(Reposted) Non-PDF Formats for RPG's

[Zzarchov]

Again, in this specific instance I would be the "Bumbling Programmer" , my only defense to your very valid comments are that I would be even worse in traditional print layout

Still I really do apprecite comments like yours because they allow me to start fixing areas that need improvement. How quickly those fixes come are based entirely off my free time Im afraid, but I do take note of all the flaws and try to improve them as quickly as I can.

[Nephilim]

[Zzarchov]

[Wolfboy]

You can embed pages and chapters and bookmarks and things in PDFs when you make them. My proof for this is (shudder) which, for all its irredeemable unplayability and and rape tables and the rest DID have a bookmark system so you could easily navigate the PDF. Of course, the horrendous construction of that book totally invalidated the point of having such handy indexing tech at your fingertips. But it does prove it can be done.

[Zzarchov]

Absolutely bookmarking can be done, not by the tools I have I should point out though.

And bookmarking is still a bit of a ways from my end goal (once I get the layout more formalized), inline linking. If you don't understand a term you can click on a word and open up the "page" describing it. This obviously can't happen till I work out all the bugs in text layout.

Also, I can't hide nearly as many easter eggs in a pdf (there are some fun ones) nor generators. For example Piecemeal comes with automatic XP generators.

That being said, working on the platform issue, Anyone who does have interest should check out the mono project

http://www.mono-project.com/Main_Page

mono is a program that runs programs written for different operating systems through itself. Thus you can run Piecemeal.exe through mono on a Mac or a PC running Linux. Similar in concept to Java.

[Dyson Logos]

The biggest problem with the non-PDF format is printing it.

I'll READ the game on my computer. But I'll want a hardcopy to run it.

[Zzarchov]

Yes that is a bit unavoidable as a problem isn't it.

A printable version is on my to do list. I merely have my doubts of how many people would really print a behemoth of a system without already liking and being familiar with the system enough to pass judgement. Hence a print ready version not being readily available. My goal is to have one when I reach v1.0

[Wolfboy]

If you're using something like OpenOffice, which exports to pdf as native, surely it'd be a reasonably easy ask to make a pdf distribution of your game (assuming the whole thing's ready to go, of course) and then go through and force the extra page breaks or whatever you'd need to make it printer-friendly?

[Kinslayer]

As one of those dirty Linux users, I am unable to read Piecemeal. I cannot get it to run under Wine. Asking me to spend several additional hours (beyond what I already spent on it) to try and recompile it to make it work, or to download additional software like Mono, is simply a no-go.

For me and all other non-Windows users, opening a pdf does not involve invoking a .exe executable file. Yes, opening pdf's involves software, but not of that variety. Even when staying within the Windows world differences between operating systems often means that an executable created for one version will not operate with another. All of this means that I am unable to read Piecemeal at all, which is sad as I was looking forward to it after reading your blog.

I know quite a few people who print out a pdf for the game table. Until a couple of months ago I was one of them (then I realised I could randomise my notes and find them rapidly via the search function). Ultimately, this is your game and you can do whatever you want with it, but I cannot help but feel that there are better ways to do the layout.

[Zzarchov]

Dirty Linux Users eh?

Im sorry you feel insulted but Im certainly in no means calling you or Linux distro's "dirty".

If you have linux, many distro's have Mono by default. Mono is not a program you have JUST to run this, its one of the most useful programs for linux. Its akin to the argument "If you are putting it in a PDF format instead of a text file you are forcing me to download Adobe Acrobat just so I can view your RPG"

Now I am considering throwing it on Java, though I am a bit rusty on Java (it'll be good practice), but in the end you will still need a Java virtual machine.

However this will take awhile as Im looking at finding a good VB.net converter to Java (currently looking at VBeeJ), if anyone has interest in seeing this on Java I'd love any suggestions.