Updated / New Character Sheets

[tmedwards]

In response to the Alternate Form question.

In general, this is completely doable in GCA4. Whether or not a particular implementation will be palatable to interested parties remains in question. We'll assume that the Alternate Form is setup as a separate character – since that's the only completely functional way to do it. Anyway, you have three basic issues:

1) How do you get a character sheet to know about the Alternate Form character?

This is actually fairly easy since GCA can pass all open characters to sheets – which is how the GMCS is able to function. So, a sheet would likely do this in one of two ways:
A) Require that only two characters be open, with one being the main form – say the currently selected one – and the other being the alternate form.
B) Require that, at least, the main and alternate form characters are open and have, at least, one of them, probably the main form, reference the other somehow, say by Name.

2) What details of the Alternate Form character are printed and how?

The "what" part could largely be handled automatically by the sheet and/or via sheet options.

The "how" is largely an implementation issue for each sheet that would want to support this. Depending on the sheet, alternate form traits could either be integrated into the main form blocks in various ways or, when that isn't possible, given their own labeled blocks.

3) Convince a sheet author that this is worth their time to do.

Frankly, I expect this to be the hardest part. :)

[tmedwards]

Announcing Phoenix r60 (requires GCA 4.0.423 or later). [Download: http://www.motoslave.net/thom/gca/phoenix/ ]

Phoenix r60 highlights:

• Fixed a fatal bug that would be triggered if the Melee and/or Ranged Attacks block(s) were disabled.

[Thomson]

Originally Posted by tmedwards

You'll need a sheet that can display the shield arc diagram, from the Set Shields tab of GCA's Protection window. IIRC, only Phoenix currently does this, in the paper-doll mode of its Defenses block.

Wow thx for the answer!

However, configuring that sheet is a little daunting for me at the moment, but looking at the code I had a qzick solution:

Replace

CurrentY = MidLine
SetFormFont
PrintCentered "BLOCK", Column2Left, Column2Left+0.6875
CurrentY = CurrentY  + Diff * 0.40
SetUserFont
PrintCentered char.blockscore, Column2Left, Column2Left+0.6875

with

CurrentY = MidLine
SetFormFont
PrintCentered "BLOCK", Column2Left, Column2Left+0.6875
CurrentY = CurrentY  + Diff * 0.40
Dim DbBonusLoc 
DbBonusLoc = Char.ItemPositionByNameAndExt("DB", Stats)  
DbBonusStat = Char.Items(DbBonusLoc).TagItem("score")
BlockDBText = char.blockscore & "+" & DbBonusStat
SetUserFont
PrintCentered BlockDBText, Column2Left, Column2Left+0.6875

in charactersheet.gcs worked perfectly for me for the moment. I'll probably get into the configuration for Phoenix later

[tmedwards]

That'll work. There's also the work-around I added to my post above (after you added your solution post), about using the Other DB Notes field.

As to how to configure Phoenix, it is a beastly thing. :) Luckily, I can help with that. Open your Phoenix profile of choice, go to the Defenses Options section, find the "Print damage resistances as:" option and set it to Paper-doll. The default setting for the shield arc diagram is to show it on the paper-doll, so you shouldn't need to change anything there. And, you're done.

[Armin]

Originally Posted by Thomson

However, configuring that sheet is a little daunting for me at the moment, but looking at the code I had a qzick solution:

Sorry about that. I never noticed that the official sheet doesn't have a spot for DB. Not too useful.

[Thomson]

Originally Posted by Armin

Sorry about that. I never noticed that the official sheet doesn't have a spot for DB. Not too useful.

Hey no problem, it was easy too fix, and now I have heard of the Phoenix Character sheet which is well - to say it in the words of one of my favourite movie characters:

Impressive, most impressive :D

I see them both as really great alternatives - one is quite simple the other one is quite complete :)

P.S.: I am quite impressed how GCA handles character sheet printing!
P.P.S.: So I used impressive and quite four times in this message. I hope they are happy^^

[gudmo]

I just updated my GCA and Phoenix and now the Unarmed attacks are missing from the Melee table ... Any thoughts on this ?

I've looked over the settings for the Melee table and there is a check mark in the Skills / Statistics checkboxes for the melee table... Unchecking/saving/checking again has no effect.

[tmedwards]

Updated GCA from what version? Updated Phoenix from what version?

Do other melee attacks show up at all?

Does a newly created character exhibit the same issue?

[gudmo]

Phoenix from r50 and I reinstalled GCA .

Opening an old character gives me the kick/punch/bite but creating a new character doesn't.

[gudmo]

Looking at the characters in a text editor the evidence is clear.. Old character has around 126 entries under the Stats section while the new one only has 55.

Wierd.