Impressions so far

[enygma]

I have had the Ultimate lic for a while now but I have finally had time to sit down and actually play around with it. So far I love what I see on a lot of aspects but there are other parts that really frustrate me.

I feel at times like I am speaking 3 languages and trying to get everything to understand each other. Everything I have tried in the community section has come up with errors. This is my 3rd day straight trying to get my game table up and running with no avail.

Here is what I am trying to accomplish.

1 parse the info from ddi so I have actual mods.
2 set up the downloader to pull tokens from the wotc website
3 set up Dr Zeusses mods

This program while very nice is at times very overwhelming. For instance today I spent all day parsing items with constant errors and having to rescrape the info because the parser won’t pick up where it left off. I wish there was an easy way to pick up the info that is needed to run 4e effectively without having to do a ton of data entry. This would allow me to focus on actually creating the adventures.

Anyhow I will keep plugging along and trying my best. I know that at the moment I am low on the learning curve and the more I work at it the better I will be. But wow this is not easy.

Thanks for making a great program. I am hoping I will get it figured out enough to run it. The guys on the Chat room have been real helpful with me as well so thanks for that resource too.

Enygma

[Zeus]

Hmm, sorry to hear about the frustrating time your having setting up your 4E game in FGII. For the new starter, I can understand how it could become rather daunting having to i)learn FGII, ii)learn to use the 4E Parser, iii)create your ruleset modules and iv)pull it all together to create your campaign/game.

Before we start, we should recognise that the D&D 4E ruleset for FGII is not an officially licensed product from Smiteworks, it is instead made available as an *un*-official ruleset that happens to be bundled with the base product.

As one of the early 4E users, I can say that the ruleset has come a long way from when I first started using FGII.

I hear your pain however and all is not lost. For a helping hand is only a request away ...

1) FGII 4E Modules - if you are an active DDI member, get your RPGA number and join the FGII RPGA Yahoo group (https://games.groups.yahoo.com/group/RPGA_Group/). There you will find a collection of core DM and Player modules to get you underway. The modules only contain data that is available under the Compendium and do not include tokens etc. However you can either add tokens manually when in FGII or crack open the modules and add tokens to the module (hint: name the tokens identical to npcs entries using lowercase and respecting whitespace, all special chars are replaced with whitespace e.g. Mazzi Do'Erith = mazzi do erith.png).

2)Not sure what your referring to but think its the script(s) for pulling down images of the D&D 4E Minis. If so, not sure how to help as its unclear which script you are using (there are several).

3)As the author of said extensions, I am happy to help and actively monitor the forums for requests for assistance, troubleshooting etc. Let me know which of the extensions is causing you challenges and I'll be happy to help.

[enygma]

Thanks for your fast response Dr Zeus. I figured out how to install and run your mods. for the most part. I do not have any of the card filler in the fortune cards.

The issue that I came across using your mods where the terms. I was unclear at first how to install them. I did not know that you needed to goto the start > program file > FFG > app folder. It was unclear in the instructions. That was the part throwing me off.

There are a few things I will have questions on when I go to explore them more. At the moment I am just tying to get the mods in FG2 just so I can start creating the campaign. I love how your FG top looks btw Dr Zeus.

I will be in chat all evening thanks for taking the time to reply.

Enygma

[Zeus]

All of my extensions are accompanied with a readme.txt file. In the readme.txt file you will find an overview of the extension, change history, installation guide and instructions. If these are unclear in any way, please let me know and I will correct immediately.

Regarding 4E Fortune Cards, you have to create your own sets. Just create a set and then open. Once opened, create the cards you want (adding the appropriate text and setting the type). You can then share the sets to any connected players so that they can use them.

I'll be on chat later this evening (its morning here in GMT) as I am about to set off to work.

DrZ.

[enygma]

having a hard time finding error here please help

10/26/2011 3:04:21 PM : ERROR:System.Xml.XmlException: The 'p' start tag on line 6439 position 624 does not match the end tag of 'li'. Line 6439, position 648.

<id-00002>


<text type="formattedtext"><p><b>Perception</b></p><p><list><li><b>DC 28:</b> The character notices the glyph.</li></list></p><p><b>Additional Skills:</b>Arcana </p><list><li> <b>DC 24: </b>The character spots the glyph and provides a +2 bonus to Thievery checks made to disable it.</li></list><p><b>Trigger</b></p><p>When a creature tries to open the guarded portal or pass through it, the glyph explodes.</p><p><b>Countermeasures</b></p><p><list><li> A character can engage in a skill challenge to improve the crowd’s disposition as described above. Improving the crowd’s disposition above hostile ends the hazard. ></p><p class="publishedIn"></p></li></list></text>

[unerwünscht]

<id-00002>

<text type="formattedtext">
<p><b>Perception</b></p>
<list><li><b>DC 28:</b> The character notices the glyph.</li></list>
<p><b>Additional Skills:</b>Arcana </p>
<list><li> <b>DC 24: </b>The character spots the glyph and provides a +2 bonus to Thievery checks made to disable it.</li></list>
<p><b>Trigger</b></p>
<p>When a creature tries to open the guarded portal or pass through it, the glyph explodes.</p>
<p><b>Countermeasures</b></p>
<list><li> A character can engage in a skill challenge to improve the crowd’s disposition as described above. Improving the crowd’s disposition above hostile ends the hazard. ></li></list>
</text>

[enygma]

So I open the Output folder and see 3 txt doc. one file labeled token.

txt doc.
common
db
definition

common and db are both identical

I open in notepad
I make changes in both and save as.. replacing current file in both txt doc.

I reparse

It comes up that the error is there in the same place with the same line that I just fixed. Not sure what I am doing incorrectly.

the file is not saved as read only. The changes where done according to the Parse thread list. So I am totally lost! Please help. I am new to all this so it might take a bit more explaining then most for me to understand.

thanks
Enygma

[Trenloe]

So I open the Output folder and see 3 txt doc. one file labeled token.

txt doc.
common
db
definition

common and db are both identical

I open in notepad
I make changes in both and save as.. replacing current file in both txt doc.

I reparse

It comes up that the error is there in the same place with the same line that I just fixed. Not sure what I am doing incorrectly.

the file is not saved as read only. The changes where done according to the Parse thread list. So I am totally lost! Please help. I am new to all this so it might take a bit more explaining then most for me to understand.

thanks
Enygma

Don't edit any of the xml files (common, db, definition) - these are the end result of the parse. The error is being caused in the data file used as input to the parse - which are output from the Compendium scrape.

Edit the text data file used as input to the parse and make the changes suggested by unerwünscht. Save and re-parse.

[enygma]

Don't edit any of the xml files (common, db, definition) - these are the end result of the parse. The error is being caused in the data file used as input to the parse - which are output from the Compendium scrape.

Edit the text data file used as input to the parse and make the changes suggested by unerwünscht. Save and re-parse.

I know this sounds bad but I have no clue where to find this. I followed DR Zues's instructions with an input and output folder and looked in the input folder where the scrape went and could not find a text data file.

[Trenloe]

I know this sounds bad but I have no clue where to find this. I followed DR Zues's instructions with an input and output folder and looked in the input folder where the scrape went and could not find a text data file.

So, in the 4E Parser, in "Parse", for the items you want to parse - what "Data File" are you selecting?

I'm guessing you're parsing traps? If so, the data file is set in New Module -> NPC's -> Traps -> Data File.

It also looks like your PC explorer settings are to hide extensions for known file types - so, you won't see the .txt extension to the data file - but the "Type" should be "Text Document".

[enygma]

so your saying change the Scraped NPC file (which is in the data file slot) to xml and then open and edit it

[Trenloe]

so your saying change the Scraped NPC file (which is in the data file slot) to xml and then open and edit it

Don't save it to XML - leave it as a txt file. Make the changes suggested by unerw&#252;nscht in the text file and save it as a text file.

It is this file that contains the error(s) - the error message tells you which line it is on:


10/26/2011 3:04:21 PM : ERROR:System.Xml.XmlException: The 'p' start tag on line 6439 position 624 does not match the end tag of 'li'. Line 6439, position 648.

[enygma]

So after all the hard work The modules downloaded. table set up. The adventure is finally done. I exported it to mod succesfully and am very excited to learn how to dm on FG table with it. I would like to run the adventure in a couple hours to see how I do. I have a ultimate lic. so let me know if anyone is interested in it.

[GMTroll]

If you still need to build your Fortune Card sets here are a couple of links to the wizards community that may help

Shadow of Nentir Vale set (https://community.wizards.com/dungeonsanddragons/wiki/Fortune_Cards:_Shadow_of_Nentir_Vale)
Glory of Neverwinter set (https://community.wizards.com/dungeonsanddragons/wiki/Fortune_Cards:_Glory_of_Neverwinter)