Considering a purchase. Questions

[zheron]

I currently use maptools for both face to face and remote games. I've used it for users and love it's feature set. It is unfortunately a bit dated, and some of the frameworks are no longer getting updates by their creators.

The big show stopper for me when I first demoed this product was vision blocking. It seemed to me that I was able to create fog of war, but had to unveil it manually, and that there was no way to create vision blocking layers to block what the players could see.

Is that still the case or am I missing something. if there is a way to create vision blocking, I have no problems shelling out the money for a good product.

Second question. Aside from the ability to create macro's. Does FG have the ability to add the actual power text in game so that I don't have to go refer to a book when someone uses a power and I want to know what it does. With maptools, I can create macro's that not only make their dice rolls, but spit out HTML pretty text boxes that show all the text and details of the power. Can I do that in FG?

[Mask_of_winter]

1)The fog of war still need to be manually unveiled.

2)Reference material is FG's strong point. That's what those expensive D&D 5e dlc everybody is talking about does. Keep in mind that to create those you either need to know how to code, use CoreRpg, use the Par5er or be a Savage Worlds user with a certain add-on.

[Moon Wizard]

Fantasy Grounds provides the concepts of modules, which can contain any type of data that the main FG campaign can. (NPCs, Items, Encounters, Maps, etc.) Also, many modules contain reference material. You can see examples of reference material in the 3.5E (D&D) and PFRPG (Pathfinder) OGL modules provided with the base download.

Regards,
JPG

[Griogre]

We could answer better if we knew what RPG you are thinking of using, on the data question.

[zheron]

We could answer better if we knew what RPG you are thinking of using, on the data question.

Well, currently, DND 4e, but eventually probably 5e.

In any case, the vision blocking is a bit of a show stopper for me. Manually having to reveal fog of war seems excruciating. Especially in oddly shaped rooms or areas... I'm rather surprised that a product as mature and polished as FG doesn't have vision blocking with automatic fog reveals.

[Moon Wizard]

Vision blocking actually requires quite a bit of prep time on the GM side in order to set up all the vision blockers and light sources. I've used other tabletops with this feature, and it was a very interesting feature but it took too long for prep for me.

At any rate, FG implements exactly what you do when playing face-to-face and drawing on a battle mat in terms of vision. The GM can mask the map, and then uncover the portions that you want to show your group.

Each tabletop has its own focus areas, and FG focuses more on the campaign management and rules automation, rather than the map tools. The demo is free to try out, if you want to see what is there.

Regards,
JPG

[zheron]

Vision blocking actually requires quite a bit of prep time on the GM side in order to set up all the vision blockers and light sources. I've used other tabletops with this feature, and it was a very interesting feature but it took too long for prep for me.

At any rate, FG implements exactly what you do when playing face-to-face and drawing on a battle mat in terms of vision. The GM can mask the map, and then uncover the portions that you want to show your group.

Each tabletop has its own focus areas, and FG focuses more on the campaign management and rules automation, rather than the map tools. The demo is free to try out, if you want to see what is there.

Regards,
JPG

I guess it's a matter of taste. While it does add prep time it also removes the manual process of revealing fog. I personally feel the initial prep time is less time consuming and tedious. At a minimum they are probably a net zero trade off. In any case, I vision blocked the entire first floor of Pyramid of Shadows in like 3 minutes. It was mildly tedious, but the overall effect was well worth it.

I'd also point out that one thing manual fog of war revealing does not address is the effect of light sources. It's surprising how much this makes a difference in games and how difficult it is to try and portray their effect in a game without having the game handle it. Being able to visually show areas of dim light or bright light. Show this player having this light source that only reveals 5 squares, but that player has a light source that reveals 10, and the torch on the wall that reveals 10 squares. All that combined together make for a considerably more immersive experience in my opinion. And one that really surprised my players when they realized... "man... I always took for granted in DND being able to see stuff... this is so different from my previous reality". it very very very much makes a difference now who is carrying a light source and who isn't.

I hope they add the feature in the new unity version it sounds like they are releasing. I'd buy it. At this late stage, I suppose it's not a feature they are interested in adding to the current FG.

[damned]

Hi Zheron its probably not a feature that you will see this year. It is a highly requested feature but impractical in the current engine. In parallel to all the other things that are happening with Fantasy Grounds at the moment there is a project to port it to a much more scalable game engine which will make FoW possible. Once the port is completed it is a feature that Im sure will get serious consideration.

[zheron]

Hi Zheron its probably not a feature that you will see this year. It is a highly requested feature but impractical in the current engine. In parallel to all the other things that are happening with Fantasy Grounds at the moment there is a project to port it to a much more scalable game engine which will make FoW possible. Once the port is completed it is a feature that Im sure will get serious consideration.

Thank you very much for all the replies. I will give you guys this you have a thriving community compared to the other tool sets. I really like that.

I did try the demo and like the product as a whole but I think to really do it justice I need to actually play a game and see how it goes with the manual fog. Just don't much look forward to porting all my maps and other work just for a test.

Can all my players connect on a trial version? I thought the trial was more limited?

[Trenloe]

Can all my players connect on a trial version? I thought the trial was more limited?
Only one player can connect to a demo GM.

[Nylanfs]

Watch FSHschmo's (https://www.youtube.com/user/PcolaJerniganC) video's for good map revealing.



or watch hime live at some point https://www.twitch.tv/fshschmo

[vikingbrad]

Only one player can connect to a demo GM.

Does that mean one demo copy can connect remotely to Full/GM licensed copy?

I think I read someone saying you can run a 2nd instance of FG on GM licensed PC and have that as the player map. Used for face-to-face games using the second copy on a second monitor to show players.

[Trenloe]

Does that mean one demo copy can connect remotely to Full/GM licensed copy?
Yes, but the free/demo copy can be the only player copy connecting - if someone with a full license connects the free/demo connection will be booted.


I think I read someone saying you can run a 2nd instance of FG on GM licensed PC and have that as the player map. Used for face-to-face games using the second copy on a second monitor to show players.
Yes you can. "Join Game" from the second instance with a server address of localhost