what skills could i learn to contribute to the FG GURPS toolset

[marcus_egan]

is there a particular scripting language that I could learn to be able to modify and contribute to the GURPS mechanics for FG?

[Foen]

Rulesets are constructed in XML with Lua scripting. The canon for the Lua language is at www.lua.org. In case you're wondering, it isn't an acronym (L-U-A) but is pronounced loo-ah and is (apparently) Portugese for 'moon'.

[marcus_egan]

excellent. I actually am sort of familiar with that already.

I have a few books, I'll get crackin on that.


thanks.

[joeru]

I'm not certain what you mean in your first post by the reference to "GURPS mechanics," but you should note that the lack of extensive automation in the ruleset is due to the SJ Games online policy, in particular the following part:

Run a game of GURPS, Toon or In Nomine on an online chat system, with a Game Master?
Yes; as we see it now, that's really no different from running a game for your friends in your living room. Anything more than a character creation game aid is a problem, because at that point it's not just like a game in your living room; it's more like a "computer game."

[marcus_egan]

thanks for your response.

I have nothing but respect for SJ games and I will, of course, not do anything with their name or products that doesn't conform to their legal policy.

[Spyke]

If there's something you'd particularly like to see in the GURPS ruleset, let me know, Marcus. There are also some things that might work well built into an extension, which you could have fun doing. That sort of thing would include additional sheets for items that users would only need for a particular sort of a game, like Spaceship templates.

Bear in mind, though, that automating the dice rolls from the character sheet is specifically ruled out by the online policy. One thing we could do though, which I've tried but run into problems with, is to provide a generic extension that would allow the rolling of dice against a target number. FG would still need the current dice modifier box (as GURPS damage uses that mechanism) but could also have a second box that set the target, or a way of altering the behaviour of the current box when required.

Spyke

[marcus_egan]

You know, everything is all so new to me and I'm mostly just amazed at how capable the existing tool-set is. Being able to import character from GCA into FG is huge.

Spaceship templates, would, no doubt, be really cool.


I think a better question in all this, however, is what can I do to help out your project(s) or idea(s) Graham?

I worked on a game that used Lua for some audio event scripting so it's beneficial that I learn it anyway. Perhaps I should just hit the books for a bit and get back to you. But if you have a project in mind, it might give me an interesting goal to works toward in my study.

[marcus_egan]

ok. i finally have something constructive to add.

The first limitation of the GURPS GCA to FG app is that I seem to be unable to import NPC's if it "can't find an unused NPC slot."

I can create new NPC's within FG (within the same campaign) so it's not a big deal but to be able to import as many full fledged NPC's as I'd like would be great.

[marcus_egan]

ok, so i just reached a limit of NPC's i can create within FG now.

is that just a limitation of the app?



edit: nope. i was wrong. I need to go to bed.


to clarrify: I can still create NPC's within FG but I am not able to import from GCA anymore because I'm out of "npc slots."

[Spyke]

to clarrify: I can still create NPC's within FG but I am not able to import from GCA anymore because I'm out of "npc slots."

This is confusing me, Marcus, as I'm not sure what you mean by NPC slots. You ought to be able to have as many NPCs as you want. Where are you actually seeing the error, in FG or in my GCA to FG program?

Spyke