Sales Enquiry

[Andraax]

You can run FG on a server and then the GM connects to that server via some remote control service (I have used vnc). That works well as long as the GM is local to the server, however running remote using that setup is less than optimal. What I have done is setup a VPN to my home network on my laptop. When I'm local to home, I host like normal. When I'm remote, I first VPN into my home network, then host like normal. A bit slower, but it seems to work well. Players (all remote) connect to my home network the same regardless of where I'm at.

Oh, BTW, the DB is stored in a flat file in XML format so a SQL server is not needed.

[dulux-oz]

Contrary to how Andraax uses things (& I'm not dissing Andraax at all) this is not really the most optimal way to use the product, in that the product was never designed to be use that way. I'm glad it works for him that way, but I'd never try to use it that way - to each their own.

When I use the term cloud I use it in both the "marketing" and actual technical terms: vm-hosting is not cloud computing, even though cloud computing uses vm-hosting, and cloud-storage is exactly that - storage "in the cloud". Basically, if you're not running Azure, "AWS" or OpenStack (or a similar cloud-software) its a not a cloud, its virtualization. One is a sub-set of the other.

Now, FG runs in a peer-to-host model (something you don't see much of any more, and it was never that popular in the 1st place): the GM runs FG on a local machine with a local XML data-store (or more than one) and players run copies of FG that connect back to the GM's "host" and download copies of the XML data-store into RAM. Packets fly back-and-forth between the GM's "host" and players' "clients" and everything - and I mean EVERYTHING - is processed by the GM's copy and stored on the GM's local HDD.

We have discovered, through trial and error and people losing their campaign data, that running FG with the XML data-store on Dropbox (to name but one example) can lead to data-corruption. As FG is designed to use a local data-store we've found the best way to use it is as designed. Once FG is not running then that XML data-store can be placed on a cloud-storage system or a non-local HDD for backup/transfer, but we always copy it back to the local machine when we run FG.

Now, to address you particular needs (and this is how I pretty much run things for my "local" game): I have a Win10 box with FG (Ultimate) and each on my players brings their laptop and connect to my FG "host". I have a large TV set up as a monitor which I use as a 2nd screen and I run a 2nd instance of FG on my pc which I pump to to the TV - this is so I can both show a large digital "players map" (which each player also has on their laptop) and also the video link of our "missing" player. At the end of each game I take a copy of my data-store and upload it to a folder on my main file server (a Centos Box). If I have to GM away from home I grab the latest backup of my data-store and copy it to my laptop, then run everything from my laptop just like I would with my main win10 PC. There is no need to remote into a server running FG in "host" mode - this is a needless complication who's benefits are far outweighed by the non-benefits.

Does that all make sense?

Oh, and BTW, for the record it might be of benefit to quickly check out my LinkedIn profile below so people can get an idea of my "authority" in the technical areas/discussions above

Cheers

[chook]

Right, this all makes a lot more sense. The application is much simpler than I had suspected and I mean that in a positive way. The fact that the database is flat text file that is in a constant state of read/write as opposed to transactional processing explains why things go wrong with it being located too many hops away. It also probably explains why the perpetual ultimate license is only 149USD too . Perhaps a little more information about this on the Web site would be beneficial? I feel that I have taken up a lot of people's time for something that could have been just laid out in the documentation and read. What I do know now is that if I buy a VTT it will be FG.

I don't have a LinkedIn account (or any form of social media for that matter) but based on your signature and explanation I am happy.

Oh and Andraax is probably doing things that way because after he went to the Eastern Hemisphere of Kulthea he has been quite insane .

[dulux-oz]

Hey, no problem. i don't consider it a waste of time - if you wanted to know then others would as well - plus, I love the product (yes, a fan-boy) which is why I did/do the Tutorial Videos and why I'm one of the Community developers - also why I'm an Immortal. BTW, anyone who has earned the title of Immortal is someone who knows and works with FG a lot, so you can trust implicitly anything they say about FG. most of the Immortals are also Moderators on these Forums, and if you stick around a bit you'll quickly learn who else you can trust to give you good info (like Andraax, for eg).

(As an aside, you don't need a LinkedIn Account to take a look at someone's basic profile - one reason why I use it professionally )

FG's been around for well over 10 years so its got a few quirks from back then. There is a new version coming (based on the Unity Engine - FGU) which should bring FG fully into the modern era, but SmiteWorks is a pretty small shop so things can take a while - but Doug and Moon (& the others) are really quick to answer questions and fix bugs etc here on the Forums (actually, I'm surprised Doug hasn't poster here yet...)

Anyway, you'll be surprised about how nice, friendly and helpful this Community is - it really will blow your mind - and its one of the greatest assets FG has. So we really don't mind answering questions, etc.

So check out some Tutorial Vids, have a look at some of the plug-ins (known as Extensions) and drive into the Forums - you'll be glad you did

Cheers

[Andraax]

Contrary to how Andraax uses things (& I'm not dissing Andraax at all) this is not really the most optimal way to use the product, in that the product was never designed to be use that way. I'm glad it works for him that way, but I'd never try to use it that way - to each their own.

That's why I said it was sub-optimal and went on to explain how I do it now, which works much better. :-)

[Andraax]

Oh and Andraax is probably doing things that way because after he went to the Eastern Hemisphere of Kulthea he has been quite insane .

You must be a loremaster....

:-P

[dulux-oz]

That's why I said it was sub-optimal and went on to explain how I do it now, which works much better. :-)

I stand corrected

Sorry

[Nylanfs]

That's why I said it was sub-optimal and went on to explain how I do it now, which works much better. :-)

This doesn't proclude you from being insane though. :-P

[chook]

So thanks again everyone, I have been playing around with the Demo version and it seems quite elegant. The XML files are easy to understand and edit which is great. What doesn't seem to be working is the export. I made a race, added some bits and went to export it to see how that would work as a basis for copying and pasting. The export kept failing. Am I right to presume that given I am using a demonstration license this is working as intended? If so, that seems pretty reasonable given for about 5AUD I can pick up a one month license and try it out fully featured.

The only criticism I would have is that the cost of tooling up with a 5E package is pretty steep at about 350AUD (PHB, DMG, MM, Volo, Tokens). As a grognard all current settings are terrible and I will therefore use only my favourite settings which, like a Linux distribution, is far superior to all of your favourites. :P

I don't want to sound like a whinger because the effort that would go into producing the modules would be pretty high but when I have already purchased physical and PDF copies of the books I want then it starts to add up. Don't get me wrong, you don't go into a hobby to save money and I have the skill set to do the work myself however I am pondering the difficulty this may present in making sales to people without the skills. As I wrote earlier, this comment should not detract from the effort that goes into the creation. I have raised the argument in other settings that when you buy the physical rules you should get some kind of digital copy as part of the package. Managing that is the tricky part and there are many arguments for and against it in the digital rights arena with fairly diametrically opposed beliefs.

Again, great product and I will keep exploring it.

[Zacchaeus]

Yes, you can't save or export anything with just the demo version.

Leaving aside the license costs what you would want to buy in addition to that depends on a number of factors - not least of all budget. If you are going to be playing published adventures only then I would suggest that the only thing you need is the PHB - and technically if you can fill in the blanks yourself then you don't even need that. If you are going to be creating your own campaigns then obviously the more resources the merrier. I would suggest that you pick up a subscription for the Ultimate license and play around with the software, have your players join in with the demo version and just basically try it out properly. You can cancel the sub within a month and pay nothing if it doesn't work out for you.

Incidentally all WotC material will be dropping substantially in price tomorrow (15th August - which it may already be in Aussie land )