Questions re: this virtual tabletop

[Grain]

Greetings everyone,

I am considering this software for my virtual tabletop needs, but I would like to hear from the community first because I've got a couple options on which software to go with and I need to know if this one will meet my needs:

1. Does this software have a module for D&D 4E? If so, then how is it integrated?

2. How easy is this software to use by both the DM & Players? Is it intuitive?

3. How can new supplemental material be incorporated into the software?

4. Does every person playing need a copy of this software or just the DM? (IE...am I going to have to convince all my players to purchase this software in order for them to play?)

That's really just a start, but I am looking for a virtual tabletop and this seems like a pretty good one.

[peterb]

1. Does this software have a module for D&D 4E? If so, then how is it integrated?

A 4E "ruleset" is shipped with FG. See the user guide (https://www.fantasygrounds.com/userguide4E/) for more info.


2. How easy is this software to use by both the DM & Players? Is it intuitive? See link to user guide above.


3. How can new supplemental material be incorporated into the software? Search for posts on "library modules" and you'll find a lot of info about this subject.


4. Does every person playing need a copy of this software or just the DM? (IE...am I going to have to convince all my players to purchase this software in order for them to play?) There are two options:

1) The GM buys a full license and each player a lite license.
2) The GM buys an ultimate license. Then the players need not buy any licenses.

[Griogre]

Also the word "module" in Fantasy Grounds has as many meanings as "Level" in D&D so its important to make sure you are expressing what version of meaning you mean when you use the term.

peterb took it to mean ruleset above. It can also mean game or campaign data or a combination of. Modules can also mean a pre-build adventuers, tokens or maps as well.

WotC has expressly forbidden the distribution of game and rule data for 4E so some types of data are not available legally.

[mcwright]

Hey Grain, I've just bought it 2 weeks ago and can give you some new buyer's opinions.

1. sorry can't help there I'm running 3.5
2. I wouldn't say intuitive but once players getting the mechanics down it's fairly slick. Xorn's (i think i spelled that right) video tutorial is a must and I made it mandatory for all of my current players.
3. Peterb handled that question for you.
4. They do need to buy a lite license if you (i'm assuming the dm) have the full. Which is a model I don't fully agree with but hey I'm new to this virtual table top stuff perhaps people flip between DMs commonly and it's appropriate. For myself however, I expect I will only be playing with my now geographically distributed friends so i just picked up an ultimate licensed and asked if they'd chip in. This also allows me to handle a few of the players who are just trying out dnd for the first time and unsure if they will have the time in the long run.

oh as a dm.. the software is great I think even for physical table top gaming I'm going to have a laptop running this just for the combat tracker. I find it really helps when you have a fair sized fight on the go.

Hope that helps
Mark

[Xorn]

This isn't extremely helpful right now, but as soon as 2.7.0 is stable enough to record footage from, I'm putting up revised tutorials with the 4E ruleset as my center of attention. Player & DM tutorials, plus a Campaign tutorial, and finally a "Putting It All Together" demonstration of a full encounter played out over FG2.