PCGen outputs to FG now

[A Trackless Stranger]

I don't know if people own or follow the development of PCGen, but it would appear that the latest release now outputs FG xml, which is very cool.

I know SmiteWorks keeps on talking about cooperation with E-Tools...do we know if that is coming in the next release? SmiteWorks reaaaaaaaaaaaly needs to begin to do a better job communicating with its user base.

[Thore_Ironrock]

I don't know if people own or follow the development of PCGen, but it would appear that the latest release now outputs FG xml, which is very cool.

I know SmiteWorks keeps on talking about cooperation with E-Tools...do we know if that is coming in the next release? SmiteWorks reaaaaaaaaaaaly needs to begin to do a better job communicating with its user base.

Digital Adventures will be looking at licensing an eTools conversion very shortly from CMP. I already have a verbal OK, and it is on my list of things to do ... once I find a developer for the project. :)

I will post to the forums when I know more ...

[powerboy]

Digital Adventures will be looking at licensing an eTools conversion very shortly from CMP. I already have a verbal OK, and it is on my list of things to do ... once I find a developer for the project. :)

I will post to the forums when I know more ...

Didn't someone already write a free conversion a year or so ago. I thought that I saw an old post about it. He was made to take it down though for some reason.

Has e-tools gotten any better? Last I saw of it when it was first released it was a horrid mess. Will the conversion allow you to import personalities as well?

For that matter, can the PC Gen program output personalities? That is the most tedious part of module building to me.

[Thore_Ironrock]

Didn't someone already write a free conversion a year or so ago. I thought that I saw an old post about it. He was made to take it down though for some reason.

Has e-tools gotten any better? Last I saw of it when it was first released it was a horrid mess. Will the conversion allow you to import personalities as well?

For that matter, can the PC Gen program output personalities? That is the most tedious part of module building to me.

Since eTools is owned by Wizards of the Coast, there would be no such thing as a "free" converter unless it went through them or CMP. There was someone working on it for CMP, but I believe it proved to be too daunting of a task. That is why Rob came to me to see if I could find anyone with the skills needed to do the converter. Apparently it is not as easy as PCGen.

I believe the PCGen output is only characters. There is a tool out there for Personalities called NPC Designer. You can find it at www.rpgattitude.com. It works rather well, but their "warehouse" of data is not nearly as large as what CMP has done.

[powerboy]

Cool - NPC Designer is just what I was looking for. I only need the SRD stuff anyway.

Thanks!

[A Trackless Stranger]

Has e-tools gotten any better? Last I saw of it when it was first released it was a horrid mess.

Obviously, this is just my opinion...but it's still a horrid horrid mess. I am really looking for almost anything as an alternative to e-tools.

[Thore_Ironrock]

Obviously, this is just my opinion...but it's still a horrid horrid mess. I am really looking for almost anything as an alternative to e-tools.

The original build of eTools by FLUID was not pretty. CMP improved its functionality greatly over the years, but for the most part has taken it as far as it can go. Their new product, RPG Foundry (?-not sure on the name) is due out next year and is a complete redesign of a character/RPG/DM program model. I've seen the framework of it, and it is very cool.

Regarding your question on eTools -- it is improved greatly from what it started out as year ago, and has dozens of datasets you can add. However, the base framework is still there and if you did not like how the program worked before you may not be 100% happy with it still since it is not as overly versitile as it could be. If you want specific questions answered I would suggest popping over to the CMP forums. ;)

[A Trackless Stranger]

However, the base framework is still there and if you did not like how the program worked before you may not be 100% happy with it still since it is not as overly versitile as it could be. If you want specific questions answered I would suggest popping over to the CMP forums. ;)

Yeah...I think I am waiting to give RPGXplorer a try.

[powerboy]

I tried the RPG Xplorer demo and was completely overwhelmed by all the round thingys. It reminded me of OpenRPG except with better graphics. I am not a big fan of a tree based UI.

I am hoping RPG Foundry works out for CMP. I know that they were saddled with a horrendous program design in etools when they agreed to take it over from Fluid. I am looking forward to what they can do with a brand new program. I think that they have done a good job supporting etools. That's my impression anyway.

[A Trackless Stranger]

I tried the RPG Xplorer demo and was completely overwhelmed by all the round thingys. It reminded me of OpenRPG except with better graphics. I am not a big fan of a tree based UI.

I am hoping RPG Foundry works out for CMP. I know that they were saddled with a horrendous program design in etools when they agreed to take it over from Fluid. I am looking forward to what they can do with a brand new program. I think that they have done a good job supporting etools. That's my impression anyway.

I certainly don't wish them ill will, but my problem with E-Tools is not just in the software. Some of the comments some of their representatives have made in other forums have been a bit caustic and lacking in a sense of PR.

Again, purely my opinion which may be totally on the margin. I am just happy to have an alternative or two to CMP and E-Tools.

Having said that, I like a happy community and hope that everyone finds a tool that works for them and so I hope that CMP is successful with their new venture...

[Illrigger]

Well, to be fair to the CMP people, their comments have been in defense of their franchise with WotC, and they only tend to get caustic after people who believe it's their God-given right to make WotC datasets for whatever program they want and publish it start debating with them. I have plenty of issues with CMP, but I have a lot more issues with people like that than I do with them.

[A Trackless Stranger]

Well, to be fair to the CMP people, their comments have been in defense of their franchise with WotC, and they only tend to get caustic after people who believe it's their God-given right to make WotC datasets for whatever program they want and publish it start debating with them. I have plenty of issues with CMP, but I have a lot more issues with people like that than I do with them.

Not the comments I was referring to...

[Nalfien]

I don't know if people own or follow the development of PCGen, but it would appear that the latest release now outputs FG xml, which is very cool.

I know SmiteWorks keeps on talking about cooperation with E-Tools...do we know if that is coming in the next release? SmiteWorks reaaaaaaaaaaaly needs to begin to do a better job communicating with its user base.

I can't get it to work. I was using version 5.13.1.

Can PCGen import an E-Tools character?

[Illrigger]

I can't get it to work. I was using version 5.13.1.

Can PCGen import an E-Tools character?
The export xml was written before FGII released, and I'm not sure if it was updated to support the new version. I have doubts that it was.

And no, you can't import from ETools to PCGen, they're completely different formats.

[Nylanfs]

Okay maybe it's me I can't figure out how to import a PCGen character (from the xml file) into FGII. And since I haven't done this does the current csheet in PCGen work for FGII?

[Nylanfs]

Anyone have an easier way to get characters into FG2?

[Griogre]

Nylanfs, if this is important to you, just import the PCGen Characters into a FG1 campaign and then convert the campaign from FG1 into FG2.

FG1 campaign characters convert pretty well into FG2 other than the weapon, spell and note sections. The inventory will come in as one big multi-line but you can fix that by cut and pasting or just doing the inventory in FG2.

If the characters are low level you could probably do them faster by building them by hand in FG2 though.

[Nylanfs]

The problem is that my Paladin is 19th level, my druid/cleric is 11th and my rogue is 10th.

[Griogre]

Yeah, that's a bitch. Up to you, but considering you can now cut and paste into the FG character sheet from a PCGen one I think you'll spend less time just re-entering the characters into FG2 instead of trying to export them to FG1 and then converting to FG2. The rogue might be an exception if you have a pretty good grip on the conversion process.

I've entered a few mid level guys like your rogue and it's pretty fast because you have all the stuff calculated out. The druid/cleric you are going to have to rebuild the spellbook no matter what you do and that will suck up much of the time. The 19th level guy depending on his inventory might or might not be worth going through the hassel of exporting.

[Foen]

The PCGen exporter hasn't been updated for FG2. It could be built though - there is good documentation on the PCGen site to help you make your own exporters. Spell will always be an issue however: they are module links in FG2 and won't be convertible from PCGen.

Stuart

[Griogre]

Correct there is no Direct Convertion to FG2 I was suggesting exporting to FG1 then converting FG1 to FG2. It actually might be pretty fast for his rogue but for the Cleric/Druid I doubt there would be a gain in time of entry and it seems unlikely on the Pally.

[Illrigger]

The PCGen exporter hasn't been updated for FG2. It could be built though - there is good documentation on the PCGen site to help you make your own exporters. Spell will always be an issue however: they are module links in FG2 and won't be convertible from PCGen.

Stuart
They don't HAVE to be module links. You can manually enter basic spell info in user mode (I do that all the time for spells from non-SRD sources), so there has to be a way to import them into the character from outside.

[Foen]

I agree, but was just saying the process wouldn't be perfect.

I personaly don't have a need for PCGen, but thought it useful to point out that a conversion template was doable if someone wished to give it a go.

Stuart

[Nylanfs]

Moon Wizard has a sheet that does everthing except the spells (I haven't gotten it from him nor tested it) and it's mainy a code issue with how PCGen output's the spelllist name or so I gathered I don't do OS's so I was a bit confused. I'm going to get it from him and attempt to test it.

[Moon Wizard]

Just posted the PCGen output sheets I've been working on for FG2 in a separate thread.

https://www.fantasygrounds.com/forums/showthread.php?t=7339