DMGuild PDFs of old modules

[Varsuuk]

I am converting a DDEX model to FG as my first learning run because it is small. Probably the first big project I'd like to work on in near future is an "as I find time" conversion of ToE (1st Ed) in order to run it later in Summer.

I have every print version of ToE (Homlett in tan, one of my earliest modules) so I may incorporate some later parts if they make sense. Thing is I only have scanned Homlett and ToE. I'm not so sure they are "great" scans as I am a newb with these things. I noticed dmguild had ToE on sale low enough to tempt me to rebuy IF theirs was a high quality scan which is cut-n-pasteable to FG with minimal (or none?!) issues.

I haven't started in mine, so prob should spot check it, but I've seen previews of some of these things and some look like "picture scans" vs ocr-ish. Picture-scans are practically no effort especially with the older 1e modules I have.

I wouldn't have scanned ToE already since it was a thick bound book except that during the many months of playing - it started falling apart from the use and notes ;). So I bought a second "pristine" copy and didn't mind mangling the first to scan ;) won't do that for all my oldies.

[Nylanfs]

You will ALWAYS have cut and paste issues with scanned PDF's, OCR is just not at the level that it replicates creating a PDF without text and spacing issues yet.

[Trenloe]

If you're talking T1-4 Temple of Elemental Evil (1e) (https://www.dmsguild.com/product/17068/T14-Temple-of-Elemental-Evil-1e?it=1) Then the format is mentioned on the right hand side - "Scanned image". If you click the info "i" icon it mentions that it was scanned then passed through OCR.

So, how good is the OCR? I have purchased this module and doing a quick copy/paste of the first section on page 4 starting with "Welcome to the exciting WORLD OF GREYHAWK fantasy setting." I see that the only problem with the OCR was the little TM after Greyhawk, it came through as GREYHAWK1" Other than that, the first section came over fine.

Overall Quality of the scan? You can tell it's a scan, but it has been cleaned up well - the background is white and it is squared up within the page (except some of the maps at the end - see below). The images can be copied straight out of the PDF. There are a good amount of PDF bookmarks - basically each heading within the book. The maps are usable - they're scanned at around 250-300 dpi, but some of the full page dungeon level and elemental node maps aren't quite square and will need exporting to something like GIMP and squaring up - shouldn't take too long to do that, especially if you use Valeros's excellent map alignment utility: https://www.fantasygrounds.com/forums/showthread.php?19813-Map-Align-Utility-to-scale-and-align-map-to-grid

All in all it's a pretty good, clean scan with accurate OCR (from my quick check).

[gqwebb]

Yes, agree that the modules from dmguild are good I used B1 to make a module and it was fairly clean. I also will put them into text aloud to listen to them for prep. Got both the t1 (https://www.dmsguild.com/product/17067/T1-The-Village-of-Hommlet-1e?it=1) and t1-4. And the a pretty good to. My next is U1 salt marsh here I come.

Just checked and the samples do include the ocr text that is covered buy the sample. For T1 that is 6 pages.

[Varsuuk]

That's great guys :)

I will be buying T1-4 and heck maybe T1 for old times sake (it was the module I ran in '81 as first of that year's unofficial HS club... Was group of 2 guys and 5 girls plus 1-2 male teachers ... And I dated 2 of the ladies, one for 6months other 6 years lol)

I took my longest group from College+ years (Inc the woman I was dating & eventually engaged to) through ToE up to a point where we sidetracked then switched to FR. We played until 91 or so... Two YEARs after she broke up with me, lol... Man the game came first!

Good times. Wish I had that much free time now.

[Varsuuk]

Yup, I purchased it the other day.

Looks great, certainly better looking that any scan I did of my "original falling apart at seams" module (I have a pristine "lookey only" version lol too) - so now this is the Winner in the category of "most times re-purchased" module lol...
T1 - Original Homlett
T1 - New cover Homlett
T1-4 Original Temple, fell apart by time finished temple-proper 2nd level.
T1-4 New version, used only for reading and not while at playing table.

T1-4 PDF :) just bought.


Ah good times... buying that gave me warm digital fuzzies, how can you put a price on that? (well, $9.99, I guess...)

[gqwebb]

Now get ya a Epson wf7610 to print out a clean new copy. That and a reem of good hammer mill 11 X 17. There is just something magical about holding those old modules. And don't forget about the old basic and expert books (https://drivethrurpg.com/product/110274/DD-Basic-Set-Rulebook-B-X-ed-Basic?manufacturers_id=44). Ah, good times, good times.

[Stitched]

My only issue with a lot of the scans is that the Maps sections are NOT Digital Tabletop ready so you either need to redraw/rebuild them using tilesets, up-res those grainy bastards, or "theatre of the mind" them.

Am converting ToTE, as well, because I want to run Against the Slavelords. :D

[Varsuuk]

I never ran Slavelords but always wanted to. Hoping to convert that after a revised ToE (you know, someday... This is why I need to buy this stuff instead, my pro-craft inaction skills are mighty and my free time is minuscule)

[Stitched]

I never ran Slavelords but always wanted to. Hoping to convert that after a revised ToE (you know, someday... This is why I need to buy this stuff instead, my pro-craft inaction skills are mighty and my free time is minuscule)

I picked up both TotEE and Against the Slavelords as PDFs from DMGuild. 10 bucks each for these mega modules is a steal. Still need to convert a lot of the monsters to 5e stats, though. Against the Slavelords, even with the SRD Bestiary is a 2 page listing of creatures needing conversion(!) :)

[damned]

If I was doing this for my own use and not as a to be released project Id use the maps and story from the old module and use monsters from the SRD. If you need to scale those monsters thats cool too but Id minimise the work I had to do by taing as much from the SRD or MM.

[Varsuuk]

I picked up both TotEE and Against the Slavelords as PDFs from DMGuild. 10 bucks each for these mega modules is a steal. Still need to convert a lot of the monsters to 5e stats, though. Against the Slavelords, even with the SRD Bestiary is a 2 page listing of creatures needing conversion(!) :)

I can only imagine how much work I'll have to do for ToEE. I didn't buy the Against Slave Lords because I already own that module as well as each of the original printing ones that it was comprised of. I'lol definitely buy a PDFs for it, if I ever get up to it or it looks like I'll be seriously regularly playing again as I hope to.