So I have this tabletop RPG game I've been working on for a number of years. I've designed it so that GMs can create their own items by assigning qualities and levels, and doing so automatically determines other attributes like how difficult it is to craft the item, how much it is worth, etc. I would like a tool for that because creating an item by hand is too time consuming to expect players to do every single time.

The tools being online through a webpage would be ideal but even an app written in VB that people would need to download would be fine. It would basically be a series of drop down menus that allow the user to assign qualities, special attacks, etc, It would do the calculations once the user hits "Generate NPC" after selecting the character level for the NPC. It would need to print out something that is structured for easy reference, like this:



Item entries look like this (forum is screwing up my alignments),

*Size dependent means the weapon's damage is determined by its size modifier and weapon power bonuses.

Weapon Base Power
A weapon’s base power is determined by its Weapon Size.





There is also a system for making NPCs with qualities and the number of qualities they have determines how much XP they are worth. The system is designed so that enemies can be set to be any level, and the level they are at changes their specific attributes, including how much damage they deal with skills. There is also a subsystem for creating special attacks for NPCs. I need a tool for this.

Looking at it, I don't think it'd be hard to program; all the values are already determined. It's just a matter of making the tool which can do the calculations and then create a block of text that has all the attributes of the NPC calculated.

Example of a scaling table (actual manuscript has this info in a table). The Grade (a roman numeral) is compared to the desired Character Level of the NPC to determine the base stat:


So using this chart, a level 1 character with Grade I for Defense has +0 Defense but at level 20 the character has +10 Defense.


Examples of NPC type and qualities altering the XP value

Type
Aberrations, Constructs, Dragons, Giants, Horrors, Magical Beasts, Slimes, Plants and Undead are worth +5 experience points.
Beasts, Demons, Elementals, Humanoids, Incorporeals, Otherkin, Swarms and Vermin are worth +0 points.
Note: If a monster belongs to multiple Types that award experience points, the bonuses are added together.

NPC Qualities
Qualities alter an NPC to conform to the concept for that monster. These special features alter their statistics and endow them with special powers.
Adding Qualities changes the NPC’s XP value.

Achilles Heel (-2 XP per damage type):
The NPC takes double damage from a damage type (such as elemental damage) or damage source (such as a weapon type, a Job type, a Race, etc).

Always Ready (+2 XP):
The NPC is never caught off-guard and can always act, even when surprised or ambushed.

Aquatic I (+1 XP):
The NPC can hold their breath underwater for a number of minutes equal to their Strength score x 15.

Aquatic II (+3 XP):
The NPC suffers no penalties underwater and cannot be drowned.

Attractive (+1 XP per grade):
The NPC gains a +2 bonus on all Charisma based skills.

Banned Action (+0 XP):
The NPC cannot perform certain special actions (such as Grappling, Sundering, Disarm, etc) or perform certain skill checks. The limit could be due to any number of reasons; curses, oaths, story related incidents, psychological damage, physical impossibility, etc.

Blind-sight (+4 XP):
The NPC has the ability to detect things in their immediate area without vision. This can be due to special senses (like sonar or hearing) or supernatural in nature. The NPC can ignore vision penalties and cannot be blinded. The character can also see and detect hidden characters / objects without restrictions.

Burden of Ages (-4 XP penalty):
Healing effects on this character only do ½ their normal effect.

Cagey (+1 XP per grade):
The NPC can automatically succeed on one Defense, Magic Defense or Resistance check per encounter per grade they have.



Example of an NPC stat block before the character level has been determined (bolded italic text is the variables which change when the level is determined):

Count Francis Varney (Medium Undead Horror Shadow Walker – x XP): STR 4, REF 3, PER 5, WIL 4, CHA 3; Size Medium, Walk: Short; Run: Medium; Init III; Atk X; Def X; Res V; Health IX; Comp III; Sign. Skills: Investigate IV ; Qualities: Cagey III, Everlasting, Dimension Door, Frenzy III, Gaseous I, Shapeshifter II, Light Sensitive, Nocturnal, Conversion, Telepathic, Unlimited Magic Points; Magic Attack (SP+SAB), Grapple Attack, Grapple Defense
Weapons: Count’s Fist (Slam I; weapon power 3; Critical 20; qualities: bleed) Weapon Attack (WP + MAB) bludgeoning dmg

Attack Actions
Meteor Missiles (Acc. +2; Tech. Power 5; Medium Range, Single; Critical 20; qualities: accurate II, alternate damage (fire) ) Skill check Vs. Magic Defense ; Skill Lv. V; [Magic Attack x 5] fire dmg; MP cost: X; Time: attack action, delay 1 round
Fel Lightning (Acc. +0; Tech. Power 10; Medium Range, Row; Critical 20; qualities: alternate damage (death), shocking I ) Skill check Vs. Magic Defense ; Skill Lv. III; [Magic Attack x 5] death dmg; MP cost: X; Time: attack action, delay 4 rounds

Full Round Actions
Meteor Barrage (Acc. +2; Tech. Power 10; Medium Range, Group; Critical 20; qualities: accurate II, alternate damage (fire) ) Skill check Vs. Magic Defense; Skill lv. V; [Magic Attack x 5] fire dmg; MP cost: X; Time: full round action, delay 4 rounds
Dread Gaze (Acc. +0; Medium Range; Single; Critical 20; qualities: frightening I, no damage) Skill check Vs. Mental Resistance; Skill lv. [Signature skill]; 0 dmg; MP cost: X; Time: Full round action, delay 3 rounds
Deep Slumber (Acc. +0; Medium Range; Row; Critical 20; qualities: sleeping, no damage) Skill check Vs. Mental Resistance; Skill lv. V; 0 dmg; MP cost: 10; Time: Full round action, delay 3 rounds
Life-Steal (Acc. +2; Tech. Power 5; Short Range, Single; Critical 20; qualities: accurate II, life drain, weakening I, wounding I) Skill check Vs. Magic Defense ; Skill Lv. III; [Magic Attack x 5] dmg; MP cost: X; Time: full round action, delay 4 rounds
Gear: Ring of Ahriman (accessory; invulnerable to conventional damage)
Treasure: 5C, 2M

First off, I can't help you with the programming so, yeah, I'm basically useless in that regard. BUT, just by this post (which I'm sure is just the tip of the iceberg), it looks like you've put a lot of work into this thing. It's very elaborate and the complexities are well-thought. That being said, I wish you the best of luck and can't wait to try the game out, though I don't know how that'll work -- it being a table-top and all.

Are you basing it off of Pandemonia Chronicles; DAWN? By the way, you know I'm still waiting for the rest of that book, right? I'm still missin' everything after Chapter 9, man. Hook a nig up.

Yes, the setting is based on Pandemonia Chronicles. But the adventure modules take place prior to the events of the book and serve to provide more information on the backstory; for example, I'm working on a module where the players accompany the "legendary hero" Rolf Beowulf on his first adventure to fight the goblins of Mt. Duergar (where the goblins who raided Gestalt's airship came from in the book). This adventure covers the story Zaria told Gestalt in Chapter Eight, about when Rolf rescued her great-grandmother.

Although it's a tabletop rpg, it does not require miniatures or maps. I designed it so it can be played via forums, because I felt that would make it an easier game to find players for.

I'm probably going to self-publish Pandemonia Chronicles. I have a friend with a Masters in English who is helping me edit.

That wouldn't be too difficult for someone with some advanced VB knowledge. Both could easily be done in VB.NET in a web app or in a window app. Window app would be much easier to use, to be honest.

I could do it myself, but I simply don't have the time. If you start working on it, let me know if you need any help. I don't have a CS degree, but I did have 4 years of VB =p

-Brant

Ah, I see. That sounds awesome. The ease of access and computerized play will definitely make it a funner, easier and simpler game.
I still want to read the rest of the unpublished version you uploaded. I promise I'll buy the new and improved published book when it comes out.

Chances are I'll have a free PDF available through Smashwords and Kindle. Thing is, since I now don't have to force the story to be 75k+ words to appease the publishing gods, I'm going to tighten the story considerably and remove some of the bloat I added just to meet the word count submission requirements for agents.

The game will also be mostly free; The beginning player's guide (covers levels 1-5), GM Guide and Monster manual will be free PDFs. The advanced player's guide (covering levels 6-20) and other supplements (like adventure modules) will have small fees to help cover art and marketing costs. I'm planning to operate under a razor and blades business model so I can build a market. Then I will form a videogame company to use a slightly modified version of the game rules for making videogames (I created the rules so that they could convert easily to videogames, much the same way D&D 3.5 was used by BioWare for Neverwinter Nights and Star Wars: Knights of the Old Republic).

Beginning Player's Guide is here
http://www.technocomics.com/twilight/Radia...%27s%20Book.pdf

Wait what? Your lit agent, told you, your book has to be 75k words to get published? Fire that [Content removed]ing idiot. If you can't get a good agent (and truthfully, only the good ones are worth it) and are serious about publishing just go through LULU. One of my old writing classes did that (it was a collection of short stories, and it sucked balls so much that I was embarassed to have my name attatched to it. I asked for a psuedonym but the prof was like, F-THAT NOISE HUN! Be proud of your work! But even though it was [Content removed] work on my behalf I was more concerned about the [Content removed]ing 14 pages about couples sitting on porch swings talking about the love they lost or some bull[Content removed] that half the class jived about-- for the curious I wrote about baseball but I wanted them to include my masterpiece called "Ho-force"-- you might be saying, MainAttraction, what is Ho-Force and why haven't I heard of this before? It is an elite tactical unit of prostitutes that the CIA trains and uses to kill overseas despots but it was two racey and I refused to remove the 3 different sexual parts so it failed to make the [Content removed] collection) and it was fairly professional and would pump out comparative profit margins for you the author if you could sell what you order.


Anyone want to buy a collection of [Content removed]ty short stories (none of which are Ho-Force?) besides the 20 that the class bought I don't think the prof has sold a single copy. ROFL.