Nothing in the library...need help

[Dracenfels]

Ok I'm new to Fantasy Grounds and I love it but running into a couple of walls. First off I want to say I don't know much about programming or the issues involving the licenses or what have you. So I appologize in advance if I say something erroneous. Hopefully someone can point me in the right direction and I can take full advantage of this program's potential.

A little roleplaying background: I've been playing/dming rpgs since the original basic D&D in the 80s. For the most part the 3rd edition evaded me and now with this virtual table top and 4th edition rules I've gotten a second wind. Pardon the pun. It's become almost impossible for me and my friends to play any game like we used to and now with the internet there are great possibilities. I know this has been out for a while but I've been out of the loop I guess. So anyways my dilemma:

I've spent countless hours trying to figure out the modules (the library mods) with no success. I've read many posts here and on other sites and still completely confused. I have no idea what I'm doing wrong but still cannot get the phb4e to show up in the library. I havn't been able to talk to the player that shared it with me to help me so I'm basically very fustrated. I'm not computer illiterate but I'm not a programmer either. I've tried many different things...trial and error...renaming...changing this changing that... and I'm stuck. So if someone out there would be so kind as to break it down for me Barney style my refresh rate perdurable, pulsating, bloodshot eyes thank you for it. Any post replies and PMs are most graciously appreciated as are any comments that will enlighten my FG2 experience.

[Phystus]

Is this phb4e file just an electronic copy of the 4e PHB (a PDF or something?), or is it a Fantasy Grounds reference module? If it's already a FG reference module (filename *.mod) just copy it into the modules subfolder of your FG application data folder.

If it's a PDF or whatever, you'll have to create a reference module out of it, you can't directly import it. Take a look at the 3.5 reference modules that come with FG for examples of how to proceed.

~P

[Dracenfels]

Thanks for reply Phystus... The file is mostly Jpegs Except for 2 of them which are .xml ***definition and client***

Where would I find this 3.5 reference mod at?

[Spyke]

Thanks for reply Phystus... The file is mostly Jpegs Except for 2 of them which are .xml ***definition and client***

Where would I find this 3.5 reference mod at?It sounds as though your file is a module, the filename is probably phb4e.mod, and you've opened it with winZip or somesuch to see the files inside.

If so, you need to put the file in the modules folder in your Fantasy Grounds application data folder. You can find a link to this in the section of your Start menu where the Fantasy Grounds application is found (it's in different places depending on whether you're running on Vista or XP). You will also find the 3.5 edition modules in this modules folder.

You should then be able to open it once you are running a campaign which is based on the same ruleset as the module (this could be your problem as you may be using a different 4e ruleset).

Having said all that... it sounds like you might be on slightly dodgy ground here, as if someone has scanned and copied the 4e Players Handbook and mailed it to you that would be a breach of copyright.

Spyke

[Dracenfels]

Well now I'm really confused lol. First off phb4e is not a .mod file I don't think. I tried to put in modules folder anyways and it didn't work.

Second the 3.5 edition modules are in this modules folder? Not in mine. Maybe I didn't update right or jeez I have no clue.

Third you are proly right Spyke about maybe using a different ruleset. I think I got this at FUM. I don't know of any where else I could have gotten the ruleset... How would I know if they are not compatible?

Fourth how would I know/acquire a mod that is not a copyright infringement that I could use for my campaigns.

Honestly I just want to avoid having my friends and I type like madmen whenever we roll up characters but it seems like I'm getting little remuneration for my efforts. Maybe I'll do like "The Secret" focus on modules and the universe might just make one appear in my application data folder...wink wink

[Spyke]

Do you have a Lite or a Full Fantasy Grounds license?

How recently did you buy this?

What version number is your copy now showing?

Are you using Vista or XP?

If you have a Full license and your modules folder is empty that does sound like a failed install. A Lite license doesn't allow you to create campaigns (can anyone confirm whether the 3.5 reference modules are/were distributed with the Lite license?).

What is the full filename of the phb4e file?

The definition.xml file will contain code similar to:


<?xml version="1.0" encoding="iso-8859-1"?>
<root>
<name>3.5E Spells</name>
<author>Fantasy Grounds 3.5E Essentials</author>
<ruleset>foundation</ruleset>
</root>This will indicate which ruleset it was written for.

(I assume that your ruleset is JPG's 4e ruleset available from the development group at FUM. Oberoten has a link to it along with other rulesets in the FG wiki found here (https://oberoten.mine.nu/fgwiki/index.php/Category:Rulesets).)

The fact that your group of files has a definition.xml and a client.xml suggests that this is a module intended to be a library reference, and the name phb4e strongly suggests that it's a version of the 4e D&D player's handbook.

I don't play 4e but my understanding is that this material isn't openly licensed, so you wouldn't be able to obtain a version from someone else that didn't infringe copyright. I suspect that the one you have was created with one of the parsers being developed in the 4e development group on FUM to allow owners of 4e pdf supplements to make FG-compatible versions for their own use, and as such I imagine these should not be distributed.

If you own a pdf copy of the 4e player's handbook you may be able to use one of these parsers to create the library module you want for your own personal use, but I would urge you to consider the legality of this carefully.

If this is the case, you would be able to get better help, I think, from the group at FUM, who will have thought this through.

Spyke

[Dracenfels]

1. full license

2. Not long a week or so...just recently got into the online virtual table top because I like FG

3. I needed to update Doh! 3.5 mods came in on this patch...shrug...thx :) I'm now using 2.3.6 version

4. xp

5. phb4e.zip

6. Yes I have 4e_JPG as a ruleset

****The fact that your group of files has a definition.xml and a client.xml suggests that this is a module intended to be a library reference, and the name phb4e strongly suggests that it's a version of the 4e D&D player's handbook.

I don't play 4e but my understanding is that this material isn't openly licensed, so you wouldn't be able to obtain a version from someone else that didn't infringe copyright. I suspect that the one you have was created with one of the parsers being developed in the 4e development group on FUM to allow owners of 4e pdf supplements to make FG-compatible versions for their own use, and as such I imagine these should not be distributed.****

I was not aware of this. So why is 3.5 able to be used and not 4th? ...And is it ok to use a parser to make mods for your own use (in your own words for instance) or would that be consider infringement too?

In any event thanks alot spyke at least I'm a little less nieve about the subject. I like the 4e but not enough to risk legal problems

[Griogre]

The 3.x versions of D&D had licences that allowed most of the rules to be distributed without infringing on WotC's copyright. D&D 4E doesn't have the same type of licenses so they can't be distributed the way the things in the 3.5 SRD could be.

In the United States, "fair use" rules of copywrited material allows you to take data you have aquired legally and convert it to a different form - for your personal use. Thus if you have a legal copy of the 4E rules you may convert it to a module for your own personal use. It would be illegal to distribute the rules though. There are some grey areas in copywrite law and different countries have different laws.

The basic rule of thumb is it is illegal to distribute material that you don't own unless you have permission to. However, if you have legally aquired copywrited material you can format it anyway you like for yourself, but you can't pass it around.

[Dracenfels]

Wow Griogre after like 2 weeks of steady post reading that's proly the best explanation I've read. They should sticky that right below Dupre's sticky for new guys like myself.

https://fantasygrounds.com/forums/showthread.php?t=3464

From what I gather, I guess the most important word here is "you". Example: If "you" have a legally bought Phb 4e, "you" can alter it to what ever format you want to use for "yourself".

Makes sense to me from a business perspective but I dare question this legal stand point when compared to the original intent of DnDs' creators. Back in the day when we would gather at our DM's house and roll characters we were lucky if we had 2 Phbs in the group. The DM never told us hey this is my book get your own....well most of them anyways. And if they did we proly would not go back to play again. We would copy the spells from someone elses Phb onto our character sheet...We were so bad. Not too mention what we would have done if they told us "hey if you want to learn to be a DM you have to fire up your word processor and recopy the Phb, MM 1,2, Unearthed Arcana, etc.LOL! No more modules needed to be bought by that DM because he had no players. So it goes back to basic sandbox rules. We would share them and in my opinion this is the most profound lesson DnD teaches kids. Not just sharing store bought products but sharing in campaigns. If a party communicated well and worked together they usually thrived. If they didn't they were proly remember as bard tales of foolish adventurers at the Green Griffon. Maybe this is the real reason why Gygax left TSR in 85'? I remember seeing big changes in modules back then after Gygax's depart. I know the internet has changed much and has complicated copyright issues but I hope the ideals of the game havn't changed too much. I know that the WotC's virtual table top project has it's own motives in all this too and more power to them (I have no problem with that) but if I have spent my money on a product I should have the right to use it...no?. And if someone else has facilitated this for me by doing the leg work...why can he not share his own work with me if he wants to? He should not be responsible for copyright infringement...the person who downloads his work who has not bought the product should be resposible. The way I see it (and I could be dead wrong) this is another example of how people doing the right thing have to pay the penalty for the few who do not. Maybe there's more to it that I'm not aware of. I guess I just want to remind everyone out there that DnD's foundation is its players. And just like in campaigns with killer DMs or I can't wait till this is over it's sooo boring or overcomplicated subplots...players get fustrated and stop playing. Just a reminder...Please don't kill the messenger lol.

After getting all that off my chest....I read somewhere that just like music Cds if you know a friend has that store bought Cd you can burn him an Mp3 copy and give to him. Is this work around true and upright? And if not can someone give me some links as to where to start so I can fire up my word processor hehe.

https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/File:Gen_Con_Indy_2008_-_Gary_Gygax_memorials_04.JPG