Author Topic: Rolemaster Unified Software?  (Read 2561 times)

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Offline Eoder

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Rolemaster Unified Software?
« on: September 21, 2016, 09:33:04 PM »
Anyone interested in RMU DM software that would run on large tablets? Is there any available yet or coming soon?

Offline Voriig Kye

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Re: Rolemaster Unified Software?
« Reply #1 on: September 22, 2016, 06:27:40 AM »
Hi. There is software coming soon indeed!

As stated in the latest newsletter, all of the current electronic products (such as Combat Minion and ERA) will get their RMU edition and we are currently working on them.

You can try the free versions for the rulesets already available (RMC and RMFRP) on your tablet to check if they give what you need.
In the case of ERA, you need to run it on a Windows, Mac or Linux computer, and then can access it from the tablet.

Offline Eoder

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Re: Rolemaster Unified Software?
« Reply #2 on: September 24, 2016, 12:04:46 AM »
I have tried ERA (just on my PC, never tried to access via tablet) but I was hoping there might be something optimized for tablets rather than accessing something via browser on the tablet. I realize it would have a limited market compared to the way Combat Minion and ERA are built but I think a much better product could be created for people with large tablets by creating an actual app and I assume people would be willing to pay more for something like that than the current cost of the rule sets for Combat Minion and ERA.

If I were to build something for my personal use only would ICE be interested in it?

Offline Ynglaur

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Re: Rolemaster Unified Software?
« Reply #3 on: October 04, 2016, 06:09:52 AM »
Can ERA convert between one version of Rolemaster and another?  E.g. If I buy the RMFRP modules, and later buy the RMU modules, can it convert one into the other?

Offline Voriig Kye

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Re: Rolemaster Unified Software?
« Reply #4 on: October 04, 2016, 06:59:17 PM »
When you buy a package, you get the files for a specific ruleset. So for example the racial bonuses or the category costs wouldn't automatically make sense when switching between versions.
Also, some books are not completely equivalent in their content. RMC Arms Law does not have the same attack tables as RMFRP Arms Law, small as that difference may be.

That is not to say that some content can be used interchangeably. If you buy RMFRP Spell Law, you could install it on the RMC version of ERA and it would work seamlessly, because attack tables, criticals and spells work the same in both systems. You just need to be careful about the individual content and the house rules in play.

Once RMU is released, most likely the books will be offered as different packages in RPGNow. Spells will work in RMC and RMFRP, and off the top of my head I think that Background Options and Criticals would also be compatible cross-system. Professions, races, cultures and attack tables have some significant changes. In order to make them compatible an official conversion would have to be defined, so that I can code it into ERA and avoid weird mismatchs, such as incompatible categories for the most relevant skills (i.e. Body development, maneuvering in armor, ...).

In any case, there is always the possibility of tweaking the configuration files and asking for advanced customization advice, that is what the forum is for!

Does that answer the question?

Offline Ynglaur

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Re: Rolemaster Unified Software?
« Reply #5 on: October 04, 2016, 09:28:51 PM »
That does, thank you!  A little off-topic: is there any timeline for RMFRP Channeling Companion, Arcane Companion, and Ice & Fire getting into ERA?

Offline Voriig Kye

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Re: Rolemaster Unified Software?
« Reply #6 on: October 06, 2016, 06:37:42 AM »
The order in which I release the book packages is guided by the results of this (ongoing) poll. Right now I'm working on RMC Companion as Nicholas said in the latest director's briefing. This is also interweaved with time spent on ERA for RMU.

Arcane and Channeling companions do not have a full text PDF, so progress will be slower than for the other books. Fire and Ice would be easier, but it seems a very low percentage of voters is interested in it.

Offline Ynglaur

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Re: Rolemaster Unified Software?
« Reply #7 on: October 07, 2016, 02:48:58 AM »
The order in which I release the book packages is guided by the results of this (ongoing) poll. Right now I'm working on RMC Companion as Nicholas said in the latest director's briefing. This is also interweaved with time spent on ERA for RMU.

Arcane and Channeling companions do not have a full text PDF, so progress will be slower than for the other books. Fire and Ice would be easier, but it seems a very low percentage of voters is interested in it.

Is it possible to add such books using the XML files, or would coding changes be required?  I.e. Could a motivated user convert these books themselves?

Offline Voriig Kye

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Re: Rolemaster Unified Software?
« Reply #8 on: October 07, 2016, 06:31:46 AM »
As long as you don't need any new rule, almost any customization should be possible. The base product includes sample professions, races, spell lists and such just for this reason. With enough time, you should be able to re-create your gaming world into ERA, even before the books are made available.
This thread is specifically focused on that.

Offline hawklord

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Re: Rolemaster Unified Software?
« Reply #9 on: October 17, 2016, 08:16:22 AM »
I have tried ERA (just on my PC, never tried to access via tablet) but I was hoping there might be something optimized for tablets rather than accessing something via browser on the tablet. I realize it would have a limited market compared to the way Combat Minion and ERA are built but I think a much better product could be created for people with large tablets by creating an actual app and I assume people would be willing to pay more for something like that than the current cost of the rule sets for Combat Minion and ERA.

If I were to build something for my personal use only would ICE be interested in it?

I have used Combat Minion on a Kindle fire  8" Tablet with very few difficulties. I wouldn't recommend entering data for encounters on a tablet but for running during a session it was fine

Offline Merkir

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Re: Rolemaster Unified Software?
« Reply #10 on: October 20, 2016, 03:49:11 AM »
I mostly used Combat Minion on an ipad. I also used a browser that could easily swap to full screen mode so that it appeared just as any full screen iOS app. I had already designed the user interface panels so that in landscape mode on regular sized tablets it fit quite nicely.