Questions(4) about R.W.

[bishop618]

Hi all it's me again. I have a couple different types of questions that I will try to divide to limit confusion. Thanks in advance again

1. I'm transferring a campaign setting into RW and I'm getting stumped by the different types of groups in this campaign vs the types of groups in RW. Some of the groups can fit into the standard groups, (like bandit gangs), but others are less clear (Bounty Hunters, Pirates, Monk Brotherhoods, etc). My question is this: Do I need to make new groups for these groups? If so, how? Also would these group templates carry over to different Realms?

2. In a similar topic from above, the list of Deities in the campaign is also proving to be perplexing. The Deities in the campaign setting have a "Domain" Category for each of them, which lists multiple things like their favored/created race or an abstract thing like archery or mountains. In RW the Domain section is a listing of Cleric Domains. I'm thinking that the Domain section in the campaign guidebook is aimed more towards the Deities sphere of influence/area, and have inserted it as so, unless a Domain matches up then that is inserted as well. My question is this: Do I need to create these Domains in the Cleric Domain Section, or a different section?

3. On the topic of Import/Export, I have a bit of a clarifying/making sure from word of mouth (or keyboard I guess). If I have built up the Mechanics Reference Section of one Realm, with all the equipment, magic items, feats, classes, races, and more oh my, can I simply import that section into any other realm of mine?

4. In regards to Hero Lab & RW, apart from character/monster portfolios, can other content from HL be inserted into RW? I'm talking about the spells, feats, classes information that HL has already in an organised format as opposed to me manually typing the information in while it is already in another accessible source.

Once more thank you very much.

[daplunk]

1. No you don't need new groups for it all. You can use the same group (aka 'Category') for multiple groups of people. Or you can create your own 'Category'. You can export the Categories so they can be used in other realms.

2. You can create things where ever you feel it is suitable.

3. Yes you can export your Mechanics and import it into other realms.

4. Interesting question and one I have pondered myself. If you were a genius with XML i suspect that this very may well be possible. This is not a beginner class though. This is the class the teachers take once they have perfect their role. Forget this question for now. EightBitz... you're the teacher in this scenario

[Vargr]

I will bite - with what little I can contribute :-)

Re 1:

• Bounty hunters
  If they are part of the judicial system I would put them under Group:Government; if they are more shady under Group:Criminal.
• Pirates
  I would put under Group:Criminal since that is what they are.
• Monk Brotherhoods
  Group:Religious
• Making new groups
  Yo could do so, but I don't think you need to. I would avoid it unless I have a special case (actually several special cases, that warrants a whole new category. I will try in the next post to explain how to make a new category (if I get the time).
• Will the new groups carry over to other realms?
  If you mean, will a new category made in realm A appear in realm B, C, D etc, then now. The new category will stay in the realm you made it in.
  If you mean will the new category be exported along with everything else to a new realm, then the answer is yes. This is way the option to export just the realm structure can be very useful (if I have understood that correctly - I haven't had time to play with the export/import features yet).

Re 2:

• Campaign setting
  What system/campaign setting are we talking about?
  Having a look at it I can't help you; I can't even find the domains you are talking about. It might be because we are in two different game systems in Realm works.

Re 3:

• Import/Export
  I will leave this to others that have some actual hands-on experience with it.

Re 4:

• HL
  Again I will refer to those that actually know something.

That wasn't a lot of help, I know...


Well, got ninja'ed by daplunk, who answered in a much more coherent way.

[Vargr]

How to make a new category of type group
- The quick and dirty manual

1. Decide on which existing group that most closely resembles what you want to make.
2. Go to Manage / Categories.
3. Locate the group you decided upon in 1.
4. Click the wrench to the right of that group.
5. Select Make duplicate of category in the drop down menu.
6. Locate the new category (it will be named as the original + copy).
7. Rename the group to whatever is relevant.
8. Go through the top three lines in the main window and make sure they are appropriate.
9. Adjust the snippets in the new group to suit your needs.
   1. This is done by using the wrenches next to the snippets in the main windows.
   2. I suggest to just play around with it and get a feel for what does what and what works for you.
   3. It is really quite easy as long as you don't get carried away.
10. When you are done, remember to click the Done icon in the upper right corner.
11. Voila, your very own category is now part of your realm.

The above description is based on groups - but it works the same for any category.


You can also make a category from scratch, there is no need to copy an existing one - I just find it a good way to get started.

[bishop618]

The Campaign setting I'm currently transferring is Cawood Publishing's "The World of Myrr" for D&D 5th Edition. I have about a dozen campaign setting guidebooks that have enough content to warrant transferring into RW. I've not yet decided on which campaigns to transfer, though I know the list will include Midgard by Kobold Press, Primeval Thule by Sasquatch Game Studios, and Exandria (Critical Role) by Green Ronin/Matthew Mercer as well.

[daplunk]

I'm so keen to play in Primeval Thule!

It's one of the titles I'm hoping comes to the Content Market eventually.

All Kobold Press need to do for their current kickstarter is add a Realm Works pledge level and they will have all my money. And extend their new Open Midgard concept to include Realm Works.

Dead-set, i would stop running Forgotten Realms if they did that, like today.

[EightBitz]

Originally Posted by daplunk

1. No you don't need new groups for it all. You can use the same group (aka 'Category') for multiple groups of people. Or you can create your own 'Category'. You can export the Categories so they can be used in other realms.

2. You can create things where ever you feel it is suitable.

3. Yes you can export your Mechanics and import it into other realms.

4. Interesting question and one I have pondered myself. If you were a genius with XML i suspect that this very may well be possible. This is not a beginner class though. This is the class the teachers take once they have perfect their role. Forget this question for now. EightBitz... you're the teacher in this scenario

4. This is not something I would attempt with XML. It is theoretically and technically possible. Farling has a script that creates an .rwexport file from an obsidian portal backup, but I recall a subsequent discussion about generating your own uuid values for topics, and how a misstep in that process could corrupt an entire database.

I don't know how Farling handles this. I will defer to him as to how hos own script works. But this isn't something I would try.

Unless ... Now that I'm thinking about it, if you create all the spell articles to begin with, then export that, then use a script to copy all the descriptions over, that could work.

That being said, though, I'm not sure that LWD wouldn't frown on such a script being released into the wild. I'm not speaking for Rob, nor in any official capacity for LWD (I want to make that very clear), but were I in Rob's place, such a script would make me uncomfortable. As to why, I'll leave that as an exercise for the reader, lest I say too much or stick my big foot in my big mouth.

[Farling]

Originally Posted by bishop618

4. In regards to Hero Lab & RW, apart from character/monster portfolios, can other content from HL be inserted into RW? I'm talking about the spells, feats, classes information that HL has already in an organised format as opposed to me manually typing the information in while it is already in another accessible source.

I don't think you can sensibly take the HL data, because it is IP protected (and probably encrypted, I've never bothered looking).

However, in theory it would be possible to convert the CSV files of the Pathfinder PRD into XML that could subsequently be imported.

Unfortunately it would be a one-shot import, so changes/additions to the PRD for newer publications wouldn't be able to be re-imported without first deleting the original imported material.

[daplunk]

Technically... And I know because it took a bloody long time. The only spells in the 5e hero lab that directly match the player hand book are the ones that are listed in the Srd. It's all in text files (*.User).

[Bidmaron]

Farling, I know we had that discussion about uuids but to be clear I thought it was premised on reimporting material because that is how RW knows how to match items to update them. Are you saying RW won't EVER import an item without it having a uuid? I can see how that could be also but I didn't recognize that was what you were struggling with.