Screenshots for SuiteGM Plugin Creator Use Case Steps

Download & Start

The user first downloads the latest SuiteGM.jar file.

Then from the command line (until .exe and similar add-ons created), use needs to run:

c:\downloads\java -jar SuiteGM-pre-alpha-20091116a.jar

This starts up SuiteGM. They are then prompted for a language preference (right now only English, but other languages will be added):

The use has the option to be prompted for language preferance again at startup (default), or they may check the checkbox

to indicate they do not wish to be asked again. They can change their language settings later from the Main Menu's Language preferences button.

Next they are shown the License Agreement.

The must checkmark the box indicating they agree to the license. If they do not agree, they may click the Cancel button.

Once they click the Agree checkmark, then the "Next" button is enabled. They will not be asked to agree again at startup (TODO).

They can view the license any time they want from the Main Menu under Help > View License (TODO).

When they click the Next>> button for the License Agreement, they will then be shown the SuiteGM Main Menu.

Main Menu

In the upper right quadrant, is the "Manage RPG System Plugins" button. To manage import/export, and creation of SuiteGM RPG system plugins, the use will click this button.

Suite GM Plugin Management

The use will then be presented with the SuiteGM Plugin Management Menu:

To import an already created plugin, the user woulc click the "Import RPG System Plugin from file" button, and they would be presented with a standard file browser dialog to select the file to open.

SuiteGM Plugin Creator

To create a new plugin, the use will click the "Create New RPG System Plugin" button.

SuiteGM Plugin Creator - Game System Tab

The Plugin Creator allows the user to fill in all the necessary categories, fields, and logic that define their RPG system.

The Game System tab defines basic information about the game system, version, and the SuiteGM plugin information.

RPG Company Name defines the publisher/creator/author of the game system. Example: Wizards of the Coast.

RPG Name is the standard name of the game. Example: Dungeons & Dragons.

RPG Version states the version of the game system as lsited the publisher, if this is the only version, then either blank or 1 or 1.0 is fine. Example: 3.5.

RPG Nick Name defines the typical nickname used to refer to this game. Example: D&D 3.5.

Plugin Version Number defines the version of this SuiteGM plugin that the user is creating. If this is the first time the plugin is being created for this game system, then the default is already 1.0. The user may however change this version as they wish. Something being considered is a "Creator username". This would be the username (on the suitegm site) of the person who created this version of the plugin. This would allow mod'd plugins for the same system versions to be available for people to pick from for different reasons such as alternative rules. The default is empty.

Plugin Filename will be saves as, indicates the filename that this plugin will be saved under. When going through the final save process, the filename will autogenerate based on information

from the RPG Nick Name, plus the RPG Version, plus the Username, plus the Plugin Version. For example: dnd3.5hawke1.0.xml.

The user has the option to edit this field to a custom name instead.

SuiteGM Plugin Creator - Non-System Fields

The "Non-System Fields" tab allows the user to select fields that are generally not system mechanics realted, but fairly common fields to track in a game system, such as the GameMaster or Campaign Names, or common physical characteristics of PC's and NPCs such as hair, eyes, and build.

 SuiteGM Plugin Creator - Common Fields

The "Common Fields" tab allows the user to select/enable and detail the more common fields frequently found in most RPG systems. By default none of these fields are checked/enabled...

Entering Data for Common Fields - Races

When the user enables the checkbox of a field, in this example "Races",  they are prompted with a popup dialog guiding them on their next steps

(will this be too annoying for users? Maybe just limit it to the first time, such as Races, then do NOT prompt for the other fields?):

they must then enter the name for this field category in the field to the right of the checkbox text.

In this example "Species" was entered. Then they must click the "Save" button.

At the same time as the Save button is clicked,

(maybe rename this, it is misleading, nothing is actually saved yet)

The Tree and Properties areas become more fully visible and enabled.Also the Add Race, Add Row, Show Tree, Close Tree, and Save Properities buttons all become visible now for use:

 Now, the user can click "Add Race" to add a race/species. They are presented with the following popup dialog to do so:

 When they click OK, it adds the entry to the Tree listing, in this case under Species there is now a listing for Elf, and with subsequent "Add Race" clicking, other species are added

as show below for Dwarf, Human, Halfling. Then the use may click on any one of the listings in the Tree view, and this will give them on the right, information about any properties that have been

specified for this item (Default is empty). The user may edit the existing properties on the right, or "Add Row" to add additional/new properties. After adding, the user clicks the "Save Properties" button to save changes. They can do so for each item. The image below shows properties filled out for the Elf race, for StatMods for DEX and Con:

(Note, this properties section is still just a mock up, and not yet properly functional):

More coming soon.....