OpenOffice Character Builder 2.15

[Atori]

Excel character sheet.
http://atori.suntuubi.com/datafiles/userfiles//MandM.xls

[Atori]

I made a charactersheet with Open office, but saved file in excel format because openoffice understands it and so does excel, not vice versa.

My sheet calculates character points in semi automatic way. I will propably fix it to automate much more.

Ski's character sheet is nice, I quess I simplify it, to serve better rapid character creation process. I like when everything is in one page.

Campaings deserve detailed character sheet, but rapid generation does not need all that detail.

Nice ski!

[bblackmoor]

If you are interested in Excel character sheet, there is one here:

http://games.groups.yahoo.com/group/mnm_hall_of_heroes

Alternately, if you just want a character sheet without the assistance of having the powers and feats listed, or the skill points (and Attack, Defense, etc.) calculated for you, you could take the StandardSheet tab in the OpenOffice character sheet, copy it to a new blank spreadsheet, and just fill it in.

Finally, if you specifically want to discuss an Excel spreadsheet, you might try this thread:

http://www.atomicthinktank.com/viewtopic.php?t=3227

[rchipman]

okay, I must be stupid because I can't figure this out.

I downloaded Open office and installed it. Then I tried to download your open office spread sheet but all I can get is a bunch of XML files that display code.

Please help me before I go crazy and start to slam my head into the desk. Is there not a single file that you open like you would in Excel??? It really should not be this complicated. I must have overlooked something obvious.

[Beleriphon]

okay, I must be stupid because I can't figure this out.

I downloaded Open office and installed it. Then I tried to download your open office spread sheet but all I can get is a bunch of XML files that display code.

Please help me before I go crazy and start to slam my head into the desk. Is there not a single file that you open like you would in Excel??? It really should not be this complicated. I must have overlooked something obvious.

There should be only one Open Office file. You might be downloading the example characters.

[rchipman]

Could someone post a direct link becaue I can only find a zip file full of XML files.

[bblackmoor]

Could someone post a direct link becaue I can only find a zip file full of XML files.

There is no zip file. Go to the URL below, download the file, and open it in OpenOffice. No zip file, no unzipping.

http://www.westguard.org/index.php?titl ... er_Builder

It's the very first link under "Downloads". I won't post a direct link because the direct link includes the version number of the file, which changes. Go to the web page and click the link that says "Mutants & Masterminds OpenOffice Character Builder".

If you download the file and your browser saves it with a *.zip extension, then you are using a BROKEN web browser, that NO ONE should be using, EVER. Use Firefox, available here:

http://www.mozilla.com/en-US/firefox/

[bblackmoor]

I just realized that none of the output sheets -- StandardSheet, Text, BBCode, Wiki -- make any indication that a power is a Device or Equipment. Meaning that if you want that to appear on the character sheet, you would have to add it in the power description. That's annoying.

Ah, well. I guess I will be working on the next version sooner than I thought.

[bblackmoor]

After playing with various formatting options, I have come to the conclusion that there's really no feasible way to automatically indicate if a power on the character comes from a device or piece of equipment. There are just too many possible options. Does the device have a name? Does the power description span multiple lines?

So, you'll just have to mention in the power's description if it comes from a device or equipment, and any notes about that equipment like if it's easy or hard to lose.

If I think of a better solution, I'll let you know.

[bblackmoor]

Update 2.03 of the OpenOffice Character Builder.

* Fixed quotation links;
* added "bought as power" to feats sheet;
* rearranged Combat section of abilities tab to improve clarity;
* fixed error in skill cost calculation;
* added Enhanced [Ability] to skill ability bonuses;
* added additional modifiers for Weakness Drawbacks.

Still to do:

* create a sample character that uses AltFormSheet
* redesign MiniSheet
* redesign WoundTrackerSheet
* figure out how to handle ranked feats that can do more than one thing (e.g., Rage)

This is a significant update that corrects two calculation errors. You should update your characters, particularly if they use Enhanced Abilities, the Swim skill, or the Weakness Drawback. In the very near future I will update all of the sample characters' sheets to this version.

Many thanks to Waylander of the M&M Hall Of Heroes for catching these bugs.

http://www.westguard.org/index.php?titl ... er_Builder

[bblackmoor]

Sean at M&M Hall Of Heroes copied the various Drawback types into Complications on the Excel sheet he maintains, for those games that use Complications instead of Drawbacks.

I am wondering: how common is that? I only know of one GM (here on the Atomic Think Tank) that does that. Would that be something people would like to see incorporated in the OpenOffice sheet? It would be easy enough to do. I would set it as a toggle on the "background" tab, and the drop-down would populate from the proper set of values, either with or without the Drawbacks included.

Should I do that? Would anyone find that useful?

[bblackmoor]

Update 2.04 of the OpenOffice Character Builder.

* Added "Treat drawbacks as" option;
* made StandardSheet automatically detect if Drawbacks are treated as Complications;
* added Space Travel to movement tab and StandardSheet;
* made movement values work up to progression level 25 (and beyond, but the values cap at 25);
* improved how movement override values are displayed.

Still to do:

* create a sample character that uses AltFormSheet
* redesign MiniSheet
* redesign WoundTrackerSheet
* figure out how to handle ranked feats that can do more than one
thing (e.g., Rage)

http://www.westguard.org/index.php?titl ... er_Builder

[Pseudonym]

Just noticed this. Excellent work and much thanks. Great to have it in Open Office too.

[bblackmoor]

I was thinking that it might be handy to have an Equipment reference, sort of like the current power reference at the bottom of the powers tab. That way, if someone wanted, say, a mini-Maglite or a cell phone, they would not have to do what I have been doing, and write them up from scratch (because the book infuriatingly does not tell you how to actually build and buy these items), or copying them from a character I'd already written up.

Would anyone else find this useful?

[prabe]

It seems the sort of thing that could/would be useful in a heavily equipment-oriented game. I'm not running one of those now, but I may n the future.

If you're looking for more Equipment (and/or rules for characters who use it) there is, IIRC, that sort of material in Agents of Freedom. I think I remember seeing comments from you to the extent that you don't care for "expansion creep" (or a similar term), but if that's the sort of game you're running, you may find the book useful for more than that.