Savage Worlds: exporting pre-generated characters not working

[Sgain]

Hi all;

When I export characters I've made for my adventure it puts them in the new modules 'Archetypes' folder and leaves the Characters folder empty. How do I get this to put my pre-gens where I want/need them to be? I know that they are in the Archetype folder and as a GM I can drag and drop them to the Character folder but this doesn't help anyone who's using the module.

Thanks!

Sgain

[Moon Wizard]

I believe that the idea is that the Archetypes are always available as part of the module that you can load for any campaign. Then, you can drag and drop the archetype link from the Archetypes list onto the Character Selection list to add to your campaign.

There are a lot of different archetypes available in Savage Worlds in varying states of completeness, depending on the setting. This allows all the archetype references to be copied to create whatever characters you want to set up for your specific campaign.

Regards,
JPG

[Mortar]

Once they are dragged into the character window, your players should be able to see them once they re-open the character window on their end.

In the SW ruleset, pre-gens are stored and accessed from the <archetypes> data node.

https://www.fantasygrounds.com/wiki/index.php/Data_Structure_Overview_and_Best_Practices

[Sgain]

Yep I know that guys - my problem is that when I export my characters it creates an empty folder called 'Characters' which is my problem.

[Mortar]

Folder? In the module you exported?

[Sgain]

nope, my bad, the Character 'window' in the game. Seems that this is a problem.

[Mortar]

Easy fix. Open the Archetypes sidebar window...drag them into the Character window. Have your players re-open the window, they should be able to see them and select them.

[Sgain]

yep, like I said in the very first post; I know this - but it seems that others don't.

I'm trying to get a module published on Smiteworks page and according to the person I'm working with, I cannot have an empty 'window' in my module. I've explained about savage worlds doing it differently but I don't think that is going to fly.

I was hoping there was another way to export the pre-gens.

[Trenloe]

I'm trying to get a module published on Smiteworks page and according to the person I'm working with, I cannot have an empty 'window' in my module. I've explained about savage worlds doing it differently but I don't think that is going to fly.
Can you provide a screenshot of what you're referring to please?

I think we're confused as to exactly where this empty window is. It may be that the person in SmiteWorks doesn't fully understand how this all works. But it will be good for us to understand the issue 100% so that we can provide clear feedback you can take to SmiteWorks.

Thanks.

[Mortar]

Add this bit to your exported code, this will make them appear in that window. Link them to the archetypes in the data you have already exported.

https://www.fantasygrounds.com/wiki/index.php/Pregens


To further add to this, the pre-gens in SW don't actually appear in that character window until they are added to the campaign - either adding them by dragging them or using the pre-gen links and hitting the green add button.

[Sgain]

Can you provide a screenshot of what you're referring to please?

I think we're confused as to exactly where this empty window is. It may be that the person in SmiteWorks doesn't fully understand how this all works. But it will be good for us to understand the issue 100% so that we can provide clear feedback you can take to SmiteWorks.

Thanks.

After you import my module (which I exported 4 pre-gens in) when you have a player join or as the GM you look at the Character tab - it's empty (I know this is because of how FG exports SW characters). This seems to be causing confusion with the guys at Smiteworks who say that it's an 'empty' window and they don't allow that on modules. Of course, as a guy with a bit of SW experience I know that I can move Archetypes into the Character window so that players can use them, but it seems that not everyone is aware of this. It must be something unique to Savage Worlds in FG.

I'll take a look at Mortar's idea, but I suck at xml stuff so it's going to be a 'fingers crossed' situation.

I've been looking at other SW products and the only one that mentions pre-gens offers a 'free link to download' them - which sort of says that they gave up on trying to export them for modules. Which is pretty sad if you ask me. Then again, I could just set up a download link for my pre-gens and put it into the module comments/notes/credits and explain how to set it up.

[Talyn]

I brought this up when the reference.archetypes datapath was created, because archetypes are not pre-generated characters, they're templates that you then have to finish. (This is where @damned gets to jump in and call me pedantic again! :) )

The only way to do the proper CoreRPG pregen stuff (just like Lost Mines of Phandelver and other modules do) is by doing what that final page @Mortar linked says to do. There is no function in FG that will export characters and they're ready to roll in pregen; the XML always has to be tweaked for it to work.

[Trenloe]

After you import my module (which I exported 4 pre-gens in) when you have a player join or as the GM you look at the Character tab - it's empty (I know this is because of how FG exports SW characters). This seems to be causing confusion with the guys at Smiteworks who say that it's an 'empty' window and they don't allow that on modules.
Is it the "Character Selection" window you're referring to, or is there a "Pre-generated Characters" link (to an empty window) in the module in the library. Hence why I asked for a screenshot so that we can be completely clear on what you're referring to.

If you're referring to the "Pre-generated Characters" window in the library, then you don't need to select pre-generated characters when you export your module - just export your archetypes, this will not create a "pre-generated characters" link at all. If you want to create an archetype from a PC before exporting, drag/drop the PC from the Character Selection window into the Archetypes window in your module creation campaign.

If this is not what you're looking for, then please provide a screenshot of the issue, because I am currently only guessing which windows you are referring to.

[Moon Wizard]

For Savage Worlds, archetypes and pregens are the same kind of record. (i.e. "archetype") They can be as lightly or fully fleshed out as the setting or adventure defines.

Sgain,
Please send a link to your module to [email protected], with a reference to this thread. Then, I can look at it, and confer with Lokiare as to what he has an issue with.

Thanks,
JPG

[Sgain]

Is it the "Character Selection" window you're referring to, or is there a "Pre-generated Characters" link (to an empty window) in the module in the library. Hence why I asked for a screenshot so that we can be completely clear on what you're referring to.

If you're referring to the "Pre-generated Characters" window in the library, then you don't need to select pre-generated characters when you export your module - just export your archetypes, this will not create a "pre-generated characters" link at all. If you want to create an archetype from a PC before exporting, drag/drop the PC from the Character Selection window into the Archetypes window in your module creation campaign.

If this is not what you're looking for, then please provide a screenshot of the issue, because I am currently only guessing which windows you are referring to.

It's the character selection window. I have to drag and drop from the Archetype window to populate it.

I've been given some xml work arounds for this problem and I'll give them a try today when I get some time.

@Moon Wizard - I'll try the xml fix first if it doesn't work I'll send you guys my module.

Thanks everyone.

[Trenloe]

It's the character selection window. I have to drag and drop from the Archetype window to populate it.
No module for any FG ruleset populates the character selection window - this is what I'm getting confused about. The character selection window only ever shows <character> records in the campaign database, not data from any modules at all.


I've been given some xml work arounds for this problem and I'll give them a try today when I get some time.
The XML linked by Mortar does NOT populate the character selection window with PCs. It populates the "Pre-generated characters" window I mentioned earlier in this thread. The characters in this window have a green + button next to them, which allows the PC to be imported from the module into the character selection window - you need to manually click the button for each PC. Which in many respects is similar to drag/dropping the archetype.

There are 2 issues being discussed in this thread:
1) Exporting pre-generated characters from the Savage Worlds ruleset does not result in the pre-generated characters data being populated.
2) There seems to be an incorrect expectation (or miscommunication between SmiteWorks and Sgain) about what is expected with pre-generated characters in modules.

[Ikael]

No module for any FG ruleset populates the character selection window - this is what I'm getting confused about. The character selection window only ever shows <character> records in the campaign database, not data from any modules at all.


The confusion might come from the fact that SavageWorlds ruleset DID populate character selection window in pre v4.2 version. SavageWorlds ruleset was the very first to introduce fully fletched character/pre-gen export within the ruleset. It exported content from campaign's "charsheet" data path to "pregen" in module. Thereafter when module with pregen was activated they were listed in the character selection screen. This however has changed when the ruleset was remastered to be CoreRPG-derived.



The XML linked by Mortar does NOT populate the character selection window with PCs. It populates the "Pre-generated characters" window I mentioned earlier in this thread. The characters in this window have a green + button next to them, which allows the PC to be imported from the module into the character selection window - you need to manually click the button for each PC. Which in many respects is similar to drag/dropping the archetype.

There are 2 issues being discussed in this thread:
1) Exporting pre-generated characters from the Savage Worlds ruleset does not result in the pre-generated characters data being populated.
2) There seems to be an incorrect expectation (or miscommunication between SmiteWorks and Sgain) about what is expected with pre-generated characters in modules.


Currently SavageWorlds ruleset offers two character related export options: Archetypes and Pre-generated characters. They both will export the character data into "pregen" path in module and WILL be listed in Archetypes sidebar. If you used "Archetypes" option, the exported character will also be listed in library list, but if you used the "Pre-generated characters" option they are not listed in the library but you get the empty list of "Pre-generated characters". This is the issue I assume. The short answer is, do not use "Pre-generated characters" export option, instead prefer to use "Archetypes" option. If you want to create fully fletched pre-gen section in your module you must write the xml manually.

The reason why the previously working character selection screen is removed was the fact that I want to make SavageWorlds less derived from CoreRPG-way and CoreRPG does provide new approach for pre-gens but seems like the export functionality does not support it (yet?).

I will need to do updates to the ruleset regarding this topic, but I don't think it will fit into v4.6 update which in getting finalized within few weeks.

[Trenloe]

but if you used the "Pre-generated characters" option they are not listed in the library but you get the empty list of "Pre-generated characters". This is the issue I assume.
Yeah, this is what I was talking about earlier in this thread - but Sgain is saying it is the character selection window. I'm guessing a misunderstanding between SmiteWorks and Sgain around exactly what i being referred to and what needs to be done to fix it. Hopefully the discussion in this thread will clarify what can and can't be done, and help the work it out.

[Sgain]

Sorry for any confusion guys. I'm a bit confused about it myself. Anyways I fixed the problem by putting my pre-gens into the Archetypes 'folder' and exporting them that way. Ended the confusion/problem.

Thanks again for all your help.