A question about maps

[msd]

First off...this looks awesome. I have never liked the look of OpenRPG or WebRPG and would love for this to be a permanent replacement!

A couple of quick (and probably stupid) questions.

Are the maps you are using in the screenshots just imported image files from whatever mapping program the GM happens to be using? Or does the app have any native mapping functionality?

The reason I ask is that while the overland map looks like it might be from another app, it appears as if the room map (the tombs I think) appear to be something that can be done in the application itself.

Looking forward to the answer.

Also, as soon as a demo comes out, I would love to participate in a one-shot run by someone. Would love to participate in multiple one-shots if different people want to take turns DMing.

Thanks,
Matt

[Dupre]

Are the maps you are using in the screenshots just imported image files from whatever mapping program the GM happens to be using? Or does the app have any native mapping functionality?

They are imported images that are imported automatically when you place them in their directory before or during a game.

The software provides a drawing tool (pressure sensitive if you're using a tablet) for ad hoc combat screen drawing (https://www.fantasygrounds.com/images/screenshots/screenshot0004.jpg) and grids, pointers, sectors and shapes of arbitrary sizes, map masking and placing tokens on maps. All of these go to separate layers so that the underlaying map stays intact. You could, in fact, create a token pack that contains terrain tiles and create a map from them on the fly. This is also an area that is likely to get more nifty features in the future.


The reason I ask is that while the overland map looks like it might be from another app, it appears as if the room map (the tombs I think) appear to be something that can be done in the application itself.

The maps under the tokens, grids etc. that you see in the screenshots were made with an external program except for the ones that have a sketch feel to them (see link above).

[msd]

Great...thanks for the prompt reply.

/me is tempted not even to wait for the demo and to just buy the *&@#^% thing...

[Aristotle]

Is the grid visible to the players (or is that an option)?

Also, I realize that the goal is to play the game as if it were being played on a tabletop (minimal to no automation), but is there any sort of movement control? I'm not looking for the program to alert me when an AoO is provoked or anything like that, but some way of easily tracking how many squares a character has moved on the grid would be nice. Counting squares every time someone wants to take a move action would be tedious.

Along with that, is there any easy method of tracking a character/creature's reach? I don't need any sort of automation. An always visible (or visible on hover) aura around a token would be enough to let me quickly check to see if an attack is possible.

Looks good overall. I'd buy it today if I were sure I'd have use for it. As it stands I'll wait for a demo so I can do a test adventure with my old group and see if they are into it enough to give it a go. If so, I get the full version and they each get the lite version as a late christmas gift.

I'm very psyched about the potential of this program, and can't wait to see what evolves as the company and the community join forces to support and expand it.

[Dupre]

Is the grid visible to the players (or is that an option)?

It's visible to all who see the map. You can share a map to all or players individually, but everything on the map goes with it, except map area that is masked out of sight.


Also, I realize that the goal is to play the game as if it were being played on a tabletop (minimal to no automation), but is there any sort of movement control? I'm not looking for the program to alert me when an AoO is provoked or anything like that, but some way of easily tracking how many squares a character has moved on the grid would be nice. Counting squares every time someone wants to take a move action would be tedious.

As far as automation goes, we are very limited on what we can do due to d20 System license and the gameplay is indeed intended to be similar to a pen & paper tabletop game.

Currently there is no automation for player movement. Players and the gamemaster can use pointers to indicate what they want to attack or where they want to move. These pointers also have range indicators (it's the small number in the screenshot linked above) that tells the distance to the target in grid units. Tokens on the map can be locked by the GM, so that players cannot move them around at will.


Along with that, is there any easy method of tracking a character/creature's reach? I don't need any sort of automation. An always visible (or visible on hover) aura around a token would be enough to let me quickly check to see if an attack is possible.

That is a good idea. At the moment you can use the pointer mentioned above as a ruler.

[Galamdring]

Greetings,

I have just seen an ad on EN World and I have to say i am very impressed with your product... I am eagerly waiting for the demo to try ir out.

Regarding maps, i would like to know if the grid is created as a new layer by this program or do we have to import the maps with a grid already placed? If the former, can we adjust the grid?

Regarding the "fog of war", does it enable us to cover a map in black and reveal bit by bit as the players explore, for exemple, a dungeon? Does the DM control this? How is the map unrevealed? Is there any kind of rubber to erase the darkess or do we have to set each area one by one?

Thanks in advance...

[Dupre]

Regarding maps, i would like to know if the grid is created as a new layer by this program or do we have to import the maps with a grid already placed? If the former, can we adjust the grid?

The grid is made with a grid tool on its own layer. You can remove the grid or adjust it at any time.



Regarding the "fog of war", does it enable us to cover a map in black and reveal bit by bit as the players explore, for exemple, a dungeon?
Yes it does. Whether the fog is black or not depends on the ruleset. On the default d20 ruleset it's a paper texture.


Does the DM control this?
Yes. The gamemaster can create a mask layer on a map to provide fog of war before sharing it with players.


How is the map unrevealed?
The GM has a lasso tool with which he/she can reveal parts of the map.


Is there any kind of rubber to erase the darkess or do we have to set each area one by one?
There is no rubber tool at this time. When you reveal an area with the lasso tool, all players who you have shared the map with, will see the change immediately. If you accidently reveal something you shouldn't, you have to stop sharing the map and start over again.

This might sound tedious and a problem prone to happen, but the GM sees through the mask (see below) and the underlaying map with a washed out effect, so it is not that easy to accidently reveal areas you didn't plan to.

https://www.smiteworks.com/ads/gmreveal.jpg

[Galamdring]

Amazing :)

You really did a good job! Well done.

Can i use maps of any size, with scroll bars, or does it resize to fit the window?

[Dupre]

Can i use maps of any size, with scroll bars, or does it resize to fit the window?

There are no limits on map sizes. On the little screenshot above, there's that little golden icon in the lower right corner. That's a scroll control. You can grab that and pan around the image. Alternatively, you can press down the middle mouse button anywhere on the map.

Once you've shared a large map, with only a portion showing in the window, there are visible borders on the GM screen around the area that the players are looking at. You can then share the image again somewhere else on the large map to move players' focus to a new spot. Players can pan around the image too though, but when they stop, they'll automatically return to the area GM marked as shared.

[8bitjunkie]

Besides panning, can the DM and players zoom in or out on a map? ...I am thinking D20 mass combat, lots of minis in a complex battle, or even a game of D&D Miniatures skirmish.

Also, map scale...when I make my maps do I need to keep in mind 1 square=1 inch, or can we scale the map in the app? If, for example, the scale is a little off from scanning.

I am old school when it comes to outdoor maps...can the grid change to hex? No big deal if not I will just make the maps with hexes...just curious =)

[Goblin-King]

Zooming is not supported (yet?). However, you are free to scale the maps any way you wish when scanning or using a mapping program. The grid is placed on the image by dragging a suitable sized grid square with the mouse, so it's completely up to you what the grid scale is.

A hex grid might make it in one day, but it isn't in yet.

[Morgan]

On the subject of maps, I'd like to see the mask removal tool evolve a little. For example, it might be nice to have a true ploygon implementation where you click on various points, then right click on the final point to close the polygon. Also, would it be possible to allow the user to select the shape to unmask instead of doing it freehand? At least a rectangle and ellipse selection would be great for the next version.

Morgan

[Yuan-Ti]

On the subject of maps, I'd like to see the mask removal tool evolve a little. For example, it might be nice to have a true ploygon implementation where you click on various points, then right click on the final point to close the polygon. Also, would it be possible to allow the user to select the shape to unmask instead of doing it freehand? At least a rectangle and ellipse selection would be great for the next version.

Morgan

I find the current method awkward and can imagine inadvertently revealing more than I wanted to, especially if I only want to reveal a very small part. I agree, a resizable rectangle or elipse (as used to crop images in picture editing software) would be much more useful.

[Cody]

I was about to open a new topic whining about the lack of a hexgrid overlay when I saw the post on this thread.

Some of the coolest features in the app, IMO, are the grid, tokens, and range-pointers. I can see using FG to play all sorts of miniatures and board games online with these simple tools... Mordheim, Mage-Knight, Frag, maybe even Memoir '44.

But we really need a hex-map! Some of those overlapping squares would be great, too.

BTW, awesome program! Someone is finally doing online rpg's right.

[Dupre]

But we really need a hex-map! Some of those overlapping squares would be great, too.

It's in the works. :wink: