PCGen needs Volunteers!

One of the curses of being an all volunteer project, is unfortunately, lack of volunteers. 90% of the project is handled by 10% of the volunteers. Out of the 5 active volunteers, 2 handle the day-to-day operations.

If you love PCGen, and want to enjoy free content, then please consider donating an hour or two of your week contributing in some fashion.

Areas of major need:
1) Java fluent programmers – Without constant improvement to the Java engine, we cannot add newer features such as the new formula system, a revamped User Interface, or the much requested in-built LST editor. I cannot emphasize this need enough! We need some serious dedicated volunteers who want to refactor and improve the Java code. Our code base is 20 years old! We are looking to always improve the code base, make it more modular, and replace the two older formula systems (JEP and the older math/formula system before that), and replace it with a more robust and expandable formula system. Without this support, our ability to add better support for Pathfinder, Starfinder, and even the Pathfinder Playtest are going to be hampered. Please consider helping out here is you can.

2) Data (LST) Monkeys – These are the volunteers that make the content you love and enjoy to use for your games. We get a request for a new book, about every other week. Typically 1 person can create a ~50 page book in 4 weeks. Bigger source books are considerably longer time spans. The more volunteers working on various books, the more new material is delivered in the new releases! (Really want a special class, or a new toy? Help out and help create the book, you benefit for early access to the material, and you give back to the community as well!)

3) Character Sheet coders (We have two main formats – XML Files with XSLT language and a Freemarker Template Engine for the PDF, and then straight HTM for the ‘standard’ browser and preview sheets. The last format is the simple text. I’m the only person that works on the character sheets. I can really use help sprucing these sheets up, or if you have any ideas to streamline the export process, let’s make it happen.

4) Someone to document changes the formats, improve the Help Documents, or clean up the files to HTML 5 standards. Documentation is usually a last consideration, but without it, people wouldn’t know what to do or where to get help. Any people with rudimentary knowledge or a better method to handle documentation would be fantastic!

5) A new server host platform – Our current provider is unable to continue the services, and we are needing to relocate ASAP.

Thanks for supporting the project. Without the volunteers, this project would not be possible.

-Andrew Maitland
Board of Directors – Content Silverback