Several issues

[Jerol]

I recently purchased an Ultimate License intending to run FG for a group of four or five friends -- none of whom are computer literate. As an example, I had a very hard time walking them through installing TeamSpeak (which is really simple). I have opened port 1802 on my home system without a problem. FG runs the connection test just fine (SUCCESS) and I am able to connect to my campaign both through a second window (using "localhost") and with my laptop (a separate computer using the alias). I tried to get a friend connected the other night and it wouldn't work. He downloaded the demo version and said that he could connect (I saw his name come up in my chat as "connected"), but then on his end he describes the client trying to download files for a while, giving him an error, and then disconnecting him. He has a new gaming laptop running Windows 10 (same OS I am running, btw). After an hour of trying different things, we gave up, frustrated.

First question: Do my friends have to open port 1802 on their router to connect to my game? Because, if so, that would be a deal-breaker for most of them. I think I might pull my hair out trying to tell them how to do that since setting up a headset was beyond their technical expertise...

Second question: How do I save all the settings I enter when I'm preparing my campaign? I am running Lost Mines of Phandelver (should be called "Lost Settings" of Phandelver...) as our first campaign and every time I log in, my options settings (like showing health bars on my players and dots on my NPCs) are completely lost and reset -- forcing me to go through and change them all again. Also, I added the pre-generated characters to the PCs list when I was playing around learning the client and now I can't delete them. I mean, I CAN delete them, but every time I log back in there they are again in the PC window.

Any help would be appreciated and thank you!


TJ

[kane280484]

1. No, they don't have to open port 1802, only host needs to open it to accept multiple connections through.


After an hour of trying different things, we gave up, frustrated.Specify what you tried, it might help us reduce possible resolutions. Do you happen to have, like antivirus software with firewall? Have you let FG through windows firewall? If people can't connect from outside of your network, I'd think of firewall.

2. Weird issue. When you log in to the same campaign, all options should be kept. You do log in to the same campaign? Do you happen to synchronize Fantasy Grounds folder with some kind of cloud?

[damned]

Hey Jerol - sounds like you are off to a rocky start!

When a player connects to your game his computer downloads everything (not 100% accurate but good enough for the purposes of this example) that you have included in the current campaign that they dont have on their computer.
This is using your upload bandwidth. If you have limited upload it can be quite slow the first time. Especially if more than one new person joins at the same time.
It should have finished within the hour though - unless the player was disconnecting often thinking something isnt working.

If your settings arent saving I would suggest that one of the following is likely happening.
1. you are still actually running the demo - you might not have entered your key?
2. you might have insufficient windows permissions on your data directly and so the settings arent able to be written to disk...

[Andraax]

You're not trying to share the module, are you?

[Mask_of_winter]

You're not trying to share the module, are you?
Force load has been removed in the recent update.

[Andraax]

Force load has been removed in the recent update.

Not everyone has updated yet.

[Jerol]

I am running version 3.1.4 Ultimate for reference. I have a valid key entered/accepted. I have updated (actually, I just installed the software on 11/16). I have the following modules in place: D&D 5e PHB, MM, Sword Coast Adventurer's Guide and Lost Mine of Phandelver. I only made the PHB and some tokens available to the players.

I have a SonicWALL firewall for my home as it is a large network with multiple wireless routers in place. I have a very good IT guy that set it all up and he is familiar with the FG software. He opened up port 1802 for me and that changed the result of my connection test from FAILURE to SUCCESS. I am also able to connect to my host computer from a separate laptop -- granted it's through the same firewall/router system as it's in my house as well, but I actually only installed the FREE version (unlicensed) on my laptop to approximate the conditions in which my friends would be connecting. The next step is to try to get a computer outside my home to connect -- I'm going to try that today with my IT guy as I know he'll do everything correctly (my friends -- not so much). At least then I will know it's not an issue on my end.

As to the client resetting options and changes -- I am at a loss. I store everything in the default folders the software sets up -- nothing has been moved. It's not that big of a deal as I haven't made any big changes to the campaign as sold. I've mainly been trying to learn the software through trial and error (opening maps, setting up encounters, running combats, etc). During those sessions I've settled on options I want -- that differ from the default -- but they are never saved. So, for example, I want health bars on my players and dots on my NPCs. I want titles on all the time. I want the Dice Tower. I want to see all the whispers. I change these options and quit the program (there isn't a way to "save" settings I'm missing is there?) and the next time I start it, those options are all back to default.

Since I haven't really made any big changes to anything, I'm tempted to simply reinstall. I love the software and the functionality (key word) and I know if I can get my friends set up, this will be the program we have been looking for all these years.

Thanks again for all your help.


TJ

[midas]

Hopefully the OP has updated as his friends (who downloaded the demo from the site) are likely on the most recent version. :)

[Trenloe]

For the options not saving issue try running FG as administrator. Right-click on the FG startup icon and select "Run as Administrator". Load up your campaign, make some changes and then exit. FG auto saves every 5 minutes and saves on exit.

Run FG again (right-click -> Run as Administrator) and see if your settings are still there.

Additionally: What is the name you've given the campaign in FG?

[Jerol]

I'm just going to reinstall everything at this point as the client saves nothing -- or worse, makes random changes.

I reviewed my modules and nothing I designated for player access was accurate (the green check mark was gone). Again, the only things I marked for player access were: PHB, Basic Rules (player) and the Calendar. There's something not right as when I just change the option to turn on the Dice Tower, it doesn't show up on my tabletop. Again, anything I change is randomly either kept or not. I made a change, for example, in putting the pre-generated PCs that come with Lost Mine of Phandelver into the PC window. Now they won't leave. No matter how I delete them, there they are the next time I start up the client. The module handling seems random. Sometimes they are loaded and available and sometimes the client randomly closes a module (like the Sword Coast Adventures guide, for example). Access privileges are constantly changed by the client. When I log in, there will be some that have a blank circle -- some have a red X. None seem to keep the green check mark. Anyway, as I have very little I have added to the campaign, I think I'm going to reinstall and try again.

I'll definitely try the Run as Administrator trick -- but honestly, I am the only user (and hence, the administrator) on the computer and I shouldn't have to do that, but if it works...

Campaign name is: Sword Coast


TJ

[Trenloe]

I'll definitely try the Run as Administrator trick -- but honestly, I am the only user (and hence, the administrator) on the computer and I shouldn't have to do that, but if it works...
Windows can restrict the file access of an application, even if the user you're logged in as has administrative privileges - this is to increase security.


There's something not right as when I just change the option to turn on the Dice Tower, it doesn't show up on my tabletop.
The GM won't see the dice tower unless they also have show GM rolls enabled. No point in having a dice tower to hide the GM rolls if the rolls are already hidden.

[Zacchaeus]

One possibility: Are you using any kind of 3rd party or cloud type back up? If so that might be your problem. Don't have FG back up to anything external since it will lose synchronisation.

[kane280484]

He can connect from inside of his network, anyone from outside cannot - that is the most important piece of info here imo, which points us to the problem - network security.

[Trenloe]

He can connect from inside of his network, anyone from outside cannot.
In theory he's connecting from "outside" as he mentions in post #1 that he's using the alias to connect - so that will be using the external IP address, not the internal address and so will be at least hitting the router for connection and will be using port forwarding etc. at that point.

[Jerol]

Just a follow up.

First off, many thanks for all the prompt replies! It's really nice to see such a helpful community at work. My settings issue seems to have been completely solved by reinstalling and running the client as an administrator -- which is awesome as I have added a lot of content and I don't want to lose it. Everything on my end seems to be working great now.

Also, my IT guy was able to connect from outside my network on his computer -- though we did have to tweak the alias function a little as that was very hit and miss as to whether it worked. But that also appears to work perfectly now so I'm all set! Now all I have to do is walk a group of old, computer-illiterate men through the installation and connection process... Simple��

Thanks again!

TJ

[damned]

Good luck Jerol!
There is a learning curve so be gentle with those old fellas!

[ddavison]

Good luck. Let us know if you need any help.