"I am most proud of the starfinder monster builder, probably because it got the biggest response out of anything I've ever done."
An interview with the creator of sfrpgtools.com, home of Starfinder Tools. It's a great example of supporting an RPG with generation tools.
Starfinder is a roleplaying game from Paizo.
Q&A with Michael of Starfinder Tools
How did you get into creating RPG Tools?
I first got into rpg tools when I was learning to code, I needed some projects to learn on and so I figured why not make some tools for my favorite hobby. I first used python to create a very simple random character creator for D&D and got hooked from there.
What tools are you most proud of creating and why?
I am most proud of the starfinder monster builder, probably because it got the biggest response out of anything I've ever done.
A lot of people appreciated how it took a seemingly complex task (building starfinder monsters) and simplified the steps down to make the process incredibly easy.
I'm very proud that anyone can now create balanced monsters for their home games on the fly. I rate tools on how fun they make your game, and this one is definitely up there on the fun scale.
What is the most fun thing about creating rpg tools?
Seeing random people in forums or on social media or even in games I join use my tools to get inspiration and make their games better. Its a lot of fun seeing the community embrace the things I created.
What are the most painful lessons you've learnt from creating rpg tools?
You need to pick the right framework for your tools before you start, especially for websites. Try things out, don't pick the first one you come across, especially when you're learning. Otherwise you will end up with code that's harder to maintain than it could be.
How do you use RPG tools yourself?
I use RPG tools and references all the time. In my home games and just messing around with them almost daily, Its fun to get ideas from them and apply them to my own creative outlets.
What are your next big projects (rpg tools or otherwise) that you can talk about?
I'm currently working on character sheet tool for starfinder, can't say much because it's one of those projects I can only do in my spare time, but hopefully I can get it finished.
Where can people find you on social media?
I don't really do that.
(There are several ways to contact Michael on the home page of sfrpgtools.com)
Is there anything else you would like to talk about?
If anyone wants to contribute to sfrpgtools go right ahead its open source. I try to keep it updated with new books but data entry takes a lot of time and I could definitely do with some volunteers to help keep the tools fresh.
More....
You can find more creator interviews on RandRoll.
