PCGen Support for Savage Worlds

Introduction

Hi Folks! Maredudd here!

This project is a personal project I am taking on as an unofficial effort, yet with intent, to explore PCGen's flexibility when it comes to non-d20 gaming systems. The game system I have selected to work with is Pinnacle Entertainment Group's Savage Worlds Game. I think it will be a great vehicle for proving PCGen's flexibility for supporting non-d20 systems, and PCGen has recently recieved permissions for Pinnacle Ent. Group's Savage Worlds product line.

Team

Data Monkey	Maredudd
OS Monkey	Vacant

Schedule

There is currently no time frame in which this project is scheduled to be completed. In addition, PCGen's 5.16 and 6.0 developmental cycles are focusing on adding support for 4E/Pathfinder and the conversion to CDOM respectively. You can, on the other-hand, watch this space to see what kind of progress we are making. Please note though that no data sets will be provided for distribution until permission from Pinnacle has been granted.

Approach

The gameMode files and data files will be developed in parallel in support of the core rule set as described in Savage World: Explorer's Edition. The final steps in this project will be to develop LST files for at least one Savage World game setting, which has yet to be determined.

Challenges

A few challenges exist that will need to be tackled. (Others will be added as identified.)

General Questions

• Is the character generation and maintenance effort required for Savage Worlds complex enough to warant adapting PCGen to the system?
• What new LST Tag/OS Token support is required?
• What GUI modifications are required?

Specific Challenges

• Attributes (stats) are identified by a dice type, not by numerical value. (e.g. d4, d6, d8, etc.) PCGen is currently capable of doing this, though how this propagates through the rest of the program has yet to be seen.
• Skill ranks are, like the attributes, identified by dice type, not by numerical value. Again, this looks like it can be done.
• The cost of a Skill Rank increase depends upon the value of the attribute (stat) to which that skill is tied. (e.g. Increasing the rank of the "Fighting" skill from d6 to d8 costs 1 point if the "Agility" attribute is d8 or greater but costs two points if it is d6 or less.) [Still looking at this one.]
• Hinderances and Edges (equivalent to feats/abilities) should be able to be implemented via PCGen's ability object.
• This is a classless system, at least the core is, so I will be creating a "Generic Class" that will form the foundation of all characters.
• Characters advance by level, gaining points for stats, skills, and edges, but few other calculations are based upon the character's level.
• Every four levels a character advances in 'rank', a text-based 'Level' designation, beginning with 'Novice' and moving up to 'Legendary'. Each rank increase advances an attribute/stat of the players choice. This can be implemented with a simple variable for tracking purposes, but I'll have to find a way to get a textual representation. This can be implemented as an additional attribute, i.e. lvlRank, that is set equivalent to "CL/5+1" and using an "ability" that grants templates for each "Rank" at the appropriate levels.
  • Example: TEMPLATE:Novice|PREVAREQ:lvlRank,1 <tab> TEMPLATE:Seasoned|PREVAREQ:lvlRank,2 <tab> TEMPLATE:Veteran|PREVAREQ|lvlRank,3 <tab> TEMPLATE:Heroic|PREVAREQ:lvlRank,4 <tab> TEMPLATE:Legendary|PREVAREQ|lvlRank,5
• Output Sheets

Status

I have the gameMode files started but not tested yet and am starting on the Skills and Abilities LST files.

GameMode Files

LST File	Status
equipmentslots.lst
level.lst	Complete/Untested
load.lst
miscinfo.lst	In Development
paperInfo.lst	No Change
pointbuymethod.lst	In Development
sizeAdjustment.lst
statsandchecks.lst	In Development

Data Files

LST File	Status
ability.lst	In Development
abilitycategory.lst	In Development
class.lst	In Development
companionmods.lst
deities.lst
domains.lst
equipment.lst
equipmods.lst
feats.lst
kits.lst
languages.lst
races.lst
skills.lst	In Development
spells.lst
templates.lst
weaponprofs.lst
savage_worlds.pcc	In Development

Roadmap

This is the collection of trackers opened in support of this effort.

Development Specs

Link	Title	Status
	TBD

Feature Requests

Link	Title	Status
1328300	Variables that can hold text	Open