News
Character
Generator 1.7 released!
The new version supports hidden headers and skills and traits. It also allows administrators to edit characters and CP assignments easily.
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Character Generator - FAQ
Overview | Features | Supported Game Elements | FAQ | Screen shots
Below you will find some frequently asked questions concerning the character generator.
Can I purchase the Character Generator for my game?
Absolutely! Please contact me if you're interested.
Is it free/open source?
Unfortunately, no. I can't afford to give it away (and support it and continue to add new features) without charging for it. Hopefully the gain in time and energy will be worth it, however.
What games does it support?
The character generator is currently designed to be used with games based on the nTeraction rules system. Most nTeraction games should plug in seamlessly with no modification; if your game uses special innovations or varies substantially from the core nTeraction rules some customization may be necessary. If you send me a copy of your game rules, I'm happy to evaluate how easy it would be to plug it in.
I'm considering adapting the Generator for other games (NERO, etc). If you're interested in using the generator for a different game system, please let me know so I can gauge interest.
Do I need to be a programmer/database wiz to use the Generator for my game?
No! The generator is entirely Web-based. If you can fill out a Web form, you can use the Generator to run your game. You enter your game information (races, religions, spells, skills, etc) through a series of Web forms, and the generator does the rest. You should never need to work with the underlying database in the course of normal operation.
Are there any special system requirements to use the generator?
To log in to the generator you must have cookies enabled in your browser. The generator has been tested with several version of Internet Explorer and Netscape Navigator on multiple operating systems. Other browsers (e.g. Opera) should work but have not been explicitly tested. A fast Internet connection (e.g. T1, cable modem, DSL) is helpful but not necessary.
There are also several requirements for hosting the Generator at your ISP; see below.
What language/technology did you use to develop it?
I built the character generator in Macromedia ColdFusion (ColdFusion Markup Language, or CFML). The data is stored in a Microsoft Access database.
What are the hosting requirements for the character generator?
Because ColdFusion is a server-side technology, it has certain hosting requirements. This is equally true of other Web application servers such as ASP.NET, PHP, etc. You will need to sign up with an ISP that offers ColdFusion hosting services.
I am currently considering porting the Generator to PHP and/or ASP. If you're interested in one of those technologies, please email me and let me know so I can gauge demand.
Can you host the character generator for my game?
Unfortunately, no. The terms of my contract with my ISP do not allow me to provide commercial hosting.
Can you recommend a ColdFusion hosting provider?
I love my ColdFusion ISP, Media3.net. They offer amazingly fast, friendly customer service for a relatively low price. Their business hosting package (which includes ColdFusion) is about $30/month.
What if I purchase the Character Generator and then decide to stop using it?
The character generator data is stored in a Microsoft Access database. If you decide to stop using the Character Generator, you'll still have all your data in a very common format. You could easily export the data to Excel or .csv, or even develop your own interface for the database.
Are you a LARPer?
I'm currently a campaign staff member at Atlas Adventures, an nTeraction-based LARP in Sharon, MA. I also played in several NERO chapters for about 6 years.
The Character Generator is actually the brainchild of my fiance, who was staffing another nTeraction LARP. He was frustrated at trying to maintain player and character records through a complex set of Excel spreadsheets and asked if I could develop a better way to do it. I was PCing the same LARP at the time and was frustrated at the fact that I had to email one of the poor overworked staff members every time I had a question about my character or wanted to change something. Over six months and untold hours of coding and testing later, the character generator went live. It's currently in use at Atlas Adventures.