Heya,
I'm sure that this has probably been discussed before, but I'd like to be able to extract images from my PDF versions of RotR.
I'm going to try running the game online, and I'd like to be able to:
a) Show people who they are talking to (Alden, the Mayor, the
Sheriff, etc)
b) Display the maps without me having to redo each one of them.
Can anyone help me do this?
Joel
I don't think you'll be able to extract anything from the pdf's directly because they are password protected. There might be a way for you to clip out the art peices (maps, etc) with graphical editing software (photoshop etc) but I'm sure that crosses a copyright/legality line somewhere and I'm not versed enough in the use of anything like that to give advice
The Simple/Poor-man method:
For me, the fastest way of doing this has been to take a screenshot and then crop. If any text gets inside my crop I just edit it out with a graphics editors and GIMP is free and does the job just fine.
Adobe reader has a snapshot tool, in case you did not know, and there are instructions for it online.
Then I paste them into a Microsoft Publisher document and print it off.
If you have a recent version of Adobe Reader to view your .PDF files, it shouldn't be too much of a problem. Pull up the page you want to snag your image from.
For images of NPCs or monsters, select the Snapshot Tool (a dotted line square around an image of a camera). Use it to draw a square around the picture you want. This will copy it to your clipboard. From there, you can paste it into a graphics program like Microsoft Paint and save the graphic for printing or later use.
For maps, you may have to take the same steps for older maps. But for maps in issues 3 and beyond, Paizo made this easier for you. Use the Select Tool from the menu. Hover over the map image you want, hold down the Ctrl key, and click it. This will copy the map image to your clipboard, minus any text that may be laid over it. This will allow you grab the image by itself for your usage.
* I just tested the NPC images in issue 3, and Ctrl-click also works, so no more erasing text for people like me.
If you get stuck, post here.
Just out of curiosity - what program/virtual tabletop to you plan on using?
Doesn't Acrobat Reader have the Select tool? Select it, click on the image, and get the save picture on the context menu.
You might have to press Ctrl too, in case the image is treated as background.
Personally, I use the maptool from rptools.net.
I don't play online, but I use it to display the maps to my players, using my laptop with an additional monitor which is for the players.
I open maptool twice, one for me, one for them. You can create a server with one instance and join with the other. Works a lot better than saying "You get into a room with 4 doors, one to the north, two to the west, and a big one to the south, as well as the one in the east through witch you join.
All you have to do is doctor some of the maps a bit so the secret doors aren't shown directly. Not too hard with a half-decent tool.
Just out of curiosity - what program/virtual tabletop to you plan on using?
Not really necessary at this point. I'll be running it as a Play By E-mail game, so no virtual tabletop will really be necessary. I'm not intending to start until mid-March, so I still have time to work up maps and the like.
And yes, I do well expect this to take years to do. But I like PBeM's ability to do intense character development.
I did this using the latest version of Reader worked fine but you have to put some of the larger graphics back together again as they are made of several smaller pictures and this takes time. Screen shot and trim is a good idea. Wish I'd thought of that...
I use Fantasy Grounds II to play online with TeamSpeak 2 so that we can talk and not write loads. Works well.
I use Fantasy Grounds II to play online with TeamSpeak 2 so that we can talk and not write loads. Works well.
I'm thinking of doing the same with a couple of friends, but haven't really had the chance to play on FG2. Have you used it much? Would you be willing to let me 'sit in' on a session or two to watch? If so, I'd even be willing to play a non-combat role NPC role for you. If not, no sweat, I understand and take no offense.
We have only just started using it but it works ok. Using TeamSpeak in conjuction with it really helps as everyone can chat instead of just writing messages.
I've found one really annoying bug with masking which allows the DM to hide parts of the map until the players get there. Each time you load FG2 you have to recreate the mask as the software 'forgets' what you did previously.
You need a license to install FG2 and all my players have installed theirs so you can't watch/play without buying a license.
One other great thing about FG2 is that you can modify its code if you're into that sort of thing.
I made some changes so that my players can double-click on their skills total and it rolled the d20 and added the skill value on. Easy and useful.
My friends and I are currently running Savage Tide with FGII and we like it a lot. But we all just sit around a table with laptops and play cause we don't have enough room on the table to fit the combat maps, minis, dice, character sheets, and books.
As the DM, I find the mapping tool really really helpful, and being able to enter NPC's and stuff is also very handy. The combat tracker is also really neat and helps me track the combat rounds very well.
Plus when you have 3 caster PC's who need to roll 10-14 d6's of damage for a single spell, the program really shines. Usually it takes the player about 30+ seconds to roll everything, add it up and give me the number, now its a quick a click and autototal that takes about 2 seconds.
I'm thinking of doing the same with a couple of friends, but haven't really had the chance to play on FG2. Have you used it much? Would you be willing to let me 'sit in' on a session or two to watch? If so, I'd even be willing to play a non-combat role NPC role for you. If not, no sweat, I understand and take no offense.
Billzabub if your interested in FG2 take a look at this link it gives you a decent feel for it and it's independant so nothing staged.