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[PTU] RAMP - Random Automated Micro-ventures for Pokemon; What do your Pokemon get up to when you aren't watching them?
Topic Started: Apr 11 2015, 12:13 PM (3,313 Views)
Elemental Knight
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Knight of the Spread Sheet
[ *  *  *  *  * ]
Nah, that sounds like something I'd love to talk about!

I'd started writing up a line-by-line walkthrough of the code in the RAMP sheet, but then it occurred to me that that might not be what you really want - you might want something a little more high-level, about its design rather than its functionality as a tool. (I've talked a little bit about its design as a game system, but I can certainly talk more about that, too, if desired.) So, I'll talk about that here!

It's such a broad question, too... I suppose the one key thing to take away from the RAMP sheet is the idea of slotting one piece of relevant data into another, combining the pieces like you might put words into a mad-lib. This covers both how it does the stated variables (things like <TRAINER> and <POKEMON>), and also how it slots in the results of each skill check.

The first key piece here is that Excel, and Excel VisualBasic, both have ways to flat-out do a find-and-replace to a string. Once it's determined that a skill check is a success or a failure, the sheet looks up the relevant bit of text. It then does the find-and-replace on that segment, swapping out the Trainer's name, Pokemon's name, or the names of the whole team, as necessary. Then it adds it to the end of the story, and moves on to the next bit, be it another skill check, or the story's denouement.

One thing that makes the RAMP a little easier to write for and code for is that it doesn't actually offer proper branching stories - each check is a success or a failure, and failures end the story right there. It'd certainly be possible to make a version that handles branches, but that would also make the stories much more complex to write. (This, among many other reasons, is why proper, branching, consequential stories are rare in RPG or MMO video games.)

...

I'm not sure if that helps you or not, but that's the basic, core idea of the RAMP sheet: the story itself is fairly static, the branches are binary (succeed/fail), and the data slotted in is just enough to give it a more personalized feeling without having to actually write a unique story for each and every possible Pokemon.

So, I guess: What additional help or guidance would you like? I'm happy to talk more about makin' Excel tools and the design decisions behind how I implement them, but I think I need more specific questions. Lemme know!

...

And, of course: Keep writing stories as they come to you, folks! The RAMP tool only gets better as more stories are added.
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Deleted User
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Well, it was just more an issue of curiosity than anything. I got into PTU a couple of years ago, and I had to decide whether or not I wanted to learn Google's version of the spreadsheet or Microsoft's, in a sense.

Since I ultimately ended up going Docs, the chasm between myself and Excel has only gotten wider over the years. At this point, I'm better off just trying to figure out how people are doing things in Excel and trying my best to replicate or recreate them in Google Sheets, as the sheets cannot do a lot of things that the Excel program can, so thank you for the reply.

I'm currently trying to create a RAMP that functions in GSheets, but is much lighter, without skill checks and fewer variables - no Trainer, no team names, no more than one Pokémon and its articles (he, his, him, it). Maybe I'll call it Son of RAMP.
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Elemental Knight
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Go for it! I'm always happy for folks to build off of my work. Just be sure to give credit where it's due if it turns into anything really neat. ^_^

I'd also be curious to see what you come up with in Docs. I've never messed with it as much as maybe I should, and I know it's quite capable, though not quite to Excel's power level.

As as before, if you ever need to ask questions or run something by me, feel free to ask! Whether it's specific to this tool, or just a more general questions about spreadsheets, tools, or Pokemon Tabletop, I'm always happy to talk.
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Awesome, thanks! I'll happily link you to what I'm working on. I'll send you a PM. And, yes, credit will be given.
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I managed to get it completely working, EK, and the character sheet I created has been copied by Doccit and officially added to his PPP system. He provides a link to his copy of it in the rulebook for his game. Since you let me use your adventure descriptions and adapt them to fit the game, you helped with this game by proxy, so you have been named in the book in the Table of Contents along with all the others who helped in its creation. :)
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Muted_ReDead
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I just submitted my first story! I know the decision to make the story neutral might seem very odd (given that even a paragon could partake in it), but I wrote that story with the implication that a lasher or a similar trainer could turn any pokemon into a ruthless, sadistic fighter if a pokemon is strained just right, even if the pokemon is naturally good-natured and friendly.
(Also, bump)
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Elemental Knight
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Hah! I'm glad to see someone contributing, even so long after I last looked at this tool and idea.

Thank you for the added quest, ReDead. I've added it to the sheet and updated it in Google Drive. Fun fact: That is Adventure #50 for the sheet!

If people still find the concept interesting, I'd be glad to see more quests submitted, and I'll have to come up with some more of my own.
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GrayGriffin
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"Ah, you unmasked me. Whatever shall I do."
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...wow, that new one makes a lot of assumptions about the trainer. Which...kind of defeats the purpose of the sheet.
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Muted_ReDead
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GrayGriffin
Feb 12 2017, 08:36 PM
...wow, that new one makes a lot of assumptions about the trainer. Which...kind of defeats the purpose of the sheet.
In my defense it was 4 in the morning when I wrote that. I think I wrote that with the assumption that the trainer would choose that adventure only if they were a lasher, but now I kinda wanna re-write it (or at least make it Renegade only). Oh well, it's there now. Unless I can change it. I'm tired.
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GrayGriffin
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"Ah, you unmasked me. Whatever shall I do."
[ *  *  *  *  * ]
The whole point of "Random" is that the trainer can't choose what adventure their Pokemon goes on. And limiting it to Renegades still has the "assumptions about trainer" problem.
Edited by GrayGriffin, Feb 14 2017, 12:29 AM.
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