FS Chronicler (beta) is an MS Access based application which will run on Win95/98 or Windows NT systems.  You don't need to have MS Access or MS Office to use this application.  Nevertheless, it is at its heart a database, and will require some "maintenance" from time to time.

FS Chronicler is designed to aid the gamemaster and players of Fading Suns spend more time on roleplaying and creating great plots and stories than in adding points together, or in looking up numbers and values in charts and copying them onto character sheets.

To that effect, we've included material from almost all the available Fading Suns books which have been published to date (4 July 98).  However, we have taken care not to describe too much about that material, and none of the content in FS Chronicler should be considered as contesting the rights of Holistic Design to that material.  The intent is to make playing the game more enjoyable for those who have the books - not to replace those books.  This may mean that you'll have to add some material to the application yourself, if you want that level of detail in the database.  That's your call.

In addition, some aspects of this application represent "judgement calls" on the part of the program designer.  For example, it is our belief that some aspects of spacecraft profiles need to be changed to better reflect "real world" physics (for more explanation on this, see the Essays on Spacecraft in the Fading Suns universe).  However, doing so is not an attempt to change or add to the "official" rules of the game published by Holistic Design.  It is included because we think it's worth including.  And, of course, you aren't forced to incorporate those changes into your games, just because it is part of the application.

If you have suggestions or comments on things you like or dislike about FS Chronicler, please send the designer a message and let him know your thoughts.

You should also read the legal stuff we have to include as part of the beta release of the application.  You should also check that page because that's where we list the system requirements - this isn't a low-res application, so you'll need a half-way current PC (Pentium, etc) to use this application.

NOTES on the beta release:

Some planned or anticipated "features" are not implemented on the beta release.  This includes the option labeled "Combat" on the Main Menu.  This is still in development.  In addition, some printing options don't work.  The only printouts which are currently implemented are Characters, Spacecraft, and Worlds.  On the Spacecraft printout, there is an error in the number of Vitality circles printed.  This will (hopefully) be corrected in the final version.

Have you read all this?  If so, and if you agree to abide by the restrictions laid down in the legal stuff, then you may signify your agreement by clicking here to download the application.   You'll be downloading a self-extracting zip file (you don't need WinZip or any such thing to use it).  Just save the file to a temporary directory (ideally, one that is currently empty - trust us, it will make things easier for you).  Once you've downloaded and saved the file, double click on it.  That will extract the setup files into the directory you've saved it to.  Once you've done that, just double-click on the "setup" file, and follow the installation directions.  If you're prompted to choose between Typical and Custom installations, choose typical - there's not much you can change on the installation, anyway.

Enjoy FS Chronicler, and please, send us your feedback.