[Rq-rules] *** JUNK MAIL ***Re: Suggestions needed: Chaos Project collection/DBRP Status

[Simon Phipp]

Peter Maranci:

  
> I brought this up long ago, I think, but once again I'm thinking about
> trying to organize the Chaos Project on my site into some more useful
> format.
  >
> The ideal would be some sort of online sortable database, but that's beyond
> my abilities. So how about a set of Excel worksheets? Can everybody use
> those?

  Didn't you do something like this a while ago? I remember that the descriptions used to be in a single-item format, which was very hard to use when looking for multiple items/abilities. The way you organise it at the moment, with everything on a single page, is far better, in my opinion.
   
  Of course, Excel Workbooks are also very useful, as I have found out myself recently. They are better for character sheets than magic item/found item/chaos features, though. However, having said that, they are just tables and would suit the one-line items.
  
> I'd have to expand them, of course, adding additional fields for sorting
> purposes; an "Indoor/Outdoor/Any" field for Found Items, for example.
> Actually, if anyone wants to suggest what types of fields would be most
> helpful for sorting purposes, that would be really helpful.

  You'd need a field that indicates "One of a Kind/Rare/Common", another to show who normally wants the item, another to show who normally hates the item, perhaps another to show where the item is normally found, another to show what the item is commonly worth.
   
  > But I can see that one thing I really need to get from the members here, if
> possible, is some idea of what categories the data should be broken into.
>
> In other words, how would you, the most likely users, want to be able to
> filter this data?

  I'd like a split between Treasures (as in Plunder, named one-of-a-kind or rare items, such as Scala's Lance or Scarlet Scimitars) and Items (generic or minor items, such as a rock that glows green when broos approach or a sling with a speedart matrix).
   
  Some kind of found item table, with percentages, would be nice, but that would have to be of the nested tables kind. So, the first table has references to table 2, table 3, table 4, table 5 and so on, where each of the other tables has tightly focussed items of a similar power level. Was that clear, I'm not sure.
   
  So, you might have 1-40 Scabby Item Table, 41-60 Reasonable Item Table, 61-80 Good Item Table, 81-90 Excellent Item Table, 91-95 Treasure Table, 96-00 Cursed Item Table, or whatever.
   
  You'd also need to include all the items in a single document, for those GMs who like to cherry-pick items for different scenarios.
   
  I'd keep the split between Found Items and Magic Items, though, although you can find magic items as well. 
   
  
> For found items, I imagine potential location would be high on the list. But
> I don't know if it should be on a relatively abstract level (i.e.
> indoor/outdoor/any) or more detailed (perhaps
> city/wilderness/village/underground/any).
   
  The trouble with this is that most of the items could be found anywhere. There are very few that would be out of place in a town or in the wilderness. 
  
> My dream is to make something that can be used as an online tool, a quick
> way to generate a random found item or magic item or chaotic feature. Or a
> *list* of handy items/features. It would be nice if the tool could be
> downloaded and used off-line, although since it would continue to be
> updated, that would only be a snapshot. And ideally, it would be possible
> for users to enter their own material online - although given the way that
> spammers took down my RuneQuest wiki, I'd probably need to have some sort of
> registration process in place. It's a relatively small number of people
> who've regularly added to the project, anyway.
   
  So, put some tables together, link them to other tables, link the entries in the tables to item/features and let people roll them up themselves. Doing it this way enables you to have a load of different front-end tables using the same reference list.

> So...if anyone is familiar with the Chaos Project, what I'd really like to
> know is what would be the most useful filters for sorting? For example,
> Chaotic Features: I'm stumped. Perhaps they could somehow be separated into
> general threat levels, such as "minor/major/extreme"? And magic items; how
> would you divide them up?
   
  I wouldn't use minor/major/extreme, I'd use functional categories.So, you might have body parts, immunities, vulnerabilities, invisibility, magical abilities, enhanced characteristics and so on.
  
> Sorry to ask so many questions and to take up so much bandwidth here, but
> I'm honestly puzzled. Any feedback will be MUCH appreciated.

  It's one of those areas where everyone will have their opinions on how to do it.
   
  How not to do it, in my opinion, is to have to download 296 HTML files for 296 chaos features, though.
   
  By the way, I've never contributed to the Chaos Project, not because I don't like the idea but I've got items and abilities on my own web site. However, if you ever like anything on my website, then feel free to copy it into the Chaos Project - I don't mind as long as it says it came from me, and I don't need to be asked, either.
  
Arthur Mathias:
  
  > I have some other ideas for some other online applications (random 
> generators, experience and hit point systems, magik tables) but will wait to 
> start that on another string.

  I did something once to generate treasure using the tables from Plunder, based on Treasure Factors. I think it was in Pascal and worked reasonably well. You could do it in Excel fairly easily, I thibnk.
   
  Steve Davies:
  
> Can anyone give me an update on the status of DBRP? 
> I'm thinking there are supposed to be some game demos
> coming up, which should mean the rules are in good
> shape, but I've lost sight of this (through the
> Mongoose RQ haze). If there is a planned release
> date, I'd love to know. The Chaosium site is quiet on
> the subject.
   
  They were talking about getting something done for Continuum/Gencon (?) in July. I'm not sure if that is set in stone, or just wishful thinking. It looks as though it is possible, from the current state of the rules.
  
See Ya
   
  Simon
   
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