Session Report - So Many Windows, such a difficult view, such a great time!

[healdhj]

All,

This weekend I ran my first real session using FG. Our previous session was mostly PC building as the party of 8 is all at level 11 (5E). I should note here we meet at the local FLGS, and are sharing a few laptops using Hamachi as we have not gotten the port forwarding open on the store's network.

Once we got rolling this went well. I had built in several story, map, and encounter entries and thought I was well prepared. I was... kind of. I had a group of 5 Slaad who have been disguised (using a magic item simulating Seeming). The have been terrorizing Phandalin, the groups base of operations, my committing random murders. I had the base Slaad for one encounter, and used the guard from the MM for the group as disguised. I should have altered the Slaad NPC entries as there are significant differences and this created a lot of back and forth window hopping.

The map worked well, but I need to find a sizing that works as I constantly overlapped the chat window making it hard to see hit/miss/damage results. I need to get a little better at CT usage, but this was made difficult by some using pen and paper, others using FG. We built placeholder PCs to have the needed states for each.

All considered, I thought it was a great session and I can see where, in a dungeon crawl, the benefits really start to shine!

Looking forward to more, and feedback or questions are welcome.

[gaara6666]

congratulations. been FG user since 2009. welcome to a massive entertaining time vampire MWAHAHAHA. it gets easier over time.

[damned]

Well done healdhj!
It will take time getting used to it for sure! But it does get easier as you get familiar with both how the app works and as you say - an optimal window layout that works for you.
At a gaming table we often have books and pieces of paper and post it notes and bookmarks and maybe maps and minis scattered everywhere. Its easy to forget that when we look at the cluttered FG desktop covered in windows! You will get better at working out what you need open and what you dont etc.

[Xorn]

Man... I remember the first session I DM'd... what a trainwreck. I felt the same way you do now though--I knew that this was going to be amazing once I got the hang of it.

https://puu.sh/lrWio/ddf173d548.jpg With one monitor, this is how I arrange the windows. Combat tracker down the left (most important thing really), the party sheet next to it, and my story entries under that (expanding right as I go deeper). Maps I just place over the Party Sheet usually, since I rarely need to access both at the same time often.

https://puu.sh/lrWEe/5bd85408d2.jpg But I usually DM with two monitors; I extend FG across both screens, then I only have the combat tracker, party sheet, and maps on the left, and all my story/npc/item windows on the left.

EDIT:
https://puu.sh/lrXdo/f336a950fb.jpg Almost forgot--I pretty much DM all the time, but when I end up playing a character, I run one screen like this, typically.

[Skellan]

Glad you are enjoying fg. It does get much easier. I tend to right click and minimise windows a lot and arrange a little row of buttons for windows I want to refer back to.
You'll get the hang of what works for you in no time :)

[Hadje]

FG is what they started making 4k monitors for :) You just have to save up to get one large enough to actually read the text if you are as old and blind as I am!

[GuardianLurker]

Unless you're a high end PC-gamer/graphic artist, you might want to look at 4k TVs instead. These days, they accept the same input, and they're generally 1/2 to 1/3 the price of the monitors.

[Hadje]

I agree GL. I'm using a POS Sieki 4k 50" TV as a monitor, and as long as you aren't looking for color accuracy or gaming it works great. Here is the 39" version (refurbished) from Microcenter for $239 (https://www.microcenter.com/product/451211/39_(Refurbished)_LED_4k_Ultra_HDTV) (you can get an open box one in some towns for $191!). Is it a cheap TV? Sure. But it works surprisingly well and you'd be surprised how awesome it is to have essentially a 2x2 matrix of 24" 1080P monitors in one big screen. And unlike when I first got mine, any decent computer with Windows 10 on it should be able to drive it fine as long as you aren't trying to play a video game.

[jajen2003]

I always have 2 windows open: Combat Tracker and some sort of Map. For prep, I drop Pins for all the story entries and NPC entries I'll need along the top of my map, away from any real content so I can access them quickly and easily, close them and then get them back fast. Fewer mouse clicks.

All the rules references I need, like spells, equipment, monster manual, etc., I have quick links to those items in my Hotbar along the bottom. This helps keep the clutter on screen down to a minimum. Everything else, like character sheets and the Party Sheet, Modifiers or Effects, I simply access them when I need them, then immediately close them.

Another thing that helps, is in the Combat Tracker, I have Effects like Dodge, and Ready Action constantly applied to the the PCs, I just turn them on and off as need be, so I don't have to keep going to various windows, etc.

[healdhj]

Thanks everyone. Biggest issue is that playing live at the FLGS I'm on a 15.6" laptop!

At home larger monitor or multiple monitors would not be an issue. :)

[Gadreun]

Become one with the minimise pin, it saves a LOT of space :) Keep at it, I was a write-off when I started a year ago, and I have progressed somewhat.