PDA

View Full Version : How does encounter placement of tokens work?



primarch
August 9th, 2011, 02:55
Hi!

As I went through all the features added to the 4E rule set with the latest update, as a DM none was more gratifying that than to be able to place encounter tokens on the map and for them to be "linked" for later inclusion in the combat tracker.

A couple of questions though:

1. As I bring up my pre-made encounters I can clearly see the little tokens beneath the NPC/Monster entry that I can grab and place on the map. However if I close the encounter the recently dragged tokens disappear from the map.

Is this normal behavior? In other words once the encounter mini window you dragged the tokens from is closed is the info lost and has to be redone?

2. Parting from the above does the rule set provide any way to "save" the information or is it just to provide a short term solution so DM's can have a handful of encounters up with tokens liked to maps as long as the encounter mini window is up?

3. If this is indeed how it works, is it known how many can be be maintained (as open windows or the mini-windows for the encounters minimized) before the program crashes?

I had about 4 of them running with multiple maps and such. I did have a lot up and running on the FG windows at one time, but having too many of these "pre-linked" maps and encounters up at the same time seems to almost guarantee a crash. I run 12GIGs on my system.

I couldn't find entries in the manual on how this works so any info is appreciated.

Peter

Dakadin
August 9th, 2011, 03:29
Hi,

I thought the same thing when I first started using it. After closing the encounter the tokens seem to disappear from the map but they are still actually ready to be used. Just add the encounter to the combat tracker and the tokens will reappear on the map. It works really well once you realize this. I hope it helps.

Dakadin

Moon Wizard
August 9th, 2011, 03:46
The tokens you drag from the encounter window are linked to the encounter window, and removed from the map when you close the encounter. This means that you can adjust the tokens after you drop on the map window. When the checkmark appears in the encounter window, then the map and position within the map are saved for that token.

Then, when you click the Add To Encounter button on the encounter later, it will remember the map, add the combat tracker entries, set the tokens to the entries, and place the linked tokens onto the map.

I have not seen any crashes while using this feature, and have not heard any other reports of crashes specific to this capability. Any information you can get me to reproduce the issue, especially in a new campaign, will help me address.

Specific to memory, most Windows programs are limited to using 2G of memory by the operating system, so more machine memory is mainly useful for running multiple programs with high memory requirements.

Cheers,
JPG

primarch
August 10th, 2011, 05:15
Hi,

I thought the same thing when I first started using it. After closing the encounter the tokens seem to disappear from the map but they are still actually ready to be used. Just add the encounter to the combat tracker and the tokens will reappear on the map. It works really well once you realize this. I hope it helps.

Dakadin

Hi!

AH! That was the tidbit of information I didn't get. I kept on thinking that since they disappeared from the map when closing the encounter window that somehow the link information was lost. I did see that the encounter window links were still checked, but could not figure out why I couldn't see the images on the map. It did not occur to me to load them on the combat tracker to see if the images reappeared on the map. :o



The tokens you drag from the encounter window are linked to the encounter window, and removed from the map when you close the encounter. This means that you can adjust the tokens after you drop on the map window. When the checkmark appears in the encounter window, then the map and position within the map are saved for that token.

Then, when you click the Add To Encounter button on the encounter later, it will remember the map, add the combat tracker entries, set the tokens to the entries, and place the linked tokens onto the map.


Gotcha! Sweet function!

Question: If I prepare an adventure module and pre-link all the encounters to maps as described, will the exported adventure module retain these links?



I have not seen any crashes while using this feature, and have not heard any other reports of crashes specific to this capability. Any information you can get me to reproduce the issue, especially in a new campaign, will help me address.

Specific to memory, most Windows programs are limited to using 2G of memory by the operating system, so more machine memory is mainly useful for running multiple programs with high memory requirements.


I only had this problem twice. Both times I had an inordinate amount of windows and images up in FG. I assume I surpassed the 2G limit and thus the crash. Now that I know how to correctly use the function (and thus no unnecessary windows will be open) I doubt it will recur.

Many thanks for the tips! :)

Primarch

Moon Wizard
August 10th, 2011, 20:14
If exported to a module, the links will only continue to work if the map images are in their original location (i.e. campaign, or other module).

I haven't looked into what it would take to have the exported encounters also map to exported images, though it would only be the old way or the new way without an overhaul of the export feature.

Regards,
JPG

primarch
August 11th, 2011, 03:58
Hi!

Ok, understood! Seems that it should be possible since I leave the original images in the campaign I make the module. I use a main campaign where all the PC's are and all adventures are exported modules from a "campaign where they were made.

This feature is just too good! :)

Primarch

gmkieran
August 16th, 2011, 19:02
Hear!Hear! And thanks, Primarch, for asking all the questions I was going to have to. Now I don't! :D