[Request] Monster stat block importer for OSRIC

Hi scripters! Could I get a little help? I've seen that there is an importing script for monster stat blocks for Pathfinder, and I was wondering if someone would like to create one for me for OSRIC. It would be worth about a month of Supporter to about a month of Mentor, depending on how much time it would save me. Here is an example image of a monster entry in the OSRIC rules: And the text, copied and pasted from the rules PDF: Bugbear Frequency: Uncommon No. Encountered: 6d6 Size: Large (7 ft tall) Move: 90 ft Armour Class: 5 Hit Dice: 3+1 Attacks: 1 Damage: 2d4 or by weapon Special Attacks: Surprise on a 1-3 on 1d6 Special Defences: None Magic Resistance: Standard Lair Probability: 25% Intelligence: Low to average Alignment: Chaotic evil Level/XP: 3/135+4/hp Bugbears tend to form bands and live near goblins, a distant relative. Although bugbears have 60 ft infravision, they can live both above and below ground. Bugbears are quite stealthy and surprise at 50%; and a “hear noise” roll will not detect them. Bugbears use a variety of weapons usually gathered from fallen opponents. These include axes, morning stars, hammers, swords, spears and missile weapons. Bugbear hunting parties (12+ creatures) always have a leader who fights as a 4 Hit Dice creature. (AC 4, 22-25 hp, and do 2d8+1 damage) Within the lair there will be a chieftain and sub-chief as well as females and young. The chief is also a 4 Hit Dice creature with the following stats: (AC 3, 28-30 hp, 2d8+2 damage). The sub-chief fights as a leader. If absolutely necessary, females fight as hobgoblins and young fight as kobolds. Each are equal in number to 50% of the male population. Bugbears speak hobgoblin and goblin as well as chaotic evil and their own cursed speech. Treasure: 4d6 silver, 2d4 gold for individuals; 1d8×1,000 cp, 1d3×1,000 gp, 1d8 gems (30% chance), 1d4 jewellery (20% chance), miscellaneous magic weapon (10% chance).

Here's one that's a little more complex, with multiple stat blocks under one entry: Screen shot: (This entry spans two pages, and the screenshot includes some information from another entry on the right column below the table) ...and the copied and pasted text: Scaly Devil (Lesser Devil; Abyssai) Black Blue Green Red White Frequency: Common Common Common Common Common No. Encountered: 1d3 or 2d4 1d4 or 2d4 1d3 or 3d3 1d4 or 3d4 1d3 or 3d4 Size: Large Medium Medium Small Medium 231 Monsters onsters onsters onsters onsters Black Blue Green Red White Move: 90 ft, 120 ft flying (AA: IV) 150 ft, 150 ft flying (AA: IV) 120 ft, 150 ft flying (AA: IV) 180 ft, 180 ft flying (AA: IV) 90 ft, 150 ft flying (AA: IV) Armour Class: 2 3 3 1 3 Hit Dice: 8 5+1 6 4+2 7 Attacks: Halberd Trident Pole arm Short sword Flail Damage: 1d10+4 1d6+4 1d6+4 1d4+1(x2) 1d6+3(x2) Special Attacks: See below See below See below See below See below Special Defences: See below See below See below See below See below Magic Resistance: 35% 20% 25% 40% 30% Lair Probability: 20% 35% 30% 40% 25% Intelligence: Average Average Average Average Average Alignment: Lawful evil Lawful evil Lawful evil Lawful evil Lawful evil Level/XP: 6/855+10/hp 6/550+6/hp 6/550+6/hp 5/320+5/hp 6/650+8/hp The scaly devils known as the scaly devil are quite common on the upper planes of Hell. Most scaly devils serve the five-headed dragon queen of Hell. Their appearance epitomizes the human idea of what a devil should look like. They are humanoid-shaped with horns, bat-like wings, and a long spiked tail. Their scaled hide varies, as there are 5 distinct breeds of scaly devil: black, blue, green, red, and white. In combat, scaly devils generally wield specific weapons depending on their breed (see above). All scaly devils can use their spiky tails as a weapon for 1d2 damage. They can also grapple, using their scaled and barbed skin to damage their victims. Damage is as follows: black 1d4+4, blue 1d4+3, green 1d4+2, red 1d4+1, white 1d4+2. Scaly devils have the following special abilities, which they can use one at a time at will: change self (as the 1st level illusionist spell), command (as the 1st level cleric spell), produce flame (as the 2nd level druid spell), pyrotechnics (as the 2nd level magic user spell), or scare (as the 2nd level magic user spell). Once per day, they can attempt to summon another scaly devil (20% chance of success). Treasure: If scaly devils are encountered in one of their hellish lairs they will have no treasure cache, but they may (10%) have another 1d4 other breeds of scaly devil with them. If encountered in transit however, they may (15%) have 1d4 large gems, which they are delivering to one of their devil masters. Hopefully someone out there can take this little project under their wing... :) Thanks for looking!

This sounds awesome, OSRIC is such a good resource for things like this. I don't know how to script it or anything like that, but I am in support of this effort and would add to the bounty Gozer talked about, to see something like this get coded by someone who knows how.

I'd love to see OSRIC added to the compendium...

I don't know what the etiquette is on script requests, so I'm just bumping this. Not to be a nag, just as a reminder... :)

Bumping this one again. Something happened in how Roll 20 interprets the pasted text, so now it's become quite a chore inputting those stat blocks by hand. Anyone interested in taking this project on?

I have a little something I'm working on that might help with this and other importers. Still in it's infancy, but as soon as GenKitty approves it for her purposes, I can see about expanding it for other purposes... =D

Yeah! Holding breath now....

Things like these are parsing intensive with variable formats. You could develop a generic parser (as it looks like Aaron's doing) but there will always be a large set of cases that aren't handled unless it involves some custom scriptlet logic which in itself could be considered an extension of the generic parser. Not many are hopping on since building a parser like this requires: A.) Someone who understands the OSRIC system B.) This someone was the will to iron out the nuisances Because parsers, and writing them in general is very rote in terms of logic and not fun at all. If you really want it, you can make it yourself :). Javascript is a forgiving (if a bit too much) language to learn, with sites such as Jsfiddle, MDN and other online sources; anyone with the will to learn can pick it up.

Yeah, I know it's a lot of work, and reading my earlier comment, I realize it could have sounded snarky - which is not what I meant at all! Sorry if anyone took offense. I just meant to indicate that I would be waiting with bated breath - which is probably what I should have said. Again, apologies to anyone offended.

none taken! It's just that looking at your earlier posted examples of datum. They're very diverse and lacking structure. The logic needed to piece that together into a unified format would be daunting. Writing a parser isn't hard at all, it's just annoying, and if there is no consistent format, the corner cases explode into infinity, or rather Chompsky type 0 but with a grammar that wouldn't even be ordered. Actually without a grammar structure it's just a jumble of random words (since the copy-paste isn't consistent or coherent). Just putting it into perspective.

The Aaron said: I have a little something I'm working on that might help with this and other importers. Still in it's infancy, but as soon as GenKitty approves it for her purposes, I can see about expanding it for other purposes... =D Sorry, this week has been hectic. :/ I'm hoping to start trying to break the script on Saturday; everyone is supposed to have their L10 character sheets to me by Sunday, which is when I'll be able to really put it through its paces. ^_^

Ken L. said: You could develop a generic parser (as it looks like Aaron's doing) Actually, what I've got is a generic input format, which would allow the writing of various parsers in any language to create the generic input format. It's designed to be human readable/editable and to work with Roll20's input boxes without blowing up. I wrote it for my GenKittyCharacterEditor project, but seeing this thread made me realize it might be a good way to get all manner of characters into Roll20. GenKitty said: Sorry, this week has been hectic. :/ I'm hoping to start trying to break the script on Saturday; everyone is supposed to have their L10 character sheets to me by Sunday, which is when I'll be able to really put it through its paces. ^_^ No worries! Her Majesty of the many tail flicks may avail Herself of the gifts of Her subjects at Her leisure. We await her pleasure. =D

Isn't there a better starting data set out there?

There may be, I'm just copying and pasting from the rules PDF I have. I can see what I could find.

I found a PDF on Dragonsfoot that may be better source material: <a href="http://www.dragonsfoot.org/files/pdf/osric_monster" rel="nofollow">http://www.dragonsfoot.org/files/pdf/osric_monster</a>... Here's a copy/paste of a couple of entries from the PDF: Ape, Carnivorous Animal Very Rare 2d4 Large 120 ft 6 5 3 1d4/1d4/1d8 Mangle None Standard 10% Low N 3 125+4/hp 245 None Chimera Other Rare 1d4 Large 90 ft, 180 ft flying (AA: level II) 4 9 6 1d3/1d3/1d4/1d4/2d4/3d4 Breathing fire to a 60 ft for 3d8 damage. None Standard 40% Semi- CE 7 1,300+12/hp 267 1d20x1,000 sp (10%) , 1d12x1,000 ep (15%) , 1d10x1,000 gp (40%), 1d8x100 pp (35%), 3d10 gems (20%), 1d10 jewelry (10%), 3 magic items (no magic weapons) and 1 magic scroll and 1 magic potion (30%). Don't know why those two entries pasted differently... Anyway, maybe this is more usable?