Bugs, news and stuff: Re: [pcgen] does PCGen have a policy on incorporating rules errata into datasets?

Tuesday, January 26, 2016

Re: [pcgen] does PCGen have a policy on incorporating rules errata into datasets?

On 2016-01-26 21:44, Doug Limmer adventure@mailworks.org [pcgen] wrote:

I think the (informal) policy is to treat errata as data bugs; report 'em, and we'll fix 'em. Sometimes data folk get enthused and implement the entire set of errata at once.

individual errata vary from a few (6 or so) changes, to 10+ pages of change listings. I can't imagine anyone would want to create Jira entries for each change?

In the specific case of the Scarred Witch Doctor, it sounds like it may require a somewhat major overhaul in how not only the data are set up, but how the code works. That will take ... a while.

Ought to be simple: remove the oddball bodge to allow Con to replace Int for a prepared caster;
revert to Int for the prepared caster;
invoke a +2 bonus conditional to the archetype - similar to the +2 bonus for specific Sorcerer bloodlines which many races carry.

It would have been the 1st printing rule that needed the messy changes and code fix.

To my knowledge, we've never shipped a version of PCGen with multiple versions of an ability due to changes in printing. I imagine, under usual circumstances, you could use the old data set instead of the new one to get the old version.

fair point!

DS/DL (Data 2nd)

On 01/26/2016 03:38 PM, Saxum Caribetum saxum.caribetum@ntlworld.com [pcgen] wrote:

The recent posts on the Scarred Witch Doctor Archetype lead me to ask:

* What is the policy in PCGen for incorporating the changes brought in
by errata?

I'm considering small scale, restricted rules changes - not anything of
the scope in Pathfinder Unchained.

The errata for the Scarred Witch Doctor include a significant change,
eliminating the paragraph in the 1st edition printing where Con is used
for magic in place of Int, replaced in the 2nd edition printing by a +2
bonus to Int where used for magic.

PCGen datasets are currently coded for the 1st printing.

* Are there (would there be) an intention to update the implementation?

* If you had a character built with the 1st printing rules, could you
carry on using said character when updates came through?
* if your GM was dithering about which rule to use, how might you select
between them?

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