This guide is a work-in-progress, and is not yet complete

This guide serves as an overview of the features within COMP/CON, and how to use COMP/CON to play and run the LANCER tabletop RPG. It is intended to be useful to both players and GMs.

This guide covers the web-based version of COMP/CON, located at https://compcon.app/. There may be differences in the desktop version that are not noted in this guide.

Guide Sections

• Overview and Getting Started <== You are Here
• Compendium
• Pilot Roster
  • Creating a Pilot
  • Creating a Mech
  • Pilot View
• Encounter Toolkit (TBC)
  • Creating NPCs (TBC)
  • Creating Encounters (TBC)
  • Running Missions (TBC)
• Content Manager

Conventions in this Guide

All buttons will be indicated using the [Button] nomenclature.

All link words will be indicated using the "link name" nomenclature.

NOTE will indicate something that you may want to take note of related to the feature or task being described.

IMPORTANT will indicate something that you should or must pay attention to, or else the feature or task may not work correctly, or you may lose data if the instructions are not closely followed.

Overview and Getting Started - Table of Contents

• What is COMP/CON
• The home page of COMP/CON
• Navigating around COMP/CON
• Creating an Account

What is COMP/CON

COMP/CON is a web-based tool for players and GMs of the table top role playing game LANCER. It enables you to quickly and easily create and manage characters, mechs, NPCs, missions, combat, and other content. It also acts as a resource guide for the various in and outs of LANCER, with easy-to-look-up information on the various frames available, skills, weapons, and so forth.

Why the name COMP/CON?

In the universe of LANCER, there are artificial intelligence that are commonly available to help people with a variety of different tasks. These are known as companion/concierge assistant units, or COMP/CON units. More can be learned on pages 107, 120, and 379-380 of the LANCER core rulebook.

Why should I use COMP/CON?

It is completely possible to play LANCER using only pencil and paper, and without ever using the COMP/CON application. However, you will find that with COMP/CON, you can:

• quickly look up and cross-reference information about the game and the various skills and abilities
• create and share mechs and pilots between players and GM
• create and run encounters more easily as the GM
• create templates for NPCs that can easily be re-used
• monitor story progress and player progression

Where can I access COMP/CON?

You can access COMP/CON at https://compcon.app/, or by downloading the standalone application from https://massif-press.itch.io/compcon

Do I need the LANCER core rules to use COMP/CON?

A free version of the core rules, minus GM content and information about the setting of the game, is available at https://massif-press.itch.io/corebook-pdf-free. It is recommended to have on hand as it contains more thorough information on how the game is played that is not available within COMP/CON. A full version of the rulebook including NPC creation, how to run the game, and world building info for GMs is available at https://massif-press.itch.io/corebook-pdf. This too will include information helpful to GMs that is not available in COMP/CON.

The Home Page of COMP/CON

First, head over to https://compcon.app/ in a separate browser tab or window.

The home page of COMP/CON looks something like this:

In the upper left you can see the version number of COMP/CON that is running. In the screenshot, it is Version: 2.3.10. You may need to reference this version number if you encounter any issues or have questions while using COMP/CON.

In the upper right are two buttons:

• [Check for Updates] - This will query the server and tell COMP/CON to download any updates. Be sure to read instructions thoroughly, as it may tell you that you need to undergo extra steps.
• [View Changelog] - Shows you a list of the recent changes made to COMP/CON

On the left side are listed the following sections:

• [Compendium] - A database of the LANCER frames, equipment, and rules.
• [Pilot Roster] - Create and manage pilots and their mechs, print character sheets, and enable active play mode.
• [Encounter Toolkit] - Build and manage NPCs and encounters, and run missions with NPCs and pilots.
• [Content Manager] - Manage and create COMP/CON expansion data; this is where you upload any .lcp files you may have.

And finally, along the bottom are the following options:

• [Log In] - Allows you to log in or create an account for COMP/CON. This is recommended, as it allows you to save your content to the cloud and access it elsewhere.
• [Create Data Backup] - Exports all data that you have created in COMP/CON such as pilots, mechs, encounters, NPCs, and so forth to your computer. Saves as a .compcon file.
• [Load Data Backup] - Allows you to load a previously created .compcon backup.
• "Options" - Allows you to change and update various options in COMP/CON.
• "About" - About the COMP/CON application.
• "Credits" - People who created LANCER, COMP/CON, and lists of other contributors or Patreon members
• "Help" - A list of resources with regards to COMP/CON, including this wiki.
• "Support this Project" - A link to the Patreon page where you can offer financial support to the COMP/CON project.

Navigating around COMP/CON

When you enter any of the three major sections of COMP/CON (Compendium, Pilot Roster, and Encounter Toolkit), the main screen will change and the top menu bar will have a different navigation available.

In the upper left corner will be the following options:

• Backward - Navigates back in your browsing history. Will eventually return you to the Home Page.
• Forward - Navigates forward in your browsing history until you reach the most recently visited page.
• Home - Returns you to the Home Page of COMP/CON.
• Bookmark - Takes you to the home page of the section you are currently in.

Creating an Account

To create an account, click on the [Log In] button in the lower left hand corner of the start screen. In the modal window that appears, click [Create Account].

Once there, fill out an email address and password, then click the [Create Account] button. Enter a valid email address and password of your choosing, then click [Submit].

A new modal window will appear; enter the code sent to the email address used to create your account into the Verification Code box, then click [Confirm Verification Code]. This will confirm and create your account, after which you may log in.

Logging In

To log in, click the [Log In] button in the lower left hand corner of the start screen. In the modal that appears, enter your email address and password, then click [Sign In].

NOTE Be sure to keep track of the email address you used, as it will be used to recover your account password should you forget it!