Creating my own pre-prepared encounters.

[Villadelfia]

So, the encounter library is a neat concept. Is there a way for me to add my own pre-made encounters to it? That's more convenient than keeping a million portfolios around.

 

[Aaron]

Set up a series of folders in whatever organization you want them to show in the library, and place your portfolios inside those folders. Once you have everything how you want it, then in Hero Lab go to "Tools -> Launch HLExport". That pops up a new window, inside which choose "File -> Create Encounter Export", choosing the top level folder of your folder series. That will create a hl file you can double click on, which installs them in your HL in the organization you specified.

You might have to reload the game system before you see your new tree in the encounter library.

 

[Villadelfia]

Thanks.

For those of you who tried this: You can then remove them again by going to My Documents -> Hero Lab -> encounters -> pathfinder

The top level folder is also the name of the .hl file you made.

 

[ShadowChemosh]

Thanks.

For those of you who tried this: You can then remove them again by going to My Documents -> Hero Lab -> encounters -> pathfinder

The top level folder is also the name of the .hl file you made.

So then for your own stuff you should be able to skip the .hl process and just dump a folder in to the "encounters" folder. Nice!

I wonder where they got this "Encounter Folder" idea from. Hmmm its not like it matches the current layout of the zip files offered on d20pfsrd for Pathfinder GM Pack.

 

[Villadelfia]

So then for your own stuff you should be able to skip the .hl process and just dump a folder in to the "encounters" folder. Nice!

I wonder where they got this "Encounter Folder" idea from. Hmmm its not like it matches the current layout of the zip files offered on d20pfsrd for Pathfinder GM Pack.

No that doesn't work. You need to build a .hl file.

 

[ShadowChemosh]

No that doesn't work. You need to build a .hl file.

Hmm that sucks.

 

[ShadowChemosh]

No that doesn't work. You need to build a .hl file.

But you don't actually need to run the .hl file. Just place it in "My Documents\Hero Lab\encounters\Pathfinder" and the Encounter Library will pick it up. So that is nice.

 

[mhossom]

How would someone go about editing an existing encounter?

 

[ShadowChemosh]

How would someone go about editing an existing encounter?

So once you select the Encounter then you hit "import" and all the creatures are imported into HL. Once in HL you can make any changes you want to the monsters. Is that what your asking?

 

[ShadowChemosh]

If anyone is interested I added Iron Gods AP as an encounter library you can download from inside of HL. If you have the community servers setup and have GM Pack installed.

I would like to have the community stuff setup as these Encounter Librarys but it means I can't host them on d20pfsrd anymore. d20pfsrd has a size limit on files, which I got around before by having several zip files per AP. So checking to see what size/bandwidths cost for putting these all up on the community server.

Another problem that may be bad is having a dozen plus new downloads show up for people in the 'Updates List'. That could get overwhelming.

 

[mhossom]

So once you select the Encounter then you hit "import" and all the creatures are imported into HL. Once in HL you can make any changes you want to the monsters. Is that what your asking?

Sort of. I am running a party of six through Rise of the Runelords. I would like to add a level or two to some of the BBEGs and I would like to do it ahead of time rather in the middle of playing. I suppose I could mod the encounters I want and then just save the portfolio.

 

[ShadowChemosh]

Sort of. I am running a party of six through Rise of the Runelords. I would like to add a level or two to some of the BBEGs and I would like to do it ahead of time rather in the middle of playing. I suppose I could mod the encounters I want and then just save the portfolio.

I think you will need to save it as a "custom .por" file. Then during the game you could go to "Portfolio->Import Hero from Portfolio".

So far I have not seen another way to do this. You can't really modify the data in the Encounter Library. Or if so I don't know how...

 

[mhossom]

That's what I figured. Thanks for the help. The party is nearing the end of book one and things have been too easy. I need to turn up the heat a little bit.

 

[ShadowChemosh]

That's what I figured. Thanks for the help. The party is nearing the end of book one and things have been too easy. I need to turn up the heat a little bit.

Oh I agree. If you have anything but totally new players then you have to start pretty much doubling monsters and hit points. In addition I am taking away from my players characters. So this campaign is only 15 point buy and next will be 10 point buy as characters are still powerful. I also cut out about half the magic they are suppose to get. Even with that they are walking through encounters up to 4-6 CR above them. Good planning, experienced players, and working as a team will do that.

 

[Jamz]

If anyone is interested I added Iron Gods AP as an encounter library you can download from inside of HL. If you have the community servers setup and have GM Pack installed.

I would like to have the community stuff setup as these Encounter Librarys but it means I can't host them on d20pfsrd anymore. d20pfsrd has a size limit on files, which I got around before by having several zip files per AP. So checking to see what size/bandwidths cost for putting these all up on the community server.

Another problem that may be bad is having a dozen plus new downloads show up for people in the 'Updates List'. That could get overwhelming.

Maybe it should be a separate secondary update site/link? Only GM's really need it and would love to move to this format myself.

If you need assistance in hosting, I can slice off a directory for you and give you ftp access to my webserver. I don't have size/bandwidth limits so... It's a godaddy server that I've had for 10 years and paid for the next 3 so it's not going anywhere...

 

[ShadowChemosh]

Maybe it should be a separate secondary update site/link? Only GM's really need it and would love to move to this format myself.

If you need assistance in hosting, I can slice off a directory for you and give you ftp access to my webserver. I don't have size/bandwidth limits so... It's a godaddy server that I've had for 10 years and paid for the next 3 so it's not going anywhere...

That is not a bad idea actually. Then only DMs would setup the secondary URL. Defiantly will be keeping this in mind Jamz. Thanks!

 

[Jamz]

Question for the devs, is there no sort order for Ecounter Libraries? Well, specifically the right side panel? (Left side sorts ok).

I was putting together an Encounter Library for The Emerald Spire, and I added the Random Encounter tables. For the name, I was putting the % roll and # before the actual name so I add the complete table available in one spot and could then import to correct # for said encounter.

But my list is all random, not my encounter

 

[Aaron]

I think it is just by the order of heros in the portfolio. Try opening one of those portfolios and clicking on the Up/down arrows on the left side of the dashboard to resort all heroes by their names. You might have to dirty the portfolio as well (add and then remove a skill rank from somebody). Resave, and see if the encounter library now lists them in the order you expect.

 

[ShadowChemosh]

Question for the devs, is there no sort order for Ecounter Libraries? Well, specifically the right side panel? (Left side sorts ok).

I was putting together an Encounter Library for The Emerald Spire, and I added the Random Encounter tables. For the name, I was putting the % roll and # before the actual name so I add the complete table available in one spot and could then import to correct # for said encounter.

But my list is all random, not my encounter

Are you making this from scratch or using the Community Emerald Spire files?

 

[Aaron]

Alright, it seems that the order stuff shows is in the order it was created, or something unhelpful along those lines. I am told this should be changed so that it is alphabetical based on the hero name next release.