updating a module for export/import

[lousilver]

Hi, if I've exported/created a module and I missed an item (e.g. NPC) or wanted to tweak something (faction status in an encounter), is there a way to apply just that change to the exported module, or do I basically have to create the entire module over again?

Thank-you

[Moon Wizard]

You can always unzip and modify the XML directly in the .mod file. It's a renamed .zip file.

For people creating modules regularly, we recommend the creation of a "module development" campaign where all the records you use to create your module are stored; so you can edit and re-export whenever you need to.

Regards,
JPG

[lousilver]

Thank-you, yah I went ahead and made a specific campaign for development, i thought if the "active" campaign only had the current adventure and no art packs it might load faster, but that doesn't seem to be the case.

Anyway, it seems like if I want to update the module I have to "recreate" it in full, I can't just add/update specific items, short of the xml manipulation that you mentioned. I also understand that if the module's been modified in the active campaign that module updates will be inaccessible. So I better make these changes fast before i start using the module :)

[lousilver]

By the way, is there a way to move an entire group into the export rather than each individual items? this particular adventure had stories for 40 rooms, not including stories for other elements on the adventure, NPCs, images, etc. Would be easier if we could drag an entire group into the module. There may be a way, there's so many great shortcuts and features built into this program.

[Zacchaeus]

There isn't a way to export a group. This is another reason for having a creation campaign to create whatever you need, since everything in the campaign can be exported just by clicking on the data type rather than having to pick and choose what gets exported.

[LordEntrails]

You can update the module, if you have the development campaign. See the link in my signature for that and more best practices.

[lousilver]

Ah. I see. i was having a single campaign to develope ALL of my adventures, not one per adventure. Hmm.

[Griogre]

Personally I have one development campaign per adventure. It all depends on how often you think you are going to "tweak" an adventure. I tweak them alot so I found it's just easier to have campaigns for each adventure.

[Trenloe]

It's best to have one module development campaign for each module you want to create. If you're running an adventure and you want to have a player module and a GM module for that adventure then create two module making campaigns - one for the player module and one for the GM module. This makes adding, editing, maintaining and exporting an updated module quicker and keeps all data for one module in that one campaign.

Sure, you have to switch between campaigns to create the player and GM modules, but this is a small price to pay for the gains in efficiency and reduction in errors of using a campaign per module.

[EOTB]

It's best to have one module development campaign for each module you want to create. If you're running an adventure and you want to have a player module and a GM module for that adventure then create two module making campaigns - one for the player module and one for the GM module. This makes adding, editing, maintaining and exporting an updated module quicker and keeps all data for one module in that one campaign.

Sure, you have to switch between campaigns to create the player and GM modules, but this is a small price to pay for the gains in efficiency and reduction in errors of using a campaign per module.

If you figure out you need to split something into player/GM, can you copy the campaign and delete the parts in each that don't apply, and still the two resulting books work together?

I'm asking because the OSRIC mod I mentioned on the forge a while ago - it's big, and there wouldn't really be any need for players to load anything beyond what's covered in the first three chapters of OSRIC (the "PHB" part of OSRIC). But the back half of OSRIC of course draws upon the first three chapters for tables and such - e.g., a table to generate a scroll draws upon the spell list tables in the first three chapters dropped into it as sub-tables, and those spell list tables themselves have the spells dropped into them. Etc.

But if deleting out the first three chapters from a Chapt 4-6 "GM OSRIC mod" meant that tables such as the scroll generation table wouldn't work any longer then it wouldn't make sense for me to do that.

[Trenloe]

If you figure out you need to split something into player/GM, can you copy the campaign and delete the parts in each that don't apply, and still the two resulting books work together?.
You can do that. If you have links between the two you'd need to create the main module first, then re-do the links in the second module making campaign so that they point to the main module, and vice versa. It can get a little complex if you're not 100% aware of where the links go. So you may want to restrict the links between the two modules and just keep links to the current module only - which is pretty much best practice - i.e. only link within the same module.

[EOTB]

OK, that gives me the info I need to know. If I'd been thinking ahead I would have done the last half in a new campaign where I'd already exported the first half, and just activated that module into the "back-half" campaign to use for links. Unfortunately, I didn't do that, and redoing the links is redoing many, many links (and introducing new chances of glitching the redo). Maybe in a while when I've recharged my batteries I can reconstruct the back half in that manner. I appreciate the explanation!

[lousilver]

It's best to have one module development campaign for each module you want to create. If you're running an adventure and you want to have a player module and a GM module for that adventure then create two module making campaigns - one for the player module and one for the GM module. This makes adding, editing, maintaining and exporting an updated module quicker and keeps all data for one module in that one campaign.

Sure, you have to switch between campaigns to create the player and GM modules, but this is a small price to pay for the gains in efficiency and reduction in errors of using a campaign per module.

Hi, i understand, to an extent, splitting source material in to DM/player, but could you explain or give an example of why you would want to do that regarding an adventure?

[Zacchaeus]

Hi, i understand, to an extent, splitting source material in to DM/player, but could you explain or give an example of why you would want to do that regarding an adventure?
For an adventure there would be no need for a split unless you are including player facing material such as new backgrounds, classes, races, spells etc. When we are saying split into modules we are talking mainly about reference material, NPCs, and other DM only related stuff and the aforementioned list of player related material.