Computer-Aided Traveller

I spent several months in a misguided attempt to create a commercial RPG aid.
The project had two Achilles' heels (Achilles had problems with just one!):
data entry and special actions.

The data-entry problem was the worst. Even after assigning default actions
to everything, the "who-hits-whom" and "who-uses-what-weapon" and "how far
away is each person from each other person" problems make melee combat a
complete nightmare.  The GM spends all his time pounding away at the keyboard.

The problem works down to the fact that RPGs are verbal, and computers can't
hear very well, so somebody has to transcribe all the relevant spoken facts
into the computer.  It turns the GM into a stenographer.  No, thanks.

The special action problem wasn't as intractable, but it was a pain in the
butt.  You have to allow the GM to override ANYTHING, and stick in any
arbitrary result.  Even if the program is very flexible at this sort of thing,
the GM has to be a rocket scientist to figure out how to get it to accept
the effect he wants, without lingering side effects.

Computer-aided melee combat is a rock many people have foundered on.  You
can be next!  Good luck...and send me a message in a bottle telling me how
it turns out.

Computer-aided space combat has more potential, especially when used for
"what-if" simulations rather than actual adjudication (you can get away
with more bugs and slop in a simulation than in play).  Computer-aided
character generation is an old favorite, one that works pretty well.

	-- Robert