Where do I start learning how to use a pathfinder framework?

[joe.altepeter]

Hi All,

I'm trying to find a systematic way to learn how to take advantage of all the work the community has put into making maptool work with Pathfinder. I've been playing around with the framework files in the two sticky threads in this subforum, but I admit I'm a bit confused by all the options. I've been looking through the tutorials, but I'm still a little confused. I've used maptool before, but never with a framework. Some specific questions:

1) Has a standard framework developed that everyone uses for Pathfinder? Are there multiple options? Where's the latest file kept?

2) Are there supplemental files that I need to add into it? (spell managers, libraries of monster tokens, etc)

3) Is there any documentation for the framework? How do I get up to speed on how to use it? (I've opened some frameworks before and have been presented with some awesome but baffling options, like a teleportation circle and Evard's Black Tentacles, or some macros for 4E things like Healing Surges which seem out of place in a 3.5 game).

4) Is there a guide to building tokens for PC's and NPC's which have all the right options for compatibility with the pathfinder framework?

Thanks in advance!

-Joe

[MageMirin]

I am in the same position. I've used MapTool quite a bit in the past, even dabbled with writing rudimentary macros, but I've never used a framework before. A quickstart guide would be greatly appreciated.

[dyarshu]

Indeed, I have been using only the most basic functions of MapTool since v23, I have dabbled in some simple macros attached to character tokens, but I have no idea how to use the Framework that I have just downloaded with campaign maps that I have created. A short tutorial, or even just a page of some step by step examples would go a long way to helping.

Ok a bit of playing around (along with some cussing and some OMG Thats COOL's! later) has led me to figure out some functions of the Pathfinder side of the Framework. I suspect the 3.5 stuff will be rather similar. All I can say is "Most Impressive Indeed". There is way more stuff here that I thought would be available. It is going to take some tinkering around to figure out a lot of it and some I am sure I will never find or figure out.

Thank you tons for this.

[MageMirin]

I've been struggling to put this PF framework to use in my campaign but I have got to be missing something... Inputting all this data for my monsters and npc's is SERIOUSLY tedious. I've tried two different ways of importing statblocks from PCGen but it never works 100% and I have to go in and check every single property to make sure it moved over properly and then the user interface to edit the stuff is really like, dos3.2 era... Do people seriously use this stuff?

[Azhrei]

I've tried two different ways of importing statblocks from PCGen but it never works 100%

Statblocks are not perfect. They leave a lot to inference and the current translation macros (from statblock to token) only do about 90% of the work. That last 10% is the toughest part (of course!).

It might actually be better to create an XML layout for PCGen and dump the data directly into, but that would make it highly dependent on which version of the framework it supports -- it would likely get out of sync pretty fast. And it would take someone with that expertise to create in the first place...

and I have to go in and check every single property to make sure it moved over properly and then the user interface to edit the stuff is really like, dos3.2 era... Do people seriously use this stuff?

Yep, I use it. But I don't edit properties directly -- I use the yellow "edit Character" button instead.

I don't really have a problem with the translation macro, except that it could do a better job with weapon attacks and skill names that have multiple words in their name. I'd like to fix those but I'm spending all my time on MT right now...

You could always visit http://prpg.imarvintpa.com/ and just download pre-made tokens for the monsters. Not all of them have been converted, but many have.

[Warklaw]

Like all before me I just starting using the framework.

• In the original old post there are a series of steps for setting up a new campaign, are these still required? I ask because when I load the latest campaign I already have macros in my Campaign window (the steps say to import them), the teleport pad and tenticles are the correct size already, etc...
• I saw the 'edit Character' button in the macros, but I am curious if there about the best steps to add a new PC token to a given map. As well as if there are different steps to add a new NPC token. I say this as it seems like I needed to place the token on the map (from Resource Library), change it to use Pathfinder properties, then use the edit Character or setupBlank macro? Is this the way or is there a better way?
• I am using Maptool version 1.3.b86 with the MT1.3.82 framework. This question is around setting racial types. Seems when you use edit Character or setupBlank the race field is free form? Okay, so then I found Active Mods which seems to allow you to set a token to 'Elf' and obtain the racial modifers that go with the race. But when I close the Active Mods I get an error: java.lang.NullPointerException error executing expression cancel = input( inListMod + "" ). Did I forget a step or am I way off here?
• I also noticed that when I use the setUpBlank macro one of the boxes that appears is Display Category (with a default of MISC) it was not intuitive to me as to what this was asking for or how to respond to it.

Any help or direction would be greatly appreciated.

[neofax]

If you need help, I can assist on Saturday as I have a game tonight and tomorrow night. Just send me a email neofax99 <AT> gmail or PM me here.

[Warklaw]

If you need help, I can assist on Saturday as I have a game tonight and tomorrow night. Just send me a email neofax99 <AT> gmail or PM me here.

Thanks, I will send an email.

[neofax]

I am running a tutorial this Sunday from Noon EST. I will go over exactly how to use almost every feature this framework has to offer. Still need to figure out how to use the Invisibility Move macro, but other than that and the 3.5 Alter Self macro, I am pretty familiar with the framework.

[Warklaw]

I know these boards have been quoted to be 'thee user manual' has anyone started or begun investing the time in creating a wiki, or extended the maptools wiki with a framework section?

Is there a specific concern preventing this from happening?

[lmarkus001]

Is there a specific concern preventing this from happening?

Yeah, my documentation-fu is weak! And my "support" team (my local gaming group) suck-eth

[neofax]

This weekend I will be running a tutorial on how to DM using this framework and plan to make screencasts of it. I will put them up on youtube for all to use when I do.

[Azhrei]

Is there a specific concern preventing this from happening?

Yeah -- no volunteers. Are you volunteering?

[Seeker]

Looks like I missed out.. Will there be another session on how to dm using the PF framework?

[neofax]

Can't this weekend. How about next Friday the 15th?