Module Creation Outlining

[SailorLovins]

Hello developers,

When you are at the drawing board for the creation or conversion of a module what are your outlining / planning methods? I use Notepad ++ XML to create my modules and am about to undertake a large project of converting an old book to current 5E rulesets. My module will include the reference manual that is ever so popular. So how do you break down large projects? How often do you test your module? If you don't mind sharing your trade secrets for the planning and production phase of your module I'd greatly appreciate it.

[Talyn]

I also use Notepad++ to do all my DLC projects. I don't know that I necessarily have a process, per se; sometimes I do the reference manual first (or at least get it started so the markup data paths are in place), other times I'll do it last. I'll make an '(Index)' Story scene with some placeholder text so I don't forget to do that (even though FG alpha-sorts anyway, but I try to build things in order if I can).

I usually find it's easier to first go page by page and build the NPCs first so they're in the database so I can go back through and build the encounters, items, parcels, etc. If there are NPC graphics to make tokens from I may do those first so I can build the NPC and assign the token all at once. Once those are done I'll do the Story scenes that way the other stuff is already in the database so I can easily drag-n-drop the related Encounter, Parcel, whatever onto that scene page and move to the next one. Along the way I'll be deciding if it's worth my while to also include the Story scenes in the reference manual or not (sometimes I do, sometimes I don't -- it's a requirement for official Paizo DLC however).

To finish things up, I'll tweak the reference manual layout so I'm happy with it and it looks professional, then go back and replace the placeholder text with the actual text and links for the (Index) Story page, run the Conversion Checker script and if no errors I'll email James that the project is complete so he can get an SVN folder setup for it.

[damned]

Do whatever this guys says ^^

[Talyn]

Do whatever this guys says ^^

In that case... ::hypnotic voice:: "send me all your money and women!" ;) :bandit:

[damned]

In that case... ::hypnotic voice:: "send me all your money and women!" ;) :bandit:

Sounds like Im getting out of it cheap. Whats your address?

[LordEntrails]

I'll add the first thing I figure out is what are the chapters going to be. i.e. something like Chapter 1 is Intro etc. Chapter 2 is the first set of encounters, etc. That way I know if I need to use 01, 02 or can just use 1, 2.

[Mortar]

I also use Notepad++ to do all my DLC projects. I don't know that I necessarily have a process, per se; sometimes I do the reference manual first (or at least get it started so the markup data paths are in place), other times I'll do it last. I'll make an '(Index)' Story scene with some placeholder text so I don't forget to do that (even though FG alpha-sorts anyway, but I try to build things in order if I can).

I usually find it's easier to first go page by page and build the NPCs first so they're in the database so I can go back through and build the encounters, items, parcels, etc. If there are NPC graphics to make tokens from I may do those first so I can build the NPC and assign the token all at once. Once those are done I'll do the Story scenes that way the other stuff is already in the database so I can easily drag-n-drop the related Encounter, Parcel, whatever onto that scene page and move to the next one. Along the way I'll be deciding if it's worth my while to also include the Story scenes in the reference manual or not (sometimes I do, sometimes I don't -- it's a requirement for official Paizo DLC however).

To finish things up, I'll tweak the reference manual layout so I'm happy with it and it looks professional, then go back and replace the placeholder text with the actual text and links for the (Index) Story page, run the Conversion Checker script and if no errors I'll email James that the project is complete so he can get an SVN folder setup for it.

About the only thing I do differently, is that I build the entire reference manual first, then the npcs, encounters and so on.

[Talyn]

One of the advantages to doing the reference manual last (or at least later in the process) is I'm getting stuff done (productivity for the win) and having to repeatedly run through the PDF to do that, which gives me plenty of time to figure out how I want to adjust the PDF layout into a reference manual layout.

I didn't mention in my first post, but I use Acrobat Pro which lets me save the PDF as a plain text file so it's easier to work with in Notepad++. A couple global find/replace to fix the usual wonky PDF-to-text artifacts and it's ready to go. I only copy/paste directly from the PDF during those times when the plain text export fails (always due to the layout and how the PDF was built) because that ends up being more work to fix things one paste at a time.

[Trenloe]

I do the reference manual last. This allows me to add links to all of the relevant FG records for: images, NPCs, items, packages, quests, etc.. It's good to add all of these as clickable links so that the GM can easily access the FG data records from the reference manual. The reference manual, IMHO, should not just be a wall of text and images, it should also empower the GM to run the adventure from there is they want to.

Oh, another thing - don't leave "see page XX" text in your module - make it a clickable link to the relevant reference manual section and/or FG data record.

[Valyar]

I am currently struggling to build this reference manual for a module we are working on. I understand that it is done by editing the client.xml file and defining lists and linking to objects inside the export, but somehow the details elude me (i.e. i can't manage to make it to show in the Library, when I browse the module.

I checked https://www.fantasygrounds.com/wiki/index.php/Reference_Manuals, but what is inside as code is different compared to what I see in example module I was provided.
I am currently doing /export from the campaign and then edit the client.xml.


Any resource I can check with more detailed explanations?

[Trenloe]

I am currently struggling to build this reference manual for a module we are working on. I understand that it is done by editing the client.xml file and defining lists and linking to objects inside the export, but somehow the details elude me (i.e. i can't manage to make it to show in the Library, when I browse the module.

I checked https://www.fantasygrounds.com/wiki/index.php/Reference_Manuals, but what is inside as code is different compared to what I see in example module I was provided.
I am currently doing /export from the campaign and then edit the client.xml.


Any resource I can check with more detailed explanations?
I'm guessing you don't have the initial link in the <library> section of the module.

Have a look at the 5E SRD data module as an example - open "DD5E SRD Data.mod" and look in the <library> section for the reference manual librarylink.

[L. R. Ballard]

When you are at the drawing board for the creation or conversion of a module what are your outlining / planning methods? I use Notepad ++ XML to create my modules and am about to undertake a large project of converting an old book to current 5E rulesets.

I'm converting a trilogy of modules and am learning best practices from a handful of the developers on this site. What they've outlined are the strategies I follow.
However, I have three suggestions to add:

1. It may prove more efficient over time to learn a program like Autohotkey to use when working in Notepad++, especially when creating NPCs within a given ruleset. Over the past year, I've learned some Autohotkey basics. Now, all the nonmagical weapons from -10 to +10 Strength and proficiency bonus combinations are coded. Type "Longsword +2 +2," (The pluses stand for Str. and Prof.) and the complete data appear for the weapon. I've also scripted skills, many magic items, and some NPC templates, so they appear after typing a hotstring. The Autohotkey script has progressed. I created the first draft of thirty-four NPCs in FRE2 in 8.13 hours. That’s fewer than 15 minutes an NPC.

2. Study Jason Hibdon’s tutorials. Jason walks through the process of building adventures and reference manuals for FG. Even if his videos are becoming dated because Zeus’s parser is no longer available or supported, the videos still emphasize valid processes and provide clear instructions. Jason’s steps are much like the ones described in previous posts.

3. Tired of doing something? Do something else. I made over 130 NPCs and wearied of doing the second edit of them. So, I edited the magic item descriptions, read the second and third modules and made a list of all relevant NPCs, items, etc., even made some maps for the modules using a recently released mapping utility. When there’s a lot to do on a project, pick something else to do. In a big project, a new activity offers a refreshing change of pace.

[Varsuuk]

Hey folks, is this wiki still correct based on today's paradigms?

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

Any path changes?

Also, what does it mean when it says things like ~"used in ruleset 5e but not recommended for new rulesets" - for example: reference.classdata (Classes) - Where would this be recommended to go in the database for a new ruleset?

[Talyn]

Yes, that is still valid; I reference it all the time when building DLC for a new ruleset, or one I haven't worked on in awhile.

5E is an odd beast. You'll notice all its datapaths add *data such as reference.classdata, .featdata, .spelldata, and so forth, where pretty much every other ruleset would use reference.classes, .feats, .spells, etc.

[Varsuuk]

Gracias ;) yeah, I noticed hehe.