Metacreator: How To Create A New Savage World

I am not a rules lawyer :) Nor am I an expert with the Metacreator software (link), something I primarily got to help me make characters quickly and easily. Something it excels at. My experience is limited to using it with Savage Worlds (link).

Eventually I got to the stage where I needed to expand what was available. In the old days I would have just used endless reams of paper stolen from school. Today W.H. Smiths take a dim view of grown adults, probably kids too, nicking endless pads of paper. I need to create a new world. The help system is excellent:



But it did take me some time to get my head round it. Here is my attempt to help others as slow as myself. For the purposes of this example the world I create will be based on my unused campaign idea "The Hollow Apocalypse" when the entities lurking in the Hollow Earth invade the surface in the early twentieth century.

1. Create A New Data Sheet

Slect File -> New -> Data Sheet -> SavageWorlds.mdt

SavageWorlds.mdt is a template used to create settings files, these will contain special edges, monsters, gear and other stuff. The settings files have an .mds extension. From this mds file everything else will hang.

So next we enter the information for our apocalytpic world.

Modify -> Info

Then:

Data Sheets Tab -> Add -> Savage Worlds Directory -> Select Core.mds

Then select an identifier for our new world.

Defines -> Double Click -> Enter 4 Letter Identifier -> Ok

Then:

File -> Save -> Enter the name you like.

Hey presto you have now created the empty skeleton of a new world based upon the bones of the core edition of Savage Worlds. Presumably if you want to add on to 50 Fathoms or Evernight the files could be added at the Data Sheet -> Core.mds section above.

2. Add Something

Here we will add a War Penguin as a new monster. These are the terrible beasts the inhabitants of the Hollow World will ride. They earth from the North Hole in Spring and rampage across Northern Canada.





Fill in the detail by tabbing through the various cells. Leave the race and combat value blank. If the creature is to be a wild card put an asterisk after the name.

Name: War Penguin

Type: Monster

combatValue and race: blank

Attributes:



Skills: Enter from the list, add die type at the end, click the add button.



Special Abilities: Again pick from the list. This list contains almost all the edges and monstrous abilities.



 



Fill in the rest as you see fit.

Click the save icon and close the window.

3. Make A New Character Template

 

Then:

Modify -> Character Sheet Info -> Data Sheets -> Add HollowApocalypse.mds

The save it as a character template.



Close the window and make a new monster.

4. Create A Naughty Penguin.

Create a new charcter. Use HollowApocalypse.cst as your template.



Then select as your race Monster followed by War Penguin.

 



This should give you a combat value which you can go back and put into the HollowApocalypse.mds file.



5. Penguins of War!



Most other items are created in a roughly similar manner.