HQ Quest Maker

[Patroclus]

drathe, I’ve update the first post with how to replace the map of HeroScribe with yours. It works!

Maike, the program works. Even if I make a new version in the future it will fully support the previous.

This is the second quest of the adventure I’ve start from the first post.

[Daedalus]

@Patroclus-

It occured to me that it would be a good idea if Quest pages could print correctly back-to-back, as drathe has set up with his main system Quest Book files. You know, alternating upside-down, right-side-up so that the pages turn correctly (as with the published Quests). It would also be great if pages printed front side and back side using this method. I don't know if this is outside the scope of what you are doing. If it is, then I guess it's up to me to figure it out if I want a Quest Book.

[el_flesh]

eh. This way you can print them on full 8.5 x 11 and punch them 3 holes for a binder.

[Patroclus]

It is not easy to make holes with needles and put staples by hand, but classeurs are big for the table of HQ, and I also prefer the booklets. But I am wondering if drathe has a simple way to make booklets from images or I really have to do something for that.

[el_flesh]

You'd have to line it up really well. Never thought of needles and manual staple insertion to get it perfect. Maybe the print shop would be able to do it for you pro without hassle.

[drathe]

It is not easy to make holes with needles and put staples by hand, but classeurs are big for the table of HQ, and I also prefer the booklets. But I am wondering if drathe has a simple way to make booklets from images or I really have to do something for that.

It's not really simple.

1. For a booklet, the total number of pages including the front and back covers must be divisible by 4. If not, then filler pages are required.
2. Then it's a matter of properly matching images of the pages together in a document or graphic program by working from the outside pages toward the middle. (maps and notes being separate pages)
3. Using the Adventure Design Booklet as an example. http://www.yeoldeinn.com/downloads/adve ... t-book.pdf, take the first page (front cover) and match it with the last page (back cover) to make a full sheet with two pages on it. In the case of European Booklets, the smaller page number will always be on the right side and the larger on the left. With American Booklets being oriented differently, the smaller page number will be on the bottom and the larger at the top.
4. Next take the second page and match it with the second-last page to make a full sheet with two pages on it, but this time both pages will be inverted. The smaller number page will still be in the same position. Right side for European, and bottom for American.
5. Repeat steps three and four using the next set of pages from front and back until there are no more pages left to be matched together. The final two pages matched together will be the centre of the booklet and will always be inverted.
6. If you used a document program export to PDF format. If you used a graphic program, save each full sheet as a PDF then combine them into a single PDF file in the order you created them.
7. Share your booklet file with the community!

[Maike05]

Hello patroclus, Is there any chance that you could make the program work on macosx and linux ? My case is the second one heroscribe is written in java, thus working anywhere. Since HQ quest maker is complementary to heroscribe, it would be nice to have it working on other plateform as well.

Please add it to you to-do list !

[Patroclus]

Ok, I think I understand... this program should be separated from the quest maker, because some people may want to put more pages for story, front cover, or cards maybe, etc… User have to put the images in a folder, as 1.png(the front page), 2.png… xx.png(back cover), etc, and then run the program to export the images as it should be. But I can’t make the pdf automatically, so everyone should import the final images and put them manually in a pdf(or word, or whatever). This would be easy enough so if someone can’t do it for some reason, he could send us the images and make it for him.

This is my next project, but for now people can start to create quests normally, and I will make it soon.

Maike, you are right about java. The bad is that I know only the basics and I can’t make advanced things. For example for the dark squares I made a function from zero to do the job. But if someone knows advanced java I could give him all he needs to make it, or if he tells me how to do some things I could do it.

[Maike05]

Hello patroclus, i already published two homemade quests on the blog using your program, it rocks ! I had to install it on windows though

For java, you could maybe start by contacting the autor of heroscribe

[Big Bene]

Hi all!

I followed this thread, and it reminded me of my own old pet project, QuestBook.doc, motivating me to do something for it again. As I didn't have the time to go deep into vba programming again, I made a video tutorial. Well, merely I just made a screen capture film of installing it and tooling a little around. Perhaps there's something interesting in it for you, too.