Scene Submissions / Breaking Changes in vtta-ddb

This weekend, I worked on another necessary building block for the tool suite. I started to transition the old data into the new formats and create the processing instructions to enrich the parsing output by looking at Divine Contention. It is a rather small module with just a handful of scenes and three Roll Tables, but I really need to get a feeling about how long the transition will actually take.

Migration will rather quick

After completing the module in about 30 minutes, including placing the Journal Entries on the map. Surely, bigger adventures will take longer, and source books like the Player Handbook even more due to the  sheer amount of Roll Tables that take rather long to copy/paste meaningful table names into the processing instruction, but all in all, the process is greatly supported by my internal tools.

After finishing Divine Contention,  I quickly realized that I will need some tooling to get the changes back into the database. I already started working on a module that will enable interested community members to submit their own scene adjustments and I want to use the exact same module for my own adjustments. Too bad it wasn't finished yet. 

It's finished now: Welcome vtta-sources

All submissions are gates by a special role, contributor. Existing, VTTA-imported scenes will be analyzed and submitting a scene is as easy as single click. All submitted maps will be stored in a version controlled repository in order to get older revisions of each scene if need be. Afterwards, the change is instantly live and available for imports. 

Some community members already reached out to me and offered help by adjusting scenes: This will be your tool. Becoming a contributor is based on trust, as you will be directly changing the database contents responsible for creating amazing scene imports. 

Breaking Change

While migrating the data of Divine Contention, I found that a change in the internally used data format for scenes will allow greater freedom. Right now, all map notes are placed just once on the map, but sometimes the same marker should be placed multiple times on the same map (e.g. three rooms labeled as "baracks"). 

I initially tried to make workarounds, but in the end, a refactoring was the better way to go forward. The next update of vtta-ddb will adhere to the new data structures, a timely update on your end will be necessary. The currently available vtta-ddb will be incompatible with scene imports after the data structures on the database is changed. 

I am planning to publish a new version of vtta-ddb this wednesday.

Chrome Extension update

The next Chrome version fix some issues mentioned by the community, e.g. equipment batch import, complete biography insertion when dealing with some special NPCs (e.g. goblins) when imported from a list view and other smallish changes. 

The extension is scheduled for next week, too, as I want to make sure everything is working greatly early next week.

Patreon mailing: Which creators do I recommend?

You might received some promitional emails with five creators that I support and which I would recommend. I was contacted by the Patreon staff if I would like to participate in such a promotional test and at first, I was reluctant. Who likes advertisements by e-mail? 

In the end, I submitted five amazing recommendations to them, because amongst all creators I do support, those are like hidden gems for me: They do provide amazing content and are - in my humble opinion - underappreciated. I am not receiving any benefits from that promotion, but I do hope I can widen your horizon a bit and that you will at least glance at those five. 

Thanks everyone, have a great week and stay lovely, 

Sebastian