NewRecruit Docs

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Installing the Tools ​

The tools you need to create data, and how to get past the security prompts each platform shows for an app it doesn't recognise.

The NewRecruit Data Editor and Builder ​

Download both from the NewRecruit download page:

  • The Data Editor is where you create and edit data.
  • The Builder (offline desktop version) is for testing your data.

The apps are not signed with a paid certificate, so Windows and macOS warn about an unrecognised developer the first time you run them. The steps below clear that.

Windows ​

Running the installer shows a blue "Windows protected your PC" SmartScreen prompt. Click More info, then Run anyway. This appears because the app is from an unrecognised publisher, not because anything is wrong.

Windows 8.1 and earlier are not supported.

macOS ​

macOS blocks unsigned apps with a message that the app is "damaged and can't be opened" or from an unidentified developer. Move the app into Applications, then remove the quarantine flag from a Terminal:

bash
xattr -c /Applications/NewRecruit.app

Then open the app normally. (If the app has a different name, adjust the path.) macOS support is not a priority, so expect the occasional rough edge.

Linux ​

Builds are on the download page. Note the desktop builder is not tested on Linux; the website builder works in any Chromium-based browser.

Testing your data ​

You will load work-in-progress data into a builder constantly, so set up the test loop with the rest of the tools:

  • On a Chromium-based browser (Chrome, Edge, and similar), the NewRecruit website loads a system straight from a local folder with Add from folder, and hot-reloads as you save. You edit in the data editor, save, and the build updates without any commit or re-import. Firefox and Safari do not support the folder access this relies on.
  • The desktop Builder does the same without an internet connection. It is not tested on Linux or macOS and often lags behind the website version, so prefer the website loop where you can.

Git and GitHub ​

Publishing your data, and editing an existing system, both use a normal git workflow, so install one way to work with git:

You also need a GitHub account to host and publish your data. See Publishing Your Data.

Next ​

Once the editor is installed, Your First Game System walks through building one from scratch.