New user guide in development

[Moon Wizard]

UPDATED: Mar. 23, 2010. Manuals published. You can now find the links on the Librarypage.
https://www.fantasygrounds.com/library/

UPDATED: Mar. 11, 2010. Alternate approach, breaking each ruleset into a complete user guide of its own. Give me your feedback please.
https://www.fantasygrounds.com/userguide4E/
https://www.fantasygrounds.com/userguide35E/

UPDATED: New user guide sections completed on Mar. 8, 2010. One week until publishing.

I've been working on building a new user guide to replace the existing user guide, while combining every note I can find on FG functionality that is supported.

I currently have all of the player's portion of the guide updated for both 3.5E and 4E rulesets, and the reference sections are completed as well. I am still working on the gamemaster portion of the guide. I will be continuing to work on finishing the guide in the meanwhile, so you may see GM updates over the next week or so.

New User Guide Link

Please let me know what you think, or if you find any issues. I will post an update here when the GM section is complete as well.

Thanks,
JPG

[EugeneZ]

You got a typo there. Extra 'e'. Fixed: https://www.fantasygrounds.com/userguidebeta/

Lookin' good. I think people will find this useful.

[ShadeRaven]

I have to say that the work you have done on the 4E rulesets is simply amazing. You are an incredible asset to the community.

The guide is looking good. I do have one question that I am not sure if it's a part of the system (4E), a separate entity, or something outside of alteration. My players enjoy the Dungeon Extension (layout), but I find some of the text difficult to read when there's an entry that has a lot of it. Is there a way to alter the fonts to these extensions and, if so, can the instructions on how to alter extension be added to the guide at some point.

As always, thank for everything.
SR

[Moon Wizard]

Altering existing rulesets and extensions is definitely an advanced topic, that won't be covered in the user guide for now.

Extensions are essentially ZIP files containing all the files necessary for the extension to work. Just open one up, and take a look inside. They are a lot like ruleset editing. Take a look at the files and you can find all of the font names and which font file they link to. You can also find the font files themselves.

To change a font in an extension, you need to extract the extension files, update any font information (font XML reference, font file), then rebuild the extension. You might want to use a new extension name if you do this, so it doesn't get replaced the next time you update.

Cheers,
JPG

[Moon Wizard]

OK, I've completed all of the sections of the new User Guide. Please take a spin, and let me know if you have any questions, suggestions or fixes.

Thanks,
JPG

[Doswelk]

Looking good.

I could have a go at writing the Savage Worlds version if you want?

[Moon Wizard]

That would be great. I'm not familiar with the Savage Worlds game myself.

It's not the easiest format to work in to build the manuals, since they are written as XML topics that get transformed into HTML. However, I can send some examples, if you want to give it a try.

The other option is that you can tell me which pages are the same for Savage Worlds, and provide me with text/images for new pages. Then, I could throw them together, since I'm already familiar with the XML.

Also, I'm thinking that I might need to split the user guide for each ruleset, since the left hand menu is already getting too long for the layout, especially with all the new pages I added.

Cheers,
JPG

[Doswelk]

Thew latter may be the way to go...

I'll start something soon

[Moon Wizard]

Since the user guide was getting a bit unwieldy lumping both 3.5E and 4E together, I decided to see what they would look like separately.

https://www.fantasygrounds.com/userguide4E/
https://www.fantasygrounds.com/userguide35E/

Which do you prefer? The original combined guide, or the separate guides?

Thanks,
JPG

[Foen]

I think it depends on how much the functionality of the rulesets will overlap. To my mind there are three levels of functionality:

• Level 1: FG engine functionality (this is common to all rulesets);
• Level 2: Ruleset functionality that is rules-agnostic (such as portraits in chat, or P2P whispers); and
• Level 3: Ruleset functionality that is rules-specific (such as using spells/powers etc).

If your level 2 functionality is implemented the same in both 3.5E and 4E, then it might be better to keep the documentation in one place. If that level 2 functionality is different, then it might be better to keep the docs separate.

Just my 2c!

Stuart