The above image is from my working cover for my first premium module, Fey Infestation, which I am writing for the Pathfinder 2e system. I did all my preliminary work in Foundry, but I knew that I also wanted to make a PDF version because most gamemasters run tabletop games. I have been working on it since the beginning of the summer. During this timeframe, I also purchased the Affinity suite of art programs and started learning those apps.
I started pulling all of the text of the module in a Word document, using the official template for Pathfinder Infinite, but after playing with it in Word for a while, I decided I was ready to dive into Affinity Publisher, so I created a document and started pulling things over.
There’s all sorts of things that you have to worry about when designing a module for a VTT, that you don’t need to worry about when designing for a PDF.
AND there’s all sort of things that you have to worry about when designing a module for PDF, that you don’t need to worry about when designing for a VTT.
Here’s a breakdown:
VTT Modules – you don’t need to worry about
- a cover image – although landing pages are nice
- typography – just use Foundry and Pathfinder built-in styles
- layout – every topic is in a separate journal
- whether your map will fit inside a printed page
PDF Modules – you don’t need to worry about
- token art – the biggest headache of VTT modules
- overhead tiles – although they are always fun
- lighting and effects – which you might build into your map
- ambient sounds and battle music
When you’re doing both, you’ve gotta do it all.
So it has been a large learning curve.
While I was polishing things up and getting ready to playtest, Paizo, Pathfinder’s publisher, made some changes to their licenses, and I had to make some decisions. I was using very little, if any, content that takes place in the Pathfinder game world. Also, I had not found any Paizo art that I might have been able to use in Pathfinder Infinite. Therefore, I decided to go forward using the ORC license. This required me to re-invent some monsters, a task which is now mostly complete.
When it is ready, I plan to release the VTT version on Foundry and the PDF version on DriveThru RPG.
Here’s what I have left to do:
- Playtest it with my playtest group, I am already running in a game to build the characters up to third level
- Synchronize all changes with the PDF
- Add any automation to the maps
- Create final version of maps with the grid (for the PDF) and without the grid (for the VTT)
- Find or create (!) token artwork
- Deploy it as a module in Foundry
- Publish it in a two-PDF bundle (maps and scenario) on DriveThru RPg
- Probably much more.
What about D&D? Well, we are currently not into D&D, but it would be smart to make a version for it, since the potential audience is much larger. D&D has been going through a lot of changes, but the 5e version is pretty stable. So I may will work on a conversion once I publish. That will involve recreating all creatures and traps, and replacing most dice rolls.
I am thinking I might be done with the Pathfinder version by maybe January.