Web Site Advice [Archive] - Wizards Community

Web Site Advice [Archive] - Wizards Community

Post/Author/DateTime Post
snaayk
12-24-04, 01:29 AM I've been working on some ideas for a web site for roleplaying fr games. I want it to emulate as much as possible a tabletop game. I'm currently working on the PC creation system. My problem is that I have PHB (v3.0), FRCS, PGTF (v3.5). Thus, I'm somewhat thrown off by the changes from 3.0 to 3.5 - especially since I haven't played a game since v2 (it's been a while, I know).

My current impasse is, when creating a character would you say that the items that must first be answered are:

Class
Race
Region
Ability Scores

My issue with the first three is that depending what's more important to you is the one you'd select first - presuming you don't have a character built. In other words, if you refuse to play anything but a dwarf, then classes and regions will be limited. However, if you want to play a PC from somewhere in the underdark you're race will be severly limited. So, at this point I'm thinking of allowing the user to select from three drop down lists and the others filter down as selections are made. Does this seem like the three "deal-breakers" when making a PC? Weapons, Feats, Skills, Items, etc can be chosen after the initial *important* selections are made. Thoughts?

The other item, ability scores seems to be somewhat trickier. I had once set-up an online for to create a PC, with a total of 80 points - with a max of 18 (in 1 or 2 abilities) and a min of 8 or 7 - something like that. I noticed here on the boards theres 32 point system wit everything starting at 8. I have a roll generator that could "roll" the scores like on a tabletop game but then users would keep rolling until they got rolls they were happy with. I could allow a GM/DM to roll for them but then PC creation would have to wait. How would you DM's deal with an online game where scores had to be generated?

TIA for any help!
Kuje31
12-24-04, 01:57 AM I tend to pick race 1st and then class.

As for online scores there are some dice programs that email the results or if you are playing in like webrpg or rpol they have dice rollers you can't edit.

Or in my case, since I run a lot of email games, I just let the PC's roll and if they lie to me then that is thier problem and if someone sends me a stat sheet that has all high 16+ stat's on it I send it back and say I don't think so.
Gray Richardson
12-24-04, 03:42 AM I just let the PC's roll and if they lie to me then that is thier problem and if someone sends me a stat sheet that has all high 16+ stat's on it I send it back and say I don't think so.I have that problem more than I like. Players always seem to roll incredibly high numbers when I am not looking. I like characters to be a little above average but not too crazy.

I personally like my PC's to be around the 75th percentile. That would be an average stat of 14 (well actually 14.25) so what I do is give them 84 points that they can put into their 6 stats with a cap of 18 for any one stat.

I don't know how this equates to the point buy system, but it seems to work for my players. This way no one feels cheated if they roll badly--and others seem to roll improbably high. Everyone is balanced. A player can have 14's across the board or a couple of high stats if he sacrifices points from his other stats. Everyone usually puts a lot of thought into it and ends up fairly happy with their characters.

Using that system you should pick your class first then assign stat points and then pick a race and apply racial bonuses. Region comes last when you are trying to figure out your character's background story.

Some players just take whatever region goes with their character's background story, and others choose a region for what it does for their character and then they tailor their background story to match the region they want. Which is fine with me either way, because the players are going to be playing those characters for a long time (hopefully) so they should feel good about them once they have created them. :)
snaayk
12-24-04, 12:37 PM I will be creating a dice roller for initiative, saves, dc checks and anything else that might need a roll. The only reason I see a problem with using it for character creation is that it would need to be done with the DM. Which would deter from using the system to create characters at will - even if they may not be involved in an actual online game. The user would have to roll and the DM would then accept the scores so that the user could proceed. If not, the user would continue to start over until he was happy. I really see no alternative but a point system. My fear is that you end up with typical scores for the different races and classes - because it's the "the best combination". Dice rolls add that ingredient of unknown that life usually throws at us.

Any other ideas for an online ability score system? Nothing is too crazy. I have thought about creating a point system, like mentioned. Then before the game is begun the the user does a roll to see how many points the PC loses from any of the 6 scores. Perhaps a 1d6 - 1, or something along those lines.

Post/Author/DateTime	Post
snaayk 12-24-04, 01:29 AM	I've been working on some ideas for a web site for roleplaying fr games. I want it to emulate as much as possible a tabletop game. I'm currently working on the PC creation system. My problem is that I have PHB (v3.0), FRCS, PGTF (v3.5). Thus, I'm somewhat thrown off by the changes from 3.0 to 3.5 - especially since I haven't played a game since v2 (it's been a while, I know). My current impasse is, when creating a character would you say that the items that must first be answered are: Class Race Region Ability Scores My issue with the first three is that depending what's more important to you is the one you'd select first - presuming you don't have a character built. In other words, if you refuse to play anything but a dwarf, then classes and regions will be limited. However, if you want to play a PC from somewhere in the underdark you're race will be severly limited. So, at this point I'm thinking of allowing the user to select from three drop down lists and the others filter down as selections are made. Does this seem like the three "deal-breakers" when making a PC? Weapons, Feats, Skills, Items, etc can be chosen after the initial important selections are made. Thoughts? The other item, ability scores seems to be somewhat trickier. I had once set-up an online for to create a PC, with a total of 80 points - with a max of 18 (in 1 or 2 abilities) and a min of 8 or 7 - something like that. I noticed here on the boards theres 32 point system wit everything starting at 8. I have a roll generator that could "roll" the scores like on a tabletop game but then users would keep rolling until they got rolls they were happy with. I could allow a GM/DM to roll for them but then PC creation would have to wait. How would you DM's deal with an online game where scores had to be generated? TIA for any help!
Kuje31 12-24-04, 01:57 AM	I tend to pick race 1st and then class. As for online scores there are some dice programs that email the results or if you are playing in like webrpg or rpol they have dice rollers you can't edit. Or in my case, since I run a lot of email games, I just let the PC's roll and if they lie to me then that is thier problem and if someone sends me a stat sheet that has all high 16+ stat's on it I send it back and say I don't think so.
Gray Richardson 12-24-04, 03:42 AM	I just let the PC's roll and if they lie to me then that is thier problem and if someone sends me a stat sheet that has all high 16+ stat's on it I send it back and say I don't think so.I have that problem more than I like. Players always seem to roll incredibly high numbers when I am not looking. I like characters to be a little above average but not too crazy. I personally like my PC's to be around the 75th percentile. That would be an average stat of 14 (well actually 14.25) so what I do is give them 84 points that they can put into their 6 stats with a cap of 18 for any one stat. I don't know how this equates to the point buy system, but it seems to work for my players. This way no one feels cheated if they roll badly--and others seem to roll improbably high. Everyone is balanced. A player can have 14's across the board or a couple of high stats if he sacrifices points from his other stats. Everyone usually puts a lot of thought into it and ends up fairly happy with their characters. Using that system you should pick your class first then assign stat points and then pick a race and apply racial bonuses. Region comes last when you are trying to figure out your character's background story. Some players just take whatever region goes with their character's background story, and others choose a region for what it does for their character and then they tailor their background story to match the region they want. Which is fine with me either way, because the players are going to be playing those characters for a long time (hopefully) so they should feel good about them once they have created them. :)
snaayk 12-24-04, 12:37 PM	I will be creating a dice roller for initiative, saves, dc checks and anything else that might need a roll. The only reason I see a problem with using it for character creation is that it would need to be done with the DM. Which would deter from using the system to create characters at will - even if they may not be involved in an actual online game. The user would have to roll and the DM would then accept the scores so that the user could proceed. If not, the user would continue to start over until he was happy. I really see no alternative but a point system. My fear is that you end up with typical scores for the different races and classes - because it's the "the best combination". Dice rolls add that ingredient of unknown that life usually throws at us. Any other ideas for an online ability score system? Nothing is too crazy. I have thought about creating a point system, like mentioned. Then before the game is begun the the user does a roll to see how many points the PC loses from any of the 6 scores. Perhaps a 1d6 - 1, or something along those lines.