Module Reader

[Stryfe484]

It would be nice to see an application that would allow you to read the module reference sheets on your phone or tablet. This way, if you have a game later in the day, but you won't be home early enough to read up on before the session, you can still prep away from the computer.

You could have it set up so you have to be logged in, similar to dnd beyond. It isn't a pdf or an e-book that you could pass off to someone else. I think this would be amazing!

*Sorry if this isn't the forum to post this.*

[ddavison]

That is a good idea and something we've discussed internally quite a bit. We have a few licensing hurdles and staffing resources we would need to figure out to pull that off. We do like the idea.

[ColinBuckler]

I could see this being a huge game changer for FG.

Imagine a Unity application running on Windows, Android or iOS which allows you to download mods that you have purchased and open them for reading. Having a fully searchable game application for the rule sets that you own easily transportable on mobile devices.

A further step would be to have a character creator that could be used either at the desktop or as an exporter to allow importing into the full FG application.

This would put FG in direct competition with D&D Beyond.

I would be prepared pay for such an app.

[esmdev]

I could see this being a huge game changer for FG.

Imagine a Unity application running on Windows, Android or iOS which allows you to download mods that you have purchased and open them for reading. Having a fully searchable game application for the rule sets that you own easily transportable on mobile devices.

A further step would be to have a character creator that could be used either at the desktop or as an exporter to allow importing into the full FG application.

This would put FG in direct competition with D&D Beyond.

I would be prepared pay for such an app.

It would be nice to compete with D&D Beyond. The character creation process is already pretty good, the modules are there and sharing characters is pretty simple to do. Multi platform and tablet/phone support would pretty much do that.

I think the FG platform is pretty limited at the moment but once FGU is released cross platform accessibility should open up considerably.

[ColinBuckler]

I agree - whilst the existing platform is limited with todays technology Unity would be the best way forward for this.

Hopefully Smite Works will have a module reader planned......

[shadzar]

Why would Unity be needed at all? FG stores everything in XML, so an XML reader would be all that is required to parse the reference manual.

FG runs in Mac with a Wine wrapper, so making a wrapper for iOS or Android should also be possible, but only allow the "install" to function as a reader for the reference manual, not allow connections.

Might be easier with Unity and the FG4 coding Unity will have for newer products, but shouldnt be impossible with existing FG architecture.

[celestian]

It would be nice to see an application that would allow you to read the module reference sheets on your phone or tablet. This way, if you have a game later in the day, but you won't be home early enough to read up on before the session, you can still prep away from the computer.

You could have it set up so you have to be logged in, similar to dnd beyond. It isn't a pdf or an e-book that you could pass off to someone else. I think this would be amazing!

*Sorry if this isn't the forum to post this.*

If you have the product in PDF also you can use Voice Dream on your phone (iphone/droid). It reads PDFs with various choices of voices (I prefer Heather).

I use it a lot since I own practically everything I run in PDF. That might not be the case for 5e but... if you have PDFs it works great. You can even setup "aliases" for words like "GP" and "XP" to be "gold pieces" and "experience points" so you're not wondering what they are talking about... works great for stat blocks.

edit: Actually it reads more than PDFs, text files also. Basically anything that has OCR/text.

[ColinBuckler]

The WOTC 5E stuff is encrypted so you would not be able to gain access to the XML data :cry:

You could run FG using a wine wrapper but would not work well on a several devices - a unity native app "should" - think of more along the lines of mobile phones here allowing you to take a searchable index with you to the game table.

I agree that Unity would be the best way forward with something like this - but is a game changer having your all of your books accessible offline and searchable.

[LordEntrails]

Have you voted for these ideas on the wishlist?
- https://fg2app.idea.informer.com/proj/?ia=115148
- https://fg2app.idea.informer.com/proj/?ia=122004

As the president of SmiteWorks has said, they like the idea, but they need to adjust licenses with some companies and they do not currently have the resources to make such an application, but they like the idea.

So, vote so that they know how important this is to the community.

[shadzar]

The WOTC 5E stuff is encrypted so you would not be able to gain access to the XML data :cry:

Why, can you not read it when you load it in Fantasy Grounds?

All there needs to be is the same download mechanics to link your "app" to the FG store and you can download and access anything. the "app" then only reads the mods like FG does.

so you login to the app and it connects to FG store account, then the app gives you a lsit of modules you can load, and then loads up and only shows the reference manual parts of the module. modules don't need to be recoded to accommodate it, no encryption change required.

the app would just read the XML, take the reference manual part (<library></library>) and discard the rest and only show the reference manual, then you have your FG bought books on mobile.

honestly it isnt hard to code an XML reader in HTML and Javascript that can already read these XMLs, you just need the wrapper that can read the encrypted zipped files which SW would have to create.

and to my knowledge FG EULA allows you to have your owned copy of FG on any computer you own, but not give it to someone else. so having it on my PC and my laptop (for travel games), would be no different adding it to a tablet/phone.

the app could even be written in Unity if easier to make the XL reader to give the Reference Manual and only the Reference Manual. it all depends on what SW wants to use to develop the app, and read their own encrypted files. so since FG can already read them, anything else can be created to also read them, as FGU will already have ability to read existing encrypted files to preserve backwards compatiility, it only takes someone* to make the wrapper to read the files, show the Reference Manual portion, and ignore everything else in the XML that isnt related to the Reference Manual, just as FG currently opens and show reference manuals.

*someone, meaning with the legal right to the encryption methods to be able to write the thing that can read the encrypted files as well as other files... ergo SmiteWorks.

[Stryfe484]

Have you voted for these ideas on the wishlist?
- https://fg2app.idea.informer.com/proj/?ia=115148
- https://fg2app.idea.informer.com/proj/?ia=122004

Thanks for sharing these, LordEntrails! I've voted on both of them. I hope it is something they get serious about!

[timdog88]

Yea I voted on both as well. This is probably my number 1 wish for fantasy grounds. So much so that I am actively searching for tablets/small laptops that run full windows so that I can use them as a FG reader and run my characters for my IRL games off fantasy grounds.

[LordEntrails]

Yea I voted on both as well. This is probably my number 1 wish for fantasy grounds. So much so that I am actively searching for tablets/small laptops that run full windows so that I can use them as a FG reader and run my characters for my IRL games off fantasy grounds.
Their is an extension around that runs FG on tablets. Or parts of it at least. Not really sure... other than it says its for dice rolling and character sheets...
I also remember people talking about using surface pro 2 & 3's, but...

[timdog88]

Do you know how I might go about finding that extension? I'd love to give it a spin.

[LordEntrails]

Do you know how I might go about finding that extension? I'd love to give it a spin.
https://www.fantasygrounds.com/forums/showthread.php?45911-Move-Player-Token-amp-Roll-Dice-from-phone-tablet-for-In-Person-Face-to-Face-play-on-TV&p=408617

[iotech]

Their is an extension around that runs FG on tablets. Or parts of it at least. Not really sure... other than it says its for dice rolling and character sheets...
I also remember people talking about using surface pro 2 & 3's, but...

I run FG on my Surface Pro 4 all the time (for reference and working on the campaign - for play I use my Asus ROG + 2 external monitors). The Surface Pro works dandy for this.

[vaughnlannister]

Hey guys, curious about whether the module reader might still be developed in the future?

I've put my request in here: https://fgapp.idea.informer.com/proj/fgapp?ia=136869
Could you help upvote if you'd like the idea of having a module reader?

Thanks!