How to implement other game systems (technical side)

[TretinV3]

Disclaimer: English is not my primary language, I didn't use any automatic translator, and therefore the RPG vocabulary could be incorrect (among other things). All of this is only my opinion on the subject, and I have no right to decide the future implementation of the project.

How to implement other game systems (technical side)

The plugin was originally made for DnD, but as its popularity grew, other game systems came to it, and the plugin expanded to include, for example, Pathfinder, Fate Core or the 13th Age. Except that all those game systems are based on the same core game mechanic : throw a die, add a number and look if it is more than a threshold. Fantasy-statblock has been developed for those game systems, but there are others, and the modularity of the plugin hasn't been made for those radically different ones, like The Call of Cthulhu, based on percentiles without modifiers.

The purpose is to allow those other systems in fantasy-statblock.

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Implementation

For the implementation, there are two choices: a visual implementation or a more structural one.

Visual

The visual implementation will be the simplest and fastest to implement. There's no deep change in the plugin, it's just the possibility of a callback to choose the display of any value. Except that these values need to be picked from a parent one, making use of serialization for saving more complex values, and these callbacks will need to be repeated by the user on every other user of the value, with dice-roller, data view or initiative-tracker.

[!check] Positives aspects

• easy to implement
• no deep change to the plugin

[!fail] Negatives aspects

• lite implementation
• repetition of the same callback everywhere in every plugins

Structural

The structural implementation is much deeper and aims at allowing any data type or structure for any value. An example will be to save the max and current value of a start or the money of a player in copper, gold, and silver. But this implementation will need a change to the API for intercommunication between plugins.

[!check] Positives aspects

• entirely new dimension of customisation

[!fail] Negatives aspects

• difficult implementation
• will make api change for other plugins

Of course for a complete modularity, we are going to need both. But for a fast implementation the visual is enough in a first time, with a slower background structural implementation.

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Customization

Now that we know how and what is going to change, there is still the question of where : layout wide or block wide ?

Block wide

This will allow users to fine-tune their layout with a specific selection of blocks they want to change. But for the same game system, it will be repetitive.

[!check] Positives aspects

• precise customisation
• complexe possibilities

[!fail] Negatives aspects

• repetitive task for each blocks
• mandatory task for some game systems

Layout wide

Another option would be to define these callbacks globally for the layout. This will allow an easy and user-friendly implementation without losing too many possibilities. Additionally, this will add layout-wide options that could be used later for future implementation.

[!check] Positives aspects

• easy use
• future posibilities

[!fail] Negatives aspects

• less specifics callback customisation

Thus, like before, the best would be to implement both at the time : the block configuration taking over the layout one when needed.

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I tried to be impartial. Thanks for reading all of it. Don't hesitate to give a feedback.

[TretinV3]

I started working on #187 when I realized it would be better to include everything. If I write such a message, it's because I would like to help implement it, and as it's a pretty big change, I prefer to ask about it before coding it.

[valentine195]

As you are working on this please do not hesitate to reach out if there is anything I can add to the plugin to make it easier on you with systems like this. That could be new block types, or possibly extending the existing block behaviors.

[TretinV3]

Here's a little update, I tried several approaches and this is my current result.

I added custom layout settings and modifiers for saves.

It works well with Cthulhu, so I will test with other systems and add the required features.

[Ascariel1984]

Do you know how I could use a variable from e.g. another table in a Math formula? I would like to use the value from e.g. Str from the table to calculate a skill modifier. Example: Skill (climb) = Str + value

[Byarlathotep]

This is awesome! Have you progressed on this at all?
I'll probably give this a go to try my hand at it.

[PrimalOutshoot]

I second this. I'm working with a homebrew system that is entirely custom, and am having to import the mechanics to an existing supporting system. Look forward to something like this if it is implemented.