simonjrogers ([info]simonjrogers) wrote,
@ 2008-04-10 15:44:00
Previous Entry  Add to memories!  Tell a Friend!  Next Entry
Entry tags:gumshoe, pelgrane, software

GUMSHOE Character Generation

Graham Walmsley (writer of Play Unsafe) is creating an online GUMSHOE character generator which works with all of our GUMSHOE games. It will be a commercial product, although we haven't decided how to release it. It will generate PDF character sheets, and you'll be able to optionally share your characters with other GMs. It may also do other GUMSHOE GM aid-related things.It works decently well already.

What features would you like to see?


(Post a new comment)


[info]rpmiller
2008-04-10 02:44 pm UTC (link)
Could you throw up an example image of what it looks like now?

(Reply to this)(Thread)

[info]simonjrogers
2008-04-10 03:06 pm UTC (link)
There isn't really much to see, and I don't want to influence your answers.

(Reply to this)(Parent)(Thread)

[info]rpmiller
2008-04-10 03:46 pm UTC (link)
I am not easily influenced.

I'll list a few things based on the character sheets I have liked.

  • A flow to the sheet that matches the character creation process
  • Appropriate areas to enter each part of the system mechanics for each ability or stat, with the columns clearly marked.
  • An area for a portrait to be placed to give the character a "face"
  • Ample space for background information and equipment

    (Reply to this)(Parent)

    •

    [info]samvail
    2008-04-10 03:30 pm UTC (link)
    A space into which you could paste a photo would be nice.

    (Reply to this)

    [info]viktor_haag
    2008-04-10 03:35 pm UTC (link)
    I had a long response, and then saw it didn't answer your question... 8)

    To answer your question, I'd far rather have the generator produce spiffy /HTML/ character sheets that I could then drop into a website and browse easily from a laptop or a portable browser (like my BlackBerry) than PDF.

    Gumshoe character sheets are simple enough that I don't see much value-add in using PDF as the native character sheet format, and it makes the sheets a bit harder to work with on the user's end even if they do print out very nicely.

    (Reply to this)(Thread)

    [info]simonjrogers
    2008-04-10 03:37 pm UTC (link)
    PDF will be an options - there'll be an HTML option.

    (Reply to this)(Parent)(Thread)

    [info]viktor_haag
    2008-04-10 03:39 pm UTC (link)
    Cool.

    (Reply to this)(Parent)
    spencerpine
    [info]spencerpine
    2008-04-10 04:52 pm UTC (link)
    Yes, there's an HTML option and a PDF option (the PDF option puts the stats you've generated on to the standard PDF character sheet).

    I prefer HTML, too.

    Graham

    (Reply to this)(Parent)

    [info]gbsteve
    2008-04-10 04:10 pm UTC (link)
    I'd quite like spinners for entering values rather than having to type them.

    Being able to import and export stat blocks would be useful too.

    It would be useful for GMs to export a group of PCs to the matrix of doom.

    The pdf looks pretty good already.

    Edited at 2008-04-10 04:11 pm UTC

    (Reply to this)(Thread)

    [info]viktor_haag
    2008-04-10 04:54 pm UTC (link)
    I'd quite like spinners for entering values rather than having to type them.

    Hopefully, we'll have both, so those of us who are keyboard-first folks won't get frustrated with always having to reach for the mouse... 8)

    import and export stat blocks ... matrix of doom

    Excellent points.

    (Reply to this)(Parent)

    [info]heliograph
    2008-04-10 05:14 pm UTC (link)
    It should allow you to create your own murky 1930s photo of your investigator, full body, like the sample characters have. If I can't choose from at least ten different styles of headgear I'll be horrifically disappointed.

    (Reply to this)

    [info]viking_cat
    2008-04-10 05:38 pm UTC (link)
    I'd like three linked character sheets off of one master record. Since GUMSHOE characters change the number of points they get when the number of players change, I'd like to be able to have several sheets on hand that I can prepare ahead of time. Four players? Grab sheet #2. Six? Print out sheet #3.

    (Reply to this)

    [info]cybergothdom
    2008-04-10 06:56 pm UTC (link)
    Ideally cross platform, so it will work with OS X and Unbuntu!

    (Reply to this)

    [info]raconteurx
    2008-04-10 08:29 pm UTC (link)
    Take a page from Greg Stolze and Dennis Detwiller, over on their Project Nemesis website in support of Reign, Godlike and the One Roll Engine... make it Java-based and free. Gumshoe's lack of complexity makes it perfect for play-by-post games, and a quick-and-dirty character generator for people looking to demo the game would be extremely handy.

    Barring that, give it a feature where hovering your cursor over an Ability will pop up the descriptive text from the rulebook. It would also be nice to have a similar feature for the various Drives and Occupations in Trail of Cthulhu, and selecting an Occupation should highlight its Occupational Abilities and display its Credit Rating band and Special Abilities.

    (Reply to this)

    Create an Account
    Forgot your login?
    Login w/ OpenID
    English • Español • Deutsch • Русский…