Shard uses packages to distribute content (books, classes, races, backgrounds, spells, items, etc.) across users. Shard includes packages with default content automatically. As a content creator you can build packages and share them privately or (eventually) publish them into the Shard marketplace to allow other users to buy them or use them for free.
Books are the key building block for creating packages. Building a package collects content from a set of books and puts them into a single package for sharing. The books need to have references to all of the data to be included in the package. There are a variety of mechanisms for creating those references:
All of the entries displayed in the book. Sections in books can display content of most entries. To add content to the book use the list icon next to the title of any section to add content. Each section can only have a single type of entry.
Map or encounter pins can reference a book. Map pins show in the book with the map and pin icon and encounter pins show as the dragon icon. The maps and encounters that reference the book will be included in the package.
Monsters from encounters both planned and random.
Encounters from maps.
Artwork for maps, monster tokens and map tokens.
To build a package go to the accounts page linked from the person icon in the upper right hand of the page. On the accounts page click the My Packages button. To add a package click New. There you can describe the package and add an image for the package. To build the package click the Build button.
Click Pick Books and selected your book to start the build process. Here it is important to understand that content can be included in one of two ways.
Reference: referenced data is not included in the package. Instead the package remembers what packages contain the data and the user will have to have those packages to use this package. In the example above, there are monsters and art from the Shard Bestiary and since it is included by default makes more sense to reference.
Embedded: embedded data is copied into the package creating a unique copy for the package. Embedding content in multiple packages will not result in the user seeing multiple copies since the identifiers are the same. It can be a bit confusing for the user since only one of the copies will be used and the source could be confusing. Usually you only want to embed your unique content. Note content that you edit is always embedded.
Pressing the Build button will take all of the content and build a package that will display in your My Packages. After you build the package you can go back and click on the package. Since the package has now been built, a new button is available, Share. Clicking the Share button will give you a link that you can use to share the package with other users. When they click the link they will have the option to add the shared package into their set of packages. If you rebuild the package then they will see the new changes when they refresh the browser.