Fantasy Grounds or not?

[Madmaxneo]

Hello I am thinking of purchasing Fantasy Grounds for my online game. Before I purchase I need to know a few things.
I currently use Maptools, which is a great program but has it's own issues (but it's free!).
1. I use both the HARP and Rolemaster Rule sets. I know the Rolemaster rule set is available, but what about the HARP rule set?
2. Is it possible to tweak rule sets to coincide with house rules?
3. #2 above also applies to new optional updates that are released with newer products.
4. Is it possible to add in different table for use in combat? I use homemade combat charts for HARP that I am currently playtesting for possible release into the actual HARP rule set.

I have done some extensive work in Maptools and have created a comprehensive set of macros and help functions that automate just about anything I think is important.

Bruce

[JohnD]

I've yet to see a better implementation of the RM rules. GMing a RM game is like a walk in the park with all the automization that FG gives you. Well worth it IMO.

As for the rest, someone else will have to address.

[Griogre]

You might want to ask more specific questions on the Rolemaster Classics board, they can probably answer you better. Some house rules would be easy, other might not be. Changes to charts likely would be no harder than what you did for MapTool, new charts that are part of the integrated chart resolution system might be harder.

[Madmaxneo]

You might want to ask more specific questions on the Rolemaster Classics board, they can probably answer you better. Some house rules would be easy, other might not be. Changes to charts likely would be no harder than what you did for MapTool, new charts that are part of the integrated chart resolution system might be harder.
HARP is my primary concern right now. HARP is a different rule set than Rolemaster and many (if not most) RM players have never touched a HARP book. I have one of those in my current HARP game right now, well he was one of those.
Bruce

[Moon Wizard]

I have not heard of anyone implementing a HARP ruleset for FG.

You could use the CoreRPG functionality to run a HARP game. You get all the dice, maps, sheets to track and more; but everything would be generic, instead of being tailored to HARP.

For all the rulesets for specific game systems, they typically have dedicated PC sheets, NPC sheets, item sheets, party sheet, combat tracker, reference material (if licensed), and more.

You might try watching some of the tutorial videos, if you want to see some examples of usage/play. Some are listed in the Downloads section, and some other recent ones were made by the forum member, dulux-oz.

Regards,
JPG

[dulux-oz]

You might try watching some of the tutorial videos... ...and some other recent ones were made by the forum member, dulux-oz.

Ah, my fame spreads :p

Thanks Moon.

For those that want the link to my Tutorial Videos, its in my Sig - Enjoy

[Madmaxneo]

Hmmm, ok. Let me put it this way then. Is fantasy grounds as customizeable as Maptools? In Maptools I can write my own macros to handle the ruleset. I have basically set all the rules into Maptools that I need. Like the combat tables, fumble tables, every skill, and have modified the macros so that they have all the inputs I need. Almost all actions are automated with the click of a button.

I don't think the tutorials will help if I have not purchased the program yet.
Bruce

[Nickademus]

The program is free. Download it, try it out. There are some limitations of course.

There are several degrees of customization in FG with an increasing learning curve. There is a good chance you can do in FG what you do in Maptools, but I'd need a more specific example to say for sure.

[Trenloe]

4. Is it possible to add in different table for use in combat? I use homemade combat charts for HARP that I am currently playtesting for possible release into the actual HARP rule set.
There is base table functionality within Fantasy Grounds that allows you to build up quite complex nested tables if you wanted to.

If HARP is "similar" to Rolemaster (which a quick online search suggests) you could base your game on the Rolemaster ruleset and modify the attack, critical, fumble tables (editing XML table specifications) to do what you want. The table resolver in the Rolemaster ruleset is excellent and as JohnD says will save you sooooo much time running your game.

I can't find a good example at the moment, but here is a simple screenshot of an attack using the table resolver in the RMC ruleset:

https://dl.dropboxusercontent.com/u/39085830/Screenshots/Fantasy%20Grounds/RMC%20Attack.JPG

[Trenloe]

Actually, looking at HARP a bit more the Rolemaster ruleset would be overkill.

You could easily do the HARP critical tables in the base FG ruleset (CoreRPG).

[Dakadin]

Hello I am thinking of purchasing Fantasy Grounds for my online game. Before I purchase I need to know a few things.
I currently use Maptools, which is a great program but has it's own issues (but it's free!).
1. I use both the HARP and Rolemaster Rule sets. I know the Rolemaster rule set is available, but what about the HARP rule set?
2. Is it possible to tweak rule sets to coincide with house rules?
3. #2 above also applies to new optional updates that are released with newer products.
4. Is it possible to add in different table for use in combat? I use homemade combat charts for HARP that I am currently playtesting for possible release into the actual HARP rule set.

I have done some extensive work in Maptools and have created a comprehensive set of macros and help functions that automate just about anything I think is important.

Bruce

1. No there isn't a HARP ruleset.

2. It is definitely possible to tweak the rulesets. If you were able to automate it in Maptools, I would be surprised if you couldn't do it using FG. Do you have any examples of what you would like to automate?

3. What types of updates? Are you referring to additional races and professions like there are in the Rolemaster Companions? Those can be added fairly easily if you are comfortable with XML. Some things will require LUA programming. For example, I made a couple extensions to allow use of the linear and smooth stat bonuses from Rolemaster Companion 1.

4. Actually the Rolemaster ruleset is very flexible with tables. The HARP tables should be very doable with it. You can specify the column titles and then do each row filling in those columns along with the dice roll needed for it. If the type is other, you can add just about any type of table you want.

If you give me some more details, I can let you know if it is possible and might even be able to give you a few examples of how you can accomplish it.

For Rolemaster, it definitely makes things much easier to GM.

[Dakadin]

Hmmm, ok. Let me put it this way then. Is fantasy grounds as customizeable as Maptools? In Maptools I can write my own macros to handle the ruleset. I have basically set all the rules into Maptools that I need. Like the combat tables, fumble tables, every skill, and have modified the macros so that they have all the inputs I need. Almost all actions are automated with the click of a button.

I don't think the tutorials will help if I have not purchased the program yet.
Bruce

I actually started using Maptools and made my own macros to automate things before I started using FG. I've found that you can actually do more to customize things with FG than you can with Maptools which is saying a lot. From my experience, it was easier to learn how to customizing Maptools but FG allows me to create things that I don't think I could have done with Maptools. It all depends on what you are trying to accomplish.

If you want I can look at your Maptools customization and let you know how it could be done in FG. Just send me a private message and I we can arrange it if you are interested.

[Mgrancey]

Mechanics are coded using Lua, data is stored in XML. Depending on how comfortable you are with both or either on how much you can do.

Data can be added through modules or extensions, depending on requirements needed. If you simply need to access a table to roll you can do that with a module, if want to automate the table and have it connected to something else you would need an extension.

Customization of mechanics would be possible through use of extensions, which can substitute alternate coding in over what's typically used by a rules set, or you can create or copy and customize a rules set, but this can be a much larger undertaking. On the other side, if you create the rule set and the owner of it is willing to let Smiteworks sell it for royalties, you can get some money back from the work you've done.