Author Topic: ERA for Rolemaster configuration, customisation and advanced use  (Read 20157 times)

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Offline Vurkanan

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This topic is for questions about configuration, customization and advanced use of ERA for Rolemaster. For feedback, bugs and features, please go to the original ERA thread.

Offline Vurkanan

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Re: ERA for Rolemaster configuration, customisation and advanced use
« Reply #1 on: October 03, 2014, 09:16:55 AM »
So, my initial question was: How do I get the Shadow World races into ERA?
Which XML files have to be edited, etc.?
On the other hand, I would gladly pay for the data set, if ICE would publish it. Is there a chance this will happen in the near future?

Offline Voriig Kye

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Re: ERA for Rolemaster configuration, customisation and advanced use
« Reply #2 on: October 03, 2014, 11:45:18 AM »
The first thing you need is the current location of the race files.
This is typically \ERA\Server\RMC-Configuration\Races\
In Mac you need to show the application contents, then navigate to Contents/Resources/Server/RMC-Configuration/Races/

You will find the demo race files there. The easiest way to create a new race for your game is to make a copy of one of these files, then rename it to: [Your Race].race.XML
Now, open the new file and locate the information that is to be modified. This will normally be the name of the race, racial bonuses for each stat and resistance roll bonuses.

You can also edit the number of starting languages, and two additional sections named: <ImportantInformation> and <Description>.
They are used by the character creation module to list the details when choosing race.

You can also add a custom image for the race, to be seen in the race selection step.
The race images are located inside ...Server\Resources\Races\
The file must be a png image, with a recommended width of 280 pixels. The name must follow a specific format as well.
For example, if your race file is "Dark Elf.race.XML", then your image file must be named: "darkElf.png". That is, start with lowercase, avoid all spaces, and start the first letter of the following words in uppercase.

Try it out and let me know how it went!

Offline Vurkanan

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Re: ERA for Rolemaster configuration, customisation and advanced use
« Reply #3 on: October 03, 2014, 12:55:12 PM »
thanks Voriig,
creation of race XMLs seems to work fine, I haven't tried the images yet.

Offline Terry K. Amthor

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Re: ERA for Rolemaster configuration, customisation and advanced use
« Reply #4 on: October 04, 2014, 09:35:35 PM »
I certainly don't have a a problem with a Shadow World race set; in fact I think it would be a nice addition. We'd have to work it out through Nicholas and ICE though of course.
Terry K. Amthor
Shadow World Author, Rolemaster & SpaceMaster Co-Designer, ICE co-founder.
Eidolon Studio Art Director


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-- Clarke's First Law.

Offline DragonReborn

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Re: ERA for Rolemaster configuration, customisation and advanced use
« Reply #5 on: October 07, 2014, 02:29:07 PM »
This certainly seems a very interesting product. Is it entirely based on XML tables? I am asking, because I have assembled a customized set of skills (based partly on the Mechwarrior game) in an EXCEL character generator for Spacemaster 2nd. In fact 90% of the skills are directly taken from either Spacemaster or Rolemaster and only a few have been included to match Battletech specific info. Is it possible to create custom content aside from the races?
Sebastian Klapdor
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facebook page http://www.facebook.com/BladestormTabletop
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Offline DragonReborn

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Re: ERA for Rolemaster configuration, customisation and advanced use
« Reply #6 on: October 07, 2014, 03:35:46 PM »
Also, I see that the software is available for Linux. Have you any experience in running it on a NAS?
Sebastian Klapdor
MX Bladestorm Dev
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MX Homepage http://www.bladestorm.mx
facebook page http://www.facebook.com/BladestormTabletop
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Offline Voriig Kye

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Re: ERA for Rolemaster configuration, customisation and advanced use
« Reply #7 on: October 07, 2014, 06:39:57 PM »
It is indeed based on XML tables. The only exception is the configuration file (ERA-Settings.conf) that allows some additional rule set customizations.
<salesman mode>
So... you want to add a skill? You can!
A new category? Yup.
Is it a new weapon category? No problem.
What about a whole new group of categories? Yes to all.
</salesman mode>

Now, the disclaimer. Advanced tweaking of the configuration files might cause the application to hang in the middle of character creation, or never finish starting up. But do not worry, this thread is here for those brave souls.

Second disclaimer. I have never played Spacemaster. So I made up some stuff and tested it, I can confirm the following works:
- Creating a new weapon category called "Energy". Just edit Categories.XML and add a line for it.
- Creating a new skill called "Piloting" in the Athletic category. You have to open Skills.XML, use as reference another skill such as Swimming.
- Creating a whole new group/category called "Stars" with a skill named "Planets". This is trickier. All categories belong to a group. If you have a group with only one category, you can give both the same name and ERA will compress it when presenting the character sheet. So first create a group named Stars in Groups.XML, then create a category with name="Stars" groupName="Stars" in Categories.XML. Finally edit Skills.XML to add a skill that will include groupName="Stars" categoryName="Stars" name="Planets". In the middle of all of this you will see that the related stats and table resolution can be specified.
- Creating a new profession named "Pilot". You can copy the example Fighter and go from there.

Disclaimer #3. Once you add new groups, categories and/or skills, it is very important to use, from then on, only professions that take them into consideration. Failing to include the cost for a new category or skill could cause it not to show up, or it could quit the ERA server unexpectedly.

This post is long enough as it is. Please let me know if something is not clear enough. Then let us know how it went!
As regards the NAS question: I have not tried it, I am not even sure what it might require. Remember that the demo is free, so you could try it and if you manage to do a nice setup and want to share it here, you're more than welcome.

Offline Kulthean

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Re: ERA for Rolemaster configuration, customisation and advanced use
« Reply #8 on: October 15, 2014, 02:54:32 AM »
I certainly don't have a a problem with a Shadow World race set; in fact I think it would be a nice addition. We'd have to work it out through Nicholas and ICE though of course.

Yay Terry!!!  Thanks for giving your thumbs up!  In the meantime, I'm about to give my XML skills a try... stand back everyone, this could be dangerous.  :o

Wayne T.

Offline Haxxx5

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Re: ERA for Rolemaster configuration, customisation and advanced use
« Reply #9 on: November 05, 2014, 12:06:07 PM »
So, I want to add all the RM2 skills (from Character Record and RMC2). For that I need to config Skills.XML .
As one who has no idea how XML files works and just opened the file in Excel I'm wondering several thing:

1) Can I open it in Excel and it will work? because a pop up popped and said the file is not defined as sum (?) and do I want to define a sum (? what is define as sum)?

2) What's the difference between Category and Group?

3) How can I define the attribute calculation (sum of two attributes)?

4) How can I add an attribute? in RM2 there was also Appearance that is used for some diplomacy skills.

5) I did notice that some of the skills are written twice, with two different attributes? Is that how you average the attributes?

Offline jdale

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Re: ERA for Rolemaster configuration, customisation and advanced use
« Reply #10 on: November 05, 2014, 02:10:59 PM »
So, I want to add all the RM2 skills (from Character Record and RMC2). For that I need to config Skills.XML .
As one who has no idea how XML files works and just opened the file in Excel I'm wondering several thing:

1) Can I open it in Excel and it will work? because a pop up popped and said the file is not defined as sum (?) and do I want to define a sum (? what is define as sum)?

XML is basically a text file with fields defined by things in angle brackets, much like HTML. There are Excel files that are written as XML, but Excel is not intended for editing XML files in general and isn't going to help you here.

You can edit XML files as text in Notepad, but I suggest the free Notepad++ http://notepad-plus-plus.org/  It will do some nice color-coding to make it easier to read.
System and Line Editor for Rolemaster

Offline Voriig Kye

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Re: ERA for Rolemaster configuration, customisation and advanced use
« Reply #11 on: November 05, 2014, 02:27:39 PM »
Q: Can I open it in Excel and it will work? because a pop up popped and said the file is not defined as sum (?) and do I want to define a sum (? what is define as sum)?
A: Excel should not be used as an XML editor. I just tried opening the Skill.XML and confirmed that the interpretation is incorrect. I suggest using an XML editor, such as the one suggested by jdale.

Q: What's the difference between Category and Group?
A: group is a collection of categories. It is there mostly for compatibility with RMFRP where the concept is used more often. In RMC, the only groups with more than one category are spells and weapons. If you want to add new categories (which means you will make changes to "Categories.XML"), then you should probably add a group with the same name as well (in "Groups.XML").

Q: How can I define the attribute calculation (sum of two attributes)?
A: RMC uses averaging of stat bonuses to determine the stat bonus of a skill. Sum of stat bonuses requires the RMFRP calculation.
To determine the stats used for a skill, let's take a look at Riding in Skills.XML:

<Skill groupName="Outdoor" categoryName="Outdoor" name="Riding"  classification="Moving Maneuver">
<Stats>
   <Stat shortName="Em"/>
   <Stat shortName="Ag"/>
</Stats>
</Skill>


You can see there is a <Stat> for each stat bonus you want to average.
So, if you want for example to change Riding from Em/Ag to Em/SD/In you would write it as:

<Skill groupName="Outdoor" categoryName="Outdoor" name="Riding"  classification="Moving Maneuver">
<Stats>
   <Stat shortName="Em"/>
   <Stat shortName="SD"/>
   <Stat shortName="In"/>
</Stats>
</Skill>


Q: How can I add an attribute? in RM2 there was also Appearance that is used for some diplomacy skills.
A: The stats available in the system are currently fixed. I will check the use of Appearance in RM2 to see if there is any way with the current version to include it in the computation of stat bonuses for skills.

Q: I did notice that some of the skills are written twice, with two different attributes? Is that how you average the attributes?
A: That is because of the way Excel is interpreting the file. Once you open it with a text or XML editor you will see there are no duplicates in the file.

Offline markc

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Re: ERA for Rolemaster configuration, customisation and advanced use
« Reply #12 on: November 05, 2014, 04:57:49 PM »
 FYI, I do not think that App stat is used for stat points in RM2 or RMSS.
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Offline Justin

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Re: ERA for Rolemaster configuration, customisation and advanced use
« Reply #13 on: January 17, 2015, 04:44:39 PM »
I don't have RMC books just RM(2)---did they get rid of racial hitdice? I don't see hitdie in the race.xml?
"Even the most free roaming video game in the world still has to rely on programmed quest resolution triggers.  Only table-top RPGs make any solution possible.  Even ones not originally intended by the GM.  You  will never replace that." --Rivstyx

Offline Voriig Kye

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Re: ERA for Rolemaster configuration, customisation and advanced use
« Reply #14 on: January 19, 2015, 06:13:49 PM »
The "Dice type" of each race is still part of the basic rules in RMC. In the current version there is no feature to make this rolls automatically. The player must spend points in Body Development as with any other skill. Then, after finishing the level up process, edit the skill manually and modify the special bonus to add the value rolled.
So if you get 1 rank during pre-adolescence and 1 rank when reaching level 1, roll twice and put the sum in the special bonus of the Body Development skill. When reaching a new level, roll again and add this number to the one previously written.
I expect to be uploading new tutorial videos in the short term, which will cover this as well as other commonly asked questions.

Offline Justin

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Re: ERA for Rolemaster configuration, customisation and advanced use
« Reply #15 on: January 19, 2015, 07:46:10 PM »
Thanks!
"Even the most free roaming video game in the world still has to rely on programmed quest resolution triggers.  Only table-top RPGs make any solution possible.  Even ones not originally intended by the GM.  You  will never replace that." --Rivstyx

Offline Justin

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Re: ERA for Rolemaster configuration, customisation and advanced use
« Reply #16 on: January 23, 2015, 12:54:18 PM »
does anyone have the files prepared for an RM2 Paladin? i'm trying to prep for a convention game in 8 days....(procrastination)
"Even the most free roaming video game in the world still has to rely on programmed quest resolution triggers.  Only table-top RPGs make any solution possible.  Even ones not originally intended by the GM.  You  will never replace that." --Rivstyx

Offline Justin

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Re: ERA for Rolemaster configuration, customisation and advanced use
« Reply #17 on: January 30, 2015, 08:56:56 AM »
I've been wondering what you wrote ERA in?
"Even the most free roaming video game in the world still has to rely on programmed quest resolution triggers.  Only table-top RPGs make any solution possible.  Even ones not originally intended by the GM.  You  will never replace that." --Rivstyx

Offline Justin

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Re: ERA for Rolemaster configuration, customisation and advanced use
« Reply #18 on: January 30, 2015, 03:51:06 PM »
Where are items stored?
"Even the most free roaming video game in the world still has to rely on programmed quest resolution triggers.  Only table-top RPGs make any solution possible.  Even ones not originally intended by the GM.  You  will never replace that." --Rivstyx

Offline Voriig Kye

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Re: ERA for Rolemaster configuration, customisation and advanced use
« Reply #19 on: January 30, 2015, 06:07:09 PM »
I've been wondering what you wrote ERA in?
ERA is programmed using Pharo, a dialect of the Smalltalk programming language. The web server technology uses a framework called Seaside.

If you want to know more about these and other components (icons, images, etc.) you can check the license file "sources.txt" in the Resources directory of your installation.

Where are items stored?
To use the inventory module, start the adventure, and click on a cog icon next to the adventure name. There you can find an "Inventory" button, where you can configure the stuff carried by the party.

I'm planning on doing a tutorial video in the short term. Let me know if you have any questions about the inventory so that I make certain to include clear explanations.