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Thread: Rappan Athuk

  1. #11
    Quote Originally Posted by Trenloe View Post
    How much data you enter to be able to run a game is pretty much a personal thing. At minimum you need maps and NPC stats. This will be made easier with the recent RA kickstarter for digital maps. For Pathfinder, as I mentioned above, a lot of the creatures are in the Tome of Horrors book (also a FG product). And with the couple of different Pathfinder creature parsers you can get the other creatures into FG.

    How much work you then do beyond this is up to you.
    - If you're running using voice you don't need all of the descriptive text. Just have your book/PDF handy and read from that.
    - You might want to prepare the encounters ahead of time - perhaps drag the encounter links to the relevant location on the map. But, encounters can also be put together on the fly.
    - You might want to add in custom item records.
    - You might want to put together NPC equipment parcels. Or, if you have the relevant equipment modules ready, you could create these on the fly as required.
    - Prepare relevant graphics tokens, or just use the auto applied letter ones, or do quick token searches through your token modules when needed.

    Yes, we all know it's nice to have the whole product in FG. But if you want to run something, and you don't have the complete FG module, it can still be done without a stupid amount of work. As long as you're a little familiar with FG and have the data available in modules or the campaign data (maps, handouts, NPCs, items, etc.). You don't need to have everything at your fingertips and available for immediate use during the game. It's perfectly fine having a couple of minutes pause here and there where you put a random encounter together or an item parcel or something else. Take it easy, don't panic, put the stuff together you require and continue the game. Get the players to talk among themselves, whatever works for your group.
    Thanks Trenloe - what I am trying to figure out is which mods I need to add. We are thinking of using core, advanced races/players and mythic. As such, I am not sure which mods to use. It is more clear in Hero Lab for community add-ons. I will be using HL to build characters and then port to FG. It seems to me that using RA, I will still have to do the mechanics on my end and not rely on FG for that: does that make sense?

  2. #12
    Trenloe's Avatar
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    Quote Originally Posted by Fionavar View Post
    I will be using HL to build characters and then port to FG. It seems to me that using RA, I will still have to do the mechanics on my end and not rely on FG for that: does that make sense?
    Will you be using Hero Lab for PCs or NPCs?

    What mechanics are you referring to? FG doesn't do every single thing possible in terms of automation (it would simply be impossible), but it can do quite a lot.
    Private Messages: My inbox is forever filling up with PMs. Please don't send me PMs unless they are actually private/personal messages. General FG questions should be asked in the forums - don't be afraid, the FG community don't bite and you're giving everyone the chance to respond and learn!

  3. #13
    I will be using HL to build PCs for the players. Mechanics I mean battles and such

  4. #14
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    Quote Originally Posted by Fionavar View Post
    I will be using HL to build PCs for the players. Mechanics I mean battles and such
    Yes you will have to prep them...

    But its so very easy...

    Check out a video or instructions on creating an encounter...

  5. #15
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    Quote Originally Posted by Fionavar View Post
    I will be using HL to build PCs for the players. Mechanics I mean battles and such
    PC's will need some work - depending on the exact level of automation you need, and also how particular each player with in how they will run their PC.

    Encounters (NPC lists and pre-placed tokens) can be built beforehand - as damned mentions.

    Mechanics in encounters primarily rely on data being setup correctly, and on effects. The level of automation that you go to depends entirely on your group and your goals. You'll never get to the level of a computer game (thank goodness), so you will always need to know the rules of the RPG system you're playing. But FG will make things easier for you - like applying DR, Resistances, SR, critical damage, damage types, modifier stacking (if you setup the effects correctly), etc., etc..

    A STRONG recommendation: Don't try to get everything setup and coded before your first game. This will be a huge task for someone getting used to FG. It is a common mistake for new GMs and players to try to automate virtually everything from the first session. Don't try this! Get used to FG first - so you slowly get to know the application, what it can do and, importantly, what you want to do with FG in your games. Start with the PCs setup - the usual information, HP, AC, Attacks, Spells, skills, etc. so that they can be rolled from the PC sheet and also can be targeted by enemies. Use NPCs from the OGL modules, or from FGG products or import them using the NPC parser. Don't try to add too many effects to start off with - if you have to roll and manually work things out ("Oh, I forgot the 20% miss chance for concealment" for example) then that's fine - play your game, get used to the interface and the group requirements and then learn how to add in the stuff you want/need. Don't try to do it all from the start - you, and probably your players, will get frustrated if you try this!
    Private Messages: My inbox is forever filling up with PMs. Please don't send me PMs unless they are actually private/personal messages. General FG questions should be asked in the forums - don't be afraid, the FG community don't bite and you're giving everyone the chance to respond and learn!

  6. #16
    Thanks Trenloe - my plan was to first use it old school simply like a battle map and then - as you encourage - as I get used to it do some of the implementation. Make sense?

  7. #17
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    Quote Originally Posted by Fionavar View Post
    Thanks Trenloe - my plan was to first use it old school simply like a battle map and then - as you encourage - as I get used to it do some of the implementation. Make sense?
    Absolutely.

    You may want to look at basic PC and NPC sheets to start with too - you'll have more interaction and get basic dice rolls from the sheets. Apply all the modifiers etc. manually (old school), but get an idea of using sheets too. Otherwise your players won't have much to do, and they'll spend all their time spinning dice and tokens, and drawing on the map!
    Private Messages: My inbox is forever filling up with PMs. Please don't send me PMs unless they are actually private/personal messages. General FG questions should be asked in the forums - don't be afraid, the FG community don't bite and you're giving everyone the chance to respond and learn!

  8. #18
    In your experience - how effective is the HL import?

  9. #19
    Trenloe's Avatar
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    Quote Originally Posted by Fionavar View Post
    In your experience - how effective is the HL import?
    It will get the basics in - attributes, saves, skills, weapons, equipment. There have been issues with some spells for some classes. It gets you most of the way. You could do a basic HL import for your first session - to get players using the character sheet.

    I still use it for bringing PF characters into FG.

    One gotcha - once imported into FG you need to do everything within FG - level up, etc.. As there is no export from FG back to HL. You can use HL as a guide for leveling, but you'll then have to apply the changes manually to the PC in FG, or do a new import as a new character (probably more hassle than it's worth as you'll lose current PC data stored in FG).
    Private Messages: My inbox is forever filling up with PMs. Please don't send me PMs unless they are actually private/personal messages. General FG questions should be asked in the forums - don't be afraid, the FG community don't bite and you're giving everyone the chance to respond and learn!

  10. #20
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    I did one level of RA in 5e (Mouth of Doom from the 5e Kickstarter). I am pretty experienced at it and it took me a few hours. I had all the text, created new descriptive text where it did not exist, and the NPC’s ready in those few hours. The parcels and specific items took me another few hours but then everything was loaded and ready.

    The new map pack is really needed as the older maps really are not good for VTT.
    Ultimate License. Running Hyperborea and CoC. Asks lots of questions. Mgpotter.com. PureVPN is a tested solution to run games when traveling. https://billing.purevpn.com/aff.php?aff=33044

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