Any possibility of software???
- Thread starter Malakor
- Start date
I started writing some software in VB to help me with the Starship designs, but I unfortunately never got the time to finish it. I was also not happy with my design. Maybe once I have the full set of construction rules I'll pick up with it again.
As for official releases I'm not sure. There are a lot of programmers around here so the possibility may exist.
As for official releases I'm not sure. There are a lot of programmers around here so the possibility may exist.
Andrew Moffatt-Vallance has a Starship Design program called "High Guard Shipyard v1.0.5" original designed for High Guard, but also works for T20.
http://www.bits.org.uk/
Look under the archive link, then scroll down to software. It may be posted elsewhere as well.
http://www.bits.org.uk/
Look under the archive link, then scroll down to software. It may be posted elsewhere as well.
For T20??
OfficiallY?
I doubt it.
IANAL, but I beleave the D20 license pretty much excludes any license for software and Hasbro no longer holds license for software for much of their IP.
I'm not sure if the whole Etools/Master Tools fiasco made it over here, but it was not pretty.
OfficiallY?
I doubt it.
IANAL, but I beleave the D20 license pretty much excludes any license for software and Hasbro no longer holds license for software for much of their IP.
I'm not sure if the whole Etools/Master Tools fiasco made it over here, but it was not pretty.
hunter
Ancient - Absent Friend
Andrew has my permission to use the T20 design rules in his software. The design rules are NOT OGL.
Andrew's program does not carry the d20 logo and thus is not subject to the d20 license. The applicable rules are also not OGL, but used with my permission.
As far as 'official' software, yes there will be as part of GRIP Traveller. A character generator, ship builder, and other goodies and gadgets. Note that many of the tools and GRIP Traveller itself can be used with any version of Traveller, not just T20.
Hunter
I'm working on some software to help run and maintain my campaign. So far I am going to work on Starship Encounters, Starship monthly costs, Skills for NPC, and I am currently working on a prior history creation system. I hope to have it donw in a few weeks, but you know how these things go.
I am writing them in VB. If anyone would like to help, I can create a website and post the programs for everyone. Let me know.
I am writing them in VB. If anyone would like to help, I can create a website and post the programs for everyone. Let me know.
Andrew has my permission to use the T20 design rules in his software. The design rules are NOT OGL.
Andrew's program does not carry the d20 logo and thus is not subject to the d20 license. The applicable rules are also not OGL, but used with my permission.
As far as 'official' software, yes there will be as part of GRIP Traveller. A character generator, ship builder, and other goodies and gadgets. Note that many of the tools and GRIP Traveller itself can be used with any version of Traveller, not just T20.
Hunter</font>[/QUOTE]---- I posted this to the Traveller Mailing List, but many here would probably certainly be interested...
There is currently a program out there called PCGen and it is specifically made for D20 games. It is Java based and somewhat platform independent. Someone (or many someones) just has to sit down and get the data into the right format. I have used it extensively for generating D&D 3rd Edition and really enjoy it.
QLI would just have to buy off on allowing someone to compile data files unique to T20 and distribute them on the web with PCGen. Short of QLI expending resources to develop their own program I think this is a viable option.
PCGen website: http://pcgen.sourceforge.net/
They also have a Yahoo message board at: http://groups.yahoo.com/group/pcgen
PCGen is also both OGL and d20 compliant.
Enjoy!
A few notes about PCGen.
It is an excelent program, but....
1) It is purely a volunteer group. Granted there are many volunteers, but if you want to see something done, it will go faster if you can help.
2) T20 just came out. I would expect the first few iterations of PCGen that will be able to support T20 will be about a month or so. It is primaraly DnD 3e first, but it is felxiable enough for those that the patience to monkey with it.
I do not have my copy of T20 yet, (must wait to get paid at the end of the month) so I can not realy guess how long or difficult it will be to integrate T20 in to PCGen.
3) Currently PCGen does not include a random success generator, and it does not track required XP to Level. (ie how much xp does it take to be level 5.) Both of these are because of its use of the d20 License. Thus you can not automate the generation of Prior History. However, you can enter the values by hand.
There is a possibility that random success could be re-introduced to PCGen, but the developers are still in talks with Wizards.
PCGen is a powerful tool. And with some cleverness, (and bribes to the various monkeys) it can do almost everything with reguards to d20.
-The Luddite
It is an excelent program, but....
1) It is purely a volunteer group. Granted there are many volunteers, but if you want to see something done, it will go faster if you can help.
2) T20 just came out. I would expect the first few iterations of PCGen that will be able to support T20 will be about a month or so. It is primaraly DnD 3e first, but it is felxiable enough for those that the patience to monkey with it.
I do not have my copy of T20 yet, (must wait to get paid at the end of the month) so I can not realy guess how long or difficult it will be to integrate T20 in to PCGen.
3) Currently PCGen does not include a random success generator, and it does not track required XP to Level. (ie how much xp does it take to be level 5.) Both of these are because of its use of the d20 License. Thus you can not automate the generation of Prior History. However, you can enter the values by hand.
There is a possibility that random success could be re-introduced to PCGen, but the developers are still in talks with Wizards.
PCGen is a powerful tool. And with some cleverness, (and bribes to the various monkeys) it can do almost everything with reguards to d20.
-The Luddite
I live in Northern VA and would be willing to meet with some folks to see about designing and programming our own stuff. As long as no one sells it there isn't a copyright issue. As for T20 programs, I have already completed the college portion of the prior service in a VB program. I will continue on it to include all the classes in time. But as we all know, "Time is the fire in which we burn". With a full time job and night classes it will take a while. If I could split the coding between a few folks it would go much facter. Any takers?????
Whether you're selling the software or not is irrelevant, unfortunately. WotC has gotten pretty strict about people writing software for d20/OGL products. Just ask the folks over at PCGen, or the poor guy at http://technologies.okinardae.com who wrote those Star Wars character gen programs.
Stool WOTC couldn't do anything so long as you aren't trying to sell the software. The copyright only protects you from people making money on your original design. If they really had an issue they could sue 100,000 people for making automated character sheet for D&D, or any of the other programs I have downloaded for D&D, Magic, etc... I'm not looking to sell anything, just make it easier to play. rom what I've sen in the book, there are a lot of tables in Traveller. It would be nice to be able to push a button for a skill and know what I needed to roll for what. I'm going forward in writing programs for Traveller T20. I already have the college portion of the prior experience completed. I will add the rest in later. I have also started a random starship encounter programs from the charts given in T20.
I say jump on the band wagon and lets get some of this automated.
I say jump on the band wagon and lets get some of this automated.
Don't *EVER* *EVER* think that!!!!!! Copyright applies regardless of any financial concerns. Rule one with copyright: When in doubt, don't; 'cos otherwise it gets *REAL* expensive *REAL* quick (even if you're right, it gets real expensive).
BTW the current HGS release (v1.13) does *not* support T20. The latest beta (v1.14 build 11) does, but its still a beta and the error trapping is less than perfect (not withstanding any mistakes in my actual logic).
I think there a little confusion here. Ask any lawyer, as long as there is no money and you're not changing the base product theres nothing anyone can do. Please let WOTC come after me with a herd of lawyers. It will be very expesive for them to be proven in court what has been proven time and time again. If what you say is true then what about the hundreds of D&D programs that are out there? From character generators to combat helpers, there are even hordes of Traveller programs available for free on the net. Why isn't WOTC sending lawyers like locust after them? (No offense to any locust). I'm going to write software, I'm going to give it away.
Any takers???
Any takers???
No confusion what so ever. I have talked to lawyers (and there was a fairly extensive unit on computers and IP in my degree as well). You are 100% wrong
All the free D&D and Trav programs exist because WOTC and Marc Millar usually don't bother to enforce their legal rights. Though I note that many Traveller software authors seem to have sense (not to mention common courtesy) to ask and get permission first.
However, it does seem that WOTC are currently cracking down on D20 software, so I'd be very careful at the moment. Mind you the T20 design rules are *not* subject to the OGL and therefore copyright to QLI and Far Futures, so its them you have to get permission from.
Try
http://www.templetons.com/brad/copymyths.html
http://www.laderapress.com/laderapress/myths.html
Please, for your own sake, read them.
MichaelL65
SOC-12
Xloop, I think you are missing a big point here: It doesn't need to involve exchange of money to be a copyright violation (ask Napstar).
As a musician, I happen to know quite a bit about (C) issues. Your argument that since you aren't selling it wouldn't hold up in court any more than Microsoft claiming they didn't have a monopoly. I can't make a recording of someone else's song and distribute the copies for free (even if I could afford to do that). The person who wrote the song (or book or game or whatever else) has the right to say how it is used. Only by getting permission from the (C) holder can you distribute your version of it.
Why doesn't WotC go after all these guys? There are a couple of issues:
First is cost. They will probably go after some of the bigger fish hoping to make examples of them to scare off the others, but they can't afford to go after everyone.
Second is publicity. The more they squash, the more it can backfire.
Third is what is and isn't covered in their OGL. If someone writes a program based solely on the OGL they won't have a problem with it. Only if the program skirts the need for owning their PHB will they even consider taking legal action (then #s 1 & 2 will come into play).
Now that being said, there is nothing to stop you from writing a program for your own personal use, or for you to request permission to distribute it. If you did a good job the powers that be just might grant you permission to distribute it.
As a musician, I happen to know quite a bit about (C) issues. Your argument that since you aren't selling it wouldn't hold up in court any more than Microsoft claiming they didn't have a monopoly. I can't make a recording of someone else's song and distribute the copies for free (even if I could afford to do that). The person who wrote the song (or book or game or whatever else) has the right to say how it is used. Only by getting permission from the (C) holder can you distribute your version of it.
Why doesn't WotC go after all these guys? There are a couple of issues:
First is cost. They will probably go after some of the bigger fish hoping to make examples of them to scare off the others, but they can't afford to go after everyone.
Second is publicity. The more they squash, the more it can backfire.
Third is what is and isn't covered in their OGL. If someone writes a program based solely on the OGL they won't have a problem with it. Only if the program skirts the need for owning their PHB will they even consider taking legal action (then #s 1 & 2 will come into play).
Now that being said, there is nothing to stop you from writing a program for your own personal use, or for you to request permission to distribute it. If you did a good job the powers that be just might grant you permission to distribute it.
