Stat block import

[Ken L]

Is there a way to copy a stat-block into say a text area of a token, save, and import it on the fly?

[damned]

well kind of yes.... but the other way around... you import the NPC and you attach a token...

[Ken L]

Is there documentation you can point me to?

[damned]

Try this link Ken L - https://www.fantasygrounds.com/forums/showthread.php?20522-Pathfinder-Creature-Parser-V2-Beta-Version

[Ken L]

Ah, thanks!

I was hoping there was something more native I could use. I guess I'll have to write my own in Java to be OS independent. Thanks Damned.

[Trenloe]

There are two options:

The creature parser creates a FG library module based off a NPC text statblock, includes spell/spell-like ability population: https://www.fantasygrounds.com/forums/showthread.php?20522-Pathfinder-Creature-Parser-V2-Beta-Version You can create whole modules by having multiple creature statblocks in one text file.

The advanced bestiary product adds a stat block importer. Less detailed than the parser linked above, but this is "on the fly". See the second video on the product page: https://www.fantasygrounds.com/store/product.xcp?id=GRR2901e

[Ken L]

Very interesting Tren, FG allows user made extensions? If so I'd like to write my own as I do impomptu encounters which runs against the grain of the FG over-prepared mindset.

[Trenloe]

Very interesting Tren, FG allows user made extensions?
Yep. Plenty of examples here: https://www.fantasygrounds.com/forums/showthread.php?20320-FG-3-0-CoreRPG-Extensions and here: https://www.fantasygrounds.com/forums/showthread.php?15925-List-of-Extensions



... which runs against the grain of the FG over-prepared mindset.
I don't think there is specifically an over-prepared mindset with FG. Fantasy Grounds certainly allows you to prepare ad nauseam if you so desire, but I'd say that is a GM preference not a platform preference. Especially if you run your games via voice you don't need to do much preparation at all - have a few maps ready, and special/unique NPCs if you so desire. With RTFAllen's Encounter CR/XP calculation extension you can throw encounters together on the fly and it will work out the CR/XP due: https://www.fantasygrounds.com/forums/showthread.php?21823-Auto-XP-Calculator-%28Extension%29 And if you're running Pathfinder there are many library modules with ready-to-go NPCs/Creatures to makes impromptu encounters easy: https://www.fantasygrounds.com/forums/showthread.php?16074-List-of-Modules&p=120185&viewfull=1#post120185

[damned]

Hi Ken L when still learning how to juggle FG in your game it might be easier to "over prepare" but you absolutely can run stuff on the fly once you know how to use the parts of FG that you want to use. I would definitely try to have a couple of generic maps - even just a room, a clearing, a crossroad, and try to have your NPCs ready in the Personalities/NPCs tab and then you can deploy them quickly. For all your roleplaying - do it as you normally would. I am experimenting with going as totally reactive as possible - I still have a lot to learn but its been an interesting learn so far :)

[Ken L]

I run very fluid games and roll my encounters from tables. Perhaps they're wandering the forest, or perhaps decide to investigate a mountain hideout I alluded to earlier.

Did I prep those locations? Nope as I expected them to check out the monastery. But with a drawing tool I can whip up a map, and ideally with an importer tool, I can hit up the PRD, copy-paste stat blocks to generate the random encounter, and presto!

Just as I'd do at the tabletop.. well I guess better than as I'll have an auto-generated token I can use to draw attacks from. If I prepare all the scenarios, my players are following a predestined path. While I do weave in a story, I allow quite a bit of player freedom in my game at the expense of not having a map for every single encounter. Tabletops started off as imaginative anyhow, I'm just looking to automate the monster encounter aspect.

[damned]

Hi Ken L - I ran a Dungeon World last session and I gave the player 6x10 choices for the adventure...

We are exploring…
a remote ruin
an overgrown necropolis
the ruins of an ancient city
a flooded settlement
an abandoned village
a twisting canyon
a lost valley
a long-forgotten road
a legendary battle site
a mysterious cavern


that lies…
on an uncharted island
along the edge of a great swamp
high in the mountains
in a desolate wasteland
in the freezing tundra
deep in an ancient forest
in the windswept badlands
among the rolling dunes
in a tropical jungle
in the middle of hostile territory


seeking the…
temple of a dead deity.
crypt of a forgotten hero.
vault of the last dwarven king.
prison of a bound demon.
lair of a legendary beast.
hideout of a notorious thief.
cathedral of a fallen god.
monastery of a mystic order.
fortress of a tyrannical warlord.
tower of a mad wizard.


We are here to…
find an ancient artifact
search for a cure
rescue someone in distress
use a sacred site
bring a villain to justice
find the chosen one
recover our souls
stop the release of an ancient evil
seek forbidden knowledge
close an unholy portal


guarded by…
undead horrors
crazed cultists
twisted abominations
ruthless assassins
monstrous hordes
foul demons
deadly traps
powerful constructs
wild beasts
skilled warriors


and…
an un-living lord.
an alien horror.
a fallen angel.
an ancient dragon.
a powerful sorcerer.
a despotic warrior.
a zealous priest.
an infernal fiend.
a criminal mastermind.
the one that betrayed us.


We ended up with:
We are exploring a hidden valley that lies high in the mountains seeking the prison of a bound demon.
We are here to rescue Atalea Karse of Naor guarded by undead horrors and one who betrayed us.

I got this from here: https://www.rpgalchemy.com/dungeon-world-adventure-builder/ and decided to give it a go. And this is with a ruleset without anywhere near the resources at hand that Pathfinder gives you.

[Trenloe]

and ideally with an importer tool, I can hit up the PRD, copy-paste stat blocks to generate the random encounter, and presto!
No need the an importer tool. One of the links I provided above includes Fantasy Grounds library modules that contain all of the creatures from the PRD in FG format ready to go. Here's the link: https://www.fantasygrounds.com/forums/showthread.php?16074-List-of-Modules&p=120185&viewfull=1#post120185

If you haven't already, please check these out to see what I'm referring to.

[Ken L]

No need the an importer tool. One of the links I provided above includes Fantasy Grounds library modules that contain all of the creatures from the PRD in FG format ready to go. Here's the link: https://www.fantasygrounds.com/forums/showthread.php?16074-List-of-Modules&p=120185&viewfull=1#post120185

If you haven't already, please check these out to see what I'm referring to.

Ah, bad reference. More like from a purchased PDF or other fluff material. Things like Inner sea bestiary or adventure paths. They have a random encounter bestiary at the back. Also helps with prepping the main module's encounters as well if they're not sourcing from the bestiaries.

EDIT: also stat blocks from the NPC Codex, Monster codex, items not currently served by a database. A flexible medium to import published material on demand.

[Trenloe]

Also helps with prepping the main module's encounters as well if they're not sourcing from the bestiaries.
If you're prepping ahead of time, and the creature isn't in any of the already created community modules, use the Pathfinder Creature parser: https://www.fantasygrounds.com/forums/showthread.php?20522-Pathfinder-Creature-Parser-V2-Beta-Version

If you want to do this on the fly during your game then you'll need the Advanced Bestiary product: https://www.fantasygrounds.com/store/product.xcp?id=GRR2901e

[Ken L]

If you're prepping ahead of time, and the creature isn't in any of the already created community modules, use the Pathfinder Creature parserhttps://www.fantasygrounds.com/store/product.xcp?id=GRR2901e

I'd have to write my own as I don't use windows, unless it works through WINE.

[Trenloe]

I'd have to write my own as I don't use windows, unless it works through WINE.
Some people have mentioned they've been able to run through WINE. The app uses .NET libraries, so as long as you have those in WINE you should be able to run it.

FYI - writing a full blown NPC statblock parser is a major undertaking. I've easily spent in excess of 300 hours so far, and still have "work" to do on it to expand some of the parsing functionality.

[Ken L]

Some people have mentioned they've been able to run through WINE. The app uses .NET libraries, so as long as you have those in WINE you should be able to run it.

FYI - writing a full blown NPC statblock parser is a major undertaking. I've easily spent in excess of 300 hours so far, and still have "work" to do on it to expand some of the parsing functionality.

I've done it :)

https://app.roll20.net/forum/post/1669505/script-creaturegen-pathfinder-monster-statblock-%3E-combat-ready-token-slash-journal

If you want to collaborate on an extension to do something internal, let me know.

[Trenloe]

If you want to collaborate on an extension to do something internal, let me know.
As this already exists in the Advanced Bestiary it's not something that I'd, personally, want to spend time on.

[Ken L]

Np, I'll write it over time. It's a tool I'd use personally anyway. From what I see of the Green Ronin shick, it's parsing it different that I would have in terms of isolating datum that is useful and linking it.

I guess the only thing left to ask is if there is a way of looking through loaded databases if I want to check if X spell name actually exists or some odd.

[Trenloe]

I guess the only thing left to ask is if there is a way of looking through loaded databases if I want to check if X spell name actually exists or some odd.
If the data is in modules you can access the XML yourself (open the db.xml, client.xml or common.xml file from within the module). There are a number of spell modules available: such as the PF Spell module that comes with FG or community produced ones available here: https://www.fantasygrounds.com/forums/showthread.php?16074-List-of-Modules&p=120187&viewfull=1#post120187

Within Fantasy Grounds you can access the data in the module using the FG database (DB) and Modules packages:

https://www.fantasygrounds.com/refdoc/DB.xcp
https://www.fantasygrounds.com/refdoc/Module.xcp

[damned]

most of the modules, rulesets, token packs, are actually zip files. 7zip will recognise them as such - otherwise rename them to .zip and have a look inside (dont forget to rename it back again).

[kuthulu]

As a follow up I also use Linux. I saw Ken L's post and figured I'd give the parse a try. I've used Ken L's scripts over on Roll20.

I'm running Linux Mint 17 x64 with KDE. You will also need to install WINE.

First issue was that .NET would not install under the same WINE PREFIX as FG. I had to create a 32bit prefix just for this application using:

WINEPREFIX=$HOME/prefix32 WINEARCH='win32' wine 'wineboot'

it will create the prefix32 directory so no need to create it

Then I had to get .NET installed. To do this I installed WINETRICKS. It is available in the repos. It helps in loading all the .NET files. Once you get Winetricks installed run it under the 32bit WinePrefix. just change your home directory name.

WINEPREFIX=/home/YourHomeDirectory/prefix32 winetricks

when it starts up select the default prefix and click OK.
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Then select the first option Install a WINDOWS DLL or component
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Then scroll down to select dotnet20 and click OK
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You will have to install .NET from 2.0-4.0. Winetricks did most of the downloading. I only had to manually download .NET 3.0 and an XML Parser. It will tell you where to put the files and just re-run Winetricks. This will take a while.

You will see a bunch of pop-up errors, just click ok and follow the instructions from Winetricks.

Once all that is done you can download and install the parser. Install it in the 32bit prefix. Navigate to where the setup.exe file is and run:
WINEPREFIX=/home/YourHomeDirectory/prefix32 wine setup.exe

After the install you will need to navigate to the directory ~/prefix32/drive_c/users/YourHomeDirectory/Local Settings/Apps/2.0/THIS_WILL_BE_DIFFERENT/SO_WILL_THIS/pfrp..tion_403d954494254f63_0002.0000_1c59881c022e e738 and run the application. Check out this post (https://www.fantasygrounds.com/forums/showthread.php?20522-Pathfinder-Creature-Parser-V2-Beta-Version&p=179447&viewfull=1#post179447) about running it on MAC. It may help.

WINEPREFIX=/home/YourHomeDirectory/prefix32 wine "PFRPG FG Creature Parser v2.exe"

After all that I was able to run the application, parse a statblock and import it into FG as a module.
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I did have to move the SpellParseRef.xml to the directory where my Statblock file was in order to use the SpellParse. Also it couldn't find my directory for FG but that is because it was in the other WinePrefix. Not a prob. I just copied the MOD file over manually.
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