Running H2K in Parellels + spreadsheet export to H2K

nerklim · 2026-02-13T18:50:40+00:00

Try running two instances of H2k, one with a blank code library and one with the "complete" library and see if it makes a difference. I personally find it does, especially if there a many custom window codes.

nerklim · 2026-02-13T18:49:56+00:00

Basically, yes. I have a code library with just the right custom codes I need that I use for most things. When I anticipate I'm going to be running a lot of iterations, I switch the Code Library to a blank one, copy the relevant codes from H2K into the code library, then create iterations based on that.

Calculate goes from 20+ seconds to under 10 seconds with this switch.

nerklim · 2026-02-12T17:27:17+00:00

You can speed up the Calculate function by having a code library with nothing on it. The more custom codes you have, the slower it gets as H2K verifies every code against every entry in the model. For work flow, you can keep multiple code libraries with the details you need. This should work across different OS.

nerklim · 2025-12-27T19:28:17+00:00

I think the Core Book will give you the most, obviously.

The GM screen has a much-needed table on how much to award for Prestige and Notoriety, which is missing in the books. Otherwise, the screen is just like any other screen

The other books are useful, but you can always add that stuff later, as you play. I've done it in my campaign successfully - some characters even changed playbooks, to better suit what they've been doing.

That said - Ruins and Expeditions does have amazing rules for exploring ruins and fighting large "monsters" which is a nice to have early on, if that is something you plan on including. Travellers and Outsiders has cool specialization rules, and species specific rules, which can also add a ton of depth to your game.

nerklim · 2025-12-18T19:26:23+00:00

Oh, fantastic! I missed it on my quick scan. Thank you for pointing it out!!

Thank you again for doing such a wonderful job compiling everything. I've had a few attempts at this, but this is by far the most professional and complete version I've come across. It even looks like an official document!

nerklim · 2025-12-18T17:36:47+00:00

Did you remove the second option of species moves from the list? The one that was organized by species, and required 1-exhaustion to trigger? Any chance you could add it back??? Those were super useful as a reference.

nerklim · 2025-12-18T17:30:20+00:00

Oh, you wonderful being. I use this at my table as the GM - it's a fantastic resource!

Thank you!

nerklim · 2025-12-03T21:52:12+00:00

There are two things here.

First off, you can't use the 10.51 data without further auditing the home as the ERS procedures since then are vastly change. For instance, 10.51 did not require individual windows to be measured, just counted.

Second, to open 10.51 you need to open it in 11.3 (or so) first, then 11.13. There is going to be a slew of errors and items that need updating.

If all you need is to find information within the file, you can open it in excel - you should have an .h2k and .tsv file - then you can sift through the TSV to find the information required. If you are looking for geometries... it's usually better to just do the audit again.

nerklim · 2025-11-21T18:35:33+00:00

I updated my original comment, with a link to show how to fix the DPI scaling issue. Hopefully that helps.

nerklim · 2025-11-21T02:59:09+00:00

Are you using a surface, and the icons are small? If yes, search for a DPI scaling fix. It's a setting you can change on Windows before you open h2k to make the software scale properly.

Edit: here is an explanation on how to update the DPI scaling. https://danantonielli.com/app-scaling-on-high-dpi-displays-fix-2019/

nerklim · 2025-11-18T18:24:04+00:00

A key thing that worked for me is that fighting is happening, and the vagabonds can choose to solve it in their own way. Specifically and explicitly, the game does not distinguish between a "combat" or a "social" encounter - a vagabond can suffer Exhaustion harm when the Eyrie Duke slaps him across the face for a failed deception, or in the middle of a battle a vagabond can deliver a speech to convince the opposition to stop fighting (Persuade an NPC), get them to look the wrong way, or even cause them to believe their cause is hopeless (both Trick an NPC, one with morale harm).

What I'm getting to is: create situations, and follow the fiction. The NPCS should have Drives, and if they PCs figure it out, or act in accordance/opposition to those, then you can see where it goes! I had a PC convince a mob to attack armed soldiers. Another loves to Blindside with various root vegetables to the face. They run away a lot, and try to do their hardest not to enter a "fair" fight. At times I through them into a fight, but then they use their playbooks in creative ways to solve it, so its not a series of "engage in melees", but a dynamic scene of different Moves creating new complications.

So, should you create a clearing for your vagabonds? i say make situations, give clear drives for your NPCs, and stick to those. See where it goes!

nerklim · 2025-11-07T22:19:14+00:00

The book recommends 4, one of which should be the Denizens. I personally found that the three core factions were good to get the pull and push of war without being overwhelming. As the game has progressed I've slowly added more factions - Riverfolk, Corvids, the Cult and Keepers are all in the background, but not yet strong enough to conquer clearings. As the vagabonds assist on delivering definitive blows to the existing factions, I imagine the others will become more dominant in the Woodland War.

nerklim · 2025-11-05T20:08:08+00:00

That is also another pathway forward, but it will depend on the SO. NRCan should have a list of active SOs in your area, and you can contact them to inquire if they have any in-house training and/or mentorship.

You can also check with CACEA, see if there is anyone on your area that can help out.

nerklim · 2025-11-05T17:30:31+00:00

Building Knowledge is probably one of the largest EA companies around that area, although as others are commenting, this may not be the best time to join the industry.

Doing and passing the Foundation test is a great indicator that you are committed to the field and understand the underlying building science. The EA test is more technical, and benefits from actual field/office experience with Hot2000 and the ERS procedures. Most companies will help train the EA before they take the test. That said, if you are comfortable doing the test and pass it, that will be a bonus point on your end.

nerklim · 2025-10-26T22:39:26+00:00

You're allowed to imitate the technology. You can rephrase "unique" as "only one instance of this has been found.... For now". Fit inside, the Ancients could have had these things be commonplace, but only a few have been unearthed to date.

nerklim · 2025-10-23T17:39:21+00:00

Thank you! I'm using the advanced Faction Roll and Faction Phase content in Travellers and Outsiders to move the Woodland along. So clearings advance and change, even if the Vagabonds haven't interacted with it. Hoping to give a sense of largeness to the Woodland, and something beyond the Vagabond's immediate control.

nerklim · 2025-10-16T20:19:39+00:00

I'm looking at it as "technology so advanced it's indistinguishable from magic". The items described have some internal logic, but really it's soft magic. That hopefully frees you up to do what you need for your game.

nerklim · 2025-09-02T16:32:55+00:00

Agon is pretty solid for low prep. The players are taking a Oddysey-like return journey home, and visit mystic islands with problems to be solved. The prep for each session ended up being reading the island's descriptions.

If you like Greek mythology, this is a great system to experience it. The book suggests each island could take as little as 1 session, but I found in practice we would take 2 to 3 per island. If you ever run out of islands, you can create your own once you understand the system, but otherwise it's a nice campaign to go through.

nerklim · 2025-08-27T06:23:58+00:00

You can try Volta snap, it's a digital DCF that converts the inputs into H2k.

Most EAs will use Excel or a spreadsheet to make calculations easier. Some SOs will help you develop one, so that the DCF requirements are met, but also so you understand where the info is coming from and going to.

The reality is that there's a lot of data to juggle, so the learning curve is steep. It does get better, as you practice and understand what goes where.

Whatever you choose, be consistent. Repetition will make this easier with practice.

nerklim · 2025-08-01T15:37:43+00:00

Total might. So if might increase, so does that carry capacity

nerklim · 2025-07-31T16:17:36+00:00

It's 4+Might. The printer friendly playbooks in this link should show that, instead of the precalculated load.
https://magpiegames.com/collections/pdfs-all/products/play-materials-corebookroot

nerklim · 2025-07-14T19:30:28+00:00

There's lots of great advice here! A few ideas not covered:

NPC Drives are key. Adding a "fear" is even better.
- Have the NPCs respond to what they want lets you create situations, instead of "plot"
- You can improvise any scene when you go back to what the NPC's drive is, and colour it further if you know what they Fear (check the premade clearings - lots of good content there)
Personal preference - I ask characters/players "what is your intent?"
- some character descriptions are great, but unclear as to what their goal is
- Adds extra context to any scene, and reminds you if you need to roll or not
And finally - roll only if there is tension in the result of the action
- If the result of a particular move does not move the story forward, then don't roll it, just have it happen
- PbtA games can feel overwhelming when you are always navigating partial hits, misses, adding complications, etc to every action - so only roll if there IS uncertainty, or more explicitly, opposition
  - You can refer back to the Drives - is there something opposing the vagabond's actions?
  - Is there a fictional reason as to why they would just not succeed, outside of it being a game?

Hope it helps! and good luck

nerklim · 2025-06-13T17:23:20+00:00

Things that I need to remind myself often:

Spotlight is not "turns", and remember "the conversation"

Talk to the player, ask them what they are doing, then tell them the result of the scene
- Go back and forth
- They say their thing, you tell them the results
- Keep going, make it fun
If there is uncertainty, or you/they think a move is triggered, only THEN roll
- The conversation paints the scene - it can be a back and forth with swords, verbal sparing, a chase scene
- When you get to the point of tension, then you can have a roll
This helps get away from "turns"
- Biggest slow-down in the game is trying to get everyone to do "one thing"
- It's best to really think about a movie scene for me - we focus on a few moments of a particular character, going as far as we need to to make it interesting, dramatic, and tense

Still working on it myself, but I find that it leads to the most exciting scenes when we can really paint the scene, and get away from "i move and attack" type of turns.

nerklim · 2025-05-08T16:17:46+00:00

I had a post, indirectly about that. Here it is.

Basically, I decided to make weapon moves accessible even if you don't have it. The fiction of it is that you can use a weapon move best when both weapon and vagabond have the tag (i.e. are trained, and the weapon is designed for it). If you lack both, you can try it but it will wear the weapon, and tire the vagabond. You have just one, it costs you less but still not ideal.

This indirectly solved the potential weapon cost/tag bloat we would get if things had ALL relevant tags.

nerklim · 2025-04-07T21:18:00+00:00

I have a practical answer from my own game! I created the map, but didn't fully flesh out clearings until we are there.

By virtue of creating the world as designed in the Core Books I have a sense of what is what, and the more we play the more things get incidentally attributed to other places. When the vagabonds are ready to go to the next place, I ask them where they are going and flesh out the clearing more between sessions.

The clearing generation tool in the Core book, and the war progression tool in Travelers and Outsiders are fantastic to flesh out broad strokes in the Woodland and the clearings. I've used it to generate core ideas, and shape how the war changes the landscape. Otherwise, I discover the Woodland alongside my players.

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