Homestuck Ship Generator

[User 18]

Want to create wacky, zany, out-of-the-realm-of-possibility ships?

Use the Homestuck Ship Generator!

Download v1.4

Download Homestuck Ship Generator v1.4 only
Download config.xml only

Instructions:
Download, extract and run. If you can't extract for whatever reason, download the two files separately, and put them in their own folder. Then run.

Previous versions:

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Download v1.3_2
Download v1.3_1
Download v1.3
Download v1.2_1
Download v1.2
Download v1.1_1
Download v1.1
Download v1.0

Editing XML Files

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v1.4 introduced an XML file embedded within the .jar download file as a method of lending permanence to program data.
However, as of v1.4, the only way to edit this file is manually. Although the file looks daunting, editing XML is actually quite easy.
Although I cannot guarantee that things will work properly, follow this method and it ought to work out alright.

1. Read through the entire set of directions before you start messing around. If you really have no idea what I'm talking about, it might be wiser to just wait for 1.5, where this functionality should be implemented within the program.
2. Download v1.4. Previous versions do not support XML file input.
3. Download the file 'config.xml' above.
4. Open 'config.xml' in a text editor. I use notepad++, downloadable for free at notepad-plus-plus.org, but regular notepad works just as well passably. If you do use notepad++, you may set the language to XML.
5. Read the warnings I put at the top. Changing config.xml shouldn't turn your computer into a fancy paperweight, but stranger things have happened.
6. Take a look at any one of the elements labelled <character index="##">.
7. Contained within each character are five pieces of data. Descriptions of what each piece does are embedded within the file.
8. Move to the end of the document, just above the </characters> tag.
9. Copy and paste the entire element above the </characters> tag. In the vanilla document, it will look like this:

        <character index="63">   
		<name>Meenah</name>
		<sex>2</sex>
		<alternate>32</alternate>
		<active>true</active>
	</character>

10. Change the values of 'index', 'name', 'sex', and 'alternate' to match those of the character you are adding. Leave 'active' set to 'true', or your character will not be initialized within the program.
index: Always just make this one greater than the last element in the set. If you look at the entire vanilla file, John (at the top), has an index of 0, while Meenah (at the bottom), has an index of 63. The first character you add will be index value 64, the next 65, and so on.
name: The name under which your character will appear in the application. Try to keep it relatively short.
sex: Gender. 1= male, 2= female. If you don't know what gender a character is, make it up.
alternate: Is the character you are adding an alternate timeline version of another character (for example, Davesprite?). If so, match this number to that of the character your character is an alternate version of. For Davesprite, the value here would be 3, the same as Dave's value earlier in the file. If you are adding a character that is not an alternate of a character already in the file, simply increase it by one. The first new alternate you add will be value 33, than 34, and so on. If you choose to add both Clubs Deuce and Courtyard Droll, they could be given the same number, as they are two different versions of the same character.
11. Save the modified file - do not change the name.
12. Copy your modified 'config.xml' into the Homestuck Ship Generator folder. if you are asked if you wish to overwrite the current file with the same name, say yes.
13. Run the program. Maybe you'll see your character there.

Note: If you try this, and it doesn't work, you've probably made a mistake somewhere along the way, or I made a mistake in my instructions. This should all become a moot point in v1.5, so you can probably wait until then. If you desperately need an additional character in your generator right now, PM me and I'll see what I can do. However, if I get flooded with PMs about this, I probably just won't respond to any of them. My time would be better spent making the improvements to the program so everyone can make changes than adding individual characters to everyone's generators.

Version History:

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v1.4
+ Added ability to force same-sex ships.
+ Added ability to force opposite sex ships.
+ Added ability to read from XML file.
- Removed dropdown menus.
+ Added separate option window.
+ Added ability to discard changes in character enable/disable window.
^_o Complete UI redesign.
^_o Code is still lacking comments
- Lost several hours of sleep.

v1.3_2
^_o Fixed (some of?) what I broke in 1.3_1. Disabling all quadrants now gives an error message again.

v1.3_1
^_o Myriad bugfixes - Roxy is possible to disable, and all possible ships should generate.
^_o Code optimization - Thanks to Conspicuous (method to check if ship is valid now occurs in character class, instead of generator method).
- Cannot generate ships anymore while character select dialog is open. Because I said so.

v1.3
+ Added ability to select/deselect any of the 64 integrated characters.
+ Added tabbed character selection window.
+ Added several warning messages to deal with circumstances in which a valid ship cannot be generated.
^_o Reworked code to use an array of objects, rather than three separate arrays.

v1.2_1
^_o Made ability to pick and choose quadrants actually work.

v1.2
^_o Made efficiency change suggested in thread.
+ Added ability to pick and choose quadrants.

v1.1_1
- ASCII representations of quadrants.
+ Graphical representation of quadrants.

v1.1
+ Ability to toggle using the same character multiple times in the ship. If selected, allows creation of ships like Karkat Karkat.
+ Ability to toggle using alternate versions of the same character multiple times in the ship. If selected, allows creation of ships like Jade Grandma English.

v1.0
+ Added support for for 64 characters.
+ Added support for 4 Canon quadrants.
+ Added GUI.

Feature List:
- Supports combinational ships of A1 players, A1 ancestors, A2 players, A2 ancestors, B1 players, B1 ancestors, B2 players, B2 ancestors.
- Allows user to choose the characters they wish to create ships for.
- Supports graphical representation of four quadrants.
- Allows users to choose which quadrants to generate ships for.
- Will optionally ship people with themselves.
- Will optionally ship people with alternate versions of themselves.
- Will do same-sex, opposite-sex, or mixed ships. May select any of these three modes.
- Allows users to define custom characters in XML file 'config.xml'


Suggestions for additional features are appreciated.

Planned Features:

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- Ability to check for and disallow ectobioloincestual* relationships. <-- if anyone knows a good way to do this, let me know.
- Ability for user to define characters within program.
- Ability for user to activate/deactivate, edit and delete custom characters.

* This is totally a word. I don't know what you're talking about.

Screenies:

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These are from v1.3. v1.3_1 is basically identical, although there are some small differences, but I don't plan to change them right now. If someone else wants to take appropriate screenshots and crop them, I'll edit them in.

Okay, v1.4 just made these totally irrelevant, except for some of the warning dialogs (those might be wrong too, I honestly don't remember what 1.3's look like in comparison to 1.4). I'll change it later.

My preference is to do this on my own, as a learning experience. My coding experience is limited, but I'm willing to learn.
v1.0 was created in 12 hours. It can only get better/more complicated from here.

Yeah. It's more complicated now.

[Dastardly bananas]

Sweet! I could try to make a thread banner if you want. Just give me some dimensions and ideas and I'll see what I can do. I'm not the best, but it'd be something. /completelyignoresdesignatedfirstorderofbusiness

[User 18]

Sweet! I could try to make a thread banner if you want. Just give me some dimensions and ideas and I'll see what I can do. I'm not the best, but it'd be something. /completelyignoresdesignatedfirstorderofbusiness

I have some ideas for one as well, and I'd like to give it a shot. However, I made a promise here and on Smogon that I'd have stuff written by the end of the day, so I need to finish that first. This thing has sidetracked me enough for right now.

However, if mine turns out to look awful, you can have first shot at it.

Also, nothing is getting changed until I actually can get a download link for this thing. I'm sure someone has a suggestion.

[Conspicuous]

I could probably make it do this if I had enough time.
Right now, names are hardcoded as a single-dimensional array, but I could add filtering for multiple attributes like universe, family, age etc. in a multidimensional array.

Well, I'd say classes are preferable, and I guess that could work, but it's definitely going to be messier the more you change it.

You should probably expect to look back at in in half a year and laugh, at least.

Great, those 64 are all we need. (I don't care what anyone says, we're not throwing exiles into this.)



This is irrelevant to what we're trying to accomplish, and can just be considered in the analysis of what we're shipping.

It is relevant to what I'm trying to accomplish, which is establish high coding standards.
Software Development is more than just slapping some code into a compiler, and robustness is one of the most important things to take note of.

<--Pedant

[Dregadude]

This is a beautiful thread just the way it is. I'm tearing up right now.

I think we should overanalyze one ship a day, just to pace ourselves. Seconded? /continuestocompletelyignoredesignatedfirstorderofb usiness

[User 18]

Well, I'd say classes are preferable, and I guess that could work, but it's definitely going to be messier the more you change it.

You should probably expect to look back at in in half a year and laugh, at least.

Yeah, my plan for options was to add a second window that gave filtering options, and such.

The 'Generate!' button will call the main class, which will call a different class to generate based on which options were selected.

I'm sure there's a better way even than this, but I can't think of it off the top of my head.

CompSci at my school is pretty awful. I want to learn how to code properly, but the school isn't really facilitative of that.

This is a beautiful thread just the way it is. I'm tearing up right now.

I think we should overanalyze one ship a day, just to pace ourselves. Seconded? /continuestocompletelyignoredesignatedfirstorderofb usiness

This is a dev thread. You want to overanalyze the awful ships that come from this abomination, do it somewhere else.

I provide the tools. I want no part of the analysis.

[Dastardly bananas]

I have some ideas for one as well, and I'd like to give it a shot. However, I made a promise here and on Smogon that I'd have stuff written by the end of the day, so I need to finish that first. This thing has sidetracked me enough for right now.

However, if mine turns out to look awful, you can have first shot at it.

Also, nothing is getting changed until I actually can get a download link for this thing. I'm sure someone has a suggestion.

Fine with me. I was probably going to procrastinate on it anyway.

<-- Lazy artist

[BlackholePA]

We really, really need a shipping thread in MSPA Discussion.

[User 18]

Guess what!

There's a download link now!

[BlackholePA]

This should have a list of character-associated-words to generate random names for the ships along with the ships themselves.

Using JohnXVriska as an example, John could have an array of words associated with him ("Air", "breath", "derp") and Vriska would have an array of words also ("Spider", "eight", "luck"). It would randomly pick any one of these words and produce "Spiderbreath", "luckair", "eightderp" et cetera as a random ship name.

Might be quite fun to play about with, seeing as this is a random generation program.

[User 18]

This should have a list of character-associated-words to generate random names for the ships along with the ships themselves.

Using JohnXVriska as an example, John could have an array of words associated with him ("Air", "breath", "derp") and Vriska would have an array of words also ("Spider", "eight", "luck"). It would randomly pick any one of these words and produce "Spiderbreath", "luckair", "eightderp" et cetera as a random ship name.

Might be quite fun to play about with, seeing as this is a random generation program.

I am glaring at this post so hard right now. I suppose it's doable, but it seems like an awful lot of work.

Hmm. Maybe not.

I'm not a fan of the idea, but maybe I'll put it in as an option?

If someone wants to put a list of such words together, I'll consider it. However, we have 64 characters now, and I'm sure people will want me to add more.

E: Has anyone downloaded it? Does it work for other people?

[Dregadude]

The point of this tool was to come up with random ships, and then to talk about them. So if it's alright with you, can I steal this tool and bring it back to Comic Discussion to do just that?

I can make words if you want.

But later; right now I'm busy.

[Dastardly bananas]

I downloaded it and it works. I also just got Condecse A1 Feferi.

Hmm...

[User 18]

The point of this tool was to come up with random ships, and then to talk about them. So if it's alright with you, can I steal this tool and bring it back to Comic Discussion to do just that?

I can make words if you want.

But later; right now I'm busy.

Yeah, feel free to talk about it in ComDisc.

It doesn't run online, and I already made a post that it exists over there, but if you want to talk about a ship over there generated with this tool, feel free.

I downloaded it and it works. I also just got Condecse A1 Feferi.

Hmm...

Great!

Not so much the ship, but the thing works.

[Dregadude]

I'm thinking more along the lines of its own thread. But since you've given me permission, I'll get that running tomorrow!

And of course give you credit for the engine. Not all of us are thieves.

What are you talking about CondecseA1 Feferi is a beautiful thing.

[User 18]

I'm thinking more along the lines of its own thread. But since you've given me permission, I'll get that running tomorrow!

And of course give you credit for the engine. Not all of us are thieves.

What are you talking about CondecseA1 Feferi is a beautiful thing.

Its own thread would be fine as well, but I think I remember hearing about something similar that got shut down...

Depending on how much of a trouble it becomes, it might well warrant its own thread, but that's not really my thing. I don't ship much.

[Kaleb702]

Dave Rose

Looks like it needs an "ectobiological incest proofer" and "selfcest proofer" (Jade Grandma English was seen, I think, but I was clicking fast).

[User 18]

Looks like it needs an "ectobiological incest proofer" and "selfcest proofer".

It doesn't pair people with themselves (at least it's not supposed to). However, that's all it checks.

This was a blank page 12 hours ago. Please don't expect it to be perfect already

I'll add it to the list of planned features, although some people don't mind that kind of ship...

Maybe as an option.

(Jade Grandma English was seen, I think, but I was clicking fast).

They are different characters, if not as different as say Terezi and Dirk.

It's like people ship Davesprite with people and Dave with people, but they're different ships because they're seen as different characters.

Another thing for the list of options, I guess.

[Dregadude]

Its own thread would be fine as well, but I think I remember hearing about something similar that got shut down...

Depending on how much of a trouble it becomes, it might well warrant its own thread, but that's not really my thing. I don't ship much.

Says the one who created the ultimate crackshipping tool?

And if Davesprite's going in then all the sprites are going in. Think about this, User 18.

[User 18]

Says the one who created the ultimate crackshipping tool?

It wasn't my idea, I just wrote the darn thing.

[Dregadude]

Oh right, this all was my idea.

Sorry?

Also, I downloaded it and got what will be the first discussion: Jade Roxy A1 Dolorosa.

This thing has some interesting results.

[Dastardly bananas]

I got Summoner Grandpa Harley at one point. Now that's an ironic ship.

E: And now A1 Disciple A1 Darkleer. More irony.

[mysteriousOutsider]

okay so

I have some ideas about how this should be coded and I think I might need to just go do it

or else I'll end up busting out the class diagrams or some shit

oh yes. there will be interfaces.

is that cool?

[DoctorIcePopCat]

I decided to mess around with this, and one of the very first ships I got was Poppop Jane.

Anyways, I like the idea of this. It seems pretty neat so far.

[User 18]

okay so

I have some ideas about how this should be coded and I think I might need to just go do it

or else I'll end up busting out the class diagrams or some shit

oh yes. there will be interfaces.

is that cool?

Argh, I don't know how to say this.

Who am I to say you can't write a program that you want to?

I kind of wanted this to be my thing, but whatever. I'll probably still work on adding features and such to this one.

My plan for this was to use it as a learning experience, and work toward figuring out what people wanted added as I went. It wouldn't be the most efficient or best possible code for the effect, but it would be mine. Now that's entirely selfish of me, I realize, but I can't help but feel that anyone else who tries this would end up doing an infinitely better job than I.

If you have ideas, I'd love to hear them, I'm just worried that I'll get totally shown up.

If you really want to do something, then I guess you can go ahead, but again, I was kind of hoping to keep this as something of mine.

I know this is worded really badly, so I'm going to stop now.