Nanotech in all sections.
0.30 - Build Money is now disabled. This feature may return later.

Ah, reposting my first reply too (so i and other can build upon that):

Hm... excellent tool. Just entered a character, but had some troubles.

Suggestions:

Have a easy "Back" button opposite to the "next" one.

Excellent listing of stuff. Add Nanosystems and Nanoware. (My first Character i entered has lot Nanosystems and Nanites, no possibility to display them)

For some equipment and Cyberware it is logical to have multiples. For example the character i entered would have TWO Autoinjectores and multiple sets of armour. Also there will be a lot people with multiple sets of guns (maybe slightly different modules)

Allow for displaying multiple "Loadouts", where i can choose equipment belonging to the "loadout"-Slot (one piece of equipment may belong to multiple loadouts). There you should have an armour value and a stealth- value field ready for input (so people can see how much damage the character will absorb in different scenarios, and how hard it is to see/hear him) - Also display the attributes and skills on the same page.

This would allow easy access to characters for use as "Ready-to-field" NPC's in sessions.

Overall: great tool to check for inconsistencies and to have a great overview over your character. I assume i can get the chance to edit characters when it is possible to get a real login?

BUGS:
I somehow got Aeronautical Mechanic without taking it. Also i have gotten a full suite of programs. I was just clicking "next". Had no comlink taken and so didn't bother with programs.

Program cut decimals behind the height (and maybe weight too), this makes my 2.4 Fomori 2 meters tall... Let the user input the height in centimeters then, not meters.

Some misspelled words, (height and weight for example)

Summerstorm, thank you for the excellent feedback:
-Have a easy "Back" button opposite to the "next" one.

Good Idea, I am working on a more elegant system than just going forward. Possibly even a menu listing all the steps so that a user can jump around during entry.

-For some equipment and Cyberware it is logical to have multiples. For example the character i entered would have TWO Autoinjectores and multiple sets of armour. Also there will be a lot people with multiple sets of guns (maybe slightly different modules)

I agree I will be adding a step at the end that allows for simply adding quantity to just about everything. With weapons that are slightly different once the improved navigation is in place it will be easier to add instances of say Ares Predators with different accessories. Currently one would have to go back select it and click next again which will add another instance of the weapon.

Nanosystems and Nanoware
I somehow completely overlooked it, that will be coming soon.

Allow for displaying multiple "Loadouts", where i can choose equipment belonging to the "loadout"-Slot (one piece of equipment may belong to multiple loadouts). There you should have an armour value and a stealth- value field ready for input (so people can see how much damage the character will absorb in different scenarios, and how hard it is to see/hear him) - Also display the attributes and skills on the same page.

Great feature suggestion here. That will be added soon.

Overall: great tool to check for inconsistencies and to have a great overview over your character. I assume i can get the chance to edit characters when it is possible to get a real login?

Yes! I have a great deal of functionality planned for manipulating the data once it's in there. I'll post the full on feature listing a bit later, I want to be certain that the data being collected is A.) Collected properly B.) Easy to enter and C.) Useful.

I somehow got Aeronautical Mechanic without taking it. Also i have gotten a full suite of programs. I was just clicking "next". Had no comlink taken and so didn't bother with programs.

I added a "None" option to skills so that if you go back to look at skills it will no longer auto add a skill if you hit next again.

With the software: did the application just add all of those during creation?

Program cut decimals behind the height (and maybe weight too), this makes my 2.4 Fomori 2 meters tall... Let the user input the height in centimeters then, not meters.

Should be fixed now.

Some misspelled words, (height and weight for example)
Fixed Height & Weight

Very true, I did not intend for the welcome message to be uninviting I modified it slightly to give more of an overview of the current state of it. (I would give more of an Idea of what the thing is for but it is still not fully fleshed out in my own mind, so it is difficult to communicate to everyone else (at the moment)

Thank you for your feedback, I appreciate it.

Ok, was just entering another character.

Had an Mysql error after pressing next from "Active skills" on:

-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 ')' at line 2

Had entered a LOT of skills on low levels (5 groups (levels 1-4) + 12 skills all on level 1-2). No change with going back and forth or reloading the page.

Also not only would i like to have Nanotech/Nanoware/Nanosystems... but also Surge/Metagenics and Genetech. (Sorry for that *g*... but we need to have all)

Do you plan on opening up unusual characters too, or allow for clean self-text input of them? (For example Infected, AI, Sapient Critters).

Well, i will try inputing a few easy sample characters over the next few days, though. Keep on coding *g*, and have fun.

Oh and to expand on the "Loadout"-suggestion. Something like this would be fine (as a first idea):

Attribute Block: All Attributes / + modified

Special: IP's standart, physical, matrix, astral
Textfields: Armourratings, Visual stealth mod, Audio stealth mod
Textfields: Physical defense, Matrix Defense, Astral Defense, Spell defense mods.
Textfields: Available perception modes, Dicepool
Textblock: Standart procedures, Notes (For Legality, Standart orders, allies, things i forgot)

Equipment:
Chosen Weapons + Ammo, Items, Armour, Spell list

While filling this out, one needs access to all information already put into the system, though (since there will be no automation).

EDIT: Got the error again. I think it is a constant error (doesn't depend on the input) - had fewer skills this time.

Update: New navigation aid to easily traverse pages within character entry. You will find magical ability steps at the bottom of the listing for applicable characters.
Please note: Clicking "Finish" on the last step ends character entry so be sure to have everything entered before clicking finish.
Also note: Some entries are linearly dependent. i.e. Adept Power ranks apply to powers selected in the previous step.

Next update will be deleting errant entries during character creation.

I am not too used to thinking about people in kg and m. I usually rate people in feet / inches and stones/pounds.
Noted, I will work on a better metric - I'm thinking along the lines of input in metric and output different conversions.

When we are entering multiple qualities, I cannot easily see which ones I have entered. I have the total in front of me, but I am entering them by copying from another place its easy to get lost
There is an output feature below each step that is current to data written, I will see if I can get that "tab" to remain open after selecting "add another" - good feedback I'll add it to the changes soon.

Contacts might be groups, and groups have a size modifier
Overlooked it, Fix will be in soon.

I cannot enter manipulation spells
Elaborate please, am I missing an entire set of spells?

While I was entering the cyberware, I couldn't see what cyberware I had added. So my arm got added twice. I cannot work out how to remove the incorrect arm.
Same problem as above with spells there is an output feature but I need to improve its functionality.
The next change being added is a delete feature so that entries can be deleted.

There was no place to enter free form text so that I could add my own stuff
A notes section will be added to the finishing touches page once the delete feature is finished.

Thank you very much for the excellent feedback!

P.S. This is now the active thread had to move it as it was pointed out it is better suited to this forum!

Thank you for testing!
Navigation is in place and delete is coming next.

I will look into the knowledge point calculation, good catch.

Update: Delete feature has be added.

Note: The delete feature does not refund Build Points or Build Money. I may in the future add that functionality, however it is not feasible to do so right now.

How delete works: In the character output area you will notice [x] in front of each entry that can be deleted. Simply click the red x. The application will delete that item and return you to the same page you were on.

Deleting a group (i.e. weapons with mods and ammo) will delete all children as well. Reminder: build money is not refunded.

Update: Addition of text area to store notes. (10,000 Character max length)