
David R. Bender - PCGen Monkey |
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Welcome to PCGen v6.00.0, the latest stable release of PCGen. In this release we have introduced a new user interface and made substantial changes under the hood including hundreds of new features. The highlights of the changes for PCGen 6.0 are listed below:
Major Changes:
New user interface
-- A faster, more responsive GUI, particularly when using multiple characters.
-- A redesigned interface intended to be friendlier and more informative
-- Support for Java 7 and Open JDK
-- Faster startup time
Improved performance
Install to non admin location on Windows
Full spell descriptions in RSRD and Pathfinder
Command line PDF generation
LST Changes:
Choice tags revamped and rigorously parsed
Choice tags now only provide a choice - a separate tag (e.g. BONUS) is used to apply the choice
All shipped data has been run through the LST converter to bring it up to 6.0 standards
New User Interface:
A major feature of PCGen 6.0 is the new user interface. While the general layout of the program will still be familiar we've made lots of enhancements along the way such as
-- More information on the summary page for a quick view of the character
-- Easier access to new character tasks such as choosing an ability score method
-- Active 'things to do' list - click on a task and you'll be taken to the screen and field.
-- Start your character with class first - alignment is back to an after thought
-- Toggle quick filtering buttons (e.g. Qualified) to quickly focus on relevant items
-- A location based equipping display supporting drag and drop.
-- Thumbnail selection from your character portrait.
-- A campaign history tracker
-- Improved command line use, including PDF generation.
-- Improved printing including an in-program print preview.
-- Easier exporting, including auto open your generated file.
-- An easier to use Temporary Bonuses system
The new user interface does not currently provide random NPC generation or LST editor functionality. These are earmarked for implementation in the future though.
PCGen is an RPG character generator and maintenance program (d20 systems). All datafiles are ASCII text files so they can be modified by users for their own campaigns.
For more information about PCGen, join us at our Yahoo group:
HERE
or visit our website:
HERE
or our wiki:
HERE
Download your free copy:
HERE
You can see all of the changes included in this release by checking out the release notes:
HERE
Trackers (JIRA) bugs:
HERE

Joe Wells RPG Superstar 2010 Top 32 |

Sounds cool, but I'd like to know what kind of datasets are included.
Is there support for the APG, the "Ultimate" books, the Advanced Race Guide, etc. ? Or is it Core only?
Currently Core, APG, UMagic, UCombat and a number of AP Player's Guides and other supplements. UCombat is the latest big book they've added so it may not be quite complete yet, but Gunslinger, Ninja, and Samurai are there.

Nylanfs |

I just brought this up on the main PCGen list I've seen several new users posting about not seeing all the books. What would have helped you?
I'm thinking that if we renamed the tabs in the loading to the following it might help
Basic -> Base Books (or perhaps Core Books?
Advanced -> Additional Books

DeathQuaker RPG Superstar 2015 Top 8 |

On the subject above, I have always found the basic tab to be more confusing than the advanced one, especially since it's not clear what books you load when you select the default options (and the defaults are never what I want). I think new users will not be overwhelmed as long as the interface itself is not confusing.
Onto other matters:
This version of PCGen is telling me my Cavalier (Order of the Dragon, Emissary archetype) is not proficient in anything except simple weapons. I think I had the right proficiencies until I added the archetype--which is supposed to remove heavy armor proficiency, but not the others.
Also, a smaller matter, but I can't modify a composite shortbow (+0). The separate entry, composite shortbow, I can modify -- and I just used that without adding an additional Strength modifier. But since that works, I am not sure why the other option exists at all (this has been in PC Gen for awhile now).

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Also, a smaller matter, but I can't modify a composite shortbow (+0). The separate entry, composite shortbow, I can modify -- and I just used that without adding an additional Strength modifier. But since that works, I am not sure why the other option exists at all (this has been in PC Gen for awhile now).
Choose the composite bow that does not have the +0 one. Right click and choose custom. You will pick strength rating and choose the one you want. The one that says +0 is a precreated custom bow without strength rating. Not sure why its there

DeathQuaker RPG Superstar 2015 Top 8 |

DeathQuaker wrote:Choose the composite bow that does not have the +0 one. Right click and choose custom. You will pick strength rating and choose the one you want. The one that says +0 is a precreated custom bow without strength rating. Not sure why its there
Also, a smaller matter, but I can't modify a composite shortbow (+0). The separate entry, composite shortbow, I can modify -- and I just used that without adding an additional Strength modifier. But since that works, I am not sure why the other option exists at all (this has been in PC Gen for awhile now).
Yes, maybe my original post was unclear, but I used the other one. The question was as to why the other exists at all, and suggesting perhaps it should be removed if it serves no purpose.
Nylanfs, I'll have to see if I can duplicate what happened. It doesn't affect the character build because I'm equipping a 0 ACP armor to him anyway, but it would be nice to be sure I could avoid it in the future. I know I was swapping some feats around, so I don't know if somehow in the process I somehow deactivated his proficiencies, but I'm not sure how that would happen (and why simple weapons remained when everything else disappeared). The weirdest thing is it doesn't list proficiency in martial weapons but still registers him as proficient in those, but it won't list armor or shield proficiencies and I can't re-add them, and even leather armor shows up in red as nonproficient.

Nylanfs |

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Okay the reason why it is there is because a) composite bows have a different range than regular bows and b) the rules allow for a +0 STR composite bow, but the program HAS to have a positive number to apply the equip modifier against (1000 * 0 causes bad/wrong/things)
That makes a lot of sense now. Didn't think of the program math function standpoint. You would need one hard-wired to a value normally not able to be created without causing trouble.

Pendin Fust |

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I am interested in adding another template. I don't know if this is possible on the end user side or how much I would need to know to do it on my own.
Not sure how to go about requesting or creating content to use.
Here is the template I was interested in: Clockwork Automaton

David R. Bender - PCGen Monkey |

I am interested in adding another template. I don't know if this is possible on the end user side or how much I would need to know to do it on my own.
Not sure how to go about requesting or creating content to use.
Here is the template I was interested in: Clockwork Automaton
Start up PCGen and F1 for the help documentation, and look under list file class for how to create your own files. If/when you get stuck, sign up at the List File Help group (http://tech.groups.yahoo.com/group/PCGenListFileHelp/) at Yahoo and ask for specifics on how to code something, such as the DR that the template has, etc.
--- david
PCGen Yahoo Group Moderator

Joe Wells RPG Superstar 2010 Top 32 |

Okay, Bacon, what you're trying to do is starting to sink in now. Martial Artist is in PCGen, in the Ultimate Combat source. You'll need to load that source before character creation to get the stuff in UCombat.
I think what you're running up against is the alignment restriction, right? Your non-lawful Barbarian isn't letting you select any Monk levels at all. As a work-around, go into Tools\Preferences, under Character go to House Rules. In there, select Bypass Class Prerequisites. This should allow you to add a Monk level, then you can apply the Archetype. I'd recommend unsetting the Bypass option after that.
Seems like you've found an interesting corner-case. I don't know if there is a practical way to re-code things to avoid the work-around. Corner cases like this are what make character generators difficult to build.

Bacon666 |
you are right that it's alignment restriction that's the problem... By changing the alignment to lawfull my barbarian levels just becomes ex-barbarians... however, I have the UC source, and several other arctypes to choose between but not martial artist...
I can accept that.
I'll simply use it on other characters, and forget about this1 :)

Joe Wells RPG Superstar 2010 Top 32 |

Right, you won't be able to choose (or even see) Martial Artist until you add a level of Monk (you won't qualify for it until then). You should be able to add a Monk level by using the work-around I posted above. I did it this way and was able to create a multi-class Barb/Monk with the Martial Artist Archetype.
Good luck!

Distant Scholar |

I could give it a try. I was going to go with Kyton-Spawn (Shackleborn) and get a Prehensile Tail. How would I fix it through a text editor? Also is their a way to edit in their racial traits you receive, or is there already a spot for that?
It's a bit complicated to go into in a forum. Going to the PCGen documentation and clicking on "List Files" in the left-hand column will get you started. The "LST File Classes" are helpful.
A quick breakdown of the steps you could use:
- Find the "my_dataset" folder in the PCGen file hierarchy (data/homebrew).
- Open up "my_races.lst".
- Find the "pfb_races_stu.lst" file in the PCGen file hierarchy (data/alpha/paizo/pathfinder_rpg/bestiary).
- Copy the line starting with "Tiefling" from the pfb_ file to the my_races.lst file.
- Make changes as appropriate, including adding and removing special abilities in the ABILITY: tag.
- Find the "Tiefling" section in the "pfb_abilities_races_stu.lst" file in the bestiary directory to use as a template for your new abilities.
- Back in the my_dataset directory, open the "my_abilities.lst" file and define the new abilities you need.
- Open the "my__campaign.pcc" file in the my_dataset directory, and change the GAMEMODE: tag to Pathfinder instead of 35e.
If I haven't forgotten anything :-) , you should be able to load the MyCampaign data set along with the Pathfinder set, and have access to your new race.
Feel free to contact me with more questions.

Man With Known Name |

Man With Known Name wrote:I could give it a try. I was going to go with Kyton-Spawn (Shackleborn) and get a Prehensile Tail. How would I fix it through a text editor? Also is their a way to edit in their racial traits you receive, or is there already a spot for that?It's a bit complicated to go into in a forum. Going to the PCGen documentation and clicking on "List Files" in the left-hand column will get you started. The "LST File Classes" are helpful.
A quick breakdown of the steps you could use:
- Find the "my_dataset" folder in the PCGen file hierarchy (data/homebrew).
- Open up "my_races.lst".
- Find the "pfb_races_stu.lst" file in the PCGen file hierarchy (data/alpha/paizo/pathfinder_rpg/bestiary).
- Copy the line starting with "Tiefling" from the pfb_ file to the my_races.lst file.
- Make changes as appropriate, including adding and removing special abilities in the ABILITY: tag.
- Find the "Tiefling" section in the "pfb_abilities_races_stu.lst" file in the bestiary directory to use as a template for your new abilities.
- Back in the my_dataset directory, open the "my_abilities.lst" file and define the new abilities you need.
- Open the "my__campaign.pcc" file in the my_dataset directory, and change the GAMEMODE: tag to Pathfinder instead of 35e.
If I haven't forgotten anything :-) , you should be able to load the MyCampaign data set along with the Pathfinder set, and have access to your new race.
Feel free to contact me with more questions.
Thanks for your help! I gave it a go with no luck. I'm probably just doing something wrong on my end though. I'll have to try again tomorrow and see if I can find my mistake!

Ganryu |

This is now getting to be a really great tool.
Also remember about users being overwhelmed:
You're not being overwhelmed if you KNOW what what you're seeing actually means. For example a list of all books you can load isn't going to overwhelm the user, because the user can be expected to know what this tool does, and thus knows that it uses material from different books.
A large list of things that you know about is BETTER than a small list of things you're not sure exactly what they are!
I also reccomend changing "install data" to something else, because it can be interpreted as meaning "load currently selected". Confusion arises from seeing the "load" button and an "install data" button.
I suggest renaming "install data" to "install data from external source". "load" can be renamed to "load selected books" or "load selected set"
These are just suggestions, though, but I'm very interested in user interaction related problems, and this is clearly one :P

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Found another small issue - if I use the Organised Play source, the Alchemist does not exchange Brew Potion for Extra Bombs. I tried hacking the gtpop_classes.lst file, but couldn't figure out how to make it work.
The change to the Cavalier from the same file also does not seem to work.

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So, this was partly user-error - the Cavalier change is just fine, silly me forgot it didn't kick in until 4th level...
I also managed to get the Alchemist change working by changing the line to the following.
1 ABILITY:Special Ability|AUTOMATIC|.CLEAR.Brew Potion ~ Alchemist AUTO:FEAT|Extra Bombs

DeathQuaker RPG Superstar 2015 Top 8 |

Another weird little thing -- creating a ranger. For Ranger combat feats, took Rapid Shot and Point Blank Mastery (I qualified for both).
After I selected Rapid Shot under Ranger Bonus feats, it correctly showed up also as a virtual (magenta) feat in my main feat list. But Point Blank Mastery did not -- it was listed under my Ranger bonus feats but didn't behave the same way as when I selected Rapid shot. On my character sheet, it doesn't list Point Blank Mastery as one of my feats.