If I would remake Heroscribe

[StratosVX]

Supporting PNG files would make it much more open for people to use existing pictures, and they have much more support, especially on older computers and tablets.

I assume you mean support PNG files for icons people have made? If so, what I would like to implement (when we get to it) is the ability to import either raster or vector images. If you import a raster image, then we would run a program on it (that Anderas already has functioning) that would convert the raster into a vector for maps and the user doesn't have to do anything extra to make it work.

[Anderas]

I estimate that I am roughly at 10% now, if we say that 100% is without any additional new functions.

Allowing people to bring their own png is a biggie. But as I did something similar last year, it should be possible. And I would like that function!

[Anderas]

What about a colored heroquest board.
A coloured line around the icons to let them stand out on the coloured board?

I took another step today. Can read the object.xml now.

[Count Mohawk]

What about a colored heroquest board.
A coloured line around the icons to let them stand out on the coloured board?

I took another step today. Can read the object.xml now.

That's an interesting idea.
Take a look at slev's Hero Quest Revised (2nd edition) for style ideas; he draws his maps in that way. Probably he does it by hand, which means a Scribe tool would expedite that sort of thing quite a bit.

[Anderas]

Yes, that's what I had in mind.

If anyone wants to support me by bringing colored graphics of HQ furniture, overlays and game boards in SVG, I'd be happy crying here.

[StratosVX]

Hey all. We are trying to figure out the data structure that we will use to incorporate all of the functionality that everyone wants to see so I am looking for some input. I can see quest elements falling into five categories:

1) Objects: These are elements that don't affect the Heroes. Furniture, map markers, room tiles, etc.
2) Monsters: This would be any character that Morcar/Zargon can control to harm the Heroes.
3) Allies: This would be anyone the Heroes encounter that can aid the Heroes in their quest.
4) Traps: Any element that can potentially cause harm to the Heroes. Must apply to current quest only (no cursed rings or anything of the like).
5) Benefits: Any element that can heal or benefit the Heroes. This would be something that must be used in the current quest. A healing fountain, a spell scroll that must be used when found, etc.

These are categories that can affect the outcome of anyone who is trying to rate difficulty in the quests they are creating. Can anyone think of any other categories that quest/map elements fall into? Keep in mind, we don't want 10 categories if we can sort them into 4 categories. For example, I can see the ability to merge Monsters/Allies and Traps/Benefits by using positive numbers to represent one half of the set and negative numbers to represent the other half, which would narrow down the categories from 5 to 3 if it would simplify the programming.

[Anderas]

The core of it is that we want to have three things:

* Quest text maker
* Questimator
* bring your own png.

So here we run into this:
* Bring your own png - so everyone has different symbols in their Heroscribe. How are quests shared then between us? Obvious solution: the non-standard symbols will have to be in the quest file somewhere.

* Quest text maker - if you use nonstandard png, you will have to have a table of monster fight values somewhere at the end of the quest. So you will have to enter the monster fight values. Thats practical, because:

* Questimator - needs monster fight values. So it is practical anyway, once you've entered it.

It means, if you make a quest, there will be an icon pack inside somehow, in order to allow sharing despite each of us having different symbols in their local HS2; and it is somewhat likely that the icon pack will contain some of the monster rules, too.

But now: Imagine you make a quest with goblins that have a defense die more. Or Goblins that have yellow symbols instead of standard symbols. That shan't overwrite the official goblin. Not yours, and not the one of the person who receives your quest and opens it in his heroscribe.

woah, maybe I am thinking too complicated, but it looks as if we need three levels of validity for anything we do:
- Official Heroquest, in best case made somehow immune to change
- Your Heroquest, containing whatever you want plus any icon pack you decide to add
- This Quest (pack) Heroquest, containing whatever the quest author likes. And maybe having a message box: This quest contains something new, do you want to add it to your Heroquest (--> showing off details)

So I am talking about....
a way to export or import each of those:
* Iconpack
* Quest (containing an iconpack)
* Quest Pack (containing some quests and an iconpack)

right?

[Stoner81]

I create my own books in A4 format so as long as I can export the map to JPG or PNG or something along those lines that Word can read I am pretty much happy I would also like to keep the UK version of the icons if possible too. Beyond that I can't think of any other functions I would like in it... I will have a think and see if I can come up with anything.



Stoner81.

[Maurice76]

If you really want to use the "bring your own png", you might also want to create an option to export png files that you find in HeroScribe releases from other people.

As far as the monster stats go, you'd have to implement a table with protected values - these should probably be the monsters from the official releases and have values that cannot be overwritten by the user. Monster names should all be unique (either generic in the form of "Orc" or named like "Grak". Then you should have the option to "clone" a monster (so it's easier to modify existing ones), with a new unique name, for instance when one wants to make an "Orc Archer", or a new named Orc like "Ograk", so people can create and implement their own monsters. The new name after cloning should probably be something like Windows does when copying a file: "Orc (1)", which the user can then edit but has to be unique in any case. All stats should be available for editing, including icon. Perhaps also include the option to create a new table entry for a new monster from scratch. Your Questimator should then read this table to figure out the quest difficulty.

If I were you, I'd make this monster table globally available to a user, not just within a quest. This way, a user can create custom monsters, that (s)he can use in other quests. And, to extend the export png option, you might also want to enable the export of these custom monsters, as well as have an import function, of one, more or all custom made monsters. If you make the export file human readable, people could also make and edit them manually outside of HeroScribe.

When making a map, these names are the ones you select (from a dropdown?) to place on the map. The way the current HeroScribe does it, is good. Hence, each monster should have an icon attached to it, which appears when you click a tile. In reverse, if you'd alter the icon assigned to a monster in the monster table, the icon should also automatically change on the map, without the user having to replace it by hand.

You might also want to consider doing something similar for traps and furniture: allow the user to clone existing data and modify it as needed.

[Anderas]

If you really want to use the "bring your own png", you might also want to create an option to export png files that you find in HeroScribe releases from other people.

As far as the monster stats go, you'd have to implement a table with protected values - these should probably be the monsters from the official releases and have values that cannot be overwritten by the user. Monster names should all be unique (either generic in the form of "Orc" or named like "Grak". Then you should have the option to "clone" a monster (so it's easier to modify existing ones), with a new unique name, for instance when one wants to make an "Orc Archer", or a new named Orc like "Ograk", so people can create and implement their own monsters. The new name after cloning should probably be something like Windows does when copying a file: "Orc (1)", which the user can then edit but has to be unique in any case. All stats should be available for editing, including icon. Perhaps also include the option to create a new table entry for a new monster from scratch. Your Questimator should then read this table to figure out the quest difficulty.

If I were you, I'd make this monster table globally available to a user, not just within a quest. This way, a user can create custom monsters, that (s)he can use in other quests. And, to extend the export png option, you might also want to enable the export of these custom monsters, as well as have an import function, of one, more or all custom made monsters. If you make the export file human readable, people could also make and edit them manually outside of HeroScribe.

When making a map, these names are the ones you select (from a dropdown?) to place on the map. The way the current HeroScribe does it, is good. Hence, each monster should have an icon attached to it, which appears when you click a tile. In reverse, if you'd alter the icon assigned to a monster in the monster table, the icon should also automatically change on the map, without the user having to replace it by hand.

You might also want to consider doing something similar for traps and furniture: allow the user to clone existing data and modify it as needed.

yes, you're getting there
So basically what you say is, you want to export or import an "icon pack" that you edited yourself. Me too.

Currently I use those monster values:
My monster list

That's a shitload of official monsters, nearly 100 of them, plus some of mine and some of Mohawk.
Note that some monsters use colored dice and are noted like WWBBO (two white, two black, one orange) with the exception of the blue who received "U" as letter.
The official EU and NA monster values should never be changed. I would go so far and add our HQ25 monster values to that "official" list, too, but maybe that's just me.

But then:
We are individualists. So if your Chaos Warriors shall defend with blue dice (two walruses on each die); then you change it.
The only difference is that your Chaos Warriors will be added to the quest book monster table and your changes will be stored in "your" heroscribe; not in the "official" monster value table.

In Heroscribe you have even some tons more symbols, so most will be delivered without any value.
This leaves everything to the user. Give it some years and we have a bunch of local heroscribes and need a method for sharing.