Savage Worlds for PCGen - September 8, 2013 Update
September 8, 2013, Savage Worlds on PCGen Update
I thought is might be a good time to provide a status update on a side project I've been working, or not working depending on what else was going on in my life, for something like 5 years. That is building a Savage Worlds Data Set.
First, I have a page on our wiki where I have tried to document some of what I have done and a lot of what I'll mention here will eventually be placed on that page.
[Eric's Savage Worlds Project]
But before I go into where I am technically speaking, let me briefly review where we stand permissions wise . . .
As we had at that time Full Permission for the Deadlands d20 material I figured we might be able to secure permission for the Savage Worlds material so in mid-2008 I sent a request for permission to Pinnacle Entertainment Group. It took a few months but I eventually got a reply from PEG granting permissions. With that in place I set out to build a gamemode. As it has been some time since the initial permissions were recieved, I plan on following up and confirming them.
Lots of time has now passed, which I will skim over as my effort varied in its efficacy depending on what else was going on in my life, but I have at this point made some good progress. This is where the Savage World data set currently stands:
Savage Worlds GameMode
The Savage Worlds GameMode is set and seems stable.
equipmentslots.lst - I have not messed with this file yet as it is not clear to me yet which slots Savage Worlds uses. Armor can be placed on various body parts but at the core the torso is what counts. Additionally, current cannon, if there is such, for Savage Worlds is that a humanoid character with two hands and 5 fingers per hand can wear ten rings. One thing has become clear as I lurk on the PEGINC Forums . . . the GM has cart blanche when it comes to modifying the rules. I am just about to the point though were I will be ready to dig into the material to identify what slots are required by the core rules.
level.lst: This file is simple enough as level progression is clearly defined. 5 experience points grants a new level.
load.lst - This file is a little more difficult. Load and encumbrance works differently in SW, as does size. The SIZEMULT and LOAD will need to be worked to finalize the gamemode. One item to note is that PCGen hardcodes the encumbrance designations and it would be very useful for Savage Worlds, and likely any other game system we might want to tackle one day, to decouple these designations. Have the encumbrance levels defined, by designation and level, in the gamemode.
miscinfo.lst - Many of the tags in this file are likely going to be unnecessary for Savage Worlds, though it looks like I will need to include them with dummy information. One thing I will need eventually is to have the disabling of TABs enabled for the new GUI. SW does not use FEATS and I will not be using that tab. It will need to be disabled for the final SW solution.
I also note that the current SW gamemode posts errors relating to ACTYPEs. I haven't worked out how the ACTYPEs can be used for SW so I am not sure how any, if any, can be resolved as I move forward.
Something I may want to explore is to have gamemode specific CONTEXT Help pages, but I'll take a look at that later.
The BASEDICE tags are preliminary. I'll find out as I move forward if they are going to be useful and if so if they are set right.
Weapon Types seem like they will not be useful, though damage type might be.
Wield category does not seem to be used in SW. I'll know more as I move into the combat aspects of SW.
One big difference between d20 and SW is that the stats and skill ranks are identified as dice sizes. This is currently working in the gamemode and basic set so far, though it will require OS specific work arounds to carry the concept throughout. It is not clear if there is anything that could be done code wise to help here.
As of right now all ability categories are defined in the data set itself. This may not change.
I have created a preliminary troubleshooting OS to help while codiing. I might need help creating a full Preview OS, though I'll hold off for a bit before making any specific requests. (This might give me the opportunity to learn to build OSes.) I am also working on a summary sheet for the summary tab.
paperinfo.lst - This file is unchanged
pointbuymethods_system.lst - The content of this file has been commented out and does not seem to effect the operation of PCGen. This gamemode starts the character out with a "d4" dice, value of "1", with 5 points provided for stat increases. This is done through an ability pool.
rules.ls -: All rules have been disabled for now. As I move forward I will assess which, if any, need to be re-enabled, or if any new rules need to be added.
sizeadustment.lst - This file has been left alone for now but as I move forward and begin to activate AC and other aspects of the game system I will reassess. I do not know if this this file is criticale or if it can be disabled altogether.
statsandchecks.lst - Five different stats are defined and working as expected for now.
tips.lst - File left as is for now.
Base Data Set: Savage Worlds Deluxe
This set relies heavily on the ability object to make things work. As an example, I use the Skill object simply to track and display the skill ranks. Ranks are actually granted through abilities using the BONUS:SKILLRANK tag.
Proficiencies are not specifically used in SW so I have created a basic Armor, Shield, and Weapon proficiency. Equipment will have types that will be used as needed to implement combat bonuses or in support of other utilization effects. One problem I'll have to address is for weapon damage. In general damage is calculted by adding the STR bonus to the damage die roll, but not all weapons get the STR damage. SW standard practice is to identify the damage as such: Str+1d4. This will not work for the DAMAGE tag on equipment. I will explore using an EQMOD to identify when the STR is used and when it is not.
A note on EQMODS. Not sure yet if these will be used any differently than in d20 systems.
All Attribute (Stat), Skill, Hindrances, and Edge abilities have been created and can be added as required for the creation of an SW character. The crunch has not been added to the Hindrance and Edge abilities yet as that will require the combat and other miscelaneous rules crunch be in place.
At this time I do not plan on using the spell.lst file in the SW data set. As with stats and skills, spells will be implemented using the ability object. Is ther a way to differentiate between the various ability objects in te Temp Bonus display?
As of right now I have included only the "Human" race. I will be adding the core races after I get the core equipment input. After that I will be adding the Bestiary.
Finally, archetypes should be able to be set up using kits, and these will likely be one of the last things I set up.
Other Savage Worlds Sources
Once the core rules are up and running I will be working on the following sets, the order of which will depend upon what I feel like playing with at the time:
- Fantasy Companion
- Horror Companion
- Super Power Companion
- Necessary Evil
- The Savage World of Soloman Kane
- Space 1889
- Deadlands
- Rippers
One additional difficulty on the core set will be setting it up for genre support. As the SW Deluxe is laid out it supports fantasy, modern, pulp, horror, super-power, and many other genres. It might become easier once I start working on the companion books as well as the setting specific books, but I plan on creating specific campaign files for each genre specific data elements from the core set, as well as a campaign file for everything all at the same time, though I may wait until the companion books are done.
Eric C Smith, PCGen Doc 2nd
PR/PL/Adv/Lic Chimp, Data/Doc Chimp
Release/Tracker Gibbon, Web Tamarin
aka. Maredudd, Tenacious Monkey
