Re: [Ogf-l] Possible Formation of Project

[Tir Gwaith]

This is EXACTLY how PCGen does it - everything can be manipulated by changing one of the data files.  When I stumble across something that can't be manipulated, (I'm the chief data person), it immediately goes to the top of the priority list for correction to data-driven.  Often upon discovery, it is fixed before the next beta (usually weekly.)   PCGen is distributed in 3 parts. The first is the actual program.  It is strictly an interpreter.  In that distobution are some datafiles that set up what we call 'Game Modes' which define basics of any campaign such as Stats and what each stat does.  Again - those are text data files.  Even this won't do anything without the second part, which contains data files for different sources, including the SRD and MSRD (and soon the RSRD).  Out third part is the documentation and output (character) sheets.   Andrew McDougall a.k.a. Tir Gwaith PCGen Data Silverback and BoD Most of my files are _javascript_s, so this became a non-issue for me.  Others have worked around this by writing a binary file that manipulates human-readable data files.  Thus, others could build upon the program by writing new or expanded data files, thus preserving the spirit of sharing.  I *think* this os what PC GEN does.   -Jeffrey A. Mills, DVM www.DimensionsGameSoftware.com