More Advise Sought: Personalities (& Characters)

[ShadeRaven]

(Add: Oh, I am using the 4E_JPG ruleset v1.0.1 from FUM)

I am probably moving too fast here and perhaps asking too many questions, but, well, I am enjoying the process of learning FG2 so far and I find myself wanting to know more.

So today I put in a couple of creatures into a test module plus a Character (along with a bunch of tokens and maps, plus a little story to go with them). Once I got the feel for the Character creation process, I thought it was quite nice. Even figured out how to put the die rolls into the macro bar, etc. Good stuff!

However, when I created some personalities they seem to lack the rounded nature of characters and I really struggled to get their powers/attacks to look good. I am guessing that these are just text fields and the ease of use built into the character sheets aren't going to be there for NPCs?

Beyond that, another question that is bugging me is simply this:

Should I be entering in all my MM creatures (+) in my main campaign or is there a way to create a resource module that contains them and just drag in what I need?

When I loaded up the Sample Modules from FUM and saw you could sort by level, name, or group, I was impressed and overjoyed.

Until I realized that I had no clue how to add entries into those things. :P

Any help (again) would be greatly appreciated!
SR

[Griogre]

We are going to have to talk about different types of modules now. Up to now you have been messing with adventure modules which are just like a module you would buy at a store.

FG also has modules that are library book modules. IE if you start a d20 campaign with the default ruleset and go up to activate modules you will see a d20 spells, d20 Monsters, ect.

To build these type of library modules you need to open and build files in XML. It is pretty easy though - and monster library book modules are some of the easiest. You can see an example of how these are built by opening up the d20 Monsters. If you go into your modules folder in data apps you will see a module called d20monsters.mod. Copy this file out onto the desktop and then change the extension from .mod to .zip (the modules are really zip files). Then unzip the file. You will get three files: the image that is used to display the module in the module activation window, a very short definition file and the file you are looking for - the db.xml file that has all the monster data. You can look at this in note pad. There is a pretty decent free editor called Notepad++ you can use also. What you don't want to use is a work processor because they load the file with tons of hidden characters which will screw up the XML.

If you look through the db.xml file you will find the structure easy to read and that will give you a good general idea of how to go about making your own.

Specifically you were talking about JPG’s 4e ruleset. Obviously the data is different than the d20 one. The real good news is you can get a sample of what monster data is suppose to look like by creating a new monster in a campaign and then opening the campaign’s db.xml file and looking in the NPC section. However, on that ruleset someone actually did a sample module with some data and posted it. Someone also posted a parser that could save you a ton of input time. If you have any general questions you can post them here but for specifics you might want to post in the FUM forum.

[Tenian]

As Griogre said, there are some resources on FUM that will help you with this specific ruleset.

As for the difference between the NPC and PC display sheets, the NPCs intentionally display in a simpler sheet than the PCs. This is because the PC usually only needs to have 1 sheet open, while the GM may have several open depending on the encounter being run. You'll quickly find that screen space is at a premium when running a live FG2 session. Also the vast majority of NPCs (the monsters) are disposable and don't last beyond the encounter.

[ShadeRaven]

Alrighty. Thanks! I figured it was something along those lines (concerning personalities).

However, I would like to have at least some good basic data to pull from (out of a module) as there is going to be some open nature to the campaign. So being able to wing an encounter or two here and there would be a great boon. Thus, having generic encounters/creatures to pull from quickly would be a great boon.

The light is slowly coming on here. I am up to 40 watt I think at this point. ;) I have a grasp of the difference between module types (data modules and adventure modules). I need to figure out each, as both offer great benefits to the game, and all the help out here is going a long way towards helping.

I am probably trying to take in too much too fast. I have had FG2 less than 16 hours but it offers so much, it's hard not to be excited about learning more of its possibilities.

[icedcrow]

I'm in the same boat with you Shade Raven... asking questions benefits us all =)

So I am going to look at creating a mod file that is for my personalities, and a mod file that is my monster manual.

As well as a mod file that is the spell book.

Then I can simply use them in my library correct?

[Griogre]

That is true. However a personality = monster so they are the same thing data wise. You may want seperate modules for personalities and monsters for organizational reasons - but their also isn't any reason you couldn't put them in the same "book."

Just to touch on some of the possibilities - there actually isn't any reason you can't have one XML Library module that is several books - except the books would all have the same name. The catagory headings could be different though. Or you can have seperate data group catagories like your NPC's and monsters and display them all as one searchable list.

[icedcrow]

The big thing for me would be reusability. If I write an adventure, and I have goblins... that's a pretty standard monster. If I want goblins in my second adventure I don't want to have to re-write the goblin entries or have to import my old module just to have access to the goblin.

[Xorn]

Maybe I should add "making a basic library monster manual module" to the video tutorials? Gonna be busy tomorrow. :)

I already plan to show quickly how to reuse a personality from a module you've already made without having to reenter it, but it wouldn't hurt to show how to make a basic library module for monsters. (I think it's the most valuable library module a DM can have, really.)

And in Campaign Creation Basics I'm going to just show some entry of personalities.

[Griogre]

The monster module would seem to be a good idea. With FG and voice all you really need to run any adventure are the maps and NPC/Monster.

One thing I don't like about the sample of a monster module on the FUM site is they used a style similar to the CSRD. The CSRD was great except for the monster list. There is no way you want to scroll down to a monster whose name starts with Z in a thousand monster list (and *there* are going to be that many monsters after a few more monster manuals). IMHO, monsters modules should use the library pane so you can use the "Magnifying Glass" search tool i.e. they should use the style of the d20Monster library module.

[Tenian]

The 4E_JPG Monster manual has a search on each of the panes (by level, by name, by group). I think almost every list window the 4E_JPG windows pop up have the magnifying glass...

[Griogre]

Ouch, I totally missed that. :( Must have been looking down at the left, I guess. That will teach me to pay more attention. :)

[Tenian]

No problem...I thought maybe there was a cooler search I didn't know about :) I'm lazy and almost every window I built was based on the original, so I think they all have search...even the weapons and armor which are maybe 3 screens :)

[Xorn]

Yeah I actually just type "Hobgoblin" and I'm in business. :)