New to the Program, wanna DM with some friends, some questions.

[BloodyRackham]

Hello.

I'm new to this program and I'm really excited to get a game going with some friends. I have the Dungeons and Dragons starter set that has the Lost Mines of Phandelver in it. If I wanna set the campaign up in Fantasy Grounds do I have to just manually enter everything that is included in the books? Or is there a faster way to do it. I know how to import maps for JPEGs so I can just find the maps online, but is there any other tips I should know? I've read through the user guides.

Thanks!

[Callum]

Have you looked in the 5E section of the forum?

https://www.fantasygrounds.com/forums/forumdisplay.php?68-5E

[dulux-oz]

Also have a look at the various Video Tutorials on the Wiki - not just mine, but others as well, and not just the 5E ones, but the CoreRPG ones as well - after all, 5E is built on top of CoreRPG.

Shameless Pug (TM): Mine are also available from my Sig, below

Have fun, and Welcome!

[damned]

What you really wanna do as step 2 (step 1 - watch a couple of videos)

Check out this thread. https://www.fantasygrounds.com/forums/showthread.php?21835-D-amp-D-Basic-Rules-PDF-Parser
Run the Parser tool and in 5 mins you will have all the monsters and spells imported. It will kick start your game.
Feeling Game?
Check this thread - https://www.fantasygrounds.com/forums/showthread.php?18123-Project-Par5e
Now before you panic and want to spend 2 months working your way thru the whole project - the tool above creates some starter files. Run these and only these and you will get a couple more library files.
Now you're cooking.
Everything else - do it as you need it.

Here are some really short videos - 2-7mins each. Video production is poor, content is good.

https://www.youtube.com/playlist?list=PLsgd1zJLdiKUrEd85Dqr6UcaaLvD7YlJd

And of course - check out FG Con 6. See below.


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[BloodyRackham]

Thanks guys! I'm gonna watch some of these videos right now, and then give those parser tools a try.

[BloodyRackham]

Ok even after looking at all these videos and parser tools I couldn't really find an answer to my origional quesiton. I guess I just have to manually type in each NPC, item and Story encounter from my Lost Mines of Phandelver book? I ran the first parser program wich gave me the core monsters and spells, but I'm still confused about that second program. It only seems good if I have a rule book in PDF not physical? SInce mine is physical ( I have the DND starter set) I guess I just skip the parsers and just enter everything in Fantasy Grounds manually?

Really what I'm asking if is there is a faster way to do this? Does someone already have this parsed in a file I can use or is there a way to get a PDF version of my book, etc? So far fantasy grounds seems to just make DMing more complicated than playing face to face. Is that the price to pay for being able to play online, or am I just not grasping this program yet?

Sorry for all the questions, thanks for any help.

[dulux-oz]

Ok even after looking at all these videos and parser tools I couldn't really find an answer to my origional quesiton. I guess I just have to manually type in each NPC, item and Story encounter from my Lost Mines of Phandelver book? I ran the first parser program wich gave me the core monsters and spells, but I'm still confused about that second program. It only seems good if I have a rule book in PDF not physical? SInce mine is physical ( I have the DND starter set) I guess I just skip the parsers and just enter everything in Fantasy Grounds manually?

Really what I'm asking if is there is a faster way to do this? Does someone already have this parsed in a file I can use or is there a way to get a PDF version of my book, etc? So far fantasy grounds seems to just make DMing more complicated than playing face to face. Is that the price to pay for being able to play online, or am I just not grasping this program yet?

Sorry for all the questions, thanks for any help.

One of the biggest problems is that Wizards of the Coast haven't made the 5E D&D stuff available under the same license that the 3.5E stuff was - in other words, there are massive copyright issues around the production and sharing/sale of the material. This means that, unlike the 3.5E stuff which SmiteWorks can release with the actual FG program, the 5E stuff has to be entered by each individual GM.

Now, some people on these boards have made Parser programs to take the original material and get it into a format that FG can use, which is what Damned and others were pointing you at. Also, you might find someone who has already got the stuff into the correct format who might be willing to give you a copy - but they are in SERIOUS breach of copyright if they do, so they may not want to take the risk.

As far as stuff you create yourself, or stuff from a purchased module, the Parsers might work (I don't know, I don't bother Parsing, I take the raw PDF and OCR it into the XML files directly), but most likely you'll have to enter it in manually - this is the price we GM's pay to prepare our games/campaigns for our Players - and there has been plenty of discussion about the unfair distribution of work that GM's do on these boards and on others :)

I pointed you (& your Players) towards the Tutorial Videos because they will help you play whatever game you like on FG - and they'll help with entering the (preparation) data as well.

As far as FG making GMing more complicated than just Playing - GMing has ALWAYS been more complicated then just Playing - that's the nature of the beast. It's also much more satisfying than just Playing - that's why we do it! We put as much time into preparation with FG as without (actually, I find prep-time slightly easier/faster with FG). But when we are running games: well, that's where FG really shines - but we need to do the prep work first - that's just how it is.

But hang in there, you'll get it in the end and then you'll wonder how you ran games WITHOUT FG - and keep on asking questions and for help - there's always someone here who's willing to pass on their knowledge, skills, tips & tricks.

Have fun

[damned]

Ok even after looking at all these videos and parser tools I couldn't really find an answer to my origional quesiton. I guess I just have to manually type in each NPC, item and Story encounter from my Lost Mines of Phandelver book? I ran the first parser program wich gave me the core monsters and spells, but I'm still confused about that second program. It only seems good if I have a rule book in PDF not physical? SInce mine is physical ( I have the DND starter set) I guess I just skip the parsers and just enter everything in Fantasy Grounds manually?

Really what I'm asking if is there is a faster way to do this? Does someone already have this parsed in a file I can use or is there a way to get a PDF version of my book, etc? So far fantasy grounds seems to just make DMing more complicated than playing face to face. Is that the price to pay for being able to play online, or am I just not grasping this program yet?

Sorry for all the questions, thanks for any help.

I have use the Basic Parse tool many times. It works. It takes 5mins from start to finish.
Today to see what you might have been encountering an issue with I did the Par5e on the created TXT files.
It took me approx 13mins.
I had to edit equipment.txt and find/replace the 1/2 entries with .5

I now have 3 5E modules available to me in the Library.
Please help us help you by telling us where you are having an issue and what errors you get.

[Trenloe]

So far fantasy grounds seems to just make DMing more complicated than playing face to face. Is that the price to pay for being able to play online, or am I just not grasping this program yet?
I think it's the latter - it's a new, very powerful, application that you have to get used to. Now that I'm used to Fantasy Grounds it easily takes me 33% of the time that it takes me to prepare for a face-to-face game. It just takes some investment from your side to get to know it.


Sorry for all the questions, thanks for any help.
No worries. Keep asking the questions and keep positive. It's a shift in thinking in terms of running your RPG game and in terms of the interface. But it's well worth taking the time, don't get frustrated with the interface nuances, and you'll soon be running amazing games that you and your friends will love.

And, to get some exposure to Fantasy Grounds, look to play some games at the upcoming FG Con VI - lots of different RPG sessions available, the link is in my signature. You'll learn so much by playing on other people's games and the one-shot nature of FG Con is an ideal time to so that...

[BloodyRackham]

Alright thanks guys.

I got the basic Parse tool to work fine, I have the monsters and spells implemented, just not sure how to use the other Par5e one properly. I watched the tutorials on it but it was confusing and I don't have any PDF version to parse. I'm just trying to run the D&D Starter set. So I think I'm gonna start creating it all manually in fantasy grounds. Other than the spells and monsters that worked from the basic parse tool.

I'm not sure if the par5e tool has any basic things I can implement like the other parse tool has, I couldn't find anything about that.

I like fantasy grounds features and I'm liking the program, I just wish WoTC had 5e modules available for it.

Thanks for answering my questions everyone, I don't mind jumping in to do the prep as long as it turns out well and is worth it in the end. I'm sure it will be when I finally play a game with my friends. I'll check out FG con as well.

[damned]

Look in the folder that you ran the Basic Parse tool in. There is a new folder called input. In there is a stack of new files end in .txt
Edit equipment.txt and remove all the 1/2 entries (4) and replace with 0 or .5

Then download and run Par5e.

You need the following minimum (I havent read the instructions so there are likely to be corrections and improvements to my advice).
Module Name: My Basic 5E
You can choose to re-run this a second time and choose GM/Player and exclude npcs.txt - for now choose GM Only
Ruleset 5e
Module Path is your input path from above
FG Modules Path is something like this: c:\users\bloodyrackham\fantasy grounds\modules edit to match your environment
Tick all the boxes - and choose Par5e.

You should now have 3 brand new Files in your Library. You need to go into Library -> Modules and activate them.
Do it one more time for the player version - eg no NPCs and use a different Module name.


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[Trenloe]

Don't delay playing thinking that you have to enter all of the data possible for your 5E game. Fantasy Grounds is first and foremost a Virtual Table Top (VTT) that enables you to play with your friends as if you were all sitting around a table and playing face-to-face. You don't need 100% of the data entered into Fantasy Grounds to play - get the basics in there (manually entered character sheets, NPC records, maps/handouts). This is especially true if you're going to use voice comms for your game (which I'd recommend, and there is a free community server to help you do that: https://www.fantasygrounds.com/forums/showthread.php?17071-Voicechat!-Community-TeamSpeak3-Server).

My recommendation to people new to Fantasy Grounds is don't try to get everything 100% correct first time. It's going to take you, and your players, a while to get used to the application. If you try to do too much early on you, and your players, will get confused/frustrated and it will effect the enjoyment of your game. Go with the basics and slowly add in more as you all get used to Fantasy Grounds...

[trevorgall]

Hey if your interested, take a look at my google site for one of the games I am Dmng with FG. You'll see that the game has been running now for a while, and the players seeem to enjoy it. Its a mixture of original material, and modules that I have converted from PDFs etc. I have been Dmng since the 70's and at the moment, my reg players are on the other side of the globe. But I will say that using FG to run a campaign, is proving to work better in many ways than table top face to face. (its just the pizza I miss :) )

Yes the DM has lots of prep work to do, but that's a lot of fun, and when you see the players fill out the story, and twist it in ways you dont expect, its very satisfying.

The char profiles on the site I export direct from FG, so they get updated after each session, and the images in the logs I drop in from my FG games.
The chat log from the game I use to fill out the session logs.. and often think, ah yes,, i had forgotten about that..

sites.google.com/site/thegolemslair

Trevor.

[damned]

there is some nice stuff there Trevor.


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[BloodyRackham]

Look in the folder that you ran the Basic Parse tool in. There is a new folder called input. In there is a stack of new files end in .txt
Edit equipment.txt and remove all the 1/2 entries (4) and replace with 0 or .5

Then download and run Par5e.

You need the following minimum (I havent read the instructions so there are likely to be corrections and improvements to my advice).
Module Name: My Basic 5E
You can choose to re-run this a second time and choose GM/Player and exclude npcs.txt - for now choose GM Only
Ruleset 5e
Module Path is your input path from above
FG Modules Path is something like this: c:\users\bloodyrackham\fantasy grounds\modules edit to match your environment
Tick all the boxes - and choose Par5e.

You should now have 3 brand new Files in your Library. You need to go into Library -> Modules and activate them.
Do it one more time for the player version - eg no NPCs and use a different Module name.


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Even after following this steps, I don't have any new Library or module files... here is what my par5e program shows after parsing:
9312

[BloodyRackham]

WHen I try to use Par5e I get an error message that says Warning Incorrect Directory. Even though I set the directories to my files, both to the input and the module folder in fantasy grounds.

[damned]

WHen I try to use Par5e I get an error message that says Warning Incorrect Directory. Even though I set the directories to my files, both to the input and the module folder in fantasy grounds.

try cut and paste the folder path(s) in there
if that doesnt work use the folder icon to browse to the folders

I have a vague recollection that the first time i tried it did NOT want the input folder just the folder below it... try that - however the second time I ran it did want the input path so Im not positive...


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[BloodyRackham]

try cut and paste the folder path(s) in there
if that doesnt work use the folder icon to browse to the folders

I have a vague recollection that the first time i tried it did NOT want the input folder just the folder below it... try that - however the second time I ran it did want the input path so Im not positive...


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No matter what folders I pick for input or output I get invalid folder. I tried leaving both blank and it just doesnt parse. If I leave input blank it also wont parse.

[Trenloe]

No matter what folders I pick for input or output I get invalid folder. I tried leaving both blank and it just doesnt parse. If I leave input blank it also wont parse.
Please attach a screenshot of your "Configuration" tab in PAR5E. The one with the settings you *think* should work.

[Trenloe]

You may also find this video tutorial of use: https://www.fantasygrounds.com/forums/showthread.php?21964-PAR5E-Tutorial

The big thing to remember is that the various "Ruleset Data Items" at the bottom of the configuration screen automatically add \input to the path you select in the "Module Path". For example, if "Module Path" is C:\Data\5E and you select "backgrounds", PAR5E will add input\backgrounds.txt to the module path to give C:\Data\5E\input\backgrounds.txt

This additional \inputs has foxed quite a few people in the past.

With the 5E basic rules parser, it automatically put the .txt files in an \inputs folder, so your "module path" should be one level up from where the .txt files are.

Hope this gets you going...

[damned]

No matter what folders I pick for input or output I get invalid folder. I tried leaving both blank and it just doesnt parse. If I leave input blank it also wont parse.

By my comment above about input folder it is only the actual folder name \input that you leave out - all the rest should be in there -
Eg: c:\users\bloodyrackham\downloads\ and c:\users\bloodyrackham\fantasy grounds\modules
This is what Trenloe is also saying.

[BloodyRackham]

Ok so I set up the input folder by leaving just the input part out, but it still gives me the same error.

[damned]

sent you a pm.