Topic: HARP Revised Character Sheet - Draft

[trechriron]

Here is a draft (not complete) of it so far - Google Drive

I want it to be useful in play. The design is made to have 2 pages side-by-side in play, so you can easily switch between combat and skills profile OR character and magic profile.

I can't fit the skills nicely on one sheet in the size of font I want (too small and it's hard to use in play). I also wanted to break out magic, combat and regular skills. The skills profile will be filled in with regular skills (not there yet).

The character profile includes easy reference tables so when in use besides the combat or skill profile, makes for a handy reference.

I want an equipment profile (including encumbrance), and maybe a mount/companion/familiar profile. Also, an extensive "audit" sheet that starts with character creation (choices, points spent) and then includes a way to track leveling expenditures (skills and talents).

Let me know your thoughts and suggestions!

[RandalThor]

A few things:

1. Is there are particular reason you put the maneuver table on the character sheet? I think that is totally uneccessary and takes up way too much space. (But if you think it is necessary, have it on the Combat Profile page and much smaller in size.)

2. For the attributes, where do their bonuses go? Or is that the "+/-" and the "Total" lines? It is not very clear there. The various things that go into the total stat bonus should be listed clearly.

3. The Combat Profile page (3) is nice, I like the wound tracker stuff, though I think 12 lines of wounds at one time is uneccessary, any character who is wounded enough to fill that out is 99.9% likely to be dead. 4-6 should be enough, as the majority of players are going to stop and heal after being so injured.

4. On the first page, the blank lines under the Languages should be either more language lines or have a title of Other Knowledges or something like that; just having blank lines there seems like an afterthought.

5. I like the font, which one is it?

6. How you do the combat skills with the lines seperating the columns should also be done to the other skills, it makes it easy to differentiate between the different parts that make up a skill bonus. Or you can do what I did and just have spaces separate them. (BTW: I totally agree about not being able to fit them all on one page without them being too small.

Overall, not bad and obviously not finished. (As you said.) One thing I really don't like is the "Game Name" + "Character Sheet" and other title stuff, it just takes up space and is not needed as the file has the title so you can find it on your computer. If you like I can send you the one did one afternoon, it is not my best character sheet and I haven't gotten around to making it form-fillable yet (I am having a great time with that!), but it might spark some ideas for you. (If you do, PM and we can figure out the best way for me to send it to you.)

[trechriron]

1. Yes. Because I want the layout to be two pages on the table at a time. So, you would have your main sheet to the left, and the either the combat or skill profile on the right. You flip them over depending on what you're doing. The magic sheet will be behind the "main" sheet. So again, you can flip it. It may be better to just create a "cheat sheet" for tables, freeing up that space for other things. Maybe equipment could fit on Page 1? It just doesn't seem like a lot of room.

2. You will do the traditional Ranks + This + That on the audit sheets. This is just for your base (the starting, normal stat) any temporary changes during play (+ / -) and the new total IF any changes are in play.  All the DP tracking, skill % bonus factoring, etc. will happen on the Audit Sheets.

3. I will cut the wounds list in half, and maybe add a couple more weapons or something? I was also thinking of adding a "stun" and "bleeding" tracker instead of a total, so it was easy to add and erase like Endurance.  Move the "wounds" reference in some form to the "crib" sheet.

4. I was going to call those "notes" so you could add anything you wanted. They are there for a description, extra languages, extra professions, blood talents, or whatever you want to have "front and center". I like options. :-)

5. Myriad Pro, one of the new "default" fonts in the Adobe creative suite. It's really nice because it has standard, italics, semi-bold and bold and in combinations. I also think it's easy to read. :-)

6. Yes. All the Skills will be in the that format including the ones on the Magic profile and Skills profile. I just had the "basic" tables as I was sizing and determining where things go.

If I create a "crib" sheet for commonly used tables (that fit on a 8.5 x 11" sheet), what other things would be useful on the front page?  Any thing else you would want in a sheet? What are some of the most useful tables besides Maneuver and Difficulty?

I'm really focused on this being useful IN PLAY. As a player, I get frustrated by most character sheets because they a) don't have room for all options or b) don't have places to track common things in the system (stun, bleeding, wounds).

Thanks for the feedback!

[markc]

As you said I think it is important to note in the description that this is a sheet that is to be used with a program. Otherwise you will have people try and use it from the start and it is not meant to be used that way.
MDC

[trechriron]

Ummm. Not with a program per se, just a different way of organizing things. When I say "in play" I mean at the table, playing the game in person. :-) I'm not an online gamer. There is probably a way to design a sheet that would be easier to use online, but I would want to focus on that when designing that version.

I do intend to try and convert it for use with AutoHARP, but the design is not in consideration of that necessarily.

The idea behind the Audit Sheets is to a) help organize and display the character creation DP expenditures, choices and various calculations and b) help organize and display DP expenditures, choices, and calculations when leveling up. I don't like the character creation and development math "on the sheet" in play, I feel it's distracting. You only need Stat (and Save) Bonus, Skill Ranks and Skill Bonus in play.

Thanks for the feedback MarkC, and if you have anything you want included or moved around, I'm all ears. :-)

[markc]

 I have not played HARP in a while but my experience as a player and GM is that I want and need a full sheet with all of the info and not a cut down sheet as you are describing you find the most useful. And that is fine as long as when/if you submit it to the ICE vault it states that in the description of the sheet as I am sure that in the future others who download the file will as on the forums if HARP has/had changed the rules as reflected by your sheet.
MDC

[trechriron]

It won't be a cut down sheet. It will simply be one that is broken up into functional areas. So character profile, combat profile, magic profile, skills profile, equipment, crib sheet, mount/familiar sheet, and audit sheets. Everything you need in a larger package with plenty of room to record all the details, easily create and level-up the character, and give the GM an easy to reference audit.

I imagine it's not to everyone's taste.  :-)  This thread has already given me some new ideas, so I will update another draft and post it for feedback!

[trechriron]

I came up with a new format. 3 pages complete. Let me know what you think!  (same location as link above).

[RandalThor]

That is pretty-nice. Personally, I don't like the watermarks & stuff, particularly when it is as strong as these are - it just makes it hard to read.

Again, I don't like how you are representing the attributes; if you aren't going to have the sources of the total bonus (attribute, race, misc, etc...) shown, then why have the attribute number at all? Just have the total bonus, and put everything on the "worksheet." I don't think that is a good idea, but if it is what you are wanting then go for it. I think the sheet should "show the work" (just like in math class  ). Where the numbers are coming from* is very important as certain things can mean you loose some mods, but not others, so you need to be able to look at the charsheet and be able to do the calculations. Unless you are going to have the worksheet on hand for the game, which then begs the question: why have a seperate worksheet at all?

I know that having all the sources of a characters numbers gets to be a lot, and makes the charsheet bigger, but I really think they are necessary.

And, as I am sure you are still aware of: you still need an equipment sheet.


*I don't mean the +3 "misc" bonus doesn't need to be listed there as coming from a special talent, a misc title is enough and allows it to be used for many different sources. Just the fact that there is a +3 bonus that is not racial or attribute derived is important to be noted.

[trechriron]

I will see about "doing the math" on the main sheet. The magic profile and equipment profile are not complete. :-)

I can probably reduce the size of the stats, add the calcs across in a table. Similar to the official sheet. I think the skills may be more complex, but I have a little room to play with, so I'll give that a shot too. I can add DP costs into Talents section, and then create a summary somewhere for easy tracking. With static DPs per level, it shouldn't be too hard to determine where DP went. :-)

[RandalThor]

With static DPs per level, it shouldn't be too hard to determine where DP went. :-)

I prefer the static DP method, as well.

[trechriron]

Made some great progress last night. Added back in all the columns, removed the watermark and made it a "logo" on the first page. I should have a "real" draft of all the parts complete before MON. I will share it again for commentary and input. :-)

[trechriron]

v4 draft is up on the Google Drive for your perusal, comments, concerns and suggestions.  :-)  I really like how this is turning out. Much is still not complete, so ignore blank, weird and unfinished stuff.

[trechriron]

https://drive.google.com/open?id=0B_lJhbSwBglnOEtfNi1sTHdiNWM&authuser=0

Draft version 6 now available for comment. This is nearly complete. Almost done with forms (and button creation).  Then I will modify the backgrounds and some elements for a Sci-Fi version.

Let me know what you think!

[trechriron]

OH, and I have a draft of the session and level audit tracker sheets. These will be more designed for manual use, but I may form-a-lize them as well.  :-)  Thoughts?

[trechriron]

I put the wrong sheet up (the in design file instead of the PDF). I will upload the PDF tonight. :-(

[trechriron]

Here's the (near final) version of my entry into the HARP Fantasy revised character sheet. Includes form fields and layers. There are two files here. One; the character sheet with quick reference tables. Two; a session tracker with level-up audit. Instructions included.

Let me know what you think!

[Argamae]

Hey, just wanted to say that I find your sheets most helpful and well organised. Thank you for making them. Some time passed since you last updated them but I'll ask anyway - any plans to make them form-fillable?