PCGen is a free Open Source character generator and maintenance program for role-playing games. It currently supports the d20 RPG system and includes data sets based upon gaming material from Wizards of the Coast, Paizo Publishing and dozens of other publishers. PCGen runs on Windows, Mac OS X, and Unix/Linux using Java.
I collabortated with Java programmers to reorganize the way the information on PC Gen was presented. The idea was to place inputs that were the building blocks of the character creation first then build from there. Working from left to right on the screen.
The idea was repeated throughout the process. Working on foundational information on one side of the screen then finalizing user selections on the right side. In this example, a list of purchased goods are on the left and what the user bought is on the right. The bottom shows its cost and statistics in the game.
I created a new way to break down where purchased equipment is stored and worn on the character. Equipment owned show up on a list on the left, on the right is a list that is broken up by wearable locations on the character. You can drag item over from the left to the right or press the Equip button. The items show up on their proper place on the body.
After building the character, purchasing goods, and selecting powers, all the information is laid out in PDF format. I designed a simple and effective way to have a user uploaded image to appear on the PDF. This applet allows the user to make a thumbnail from the original image. Resizing the square over the image crops more of the original into a small thumbnail.
