Character Generation Assistant Standard Version Version 1.00 Copyright (c) 1992 David Zvekic, John Jennings, Tim Wildeboer DISCLAIMER Although every attempt to be true to the original Advanced Dungeons & Dragons 2nd Edition rules have been made it is possible that something was overlooked. This may be in the form of a software error or an oversight. In any case we take no liability to any possible damage caused by the use of this software or the failure of this software to perform as intended. ACKNOWLEDGEMENTS It must be noted that this program was produced without TSR's knowledge. We have made every effort to observe all copyright, and trade mark laws. The intention of this program is not to displace the Players Handbook or any supplement published by TSR Inc. It is intended to be used WITH those supplements by speeding up the character creation process. The Players Handbook is a completely invaluable tool and a copy of it must be available before this program can be of any use. Further more, use of this program is restricted to those who own a copy of the Players Handbook published by TSR. Advanced Dungeons & Dragons is in our opinion the most complete and enjoyable of all role-playing games on the market. We take ABSOLUTELY NO CREDIT for it's creation or publication. We take this opportunity to formally give thanks to TSR for producing this fine game. "AD&D" and "Advanced Dungeons & Dragons" are trade marks owned by TSR inc. -1- TABLE OF CONTENTS Disclaimer and Acknowledgements................1 Table of Contents..............................2 Introduction...................................3 Using CGA......................................4 System Requirements............................4 Required Files.................................4 Getting Started................................5 Main Menu......................................6 Ability Generation Menu........................8 Race Selection.................................9 Class Selection...............................10 Trivialities..................................10 Academics.....................................11 Spells and Magic..............................12 Thieves' Guild................................12 Equipment.....................................12 Disk Operation................................13 View/Edit.....................................14 Dimension Door................................14 Registration Information......................15 -2- INTRODUCTION Well met! You now have in your possession the most powerful character generation software ever created. With only the public domain version you will be able to create all standard type characters up to 20th level. All aspects of character generation covered in the PLAYERS HANDBOOK, are covered in this program. Spells, proficiencies, equipment, it's all there. Now you will be able to quickly and easily make characters in the middle of a session. Never again, will players have to sit out of the action creating new characters. Character Generation Assistant makes it so easy! All the tables and charts needed for character generation are built right into the computers memory. You won't have to look anything up, except the occasional spell description. But even that is easier because Character Generation Assistant will tell you the page number! Creating characters for Advanced Dungeons & Dragons 2nd edition has never been so easy, or so much fun! This manual will take you step by step through the character generation process. It is important to note, however, that it is not our intention that this supplement replace the Players Handbook. Rather we consider this program an AID in the character generation process. With this in mind, rule specifics will not be discussed herein, but rather the processes involved. Where more information can be found in the Players Hand Book, we will include a page reference. The names "AD&D" and "Advanced Dungeons & Dragons" are trademarks owned by TSR Inc. -3- USING CHARACTER GENERATION ASSISTANT Character Generation Assistant (CGA) is a menu driven program and is very easy to use. In addition to keyboard entry CGA also supports the mouse in the menus. To select an option with the mouse, move the pointer over the desired item and double click. A single click will move the selection bar to that item without selecting it. With the keyboard use the arrow keys to move the selection bar and press ENTER to select an option. The ESC key can be used at any time to return to the previous menu or abort an operation. SYSTEM REQUIREMENTS In order to fully utilize this program you must meet the minimum system requirements. Specifically you must have: IBM PC/XT/AT or Compatible Any color graphics adapter. 256 KB of Memory. PC-DOS (MS-DOS) 3.00 or higher. 1 disk drive. The Players Handbook published by TSR inc. CGA Standard version supports the following additional hardware and will provide better performance when used with them although they are not required: Microsoft or compatible mouse. Lotus/Intel/Microsoft Expanded Memory 3.2 or later. Any sort of printer. WHAT'S INCLUDED CGA requires thirty different library files in addition to the following files in order to function properly. CGA will also be creating more files as you use it. It is therefore suggested that you keep CGA in either it's own directory or on a separate disk. If any of these files are missing you will not be able to access that particular section to which they pertain. You will either see a "File not Found" error on the screen or the program will halt and return - RUNTIME ERROR - #02. DOS FILE NAME DESCRIPTION CGA.EXE Main Program CGA.OVR Overlay CGA.TXT This file READ.ME! Last minute changes -4- Library Files PRSTLVL1.LIB PRSTLVL2.LIB PRSTLVL3.LIB PRSTLVL4.LIB PRSTLVL5.LIB PRSTLVL6.LIB PRSTLVL7.LIB WIZLVL1.LIB WIZLVL2.LIB WIZLVL3.LIB WIZLVL4.LIB WIZLVL5.LIB WIZLVL6.LIB WIZLVL7.LIB WIZLVL8.LIB WIZLVL9.LIB SKILLS.LIB W_PROFS.LIB SPECIFY.LIB WEAPONS.LIB ARMOUR.LIB SHIELDS.LIB CLOTH.LIB PROV.LIB TACK.LIB TRANS.LIB ANIMAL.LIB SERV.LIB LODGE.LIB MISC.LIB GETTING STARTED To begin using Character Generation Assistant, first go to the directory or disk drive, which contains the main program and library files then type: "CGA". This will load the program into memory and run it. If you do not have a mouse and for some reason a mouse cursor appears at the top left hand corner of your screen you can override the automatic mouse detection routine by typing: "CGA -M" instead of simply "CGA". From here on in, this manual will refer to Character Generation Assistant as CGA. Before starting make sure to read the READ.ME! file for any last minute changes not discussed in the main manual. -5- MAIN MENU After the title screen you will be brought to the main menu. In the main menu there are two windows, one in the centre of the screen, and one on the left. The window on the left is a status box and when you begin will report "New Character". This window will change as your character is developed. The centre window contains the menu options. From the main menu you have the following choices: Ability Generation Race Selection Class Selection Trivialities Academics Equipment Selection Disk Operations View/Edit Character Dimension Door Quit Ability Generation: This is the first step in character generation. It is here that you may roll your characters' attributes. Race Selection: This is the second step in character generation. Here you may select a race and gender. Class Selection: This option allows you to choose a class for your character. Trivialities: This is the fourth option and provides for the selection of Alignment, Experience Levels and printing operations. It is important to note that currently CGA standard version will not print out an entire character but only the first page. CGA Enhanced Version will make complete print outs. Academics: This section is where you may select proficiencies, spells and thief skills. CGA requires that the character is saved before entering this section. Equipment: This is the where the character can go shopping for supplies, weapons, armour, clothes, and anything else listed in the Players Handbook. Complete descriptions of all items can be found in that manual. CGA requires that the character is saved before entering the equipment section. -6- One limitation of CGA standard version 1.00 is that it automatically generates a characters starting income based on rules given on page 66 of the PHB. CGA enhanced version allows the entry of any desired amount of money. Another feature of CGA enhanced version is that it allows you to create custom unique items for your characters inventory! This option provides for magic armour and items of any design. In addition, included will be a new field, entitled "Virtual Encumbrance". This provides for the rules on page 79 of the Players Handbook, which govern the encumbrance values of awkward items and magical armor. Disk Operations: This is where you can save your character, Summon a character, delete a character and perform other Disk oriented operations. Hence the name. View/Edit Character: This section allows you to look at the current character and edit his or her information. Dimension Door: Selecting this options engages a DOS shell. If your system does not have enough memory or if COMMAND.COM can not be found, an error message will appear and you will be returned to the main menu. Quit: This option ends, the current CGA session and returns you to DOS. -7- ABILITY GENERATION MENU When you enter this menu, two windows appear, one in the centre and one toward the upper left corner of the screen. The window to the left displays the current attributes. The centre window is a menu with the following options: Roll 3d6 Roll 3d6 twice - Use Highest Roll 3d6 twelve times Roll 4d6 - Use top three Start with 8 - Add 7d6 to taste Rearrange Attributes Choose Attributes Return to Main Menu Roll 3d6: This is the standard method of rolling attributes. Three six sided dice are rolled and the sum of the three rolls is used. This is done for each attribute. Roll 3d6 twice - Use Highest: This method is a modification of the previous method in that 3d6 is rolled twice for each attribute and the highest value of the two is used. Roll 3d6 twelve times: With this method is 3d6 are rolled twelve times in total and the six highest rolls of the twelve are used. It is recommended that the final ability scores are rearranged as the final rolls are assigned in order or decreasing value. Roll 4d6 - Use top three: Roll 4 six sided dice for each attribute and use the values of the three highest dice for each ability. Start with 8 - Add 7d6 to taste: With this method all 6 of a character's basic attributes begin with a value of eight. Seven dice are rolled and displayed in a buffer on the right hand side of the screen. By selecting 1 die at a time, it is possible to selectively place each die on any attribute you desire so long as no attribute exceeds 18. Rearrange Attributes: This feature allows the character to be customized to your own liking. Select a score to swap, by moving the highlight bar over the ability. Then press ENTER or double click the mouse. You will notice the score will change colours. This indicates that the score is currently active. It will be automatically swapped with the next ability you select. Once selected you can abort rearranging an ability by swapping it with itself. -8- Choose Attributes: This feature is to allow users to enter a pre-existing character into CGA for easier editing or future maintenance (using the CGA enhanced version). To edit a score, move the highlight bar over the desired ability and select it. The entire line will change colours indicating it's status. You may then use the keyboard to enter in any value up to 18. Press ESC to abort editing a value. (It is possible to enter a value as high as 25 in the VIEW/EDIT screen. This section is limited to 18 as it is intended for creating new characters. Players will note that any character with starting attributes higher then 18 can not qualify for ANY standard race. Return to Main Menu: As you may have already guessed, selecting this option will bring you back to the main menu. RACE SELECTION MENU This menu allows for the selection of a race and, more importantly sex, for your character. CGA speeds up this process by automatically listing all the races (and genders) that your character qualifies for. In most cases your character will qualify for all 2 sexes, but usually 1 or more of the 6 standard races will be unavailable. If you select "Halfling" CGA will automatically determine wether, or not, you have any Stout blood. If you do then your special abilities (listed in the VIEW/EDIT section) will be adjusted accordingly. As it stands it not possible to force CGA to generate a Stout halfling but we intend to change this in future versions. To select a race use the up and down arrow keys or the mouse. To select a gender use the left and right key or the mouse. Once race and gender are selected, pressing ENTER will record the change and return you to the main menu. Pressing ESC will abort this option and return you to the main menu. If your attributes are too low (or too high!) to qualify for any race you will be given an error message and prevented from selecting this option. It is still possible to create characters with extraordinarily low or high attributes by selecting a race and then modifying the attributes afterwards in the VIEW/EDIT section. For more information on races, consult the Player Handbook, pages 20 through 24. -9- CLASS SELECTION MENU This menu allows you to select a class or occupation for your character. CGA automatically determines what classes your character qualifies for and generates a list accordingly. To select a class simply use the up and down arrow keys or your mouse to move the menu bar to the selection desired and press ENTER or double click the left mouse button. After that, you will be returned to the main menu. For more information on classes, see the Player Handbook pages 25 through 45 TRIVIALITIES This menu contains the options for completing minor details relevant to the character, and creating print outs. Don't let the title "Trivialities" frighten you. We must all face our destinies at some time. Alignments: Selecting option #1 will allow you to choose an alignment for the character. A complete list of all alignments the current character may choose as restricted by class and or race is presented. Use the mouse or the arrow keys to move the highlight bar over the desired alignments then press ENTER or double click the mouse button. Complete alignment descriptions are available on pages 46 through 49 of the Players Handbook. Levels and Experience: To choose an experience level, click on the this option, type in the desired experience level and press ENTER. CGA automatically makes all adjustments to Spell Casting abilities, proficiency slots and hit points as required by the rules. It is important to note that CGA standard version is not intended to maintain old characters but to update new ones. CGA will reroll hit points as if the character was brand new. CGA enhanced version is designed to for character maintenance and provides many more options. Printing: This option may not be particularly useful as it is not fully implemented in the standard version. However it will give you an idea of some of the benefits of registering. You will be prompted for the location of your printer. Most printers are located on LPT1. If you do not know where your printer is located, you can not harm your system or CGA by testing all the options until your character prints out. If you desire to copy your character to a text file this -10- is also possible. You will be prompted for a file name. Do not type in the name of your characters data file as this will completely overwrite the file. If a file already exists, you will be warned and given the option of aborting. ACADEMICS MENU This menu is for the training and schooling of your characters. This menu is divided into four sections: "Non- Weapon Proficiencies", "Weapon Proficiencies", "Spells and Magic", and "Thieves' Skills". Non-Weapon Proficiencies: Two windows open when this option is selected, The one in the bottom left indicates the number of free slots, or the number of courses that can be taken. The central window contains a list of proficiencies. All proficiencies listed in red fall outside of the character's proficiency groups. These proficiencies cost 1 extra slot above the listed price. Those is white are available at normal cost. A proficiency can be chosen more than once times for advanced study. Each time a proficiency is chosen again the base chance is incremented by 1. To learn a proficiency use the up and down arrow keys or mouse to select the proficiency, and use the left and right arrows to highlight "L:Learn" and press enter or double click. To view the proficiencies that you have already learned, select "TAB:Personal Listing" or press TAB. At this point a similar window to the central window will appear and all the proficiencies your character has learned already will be displayed. In the unlikely event that your character has more proficiencies then can be displayed at one time using the up and down arrow keys will scroll the display. It is possible to drop a proficiency your character knows. Move the selection bar over the proficiency in your personal listing then select "D:Drop". The proficiency will be removed from your list and your slots refunded. Weapon Proficiencies: The weapon proficiency menu works in exactly the same way as the non-weapon proficiency section. To Specialize in a proficiency select it twice. Only single class Fighters may specialize. For specific information on weapon and non-weapon proficiencies, see the Players Handbook published by TSR, pages 51 through 65 -11- SPELLS AND MAGIC This section has the same operating structure as the proficiency section, the menu has the same selections and operates exactly the same. The character simply uses the menu bar to select the spells he wants. The chart on the bottom of the screen displays the number of spells the character can cast per day per level. Please note that the letters PHB in the source column of the spell lists stand for the Players Handbook. THIEVES' GUILD This menu lets you enter in the special thieves' skills from the Players Handbook. To enter a skill level use the up and down arrows to select the skill and press enter to edit the skill level. CGA has already inserted the base skill levels and added the dexterity and race modifiers. When you have picked your skill levels, following the rules in the Players Handbook on pages 38 through 40, move the menu bar over "Keep Skills" and press enter. CGA standard version makes no attempt to book keep your skill points and this is entirely up to you. EQUIPMENT MENU This section allows you to purchase equipment and supplies for your character. The primary equipment menu displays all the groups from which you can buy, equipment. Similar to the Players Handbook, this section is separated into subgroups such as Clothing, Weapons etc. Select an equipment group and you will be brought to a secondary equipment menu. Similar in make up to the proficiency section this menu lists all the items available to be purchased. At the bottom of the screen is a list of the character's remaining money. Currently CGA automatically converts all the characters money to the highest denomination. This will be changed in the next release of CGA. For more information on equipment and currency see the Players Handbook, pages 66 through 79. -12- DISK OPERATIONS MENU This section permits you to save characters for future editing, to load pre-made characters, and to delete character on disk. It also allows the user to change, make, and remove directories. Disk operations options are as follows: Summon A Character Save A Character Mind Wipe (Initialize) Hire Assassin Change Directory Create Directory Delete Directory Return to Main Menu Summon A Character: This option loads a character into memory. Save A Character: This option saves the current character to disk. Mind Wipe (Initialize): This option clears the character from memory. Hire Assassin: This option hires Hank the master assassin to search the current path for a character and terminate him (or her). Hank is very systematic and when in doubt will eliminate any files found on the disk with the same name as the character. So be careful not to name characters' Data Files with the same name as other files or else Hank will finish them ALL off. Change Directory: This option changes the current directory for Disk Operations, but the current dos directory remains the same. Create Directory: This option Creates a directory off the current directory. Delete Directory: This option removes a directory from the disk. -13- VIEW EDIT SCREEN This section allow you to view the character and edit some of the data fields. To edit a field use the Tab key or the up and down arrow keys, or the mouse to move between fields. Press enter or double click to edit the field. To view alternate data pages, use the PgUp and PgDn keys, or double-click on the appropriate menu items. Pressing the ESC key at any time to will return you to the main menu. PAGE 1 This is the first page of 4 pages available in CGA standard version. It shows most of a character's basic information. It is possible to edit a character's name, alignment, age, sex, height, weight, attributes and hit points on this page. The characters Class, level and experience points are also shown but can not be edited in the standard version. PAGE 2 This page will show the character's special abilities if he or she has any. PAGE 3 This page will show all of a character modifiers resulting from his attributes, such as bonuses to hit, damage, bend bars lift gates etc. PAGE 4 If the character has any thief abilities these will be revealed on this page. DIMENSION DOOR Like the famous psionic ability of the same name this option will instantaneously transport you through a dimensional portal to a different location. However unlike the famous psionic ability of the same name, you will have no choice where you will arrive. You will usually arrive DOS prompt. Type "exit" at a dos prompt to return to CGA. If your system does not have enough memory to load COMMAND.COM or another error occurs you will be informed of this and returned to CGA Main Menu. -14- REGISTRATION INFORMATION Character Generation Assistant is public domain. However we wouldn't mind actually receiving some reimbursement for the hundreds of hours put into this project. So we have taken a new approach to marketing. A little different from the Share-Ware concept. We will continue to produce CGA standard version and make improvements upon it, but the concept will be to create NEW characters from scratch. As a result many features will never be implemented in CGA standard version. In addition printing may never be fully implemented in CGA standard version (at least until we think of something better not to implement!). You are free to use CGA standard version and make as many copies as you like provided the package remains intact in it's original unmodified form. CGA ENHANCED VERSION: CGA Enhanced Version is intended to be a full Character generation and maintenance program. Our intention is to create an environment where ALL bookkeeping and maintenance tasks necessary in the AD&D game can be accomplished quickly and painlessly with computer. Character generation should not be a loathsome pain in the neck, but rather a joy akin to giving birth (Or something to that effect!) The following features are implemented in CGA Enhanced Version 1.00: Full Printing of characters Selection of exact experience points for multiple classes. Modifying a characters money supply Creating new and unique inventory items "Virtual Encumbrance" Dual-Classed Human Characters In addition, you will recieve a beautiful printed manual and the option to upgrade to future versions of CGA for only $5.00 plus shipping and handling (and tax if applicable). Also in the works are optional upgrades similar to the "Complete Fighter's Handbook" and other supplements published by TSR. -15- To register print out the file REGISTER.DOC, fill it in and send a check or money order for $35, payable to JOHN JENNINGS to: Technomancy 69 Liebeck Cres. Unionville, Ont. L3R 1Y4 Ontario orders please add 8% for PST. USA orders please use Mail Order or a check drawable on a Canadian Bank. Please Specify "US funds" on the check or money order. Overseas Orders please pay $40 US funds by International Money Order or a check drawable on a Canadian Bank. The above prices include shipping and handling and GST if applicable (which currently isn't! 'cause we don't make enough money!). -16-