Organizing Campaigns and Modules

[erunamo114]

I am a new DM and new to Fantasy Grounds. I recently purchased the Storm King's Thunder and Rise of Tiamat D&D 5e Adventures to run together with a group of friends. I have also purchased all the official D&D 5e source material like the DMG, PHB, SCAG, XGE, etc. I've reading about and trying to understand the concept of creating modules in Fantasy Grounds, exporting them, and then importing them into other Fantasy Grounds campaigns. I am still having a little trouble understanding exactly how to organize my various campaigns and modules in this case. For example, the SKT and ROT modules also pull from the Monster Manual and other official D&D 5e source material so I would need to load those modules in order to make any changes to SKT or ROT. However, for the campaign I have open where I actually run the adventure, should I load any source material there at all or just use that as an "empty shell" campaign where I only load extensions and rely on modules for loading the source material? My only concern with this option was that the source material could be loaded multiple times if I have packaged it with each module.

How do you more experienced FG DM's prefer to organize your campaigns and modules?

[JohnD]

Your campaign probably should be as bare bones as possible. This is where your player's PCs reside. Perhaps some base things like common maps (i.e. an overland map or a map of place(s) your players will access from almost any point in the adventure).

The rest should be done as modules, meaning you can open and close them as needed. The party finishes the adventure you made to get them from 1st to 3rd level? Unload it and load up the one you made to go from 3rd to 5th. They go to a major village? Load up that module. Etc....

[LordEntrails]

So, first make sure you use of "campaign" and "module" is the same definitions of what FG calls a "campaign" and/or a "module".

In FG, a campaign is a 'play space' that has a common set of player characters and environment. Including reference content, modules, notes, etc.
A module is a set of pre-contained set of content that is standard between multiple campaign (or can be reset to such).

So, I create a campaign for each "adventuring party" I DM. This will have (mostly) the same set of players and characters that are engaged in a storyline.

I create modules of custom content for things like; a city or town with maps and locations, a cave complex with encounters and custom NPCs, a module with custom campaign backgrounds and classes, a module of custom trap and hazard NPCs.

Does that make sense? Also, if applicable, check out the link in my signature on Adventure creation.

[erunamo114]

So, first make sure you use of "campaign" and "module" is the same definitions of what FG calls a "campaign" and/or a "module".

In FG, a campaign is a 'play space' that has a common set of player characters and environment. Including reference content, modules, notes, etc.
A module is a set of pre-contained set of content that is standard between multiple campaign (or can be reset to such).

So, I create a campaign for each "adventuring party" I DM. This will have (mostly) the same set of players and characters that are engaged in a storyline.

I create modules of custom content for things like; a city or town with maps and locations, a cave complex with encounters and custom NPCs, a module with custom campaign backgrounds and classes, a module of custom trap and hazard NPCs.

Does that make sense? Also, if applicable, check out the link in my signature on Adventure creation.

This makes sense. Thanks for the info. One quick follow up on your point about creating modules. What if you want to include some monster tokens in a module that are monsters from a source book such as the monster manual or Volo's Guide? Would you load the Monster Manual and Volo's Guide into the module and export those as part of the module?

[LordEntrails]

I'm not 100% sure on tokens. Specifically, when you copy a monster from one source (like the MM or Volos) into your campaign list and then export that campaign as a module, I don't know if the token is brought along or not (I think it is, but not sure). Someone will hopefully jump in with the details.

If the token is not exported with your custom module, then I assume FG would pull the token from the source if you have it. I've never had toeksn missing, but am not sure if that because it exports the token when I create the module, or pulls it from the original source.

[Trenloe]

Tokens from other module sources will be links to that module, not the actual file. The way FG handles tokens, seeing token modules as essentially a file system where token links are concerned, you don’t need to actually open the original module where the token came from. You just have to have it installed on your computer.

[LordEntrails]

Tokens from other module sources will be links to that module, not the actual file. The way FG handles tokens, seeing token modules as essentially a file system where token links are concerned, you don’t need to actually open the original module where the token came from. You just have to have it installed on your computer.
Ok, thanks. I thought it was something different. That explains well how it works.

[Wolfheart]

Structuring a module (or campaign) is a bit ... in need of polish IMO. Like, it would be much cleaner if you could use hypertext and I would love to be able to imbed images right into the story (which seems possible, judging by the D&D books I have on FG). It would also be nice if a link to a table could be set up to immediately make a roll on said table (not a big deal though).

I also tend to put everything in one module, which is my fault obviously, but that's because I keep adding and/or changing stuff, and as far as I know a module is "locked"

[Zacchaeus]

To link things to a story just drag the thing and drop it on the story entry. This will create the appropriate link. Images can't be embedded into stories only reference pages. You might need to modify a table roll before it is rolled so insta rolling on a click might not be particularly what you want. FG caters for a wide variety of games systems and play styles so not everything that might suit you is going to be wanted by everyone. However the devs listen closely to what the community say and if you'd like to see something which is not currently in FG then add it to the wish list, or if it is already there vote it up. Link in my signature.

[LordEntrails]

Structuring a module (or campaign) is a bit ... in need of polish IMO. Like, it would be much cleaner if you could use hypertext and I would love to be able to imbed images right into the story (which seems possible, judging by the D&D books I have on FG). It would also be nice if a link to a table could be set up to immediately make a roll on said table (not a big deal though).

I also tend to put everything in one module, which is my fault obviously, but that's because I keep adding and/or changing stuff, and as far as I know a module is "locked"
Celestian has an item on the wishlist (see Z's signature if needed) for adding inline images in story entries. Hypertext probably won't be supported until FGU. Not sure if their is a wishlist item for it, but would be the place to add such a suggestion. Right now story entries simple are not coded for hypertext or many other text types.

The Creation Guide in my signature has a section on updating modules. If you go with the development campaign idea, all you have to do is update that campaign and re-export and then your module is updated in all campaigns that use it (though if you have made changes local to a campaign you will need to "Revert" changes.)