Hi all! MSH has been one of my favorite RPGs and I always wanted a detailed character generator that would allow you to create characters using the rules and powers from the UPB. I learned a bit of Visual Basic and after many hours and thousands of lines of code, I was able to come up with something fairly close. This is my first foray into creating a full-fledged program and it has only been tested by me so it may have some bugs. Give it a try and let me know what you think, or how it could be better.

MSH Character Generator

Feel free to share and upload it to this site's Download page if you like!

Thanks!

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TaskmasterX
Hi all! MSH has been one of my favorite RPGs and I always wanted a detailed character generator that would allow you to create characters using the rules and powers from the UPB. I learned a bit of Visual Basic and after many hours and thousands of lines of code, I was able to come up with something fairly close. This is my first foray into creating a full-fledged program and it has only been tested by me so it may have some bugs. Give it a try and let me know what you think, or how it could be better.

MSH Character Generator

Feel free to share and upload it to this site's Download page if you like!

Thanks!

Cool. I will give it a looksee later tonight.

But it's an .exe file Not everyone has systems that can run that. (Android phone here). Would like to see this in a compatible format.

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MagnetoX1
(Android phone here). Would like to see thus in a compatible format.

For that, I'd have to learn Java. I'm certainly not opposed to it. Java is a great language to learn. It would just take a long time.

Mac users can use WINE to run .exe files. This hasn't been tested with WINE on a Mac though.

So here's my thoughts on what this program needs:

• Some kind of prompt when more input is needed before being able to continue. For example, if Physical Form is Induced Mutant you get a +1CS bonus to one Ability rank. You cannot roll for powers until that +1 is assigned. So maybe highlight those buttons (maybe turn them yellow or the text red) when you need to choose that.
  
  • When I got through rolling my powers (9 of 9 slots), I had no idea what to do next because it wouldn't let me a generate weakness or move on to talents. I could have used some explanation that I needed to remove remaining power categories from the category window before being able to proceed. I figured it out... but it was a little frustrating. Maybe once all power slots are filled, have a pop up window automatically ask to confirm if power generation is complete; if yes, then clear those categories. If no, display a message reminding the user to clear the excess categories when done before they'll be able to proceed.
• On the powers tab, below the power classes window, you have 3 buttons [$] [-] and [>]. There's easily enough space in the UI to make these words to clarify what they do [Buy], [Remove], and [Roll].
  
  • [$] reduces resources by 2 ranks to add an additional power category.
    
    • Being able to use this feature of character creation is good. However, in case someone's not familiar with the mechanic maybe put in a popup that explains Resources will be lowered by 2 ranks for choosing to use it. Perhaps the popup can also have a Disable Popup feature for those who are more familiar with the rule and/or aren't concerned by it.
  • [-] removes a power category (but doesn't alter your resources for doing so)
    
    • I had used the Buy category feature to add one, saw my Resources was lowered, then used this button to remove the added category. Resources was not raised back to it's previous level. If this is not intended as an undo feature, you should at least explain that in the pop up window that asks to confirm removing the selected category.
  • and [>] rolls a power in the currently selected category.
  • This one is fairly straight forward, but --again-- could be clarified by spelling out what it does by changing the [>] to [Roll].
• Biophysical Control lists Biophysical Control as it's own optional power.
  
  • I'm guessing that this is due to that power having multiple specific types of usage, but nothing is explained here. Perhaps when selecting powers like this, you could make it so that you also have to select which form of the power is gained (Biophysical Control - Healing, Biophysical Control - Disruption, etc)?
• Generate Weakness is on the powers tab, but it's result shows up on the first (Physical Form) tab. This seems counter-intuitive. Shouldn't the result of a button appear on the same tab where you click it? Maybe that's just me.
• Saving your results requires entering a file path and gives the buttons [OK] and [Cancel].
  
  • A browse feature here would be convenient. I tried copying my file path right from the window where I have the application saved (so I know the location exists), and I got an error back saying something about the save location not existing and lots of other stuff I didn't understand).
• Lastly... I think this is all great, but it could use an element of customizability with regard to powers and talents, specifically. Lots of people use homebrew stuff and unofficial sources, as well as some specifically banning use of some official source powers from player use for whatever reasons (too powerful, doesn't fit the flavor of the game, etc).
  
  • Since your program is self-contained that would make it difficult for use to customize without having access to the code... But would it be possible to have it load powers and talents (separately) from an outside source in the form of a text file? Then just add sample text files to the zip file that people can use to either add their own additional entries or as a template to write their own lists? It would have to be loaded in each time the application is started up, but I think it would be the simplest way to offer that kind of customization.

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Thrudjelmer

• Since your program is self-contained that would make it difficult for use to customize without having access to the code... But would it be possible to have it load powers and talents (separately) from an outside source in the form of a text file? Then just add sample text files to the zip file that people can use to either add their own additional entries or as a template to write their own lists? It would have to be loaded in each time the application is started up, but I think it would be the simplest way to offer that kind of customization.

If possible, this should also include the ability to assign Optional powers to powers added to the list.

This is some great input.

The Weakness text box is on the Physical Form tab because of the possible weaknesses from the type of physical form and I just used that text box as the target for displaying the output of generating the weakness on the Powers tab. I guess I could display the output on the Powers tab, for the sake of convenience.

I haven't been able to generate the type of error you received when trying to save the file, but I did get one when trying to save to a path without a file name and then the program crashed. That should definitely be fixed and a browse feature would useful.

As for the last request, I was trying to stay strictly true to the content of the UPB and Player's Book, and any modifications or customizations would just happen after the file was saved and then opened in a word processor to edit as you see fit. But I can certainly see a need to at least add your own home-brew powers and it might not really be that difficult to implement. I'll look into it.

I appreciate the feedback. Thank you!

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TaskmasterX
I haven't been able to generate the type of error you received when trying to save the file, but I did get one when trying to save to a path without a file name and then the program crashed. That should definitely be fixed and a browse feature would useful.

It's interesting to note that when I got that error, the program did not crash on me.
It kept running fine otherwise after I closed the error window.

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TaskmasterX
As for the last request, I was trying to stay strictly true to the content of the UPB and Player's Book, and any modifications or customizations would just happen after the file was saved and then opened in a word processor to edit as you see fit. But I can certainly see a need to at least add your own home-brew powers and it might not really be that difficult to implement. I'll look into it.

Definitely a need for customization. For one thing, there is additional canon material for the UPB written by David Edward Martin in the form of addendas that were published in issues of Dragon Magazine. Beyond that, I can see what you mean about adding things afterward for talents as there are fewer categories and there are no ranks or Bonus/Optional talents tied to any of the others (aside from Law Enforcement which automatically includes Guns and Law talents). But the powers are a much bigger issue because they are the core of a super powers oriented game; and one would expect to be able to roll customize something that important. If I include a unique power in my campaigns, I'd want players who decide to use this program to be able to roll it randomly like other powers... not roll everything up and then ask, "Hey, by the way, do you want to trade off one of your other powers for this homebrew power?" And with the game seeing renewed love and revitalization in the form of the Unofficial Canon Project publications, you never know when some new powers might show up. Same goes for removing powers from list... if I want precognition off the list because I want to maintain an element of mystery in my game, I'd rather not have to look at someone's character and tell them, "Yeah, reroll this --or choose something else-- because I'm not allowing this power in my game." It sets up for disappointment, especially if the player gets enthusiastic about putting a backstory together as they're rolling things up.

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TaskmasterX
I appreciate the feedback. Thank you!

Happy to help. I love this game and anything that helps promote it.