Adventure Module Creation Best Practices

[Trenloe]

If I modify a story entry (and it has the little quill) will the modification then /export into a new mod file? So that I can then open up the original mod file and my export one and see the modified story entry still? That could come in real handy for some of the errors/changes I want to make on published mod files.

Nope. That modified record with the quill is not in the campaign database. The records you export to a module have to be in the campaign database.

You should drag the record from the library into the campaign data list and then modify the record there.

[LordEntrails]

...
You should drag the record from the library into the campaign data list and then modify the record there.

Just to clariy the steps here. If you want to modify an official published adventure (i.e. one that has been released by SmiteWorks, typically a WotC 5E product), then you need to do the following;
- Create a "Mod" campagin, such as "LMoP Custom Mods"
- Open the published adventure in this new campaign
- Take the entry that you desire to modify, such as a story entry or NPC and drag them to the campaign list for the same type.
- Open and Unlock this campaign version of the object. Modify to your hearts content.
- Rinse & repeat until you have all of your customizations done.
- Export to a module such as "My Custom LMoP Mods"

Now, when you want to run an LMoP campaign using your custom mods, do this;
- Create a new camapgin, such as "LMoP Friday Night Group"
- Open the published adventure, then open your custom module

Have fun!

[LordEntrails]

LordEntrails, Can you add a little screenshot or text block showing a suggested/sample story entry? In the format you are proposing?

I'm not sure what you're asking for here. Can you explain?

If you are looking for how I'm updating the guide about updating campaigns/revert/synch, this is what's going to be added after I make the 3.2 updates;

Updating a live campaign
Once the module has been updated, a campaign can be synchronized with the new module either in its entirety or each individual modified entry.
To update all campaign entries to use the latest module entries; Select the module in the campaign library, and from the right mouse button select "Revert Changes". Note, this will revert any entries that have been modified in the campaign and remove shared objects.
To update individual campaign modifications; Select a modified entry (as indicated by the book and pen icon in the campaign object list) and from the right mouse button select “Revert Changes”.
Note that entries that have not been modified from the original will automatically show the new updated versions and do not need to be synchronized or “Reverted”.

[dmkevin]

One thing I cannot figure out is how do you create a non-rollable table in a story entry.

I keep searching for this. Is it not called a table?

Attachment 16918

[Zacchaeus]

Right click over the story entry and select 'Paragraph Types' and then 'Table'

[Trenloe]

Once created, the table format is controlled through shortcut keys. See the bottom three listed here: https://www.fantasygrounds.com/wiki/...ed_Text_Fields

[dmkevin]

Aiiighhh!, how did I miss that? I just couldn't figure this out at all.

Thanks so much Zacchaeus and Trenloe!!!

[dmkevin]

That lesson on non-rollable tables has just helped me with properly inserting the "Conversation Reactions" from Social interactions on page 245 of the DMG into the DM's Story for my A-1 Slave Pits of the Undercity 5e conversion I have made.

[Myrdin Potter]

I have been inputting a lot of text recently (converting a book with close to 900 table entries over) and this is how I get the text from the PDF.

You can cut and paste into FG, select the text and CTRL-J to get rid of the extra LF this adds, but I often have to do more cleaning up and sometimes mess up my edits and FG does not have undo as an editing option.

I use Word. What I do is cut and paste all 100 entries for the table I am working on (works for descriptions in adventures, etc.). I then go into the text and put a special character into all the places where I want a LF. I generally use $ as Fantasy rarely has that in the text. I then select the text I want to clean up (usually several pages in Word) and use the replace fucntion for 2 passes.

First pass is to take out the paragraph characters. You can chose then via the special button at the bottom of the replace control. I replace all and I get a lot of text with no LF. Make sure you do not agree to replace in the rest of the document if you are doing pieces at a time. I then do replace again looking for the special character ($) and replace it with the paragraph break. Again, do not accept the next question to replace all or it will go past your selection to the rest of the document.

This way I have a word master file with all the text I need and if I mess up in FG I save a lot of time.

The LF character looks like ^p in the replace field.

[Moon Wizard]

CTRL-Z should undo text changes in a field, though it may reset when focus to the text field is lost.

Regards,
JPG