Steps to create your PFS scenario in Fantasy Grounds

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August 7th, 2012, 05:44
Trenloe

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Steps to create your PFS scenario in Fantasy Grounds
The following are the usual steps that I do when I am preparing a PFS scenario to run in Fantasy Grounds. I'll try and expand on this over time - and get a document that we can edit and keep track of.

There are a few main steps:
1. Buy the scenario PDF!
2. Extract the images you want to use.
3. Parse the creature statblocks.
4. Start building your campaign.
5. Create the specific scenario story/encounter entries you will need.
6. Finishing touches.
Buy the scenario
- Buy the PFS scenario you are going to run from https://paizo.com/pathfinderSociety/...ucts/scenarios This comes as a PDF and most are $3.99 each.
Please keep in mind that these scenario PDFs are copyright material - as such, it is illegal to share PDFs, and it is also illegal to share content that is not Open Game License (OGL) material (basically, everything except the statblocks is product identity and cannot be distributed in any form). Therefore, please don't distribute any story/map/image content copied into Fantasy Grounds from the PFS scenario PDF.

Extract images
- Extract the pictures and maps from the PDF. There are a number of ways to do this - I use a free application called "Nitro PDF Viewer" that has a bulk extract images functionality and it works very well - it is available here: https://www.nitroreader.com/download. I used to use "Some PDF Images Extract" but this application is no longer free.
- Sort the images you want to keep and delete the others. You will get a lot of header images that you won't need.
Parse Statblocks
- Familiarise yourself with the Pathfinder Creature Parser: https://www.fantasygrounds.com/forum...2-Beta-Version This is your friend and allows you to get the statblocks from the PDF into Fantasy Grounds quickly and easily.
- Open your favourite text editor (I use Notepad++ - it's free and it has some nice plugins). Copy and paste all of the creature statblocks from the PDF into your text editor. Make sure you only have blank lines between individual creatures (not in the creature statblock itself) and that you add a line "XP 1" between the creature name/CR line and the next line (the creature type). *** Check that the statblock has copied OK - sometimes stray spaces appear in the headers (due to the different font used).
- Once you have copy/pasted all of the creature stats into a text file, save the file as <scenario name>.txt. Open up the Creature Parser, load the saved text file and parse. Hopefully this will complete OK - if not, check the creature statblock that failed; common errors are missing the "XP 1" line, not all of the standard headings are present (Defense, Offense, Statistics, etc.) or they haven't copied completely out of the PDF - check for spaces in headings! Also, check the readme file in the creature parser download for more info. There is also an example statblock text file in the parser download - look at this to get an idea of what your copy/paste text file should look like.
- If the parser worked you will have a <scenario name>.mod file in the same directory as the text file. Copy this into your <Fantasy Grounds Application data directory>\modules.
Start building the FG campaign
- Start Fantasy Grounds and create a new 3.5E campaign - I'll refer to the campaign name as <campaign> in the rest of this thread. When it loads up, select "PFRPG" to use the Pathfinder specific rules.
- Copy your images into the <Fantasy Grounds Application data directory>\<campaign>\images directory. These will immediately appear in the "Images & Maps" list in Fantasy Grounds.
- Open the creature statblock module you created: Go to "Library", select "Module Activation" and open the creature statblock module (the book should show that it is open). Close module activation.
- In the library you should see an entry under "PFRPG Essentials" for your creature module. Click on this and check through the creatures listed to the right.
- Keep the library window open. Go to the "NPC" list on the desktop. Then, click-and-drag each creature from the library to the NPC list. I do this because it then allows me to edit the NPC locally if I want to - add tokens, etc..
- Unload the creature module if you want - it is no longer needed as you have copied the creatures into the NPC list in the campaign.
At this point you will have a basic campaign structure - images/maps and NPCs. Now you can start building up the story entries and start to bring it all together. I will cover more on this in my next post.

EDIT: Here is a document that I wrote for AdventureAWeek.com scenario conversions - it is completely relevant to anyone doing a Fantasy Grounds scenario module. There is a lot of data towards the end of the document on creating traps.
August 24th, 2012, 22:20
dberkompas

Trenloe,

Thanks for posting this!

BoomerET
August 25th, 2012, 07:56
Tiqon

Gold man! Thanks. I have just made my FIRST the manual way, cut and paste style, it took a looong time but Im finally done.

Erhm Question: Some PDF Images Extract. Did you buy that? I tried the free one but got real mad as it only extracted for the first 4 pages. I mean its ok ofc, they have to live too, but saying its TOTALLY free and fully functional is BS and then I get girly stubborn (sorry girls, just a saying :)). I will consider buying it if you say you use it and it works fine :)..
I found one place where you could extract pics online, free this time, BUT that could only take max 10 MB files... to low.
August 25th, 2012, 09:13
Leonal

Some PDF Images Extract is free (correction, seems like they changed to a "free-to-try" mode) and extracts whatever page range you specify. Only problem I've had with it is having to close it and reopen between PDFs.

https://www.somepdf.com/some-pdf-image-extract.html

I don't play PFS, but nice post Trenloe. :)

Edit: You can also use a regular pdf reader to copy the image and then use an image editor like Paint.net to paste and save it.
August 25th, 2012, 09:31
Tiqon

Quote:

Originally Posted by Leonal

Some PDF Images Extract is free (it's not for sale) and extracts whatever page range you specify. Only problem I've had with it is having to close it and reopen between PDFs.

https://www.somepdf.com/some-pdf-image-extract.html

I don't play PFS, but nice post Trenloe. :)

Edit: You can also use a regular pdf reader to copy the image and then use an image editor like Paint.net to paste and save it.

Its not free. I just dl'ed it again, installed and it will only extract pics from the first 5 pages. No more. It will ask you for a serial afterwards, or you can click buy and go to https://www.somepdf.com/buy.html where you can buy it for 10 dollars.

At this time I just use the cutting tool build into win7 (its fast, I know other better ones but the build in one is fast :)). And it works fine. My problem is maps, as big maps is a problem getting in a good quality, or you have to zoom in and cut it down in smaller pieces. An extractor would be nice though ;).
August 25th, 2012, 09:38
Leonal

Quote:

Originally Posted by Tiqon

Its not free. I just dl'ed it again, installed and it will only extract pics from the first 5 pages. No more. It will ask you for a serial afterwards, or you can click buy and go to https://www.somepdf.com/buy.html where you can buy it for 10 dollars.

At this time I just use the cutting tool build into win7 (its fast, I know other better ones but the build in one is fast :)). And it works fine. My problem is maps, as big maps is a problem getting in a good quality, or you have to zoom in and cut it down in smaller pieces. An extractor would be nice though ;).

Interesting, then they've changed as it used to be 100% free... my bad. I'm not going to install the new one to try. ;)
August 25th, 2012, 09:44
Tiqon

Quote:

Originally Posted by Leonal

Interesting, then they've changed as it used to be 100% free... my bad. I'm not going to install the new one to try. ;)

NOOOOOOOO! I just KNEW it! that was the problem! :). You see I looked at the page where they say it 100% free, its version 1.0. when you click "download" you go to a list af programs they offer. They are all version 2.0 and they apprently decided they wanted money for it now (hey we all gotta eat, I get it :)). But still... *mumbles*.
August 25th, 2012, 13:52
damned

keep using snipping tool in that case.
you probably really DONT want too much resolution in your maps - that just means they take longer to download...
August 25th, 2012, 14:56
Tiqon

I googled "some PDF Images Extract 1.0" and finally found a link that still have the old version (even if it say 2.0 in the installer), works fine for all pages.

@Damned Yeah I guess, but I like to have the pics I work on as good a possible. I would cut it in smaller pieces from there. :). Also I noticed that if I extract the maps I dont get the numbers/letters for the locations! I had manually removed them in Photshop.
November 1st, 2012, 15:15
Trenloe

For image extraction I now use the free Nitro PDF Reader that has good bulk image extraction functionality. Find it here: https://www.nitroreader.com/download
February 15th, 2013, 01:58
Emrak

Quote:

Originally Posted by Trenloe

At this point you will have a basic campaign structure - images/maps and NPCs. Now you can start building up the story entries and start to bring it all together. I will cover more on this in my next post.

Where is this post? I'm assuming it's another thread but I can't find it.

p.s.--Thanks for this and everything else you're providing for the community Trenloe! Good job!
February 16th, 2013, 19:58
Trenloe

Quote:

Originally Posted by Emrak

Where is this post? I'm assuming it's another thread but I can't find it.

p.s.--Thanks for this and everything else you're providing for the community Trenloe! Good job!

I didn't end up doing a follow up post - I'll get round to it someday...
June 8th, 2013, 17:02
lachancery

When I export battle maps from the scenarios and bring them into Fantasy Grounds, I am sometimes unable to match the grid of the map with the grid in FG; it seems the map is slightly off and the fG grid doesn't match a dozen hex further in one direction.

Does anyone have a technique to adjust the image to avoid this?
June 8th, 2013, 19:50
lachancery

Quote:

Originally Posted by lachancery

When I export battle maps from the scenarios and bring them into Fantasy Grounds, I am sometimes unable to match the grid of the map with the grid in FG; it seems the map is slightly off and the fG grid doesn't match a dozen hex further in one direction.

Does anyone have a technique to adjust the image to avoid this?

I have found an answer to this:

By using the measuring tool in an image editing software (like Gimp or Photoshop), you can how many pixels there are in 10 squares horizontally and vertically. The image can then be re-scaled to be the same round number in each direction.

For example, a map in scenario #4-21 had 57.4 pixels per square horizontally, and 54.2 vertically. I re-scaled the image so that each square were 50x50. Going into FG and applying a grid worked at that point.

An image processing error during the production of the scenario probably lead to this error, but likely only matters for those using the map in a VTT like FG.
June 8th, 2013, 21:16
Tiqon

Quote:

Originally Posted by lachancery

I have found an answer to this:

By using the measuring tool in an image editing software (like Gimp or Photoshop), you can how many pixels there are in 10 squares horizontally and vertically. The image can then be re-scaled to be the same round number in each direction.

For example, a map in scenario #4-21 had 57.4 pixels per square horizontally, and 54.2 vertically. I re-scaled the image so that each square were 50x50. Going into FG and applying a grid worked at that point.

An image processing error during the production of the scenario probably lead to this error, but likely only matters for those using the map in a VTT like FG.

Yup. I learned that from an excellent vid found here after I had the same frustrations. https://www.fantasygrounds.com/filel...rescale-1a.wmv ;).
June 10th, 2013, 00:50
Trenloe

As you've found sometimes the mismatch can be enough that requires a manual rescaling in an external graphics application.

I often find that it is near enough to match as close as possible on a square in the middle of the map and nudge/resize by a pixel or 2 using the grid control. Then the mismatch is usually only visible the closer you get to the edge of the map and not too much of an issue.
June 26th, 2013, 21:42
Illrigger

I found this post when searching for the answer to the grid matching issue, which has a step-by-step process that's quick and works every time. His process is the same as in the video linked above (he actually links to it as his source materiel), but is a little easier to follow. He even includes an Excel file that makes the math portion of the process quick and easy as well.

https://onlinedungeonmaster.com/2011...50-pixel-grid/
June 26th, 2013, 22:14
Illrigger

One more free tool I have found very useful is Combat Manager. Many of the NPCs from scenarios are already input into it, and it allows you to take base creatures from the PRD and apply templates by just clicking the template name, so things like a Young Slime Mold or Advanced Goblin Dog are very quickly dealt with. The statblocks it generates take a little manipulation (just removing some spaces) to get to work in the parser, but they work great.

I know Hero Lab will do the same thing, but I found that Combat Manager is a little faster in most cases, and I tend to use them side by side - Hero Lab for NPCs and CM for monsters.

https://combatmanager.com/
August 30th, 2013, 19:35
Trenloe

Updated the first post (at the bottom) with a document that contains good notes on converting Pathfinder scenarios into FG.
August 31st, 2013, 14:09
lachancery

I suppose this is an optional steps which depends on the preferences of the GM: After processing the stat blocks, looking/making the tokens that will be used for the NPCs is a step before importing in FG & creating the encounters.
March 17th, 2014, 03:42
hangarflying

I downloaded the Nitro reader, and when I try to extract the images, I get a popup telling me that the security won't let me extract the images. Am I missing something, or has Paizo made a change?
March 17th, 2014, 03:45
Trenloe

Quote:

Originally Posted by hangarflying

I downloaded the Nitro reader, and when I try to extract the images, I get a popup telling me that the security won't let me extract the images. Am I missing something, or has Paizo made a change?

Which version of Nitro Reader are you using? Which scenario PDF are you trying to extract images from?
March 17th, 2014, 03:47
hangarflying

Nitro Reader 3.5.6.5 and Scenario 5-01.
March 17th, 2014, 03:50
hangarflying

Ok....that's weird...now it's extracting.
April 14th, 2016, 20:42
Trennik

Quote:

Originally Posted by hangarflying

I downloaded the Nitro reader, and when I try to extract the images, I get a popup telling me that the security won't let me extract the images. Am I missing something, or has Paizo made a change?

I get this as well.

version 5.5.6.21

Skull & Shackles #1 - Wormwood Mutiny