First FG Session

[Hand]

Hey,

I have been using Roll20 for the last month and a half. I joined a group that needed a DM and ran that for them. They helped me learn the interface and I ran their game. The host of the game (subscribing player) did most of the work setting up the maps/encounters/UI... I helped out once I figured out what I was doing. This was a lot of work though. We spent hours figuring it all out and putting it in there. I left Roll20 to see what else was out there.

So, we just made the plunge and got 4 licenses of FG. We had our first "game" last night (we made characters and ran a random encounter to figure out the combat interface).

I am the DM and bought the Lost Mine of Phandelver. While they made characters, I looked at the campaign...Wow! I can't believe how nice and setup the whole thing is. My $15 has saved me a huge amount of time. For example, I love the city map which has all the NPCs on it and their quests are all linked together; so that if they run around town I don't have to flip around the book.

So let me say great job. I am continuing to learn more and more. The only complaint the group had is that while the interface seems very powerful, it is not clearly labeled. This made it harder for them to learn. The addition of some labels that didn't have to be moused over would really clear things up. (E.G. In the Character window: just adding the text over the green circle saying "Add Character", or the brown circle "Edit Mode", etc)

I am sure we will get used to it. Once we got into it, we were very impressed overall. Can't wait our next game and I'll post more once we get a few more games in.

Hand

[Nylanfs]

Great, we're glad you came to the right side. :)

[dulux-oz]

Hi Hand, and Welcome to you and your Players!

As a help, if you haven't done so already then check out the excellent Tutorial Videos available from the WG Wiki - damned's are good, as are Xorn's, and people seem to like mine as well (mine are also available from the links in my sig, below). Start with the ones on the CoreRPG, because the CoreRPG forms the basis of just about all the RPGs we play with FFG,so by learning how to use FG with the CoreRPG you'll learn about 80% of what you'll need to know to play any RPG with FG.

Also check out (once you're comfortable with the system) the excellent Community Extensions that also exist on the FG Wiki and in the Forums - there are all sorts of tools and add-ons to help you with your game and gaming experience - look for a sticky thread near the top of your favorite game system forum for a "Community Extensions" thread.

And ask lots of questions - we're a pretty friendly bunch here :)

Cheers

[Wazoodust]

Welcome,
I had a similar experience, was going to try roll20 a couple times and not being adept at any sort of interface or programming Fantasy Grounds was a blessing, My first session was during FGDAZE and was incredibly informative. I was running Lost Mines a week or so afterwards and we will finish it up next week. I had some really good and a couple unreliable players in the campaign which is the only problem I've had on here and that is certainly not a design fault... people are who they are.
One of my players is also a DM and will be running something after we finish up LMoP, so I will get to experience FG as a player. Good luck and don't hesitate to ask questions, almost everyone on the forums is helpful with solutions to problems. I would defiantly recommend joining a game in the next FG Daze/Con to gain some experience with different DM's and players which I found to be very helpful

[Zacchaeus]

Greetings Hand and welcome to Fantasy Grounds.

You'll find a number of stickies (https://www.fantasygrounds.com/forums/showthread.php?27296-Guides-videos-and-other-helpful-information) on the 5e forum which will help you get to the right places for adding to your knowledge of the interface and to 5E in general.