Author Topic: Spacemaster Imperium OCR and Text Recovery  (Read 35539 times)

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Offline NicholasHMCaldwell

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Spacemaster Imperium OCR and Text Recovery
« on: February 06, 2014, 03:22:14 PM »
As a preliminary to returning the Imperium setting in the future (as a future unified Spacemaster setting and possibly as a HARP SF setting), we need to extract the text from various scanned pdfs. So anyone with time and software on their hands to OCR and tidy up the extracted text for us? Volunteers wanted!

Best wishes,
Nicholas
Dr Nicholas HM Caldwell
Director, Iron Crown Enterprises Ltd
Publisher of Rolemaster, Spacemaster, Shadow World, Cyradon, HARP & HARP SF, and Cyberspace, with products available from www.drivethrurpg.com
Author: Mentalism Companion, GURPS Age of Napoleon, Construct Companion, College of Magics, HARP SF/HARP SF Xtreme

Offline DJRJ_AU

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Re: Spacemaster Imperium OCR and Text Recovery
« Reply #1 on: February 07, 2014, 07:17:56 AM »
I'd be happy to help out.  I'm picky enough to lie awake at nights wondering if "anal-retentive" is supposed to have a hyphen or not, so proof-reading and correcting OCRs would be a welcome change.  :)

Offline Takeyabue

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Re: Spacemaster Imperium OCR and Text Recovery
« Reply #2 on: February 07, 2014, 09:52:51 AM »
i would also be happy to help with this project as it can tie in with my preparation for my existing HARP SF game. i assume you are expecting a text-based pdf as the finished product in place of the current image-based pdf? Would it be entire volumes or simply selections from the existing volumes?

Offline Hurin

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Re: Spacemaster Imperium OCR and Text Recovery
« Reply #3 on: February 07, 2014, 10:09:43 AM »
Sorry, I can't help with the computer stuff-- I just don't have the skills or the time at the moment.

I love the idea of resurrecting the Imperium setting. Though to be honest, I didn't mind the Privateers setting; I especially liked the way Privateers balanced the races (I actually used the Privateers races, in addition to the SM2 races, in my current SM2 campagin), and I liked the way they did tech levels. So, what I would like to see from a unified SMU is a system that takes the best of both, reviving the Imperium but with balanced, varied races.

Nicholas: from one academic to another, and from someone who has gone through that difficult first year, I would say: it only gets better from here! Your first few semesters are just about survival. Just get to the summer, and everything will be better :)
'Last of all, Húrin stood alone. Then he cast aside his shield, and wielded an axe two-handed'. --J.R.R. Tolkien

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Offline ob1knorrb

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Re: Spacemaster Imperium OCR and Text Recovery
« Reply #4 on: February 07, 2014, 11:05:17 AM »
I'll check my old files to see if I started this already.
I was working on a timeline ( http://www.icewebring.com/SMSDTimeLine/TimeLine.htm ) and may have OCR'd some stuff for that.
Brent Knorr...
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Offline Terry K. Amthor

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Re: Spacemaster Imperium OCR and Text Recovery
« Reply #5 on: February 07, 2014, 12:17:00 PM »
Sounds like there is some interest in the Spacemaster Imperium setting! I'm excited to revisit this. Maybe even expand that old fiction...
Terry K. Amthor
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-- Clarke's First Law.

Offline Terry K. Amthor

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Re: Spacemaster Imperium OCR and Text Recovery
« Reply #6 on: February 07, 2014, 12:27:43 PM »
Oh, and just to clarify something I read... the original Spacemaster was not designed to sell as a DUNE game (though after we were well into producing the game, I think that ICE did try to get the license), but we had already started developing the Imperium background. We'd created several houses and groups; and yeah, there was some Dune influence.

But in the beginning, Kevin Barrett sent us the concept as 'Tech Law' unsolicited as this little bound proposal, and we loved it so much that we though it might be worthwhile to do an entire new genre. So they sent me (why me, I don't remember) and my KAYPRO to meet Barrett in Toronto, and on that tiny 9" screen we developed the attack tables and the original Tech Law and Future Law. How's that for backstory?
Terry K. Amthor
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"Any sufficiently advanced technology is indistinguishable from magic."
-- Clarke's First Law.

Offline Ynglaur

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Re: Spacemaster Imperium OCR and Text Recovery
« Reply #7 on: February 08, 2014, 11:19:11 AM »
I might be able to help out with some of this.  I have regular flights with not much to do other than catch up on email.

Offline Wōdwulf Seaxaning

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Re: Spacemaster Imperium OCR and Text Recovery
« Reply #8 on: February 08, 2014, 12:55:34 PM »
Sounds like there is some interest in the Spacemaster Imperium setting! I'm excited to revisit this. Maybe even expand that old fiction...

I'd love this as well be it in the form of new SM2 based adventures or updated campaign material & eventual release of a SMU RPG. I'm all for Terry expanding his old SM fiction  for potential re-release (as I missed out on it) & new SM stories as well. I'm a fan of his Shadowworld fiction.
R.I.P. Frank Frazetta
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Offline Takeyabue

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Re: Spacemaster Imperium OCR and Text Recovery
« Reply #9 on: February 11, 2014, 11:05:15 PM »
Is there any kind of setting bible, or usage guide, which provides the authoritative version of the terms and abbreviations using in the StarMaster 1st and 2nd Edition books? I have begun to review some of the text extraction efforts I already completed. It would be very useful to have a final authoritative version on the bulk of the terms so we can all move to the same spelling and abbreviations when proofing.

Offline Terry K. Amthor

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Re: Spacemaster Imperium OCR and Text Recovery
« Reply #10 on: February 12, 2014, 06:07:06 AM »
Sounds like there is some interest in the Spacemaster Imperium setting! I'm excited to revisit this. Maybe even expand that old fiction...

I'd love this as well be it in the form of new SM2 based adventures or updated campaign material & eventual release of a SMU RPG. I'm all for Terry expanding his old SM fiction  for potential re-release (as I missed out on it) & new SM stories as well. I'm a fan of his Shadowworld fiction.

I wrote a serialized story for Alarums & Excursions way back in the 80's under another of my nom de plumes (might have been Biff) about an agent solving a murder on Akaisha Outstation. Sadly, those floppy disks are long gone, and A&E was a classic mimeo'd thing that wonderful Lee Gold slaved over. Ah, well!
Terry K. Amthor
Shadow World Author, Rolemaster & SpaceMaster Co-Designer, ICE co-founder.
Eidolon Studio Art Director


"Any sufficiently advanced technology is indistinguishable from magic."
-- Clarke's First Law.

Offline Terry K. Amthor

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Re: Spacemaster Imperium OCR and Text Recovery
« Reply #11 on: February 12, 2014, 06:09:00 AM »
Is there any kind of setting bible, or usage guide, which provides the authoritative version of the terms and abbreviations using in the StarMaster 1st and 2nd Edition books? I have begun to review some of the text extraction efforts I already completed. It would be very useful to have a final authoritative version on the bulk of the terms so we can all move to the same spelling and abbreviations when proofing.

Well, now would be the time to establish these terms. I don't know how practical it would be, but if contradictions come up, if they could be flagged in a PDF or Word draft, I could review them.
Terry K. Amthor
Shadow World Author, Rolemaster & SpaceMaster Co-Designer, ICE co-founder.
Eidolon Studio Art Director


"Any sufficiently advanced technology is indistinguishable from magic."
-- Clarke's First Law.

Offline yondar

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Re: Spacemaster Imperium OCR and Text Recovery
« Reply #12 on: February 17, 2014, 05:35:32 PM »
I would be happy to help out with this. Has it been decided if you need whole books OCR'd or just certain texts.

Offline smegforbrain

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Re: Spacemaster Imperium OCR and Text Recovery
« Reply #13 on: February 21, 2014, 04:23:33 AM »
Count me in for this!  I'll try and allow for the american spelling (Armor instead of Armour)  ;) whilst I'm doing it.

I've had 25 years of fun from my 2nd edition SM and would love to give back.

Stuart

Offline Guillaume

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Re: Spacemaster Imperium OCR and Text Recovery
« Reply #14 on: February 23, 2014, 03:23:42 PM »
I'll check if the software I have at hand can do the things... The good part is that I have all the physical SM Books, so I can probably scan them again at work if needed.
514 to see, 416 to lock, 614 to shot...Target downed...Ask the marines to pick up the pieces.

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Offline smegforbrain

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Re: Spacemaster Imperium OCR and Text Recovery
« Reply #15 on: February 25, 2014, 08:19:14 AM »
Mine are already scanned. ;)

Offline Guillaume

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Re: Spacemaster Imperium OCR and Text Recovery
« Reply #16 on: February 26, 2014, 09:22:43 AM »
I checked, as long as it's a pdf file I can get the text out...
But it's going to be plain text, no formating, no flourish.

514 to see, 416 to lock, 614 to shot...Target downed...Ask the marines to pick up the pieces.

RM, RM2, RMSS, RMFRP, HARP,  MERP, Cyberspace, SM, SM2, SM:P, Star Strike, Armored Assault, SD , SD : The Next Millenium, Bladestorm, Battle of the Five Armies .... Collecting ICE production since the epoch...

Offline Terry K. Amthor

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Re: Spacemaster Imperium OCR and Text Recovery
« Reply #17 on: February 27, 2014, 05:56:25 AM »
I checked, as long as it's a pdf file I can get the text out...
But it's going to be plain text, no formating, no flourish.

That should be fine (assuming it is going to me), as long as it's something that I could pour into MS Word, then I'd do a rough format/style while editing it.
Terry K. Amthor
Shadow World Author, Rolemaster & SpaceMaster Co-Designer, ICE co-founder.
Eidolon Studio Art Director


"Any sufficiently advanced technology is indistinguishable from magic."
-- Clarke's First Law.

Offline Terry K. Amthor

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Re: Spacemaster Imperium OCR and Text Recovery
« Reply #18 on: March 03, 2014, 03:41:28 AM »
I checked, as long as it's a pdf file I can get the text out...
But it's going to be plain text, no formating, no flourish.

That should be fine (assuming it is going to me), as long as it's something that I could pour into MS Word, then I'd do a rough format/style while editing it.

If I wasn't clear, if you have the files, send 'em! I'd love to at least have a look and review what Kevin and I wrote so long ago, while Nicholas decides exactly how to handle it all. let me know if you need my email.
Terry K. Amthor
Shadow World Author, Rolemaster & SpaceMaster Co-Designer, ICE co-founder.
Eidolon Studio Art Director


"Any sufficiently advanced technology is indistinguishable from magic."
-- Clarke's First Law.

Offline Mando

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Re: Spacemaster Imperium OCR and Text Recovery
« Reply #19 on: March 03, 2014, 04:30:22 AM »
Could you give us a list of the concerned books, let people already on it tell what books they are on, so that I can pick one or two not currently being scanned?

I can OCR and send txt files for someone to check them (being non native english, my writing level isn't good enough).

.:| Fred, aka Mando |:.

Communauté francophone des joueurs de Jeux de Rôles ICE : Iceland