Importing data from D&D Insider

Submitted by Nebulorum on Tue, 2009-01-06 00:26.

I have been playing with the concept of importing monsters from D&D Insider. Only part of the data is available publicly. Most of the real nice data is locked to register users. And implementing a browser that can handle this can take some time.

I have been able to capture data using a java browser (Lobo Browser) that allow me to plug in the functionality to capture the monster definition. It can login to D&D Insider, however the display is not as nice as modern browser. But it does allow the feature to be implemented. I'm investigation other alternatives.

I'd like to implement this after I get undo working. But it makes more sense when more information is needed (like tracking powers and vulnerabilities)

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‹ First impressions and some recommendations. Source Code Availability ›

Adventure Tools

Submitted by vaultdweller on Thu, 2009-08-20 16:48.

WotC recently released a beta version of 'Adventure Tools' which currently includes just a Monster Builder application (NOT to be confused with the crappy flash-based Monster Builder on the Insider site). It is available to DDI subscribers.

I really like the planned feature in VCC 1.0 to import monster data from the Insider Compendium... so I am wondering if it would be feasible in a future version to also import custom monsters created with the Adventure Tools?

Looks like a good feature request.

Submitted by Nebulorum on Tue, 2009-08-25 20:29.

This looks like a valid feature request. Once v1.0 is out we could study the available formats and use them.

At first glance they publish RTF and images. RTF is not a good format for parsing. But maybe they store the data in XML like the character builder, which is a great format to read.

Of course I need someone to help analyze the files and figure out what data should be read.

Feel free to open a feature request for this.

Feature request added

Submitted by Nebulorum on Sat, 2009-07-04 19:37.

Added this as a feature request here: #103: Import data from D&D Insider

Eureka! Kind of...

Submitted by admin on Sat, 2009-01-17 02:41.

With the help of some friends I changed my plans and have been working steadily toward a way of implementing the D&D Insider Capture. I have it working, but not yet integrated with VCC.

I changed the plan and now I have created a Firefox Extension that can send data to a web server (thanks to this nice tutorial on Firefox Extension development. VCC will have a small embedded webserver, so the data can be processed and added to the combatant information. This adds all kinds of nice possibilities.

This frees me of having to embed a browser. I still have some challenges to make this work, and this has deviated me from the Undoability stuff. But I can get a good amount of data out of Insider monster pages.

Any more news on this

Submitted by joeman on Sun, 2009-05-03 11:49.

Any more news on this development?

I am currently copying and pasting the monster data into the notes section. And would prefer to have this space free for other uses...

On another note:

Is it possible to have two comments/notes sections? One that is encounter specific (ie sticky) and another that is combatant specific?

I always have a huge space under my initiative order list where such notes could be displayed.

Also: Is it possible to make the joining tab between the initiative order and the combatant info etc drag-able from right to left?

Still on the plans

Submitted by Nebulorum on Mon, 2009-05-04 12:29.

Capturing data from D&D Insider is still on the plans, I have a running prototype. But to make this useful the data has to be added to VCC in some meaningful way, and this requires completing task #53: Refactor data files.


Joeman> I am currently copying and pasting the monster data into the notes section. And would prefer to have this space free for other uses...

I have added to issue #53 the idea of adding a static text to allow user to add information about the combatant. I hope to have this on the next release.


Joeman> Is it possible to have two comments/notes sections? One that is encounter specific (ie sticky) and another that is combatant specific?

That is a good idea. Actually this could be placed under the combatant sequence, as it's a encounter specific information. If this seams appropriate please open a feature request.


Joeman> I always have a huge space under my initiative order list where such notes could be displayed.
Also: Is it possible to make the joining tab between the initiative order and the combatant info etc drag-able from right to left?

I wanted to use this area for a unified command panel (see Multi-Function Display). The idea is to have a single input area which can contain all input panels. This would free the left column to put the acting combatant. This way you can see both acting and target combatant. I'll try to make a screenshot of this.

As for allowing moving the panels this is a nice idea. However java's Swing User Interface does not provide a good framework for this. There are some options out there, but this require VCC being open source and a lot of work. I have considered making each area a window (like on Gimp and on the Mac). This would allow user to arrange them. However again this is a major change.

Hey, I just found this

Submitted by joeman on Thu, 2009-05-14 08:28.

Hey,

I just found this website that lets you upload your Character Builder files (or the whole party's) and edit them during play. It also has links from the feats & features window to the Compendium.

http://iplay4e.appspot.com/characters/

Check it out. The UI is not the best but it might give you some ideas. It is designed to be iphone friendly.

Let us know your thoughts...

(Speaking of iphone, on a side note, the potential for d&d4e tools to be made specifically for this device is a huge one and only very poorly explored at this point in time.)

Joe

UI improvements

Submitted by Andrew Reutter (not verified) on Fri, 2009-06-19 03:56.

We just pushed an update yesterday with a complete UI overhaul. Give it a fresh look!

Cheers,
Andrew Reutter
iplay4e.com

Hey Andrew, yeah, that does

Submitted by joeman on Fri, 2009-06-19 14:39.

Hey Andrew, yeah, that does look cool. Will check it out more over next few days..

That was on my mind

Submitted by Nebulorum on Fri, 2009-05-15 14:43.

I hand stumbled upon this tool a couple of weeks back. And I found it quite interesting in two aspects:


  • User Interface, the iPhone interface is really cool, and I was already considering some of it's aspects for the MDF approach;

  • D&D Character Builder files can be imported... this is really something I haven't investigated further, but goes hand in hand with the D&D Import idea;

On the other front, I have considered implementing a browser view of the current battle, this would make it possible for the players to tap into VCC and get the status of their characters possibly via another Laptop or cellphone (easy in a Wifi environment). This would be awesome.