
---------------------------------------------------------------
Readme for Icosahedronal Character Creator Source Code
---------------------------------------------------------------

The source code has been released under the OGL (see it for details), which basically means you can do whatever the heck you want with it, as long as you include the OGL too. It's for Visual Basic 6.0, and I use Service Pack 4 (if there are more, I haven't noticed).


I'm somewhat loathe to release my source, because a) I'm afraid someone will just sell my program as is, then I'll get a lot of angry email/letters for it sucking b) I'm not a great programmer c) My code isn't commented well, and some of my comments are possibly obscene  d)I'm not entirely sure of the legal ramifications of using the OGL to release software/source code and I'm not sure if I've used completely open sources.  While I didn't use the PHB/DMG/MM when writing this, I have read them, and maybe my rules infringe on them. If so, oops.

Why am I releasing my source? Damned if I know. I guess because at the rate I'm going, I probably won't be finished with this before my 50th birthday (I am 30 now).  So someone more dedicated wants to finish, or use it as the basis for their own program, or use it as a basis for what not to do. Mostly if it can be of help to anyone, I guess.

How to install the source....

Put all the source code files in a folder.  Unzip the data files "3rded.zip" to \Microsoft Visual Studio\VB98\3rdEdition

Put the file '3rdEdition.rul' in the \Microsoft Visual Studio\VB98

The last two don't really matter in the long run, but that's where I keep mine, since I think that's where VB defaults to when you run a program in it. 

Basically, it reads in all the .rul files in the directory the .exe is at. The user picks one, and this tells the program which subfolder the datafiles are in. Not that hard in practice, really. 


Anyway, some notes on it....

I keep all my globals in a modules called "Globals.bas". I'm not sure really why, but I always do. 

AFAIK, I don't use any OCXs or custom controls. I'm also not sure if I can, legally, since I might have to include the source to them to be completely OGL compliant. 

Pretty much all the data is stored in text files. 

Most things aren't implemented completely. This should be obvious from running my program. I can implement things fully, that is, I know how, it's just a lot of work.

There are some bugs. These are generally things I either don't know how to fix (like syncing the two different list boxes if you use a mousewheel to scroll through one) or things that I am too lazy to fix at the moment.

I haven't implemented a VP/WP system because a) it hasn't been added to the SRD yet and b) I don't like it much

I have implemented two types of spell point systems. Possibly I should include the sources from the books I borrowed them from, but a) you can copyright mechanics (you have to patent) and b)I'm not sure they're open.

There's not much idiot proofing. Many times if a data file is wrong, it will crash or go into an infinite loop. Character loading can do that, too.

There's a bit that sets the patch in the world pick form. Comment that out when you are compiling the .exe for standalone purposes - it's just there to make debuging easier.

