Anyone good at PDFs?

tacticslion · 02-04-2016, 08:47 PM

I'm curious, because I've been playing the Firefly RPG, lately, and it's been awesome! In fact, I highly recommend picking it up and giving it a try, if you're into PnP RPGs... it uses the Cortex System, and it does so very well and cleanly. The Character sheets are available at Drive Thru RPG for the rather large price of... $0.00! (The book is pretty costly, though. I made a review here, though it's nothing professional.

)

... however I'm trying to use it in a different context, and that's been a tad more difficult.

The problem I'm running into is the character sheets: they're a bit too specific, as currently crafted for the Firefly RPG. The changes would all be minor, but important.

Basically, I want to add extra Character Distinctions (possibly just taking up space on the back of the sheet), and replace the B.D.H. Die with an otherwise identical Uncanny Grace Die.

It would also be really cool to grab a Ship Sheet and change it into an Organization Sheet. Effectively, replacing the Engines, Hull, and Systems attributes with Influence, People, and Wealth attributes. The idea is that instead of Ship Class, you have something that you're loyal to, whatever that is:

- House (Business/Extended Family)

- Temple (Possible alternate: Church or Religious Institution)

- Outfit (Military Unit/Smaller Military Force)

- Faction (such as Clan, Political Faction, Greater Military Force, etc.)

- City (Gray Waste, only)*

- Ruler
*This is a campaign-specific thing. I've got a world that's effectively split into four massive regions, one of which is called the "Gray Waste" and is divided into city-states.

These would replace the basic ships classes, and there may be more (I'm willing to hear ideas), but that's what I've come up with at present.

I'd be willing to work with Adobe to just alter the PDFs myself, but I really don't know how.

Anyone else have ideas? Anyone just know where I can get "blank" versions of the official things so I could just write stuff in myself? Thanks!

phil_ · 02-05-2016, 02:43 PM

Easiest thing I've managed so far is opening a PDF in LibreOffice. That opens it in LibreDraw, which turns every line of text and each picture into separate tables which you can write whatever in or delete or splash clip-art over top of. Then you Export as PDF, and you're done. I took a state job application, replaced all the nouns with "bear," and put a picture of Anton Lavey over the state seal, and it was pretty easy.

Problem is the resulting PDF isn't fillable anymore. I haven't looked into fixing that yet.

Good thing is LibreOffice is free, and I wouldn't be surprised if you could do the same thing in Microsoft Office if you have a copy of that.

tacticslion · 02-08-2016, 08:01 AM

Ooh! Awesome! Thanks! I'll have to look into that!

Fillable would be better, but not really all that necessary... at all. This is cool: thank you!

02-04-2016, 08:47 PM	#1
tacticslion Regulator Join Date: Feb 2006 Posts: 1,842	Anyone good at PDFs? I'm curious, because I've been playing the Firefly RPG, lately, and it's been awesome! In fact, I highly recommend picking it up and giving it a try, if you're into PnP RPGs... it uses the Cortex System, and it does so very well and cleanly. The Character sheets are available at Drive Thru RPG for the rather large price of... $0.00! (The book is pretty costly, though. I made a review here, though it's nothing professional. ) ... however I'm trying to use it in a different context, and that's been a tad more difficult. The problem I'm running into is the character sheets: they're a bit too specific, as currently crafted for the Firefly RPG. The changes would all be minor, but important. Basically, I want to add extra Character Distinctions (possibly just taking up space on the back of the sheet), and replace the B.D.H. Die with an otherwise identical Uncanny Grace Die. It would also be really cool to grab a Ship Sheet and change it into an Organization Sheet. Effectively, replacing the Engines, Hull, and Systems attributes with Influence, People, and Wealth attributes. The idea is that instead of Ship Class, you have something that you're loyal to, whatever that is: - House (Business/Extended Family) - Temple (Possible alternate: Church or Religious Institution) - Outfit (Military Unit/Smaller Military Force) - Faction (such as Clan, Political Faction, Greater Military Force, etc.) - City (Gray Waste, only)* - Ruler This is a campaign-specific thing. I've got a world that's effectively split into four massive regions, one of which is called the "Gray Waste" and is divided into city-states. These would replace the basic ships classes, and there may be more (I'm willing to hear ideas), but that's what I've come up with at present. I'd be willing to work with Adobe to just alter the PDFs myself, but I really don't know how. Anyone else have ideas? Anyone just know where I can get "blank" versions of the official things so I could just write stuff in myself? Thanks! __________________ Make the best decision ever*. I look forward to seeing you there! You should watch this trailer! It's awesome! (The rest of the site's really cool, too!) I have a small announcement to make. And another!

02-05-2016, 02:43 PM	#2
phil_ Just sleeping Join Date: Mar 2004 Location: At home, probably in bed. Posts: 6,482	Easiest thing I've managed so far is opening a PDF in LibreOffice. That opens it in LibreDraw, which turns every line of text and each picture into separate tables which you can write whatever in or delete or splash clip-art over top of. Then you Export as PDF, and you're done. I took a state job application, replaced all the nouns with "bear," and put a picture of Anton Lavey over the state seal, and it was pretty easy. Problem is the resulting PDF isn't fillable anymore. I haven't looked into fixing that yet. Good thing is LibreOffice is free, and I wouldn't be surprised if you could do the same thing in Microsoft Office if you have a copy of that. __________________ Be T-Rexcellent to each other, tako.

02-08-2016, 08:01 AM	#3
tacticslion Regulator Join Date: Feb 2006 Posts: 1,842	That's so cool! Ooh! Awesome! Thanks! I'll have to look into that! Fillable would be better, but not really all that necessary... at all. This is cool: thank you! __________________ Make the best decision ever. I look forward to seeing you there! You should watch this trailer! It's awesome! (The rest of the site's really cool, too!) I have a small announcement to make. And another!