hero builder realm works integration
 

as I'm excited about realm works I don't see anywhere mentioning how it will integrate with hero builder.

can the DM on the clouds see the individual players hero builder data, or do they have to work through the realm works program?

Hero Lab is a separate product from Realm Works. The integration we'll have initially consists of storing portfolios within RW and editing them externally within HL. It should also be possible to prepare encounter portfolios, store them in RW, and then integrate them into a running copy of HL where you have the PCs ready. That will make it easy to use the Tactical Console.

Tighter integration is envisioned for the future, but that's something we're working towards and won't be available in the initial release.

Hope this helps!

It would be handy to have some sort of HL portfolio viewer in RW eventually, even just stat blocks would be useful

Is that not what rob was implying it would have? Basically a link to the stat block in RW?

I thought that when you clicked on the Portfolio, it'd launch Hero Lab and show you the Portfolio there, not within Realm Works?

You have several options for recording the stats of your characters. They can be given a Hero Lab portfolio, and clicking that will launch Hero Lab, or you can generate the statblock within Hero Lab (File...Output Hero Statblock), and place that into Realm Works.

Plus, I'm sorta hoping you could have the stats entered in by sections, like the demonstration of Articles (how it shows a Pathfinder class entered in).

So for example, a section for abilities, a section for skills, etc. all within the same article.

I'm still very much on the fence with RW, despite being a maniac when it comes to HL.

I get that they are separate products, but it just seems really...odd?...to create a campaign management system that is not 100% integrated with character management.

I know that the team has deliberately shied away from creating a mammoth VTT+CharacterMGMT+CampaignMGMT system.....

....but honestly, that would be what I want.

The biggest annoyance I have right now is that I'm using D20Pro as my VTT and HL as my character management, and there are no direct pipes between them. So if Boron the Clean finds a Crown of Somethingorother, +4, I have to move into HL, add the item, RE-export the character FROM HL, RE-IMPORT the character into D20Pro, then update the token.

The Boron decides that Mike the Halfling should have it...start again.

I realize RW is on a (duh!) Realms scale...but I've kind of reached the point where I'm done buying piecemeal solutions, and it makes even less sense to buy two products from the same company that don't communicate well. I can understand why LW didn't want to leap into a VTT with realm management, but I don't understand the lack of linkages.

I get why lots of people would like this, it's just not something I can get behind without integration.

I now return you to your regularly-scheduled anticipatory drooling.

EDIT: Here's what I'd pay for: HeroLab Pipe (TM) - a JV between Mindgene and LW that provides a live link between D20Pro tokens and HL files.

JT

I do believe that they are integrated, though to what degree I'm not sure.

Based on what I remember from the Kickstarter, you can put a HL portfolio in RW and I think you will be able to click on it and that will open up HL, where you can edit it. The question is, will you have import it back to RW once you are finished, or will it auto update?

I wonder what would happen if you opened up the HL portfolio in HL and the portfolio was one saved to RW, would that auto update?

I can only hope so...

@zaphod: The Hero Lab portfolio is saved within Realm Works, so you don't have to worry about files living outside of RW on your computer. Portfolios can also be created from within RW. When you save/edit/view a portfolio, Hero Lab is launched and the portfolio is sent to HL. You edit the file within HL and save. Then RW detects the change and offers to import it back in.