Steve Jackson Games - Site Navigation
Home General Info Follow Us Search Illuminator Store Forums What's New Other Games Ogre GURPS Munchkin Our Games: Home

Go Back   Steve Jackson Games Forums > Roleplaying > GURPS > GURPS Character Assistant

Reply
 
Thread Tools Display Modes
Old 04-28-2021, 07:56 PM   #1
Engurrand
 
Engurrand's Avatar
 
Join Date: Dec 2010
Location: Wormtooth Nation
Default Leveled trait that adds new damage modes per level

I have ventured forth into the wild and strange internet and returned with the elixir, and the name of the elixir is The GCA Data File Reference Guide. Now my power is too great to be stopped mwa hahaha

Yet I have been stymied by this problem. My custom setting using Powers as Magic includes a leveled trait, Shine, which starts off as just emitting torchlight, levels up to daylight, then becomes a blinding affliction, then finally a burning attack. I've figured out how to add attack modes to traits (sidenote, the reference guide could use a section dedicated to this topic, it wasn't clear to me which tags create a ranged attack mode and which ones add a melee mode and why. I eventually figured that out but I'm still confused about how to get the text "speed/range" in the range column of a ranged malediction. seems like maxrange doesn't parse text and the only way to do it is with a mod) but I simply cannot wrap me meatloaf around how to even start creating new modes based on the trait level.

I've considered creating an initmod for a custom mod that implements some kind of x(@indexedvalue(owner::level, addmode(X),addmode(Y),addmode(G))) but adding a whole modifier feels like a terrible cludge.

[Edit]: tldr, can a leveled trait add new attack modes based on its level? How do?

Help me on my quest, worthy heroes, I beg thee!
__________________
"Guys, I think maybe this whole time we've been the villains."

Last edited by Engurrand; 04-28-2021 at 07:58 PM. Reason: add tldr
Engurrand is offline   Reply With Quote
Old 04-29-2021, 10:29 AM   #2
Armin
GCA Prime
 
Armin's Avatar
 
Join Date: Aug 2004
Location: Portland, OR
Default Re: Leveled trait that adds new damage modes per level

No, I'm afraid not. Modes just exist, there's no way to have them switch on or off, or be created or removed, on an existing trait. You can create modes when you add a trait or add a modifier, because GCA jumps through a lot of "create new things" hoops at that time.

And your thought on the x() tag wouldn't work, either, I'm afraid. The x() tag has no special power, it's just a convenient holder for directives that normally don't actually require any specific location. Putting them there allows for consistency in the data, and allows them to be removed en masse on a trait by clearing the x() tag from a command in another data file. So, basically, nothing in that x() tag would get processed.

GCA5 supports better control and access to modes in its structure, although not much really uses that right now. It might be possible to do something like what you're looking for. At the least it might be possible to add support for hiding/showing modes based on a formula.

For your objective right now, I'd say your best solution is actually to make each level of that power a separate trait.

I'll make note of your suggestions for the docs, too. Thanks.
__________________
Armin D. Sykes | Visit my GCA5 blog for updates and previews. | Get GURPS Character Assistant 5 now at Warehouse 23.
Armin is offline   Reply With Quote
Old 04-29-2021, 12:03 PM   #3
Engurrand
 
Engurrand's Avatar
 
Join Date: Dec 2010
Location: Wormtooth Nation
Default Re: Leveled trait that adds new damage modes per level

Alas.

We use a VTT and screen real estate is zero-sum, so I'm working hard to avoid using pixels of the character record in ways that aren't directly useful to the player. A UX lesson hard-learned in another life as a computer game dev.

I suppose we could add the modes with a set of mods (that would have to be added or removed to "toggle" the modes), but that won't really save any pixels compared to your suggestion of a set of traits. Unless... it's possible I could crack open the vtt's XML exporter to prevent it from printing modifiers at all.

Can we hide traits from displaying on the record (or exporting)? I'm a little murky on the hide() flag tag. The documentation says not to add it by hand, but not why?

Thanks for your help and for an extremely helpful program! and also for documentation! I eagerly await your GCA5.
__________________
"Guys, I think maybe this whole time we've been the villains."
Engurrand is offline   Reply With Quote
Old 04-29-2021, 12:27 PM   #4
Armin
GCA Prime
 
Armin's Avatar
 
Join Date: Aug 2004
Location: Portland, OR
Default Re: Leveled trait that adds new damage modes per level

You should be able to use hide() to hide traits, if you want. GCA and sheets/exporters should then hide it (or not, depending on settings and how the sheet is written).

I don't recall why it's suggested not to edit it yourself. It may be due to the fact that GCA manages that tag itself for racial templates and meta-traits.

(GCA5 expands things with a hideme() tag, so you can use a formula to determine whether the trait should have a hide(yes) tag or not.)
__________________
Armin D. Sykes | Visit my GCA5 blog for updates and previews. | Get GURPS Character Assistant 5 now at Warehouse 23.
Armin is offline   Reply With Quote
Old 04-29-2021, 12:38 PM   #5
Engurrand
 
Engurrand's Avatar
 
Join Date: Dec 2010
Location: Wormtooth Nation
Default Re: Leveled trait that adds new damage modes per level

Huzzah! Verily, that shall suffice. Hopefully, my VTT exporter honors the hide() tag without too much convincing.

I've already been following your docs for GCA5. It's exciting! My anticipation is moderated only by the fog-of-war surrounding the release date.
__________________
"Guys, I think maybe this whole time we've been the villains."
Engurrand is offline   Reply With Quote
Reply

Tags
attack modes, leveled advantages

Thread Tools
Display Modes

Posting Rules
You may not post new threads
You may not post replies
You may not post attachments
You may not edit your posts

BB code is On
Fnords are Off
[IMG] code is Off
HTML code is Off

Forum Jump


All times are GMT -6. The time now is 10:38 AM.


Powered by vBulletin® Version 3.8.9
Copyright ©2000 - 2024, vBulletin Solutions, Inc.