Using Claude Code

---

Background

I’ve built character generators before. One for the Umerican Survival Guide (usg.pluvid.com), and another for an earlier version of Sunken Stars. This one follows the same structure—generate a full character sheet with one click, something fast and practical for testing, improvisation, or pickup play.

This time I used Claude Code, a tool by Anthropic built for writing and interpreting structured code. The idea was simple: hand the model a few PDFs, ask it to build a generator, and refine from there.

---

The Process

The initial results weren’t good. Claude misunderstood key mechanics, muddled traits with backgrounds, and invented a few rules of its own. But the framework was there. With some back-and-forth—adjusting prompts, fixing data by hand, clarifying how the system fits together—the output slowly improved.

Because Sunken Stars is modular, the logic was easy to isolate. Patrons, classes, backgrounds, regions—they all sit in clear lanes. Once those were defined, the generator began producing clean, usable characters.

The result lives here:
https://dump.pluvid.com/sunkengen

It creates a complete character: stats, background, region, class, items, and a brief description. It still benefits from oversight—especially around edge cases—but it’s functional and quick.

---

Cost

Between formatting, testing, and refinements, the total compute cost landed somewhere between 30 and 50 euros. Not negligible, but not outrageous either.

It’s worth noting that while the AI handles layout and logic well, it doesn’t understand tone or intent. Trait descriptions sometimes drift, mechanical balance needs verifying, and regional context can get flattened. The tool saves time, but doesn’t replace thoughtful design.

---

Conclusion

The generator works. It doesn’t cover everything, but it does enough. It makes character creation faster, lowers the barrier to entry for new players, and lays groundwork for future tools—NPC builders, encounter generators, maybe even a voyage planner.

For now, this one does its job and that’s awesome.