Pre-Purchase FG Questions

[Jake]

Hi all,

I'm a DM who's just had to move away from most of his players (everybody 'awwwwww'), so I'm looking through perspective virtual tabletops. I found a ton of them, but I've whittled them down to only a few, and of all of them FG looks like my favorite so far, but I have a few reservations...

I've perused the forums (maybe not quite as thoroughly as I could have, admittedly) and read a lot of steam comments, and I'm hoping I can get some points of clarification on the below issues:

1) If I want to get the ultimate edition and be able to host an unlimited number of players, is there a way I can do that through Steam? The only option I see is $40, which doesn't seem to be the ultimate edition, nor does it seem to be the free edition that I could host players with.

2) Because we typically run 2-4 session games and we swap systems SUPER quickly, and because we're always looking to tweak rules and create new systems, we need the ability to play sort of 'outside' of standard rules, or to be able to create our own. I see that you can purchase systems; can you make your own sheets, dice, decks, windows, modules, etc? I am tech-savvy, just to throw it out there.

2.b) Can you also choose not to display DnD content? IE, I don't want players to have a DnD character sheet or access to DnD info within the client during the game.

3) I assume you can upload custom artwork for tiles/tokens/etc... is this the case?

Thanks so much for your help, all!

-Jake

[Moon Wizard]

1) There is a Ultimate Upgrade DLC option in Steam, and it even looks like it is on sale at the moment.

2) You can, but it depends on what you want. If you are playing a system not already supported directly, you can either use the CoreRPG ruleset framework as a generic RPG which comes with a basic PC sheet to add attributes/rolls for any RPG and basic note sheets for NPCs/Items/etc. Or, you can develop your own ruleset, though this usually takes a significant amount of time, especially depending on how much customization and automation you want to add.

2b) Each ruleset framework will only show the sheets relevant to the game system it was built for.

3) Any image file (PNG,BMP,GIF,etc) can be added to Fantasy Grounds. Here's a wiki article for where to place your custom images within the FG data directory structure.
https://www.fantasygrounds.com/wiki/index.php/Data_Files_Overview

There are a number of basic letter/creature/PC tokens that are automatically available via Modules (i.e. data packs); just enable in the Tokens - Module Activation window.
There are some maps that are automatically available via Modules; just enable in the Library - Module Activation window.
You can also create your own Modules for swapping in groups of tokens and maps.

Let us know if you have any other questions.

Cheers,
JPG

[Jake]

1) There is a Ultimate Upgrade DLC option in Steam, and it even looks like it is on sale at the moment.

2) You can, but it depends on what you want. If you are playing a system not already supported directly, you can either use the CoreRPG ruleset framework as a generic RPG which comes with a basic PC sheet to add attributes/rolls for any RPG and basic note sheets for NPCs/Items/etc. Or, you can develop your own ruleset, though this usually takes a significant amount of time, especially depending on how much customization and automation you want to add.

2b) Each ruleset framework will only show the sheets relevant to the game system it was built for.

3) Any image file (PNG,BMP,GIF,etc) can be added to Fantasy Grounds. Here's a wiki article for where to place your custom images within the FG data directory structure.
https://www.fantasygrounds.com/wiki/index.php/Data_Files_Overview

There are a number of basic letter/creature/PC tokens that are automatically available via Modules (i.e. data packs); just enable in the Tokens - Module Activation window.
There are some maps that are automatically available via Modules; just enable in the Library - Module Activation window.
You can also create your own Modules for swapping in groups of tokens and maps.

Let us know if you have any other questions.

Cheers,
JPG

Wow, thanks so much for the super quick, super-helpful response!

The only questions I have left - and I have my finger hovering over the buy button - are, is there a way for my players to get this free via steam (so they can hook into my ultimate edition), if I have ultimate on Steam can I also download the independent client and log in that way, and what's the cross-comparability with steam and non-steam clients like?

[Jake]

I hope this doesn't double-post, but I don't see my reply here so I'm gonna type it up again:

First (and most importantly) thank you SO much for the quick and helpful response! The only thing better than functionality is a helpful community. :)

My remaining questions only linger on the feasibility of getting this all set up in Steam... So I guess; I see how I can get the ultimate edition in Steam, would my friends just need to download the demo version and we could play just like everyone had the full client? I'm trying to put as much of the expense on myself as possible without purchasing clients for each of them. Also, if I get ultimate via steam, could I also get the independent client in case of steam incompatibilities or issues, or would I have to purchase it again to have both steam and non-steam versions? Finally, are the steam and non-steam clients compatible?

Sorry to ask so many questions, but y'know... it's quite a purchase I'm looking down the barrel of; and thanks so much again for your help!

[JohnD]

If you get the Ultimate version, either via Steam or from the store here, your players just need to download and install the demo; again, from either Steam or the downloads page here.

I believe with Steam it is suggested you disable the overlay with FG.

Both versions are the same and are fully compatible.

FG is really great for extending your contact with your old group, or even gaining a whole new bunch (or multiple bunches) of people to game with. This is a purchase you shouldn't regret... all the questions you may have will have already been asked by others so you'll get a lot of help on these forums from the community and even the developers (not sure about the Steam forums... those seem to cater to the lowest common denominator frequently).

[Nylanfs]

Also note that should you live in the US you can get a 6/mo payment plan through Paypal if your cart is $100+

[Jake]

Thanks for the answers all; I'm now on ultimate! Time to run some of the demos and fire up the learning curve. Community here seems fantastic. :)

[kylania]

Welcome Jake :)

[Valarian]

Check out the wiki for the community rulesets as well as the official ones. There's a lot of supported game systems already, and more being added. If all else fails, there's CoreRPG - which gives at least as much functionality as the pad of paper sitting on the desk

[dulux-oz]

Thanks for the answers all; I'm now on ultimate! Time to run some of the demos and fire up the learning curve. Community here seems fantastic. :)

To help with the learning curve, check out (and get your Players to check out) the various Tutorial Videos on the FG Wiki - damned's are good, as are Xorn's, and people seem to like mine as well (mine are also avaliable from the links in my sig, below). Start with the ones on the CoreRPG, because the CoreRPG forms the foundation of just about all of the RPGs we play with FG, so by learning how FG works with the CoreRPG you'll learn about 80% of everything you need to know to play any RPG with FG.

And Welcome! to the community.

(Excellent! Another soul corrupted - soon I'll have enough to satisfy the Dark One.)

(Oh wait, I am the Dark One!) :p

Cheers

[damned]

Come and join us at https://www.fg-con.com/events - lots of sessions still have room for another player - the games have begun!