Question...

[Starbridge]

So I am thinking about getting the big package of the game but before I do I was wondering how it worked.

1. If I buy the $150 package I can have any friends join my game without them buying it or do they still need to buy something?

2. Is there a way you can add your own content, like custom classes, items and monsters?

3. Can you make your own maps?

4. Do you have to run preset adventures?

5. Do the developers plan on going into other d20 systems like d20 modern, future, Star Wars d20?

[damned]

Some answers to some questions:

1. the Ultimate lets you run/host games for other players. they can use ultimate, full, lite or free licenses. the downside to ultimate is holders of free or lite licenses still cant dm for you... if you have multiple dms look at a package that contains several full and lite licenses - you get good discounts on the additional licenses if bought in one transaction. i use an ultimate license.

2. certainly you can add custom monsters and items and at least for 3.5/40/pfs you can add your own classes. other rulesets im not sure about. adding custom classes may break some automation for that class.

3. fantasy grounds is not a map maker. maps in fg are just gif/png/jpg images stored in the campaign images folder. you can use maps sourced of web or crete your own using your graphics tools of choice.

4. definitely not. you can pre-pare your content in advance, you an run it on the fly or you can use a bought adventure. no problem.

5. there are quite a number of fan made rulests out there. these vary in quality and levels of automation. official rulesets require licensing agreements etc and there is a lot of work in building a ruleset. there is a d20 ruleset but i dont know about modern/starwars etc variants.

[ddavison]

There's a d20 Modern ruleset but it is one of the earlier rulesets and hasn't been updated in some time. It is on the list to convert to an extension to the main 3.5E ruleset but hasn't quite gotten there yet. It does have a cool theme but lacks a lot of the automation of the newer ruleset.

If functionality is more important to you, I'd recommend running a stock 3.5E game and just adding your skills and feats as you go.

[unerwünscht]

Hey ddavison, function wise there is very little that changes on the actual rules side of things from 3.5 to D20 Modern. I can fully update the skin itself to the new format, if you would like.. I don't think it would take more than a few days. Just let me know.

[ddavison]

Sure, we've been looking for someone to bring it in line who is familiar with the system. I own the hardback book but I admit that I've never played it more than once or twice and can't really remember what all was different.

Ping me at [email protected] if you need a copy of the ruleset.

-Doug

[unerwünscht]

Nope I have a copy of the original. There are some changes that will need to be changed that are outside of my skill range. But only because I suck beyond imagination at LUA coding. But knowing what I do know about coding the things that will need to change can be added into the actual 3.5 ruleset as a third toggle like the 3.5/PF toggle that already exists.

The major changes that would be needed (on the code end) are the skill list changes, the AC changes, Action Points, and FX. Action points being the only thing in the list that would take moon more than an hour to do. (not sure how easy/hard action points would be).

[Starbridge]

Thank you all for the insight.

I am a little sad that a map maker is not included with the package, but thats not enough to keep me from buying it.

Thanks again.

[mattcolville]

Thank you all for the insight.

I am a little sad that a map maker is not included with the package, but thats not enough to keep me from buying it.

Thanks again.

FG2 has to pick its battles. It lets you use any image as a map, which is really useful.

There are already more and better mapping utilities out there than anything FG2 could do, so it would probably be a waste of time for Smiteworks to develop their own proprietary tool.

[damned]

yep. map maker and voice client often get raised but there are so many good options for both of these it would be hard to justify the time, effort and return.

[unerwünscht]

UPDATE: I have not forgotten about doing this, and in fact am mostly done. However I have ran into a minor snag....

The interface buttons in the top right of the screen have drastically changed over the years since D20_Modern ruleset was created. As I am not the original author of the ruleset, I obviously do not have the blank buttons they used. So here are the options:

1. I can neglect to tell the skin to change anything, using the default buttons that come with the 3.5/D20 ruleset.

2. I can create new buttons that will come close to matching the existing Modern theme, but will not be a perfect match.

3. I can try to talk smiteworks into sending me a copy of the overlay images used on their default buttons, and make entirely new buttons for everything in the theme.

Feedback would be greatly appreciated.

[Starbridge]

yep. map maker and voice client often get raised but there are so many good options for both of these it would be hard to justify the time, effort and return.


When I say map maker I am talking more about using a grid and then importing tile images and the options to place and rotate them around to make your battle field/dungeons. I can draw my own maps and scan them and email them to players--for a world map.

[damned]

not really supported.
you can do some of that with the layers feature in 3.5/pf/4e but its not really intended for that - more for objects on top of your map...

[Griogre]

UPDATE: I have not forgotten about doing this, and in fact am mostly done. However I have ran into a minor snag....

The interface buttons in the top right of the screen have drastically changed over the years since D20_Modern ruleset was created. As I am not the original author of the ruleset, I obviously do not have the blank buttons they used. So here are the options:

1. I can neglect to tell the skin to change anything, using the default buttons that come with the 3.5/D20 ruleset.

2. I can create new buttons that will come close to matching the existing Modern theme, but will not be a perfect match.

3. I can try to talk smiteworks into sending me a copy of the overlay images used on their default buttons, and make entirely new buttons for everything in the theme.

Feedback would be greatly appreciated.
If it were me I would go with 1 or 3 because unless the match is very good I suspect its going to bother you.

[unerwünscht]

If it were me I would go with 1 or 3 because unless the match is very good I suspect its going to bother you.

You are correct, it will bother me... but I am not the one we have to keep happy. :)