iPad/iOS GURPS Character Sheet releasing soon - request for weird test characters !!

[Dan_McCurdy]

Hi all,

I am in the final stages of work on a free iPad app for GURPS 4e, which allows you to load your character in (hopefully) all of the depth created by the Character Assistant (using character assistant XML files). It's also got a couple of extra features that will hopefully make it indispensable for any GURPS player with an iOS device :-)

The initial release will possibly be iPad only, but a cross-platform iOS version will follow fairly shortly as the code has been designed to be as flexible as possible. I also expect to add features fairly swiftly if there is enough interest, such as automatic dice rollers for abilities etc...

I am hoping to have it submitted to Apple's Appstore within the next two weeks so would be very keen to start seriously play testing it. I have already discovered in last night's game that it was missing spells, since I have never used spells in GURPS before. I am sure that there are plenty of other things that I have also missed out which I would like to correct before the initial release.

Do any of you have any really "creative" characters that would test the limits of any character reader ? My gaming group's rules tend to be fairly conservative, so we don't have much experience with creating really weird characters to be honest ! I am looking at www.gurpscharacter.com which has some excellent characters but figured I may as well ask "the horde" for advice also, since you will be the ones (hopefuly) using it ! With any luck there's some expert GCA wranglers out there who will be able to break the current code !

Also - let me know if there is actually interest for this tool. I love it - but maybe others prefer pen and paper ?

Thanks !

Dan

[Archangel Beth]

Would 3rd edition ones (that might need some conversion) be of use? http://www.sjgames.com/gurps/characters/ is full of 3e GURPS Characters...

[dbm]

I think the addition of GURPS tools like this will be a double win by:

• Making it easier to handle GURPS characters at the table
• Increasing general awareness of the GURPS brand.

I will pick this up ASAP. Unfortunatley I don't have a wacky character to hand to offer to the cause, but good luck!

[sir_pudding]

I've got some that might be considered weird-ish. One of the characters in my current game is a 6 ft diameter snail-like alien magician/mathematician (using Book magic) does that count? What format do you want them in? I can just export the XMLs and send them to you.

[ericthered]

just speaking as a programmer who once tried to make a GURPS spreadsheet on excel (its tougher than it looks, as I'm sure your're aware)

things to test:
a character who heavily abuses improving off of defaults
a character who can temporarily acquire attribute and skill bonuses
a character who can acquires more mass when he acquires strength (check encumbrance)
a character who heavily abuses techniques.
a character who has lighter than air armor (okay, I'm just messing with you now)
a character with absurdly high attributes (try superman)
a character who is invulnerable to one or more things (again, superman)
a martial arts character with several arms, trained by a master, weapon master, and extra attacks
a character with several layers of different kinds of damage reduction.
a character with a redicuously complicated innate attack ( M.U.N.C.H.K.I.N.?)

I hope that helps start

[Dan_McCurdy]

Originally Posted by sir_pudding

6 ft diameter snail-like alien magician/mathematician

Ha ha - that's awesome ! Definitely !

.GCA file would be great, and I can export it from there. The app takes XML exported from the GCA, but the .GCA file directly would allow me to compare what appears in the iPad app, and what appears in the GCA.

@Archangel Beth - thanks for that - I hadn't actually seen that page. At this point I'd rather just test with already created GCA files. I know a lot of people probably use the Character Builder (3e) or GURPS Character Sheet (the java one), but these won't be compatible at the moment - only GCA generated XML files (and possibly directly GCA files in the future).

[Dan_McCurdy]

Originally Posted by ericthered

just speaking as a programmer who once tried to make a GURPS spreadsheet on excel (its tougher than it looks, as I'm sure your're aware)

That's a great list actually - really really helpful ! I've got a character at the moment (who will be included as a default character when the app is released) who has some stupidly complicated innate abilities, and that loads fine. Martial arts I certainly haven't tested.

Yeah - it was certainly harder to implement than I originally planned, but going the XML export route made things a lot simpler - the GCA native format was a bit too tricky to work with, but I have vague plans for possibly implementing it in future (low priority). The XML export means that I can only access things that are output into XML however, which does limit it a little bit.

OK - I'm at work at the moment so I'd better do some work :-)

Dan

[johndallman]

I'm definitely interested - I've already cut my Enc for gaming sessions down to dice, character sheet and iPad. I don't have any seriously weird characters, although I can offer you one with a ridiculously long list of mundane equipment - he manages it for the party.

[sir_pudding]

Okay, where do you want 'em?

[Baalak]

This is a great idea! I'm glad someone's actually working on an iOS GURPS character sheet. Dan, thank you very, very much. I will pick this up and use it extensively when you release it. I can hardly wait. I don't think I have any interesting characters for you, but I'll think on it.

- Baalak Nalzar-aung