Purchased from Steam no content is visible for any license

[klintusfang]

I purchased the standard $40 base game from steam. When I run the game, I get error messages that one of the files was unable to install from the updater (the first of the 5E files). When I run the game later it installs the file fine. or at least the update thinks it does. after trying the process I am describing on three different computers with different versions of the windows operating system and getting the same failed result on all of them, I no longer trust or believe the updater has a very good idea what is and is not installed to be honest. I've also tried running the updater outside of Steam directly from the program folder as administrator, and though that oddly does cause it to re-download a bunch of stuff that the updater thinks don't need updating when you run it from steam directly, it still makes no difference to my basic problem, which I am about to describe.

When I run the game itself, click "manage characters", pick my license, and then click start, i get the main game window, but all of the class, race, etc. info is completely empty. It is impossible to do anything. It is as though all of the files that contain the information for each license are completely empty. The class list shows no classes, the race list shows no races, etc. none of the lists show any content whatsoever.

This is true for every single license. I've tried 5E (the reason I bought this application). I've tried 4E, and 3E as well. All the same result. There is zero content. I've looked in the programData area. the *.pak files are there and all appear to have reasonably large file sizes. But when the app is run there is zero content.

I have tried everything I can think of. I've uninstalled, reinstalled, multiple times. I've reinstalled without first wiping core game files from the computer. I've reinstalled after first wiping all game files from the computer. I've tried on my windows 10 Surface computer. I've tried on my Windows 8 gaming laptop. I've tried on my windows 10 desktop. It makes no difference. No matter which version of the windows OS I use, and no matter how many times I try, the first update always fails at the first 5E file, but "works" later on subsequent runs of the installer, but either way, when the app is run, all licenses are devoid of all content.

I've searched on the forums. I haven't been able to find any past people with this problem or explanations of how to solve it. I've seen some with somewhat similar problems who said running as adminstrator fixes it. And have tried that. As I described above. That has no effect.

Any idea? this seems pretty fundamantal and basic. And baffling since the problem exists across multiple versions of the windows operating system for me yet somehow others do not seem to have the problem.

[Trenloe]

Welcome to the forums klintusfang. Sorry you're having issues.

The first thing to check is if your license key is being recognised. When you launch Fantasy Grounds, look in the top right corner of the startup screen. You should see just "v3.2.3". If you see "v3.2.3 Free" then FG has not recognised your license key. Go into the settings screen and make sure your full license key in the top license key field - it is in the form of 12345-12345-12345-12345-12345 (i.e. 5 sets of 5 alphanumeric digits). Check there aren't any spaces at the beginning or end.

[Trenloe]

When I run the game itself, click "manage characters", pick my license, and then click start, i get the main game window, but all of the class, race, etc. info is completely empty. It is impossible to do anything. It is as though all of the files that contain the information for each license are completely empty. The class list shows no classes, the race list shows no races, etc. none of the lists show any content whatsoever.
All FG data such as this is stored in library modules. When you start a new campaign (or use Manage Characters for the first time) there is no library modules activated - this allow you to open only those modules that you are interested in. So, go to Library -> Modules and activate the library modules you want to see. Try the 5E SRD to start.

More details in the User Guide (Accessed from the Wiki link at the top of this page). The library page is here: https://www.fantasygrounds.com/wiki/index.php/Library

I'd also recommend stepping through the basics section of the user guide, and watching some of the getting started videos from the Wiki too.

[klintusfang]

All FG data such as this is stored in library modules. When you start a new campaign (or use Manage Characters for the first time) there is no library modules activated - this allow you to open only those modules that you are interested in. So, go to Library -> Modules and activate the library modules you want to see. Try the 5E SRD to start.

More details in the User Guide (Accessed from the Wiki link at the top of this page). The library page is here: https://www.fantasygrounds.com/wiki/index.php/Library

I'd also recommend stepping through the basics section of the user guide, and watching some of the getting started videos from the Wiki too.

So when I click "manage characters" and it says at the top of the windows "rulesets: this list contains a list of rulesets you can create characters for ..." and I select a ruleset from that list, and click start, you are telling me that it is *expected* that this actually does nothing??

[ddavison]

Email [email protected] and include the following info:

1. A screenshot of your FG launch screen and your FG Settings screen
2. In your Settings, turn on the Enhanced Update Logging and run an Update. Attach the update.log file to your email
3. Send a screenshot of your library > Modules screen which should show any modules that you have activated

[Talyn]

As @Trenloe explained, all data is contained in Library modules. Since you stated you went to the Manage Characters function for the 5E ruleset, you would see this:

https://www.fantasygrounds.com/forums/attachment.php?attachmentid=18500&stc=1&d=1491841993

On the right-hand sidebar, the bottom button is labeled Library. Click that. It will bring up the window of currently active modules. There would be none right now, as it's your first time using it. Click the [Modules] button in the lower left of the Library window for a list of all available 5E modules on your system.

For making a character, the two that would interest you are DD Basic Rules - Player or DD5E SRD Data. You can load both, but you only need one of them to work on a character.

https://www.fantasygrounds.com/forums/attachment.php?attachmentid=18501&stc=1&d=1491842231

I tend to use the SRD Data module only, so I did that for the next screenshot. Once you've loaded either module, clicking either of them in the main Library window will show you all the library links to view the data. All the relevant sidebar button windows (Races, Classes, Spells, etc.) will now be populated and you can create your character (from the PC button on the sidebar) and drag-and-drop from the data windows onto your character.

https://www.fantasygrounds.com/forums/attachment.php?attachmentid=18502&stc=1&d=1491842395

Hope that helps!

[Trenloe]

you are telling me that it is *expected* that this actually does nothing??
Please provide more info - as I'm confused as to what you're actually seeing. What do you mean by "does nothing"? Earlier you said "i get the main game window, but all of the class, race, etc. info is completely empty"

If this is still the case, then you need to do what I mentioned - go to the library and open some data modules to see the data. Without doing this you will see no data.

I recommend you watch this video: https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=nurEMR4JJeU It shows using manage characters, opening a library module (Around 4:00 in the video) - this shows the PHB (Core Class Pack), but you can open the 5E SRD or Basic Rules to get access to the public data if you don't have the PHB.

I really would recommend you spend some time with the user guide and/or watching some videos. Fantasy Grounds does do a lot of things differently from most usual Windows applications, so it's worth spending the time with these resources before trying to dive into Fantasy Grounds. Don't just jump in blindly!

[klintusfang]

So i do see the license content when I am the create campaign window. I don't really want to create a campaign of course. I am trying to be a player. But I guess that is how it needs to work. I'll try to read the PDF in more detail later. Of course though I do finally see the content in the create campaign window and did eventually figure out how to set the rulesets in use from the campaign window, nothing is ever saved. Of course I see no save button anywhere, not sure if it is failing to save or of save is just too complicated for me to figure out right now. I do see error messages in the GM console window where it is attempting to write to some .lua files and failing. Not sure if that's its attempt to save a campaign file or something else.

As for my license. the launcher claims I have v3.2.3 ULTIMATE even though I only bought LITE. I guess I won't worry about the fact that it can't figure out which version i purchased as long as it knows I paid for something.

One question: is it just dumb to buy this if I am trying to be a player and not a DM? Its starting to look like this is designed for the DM to do everything and that it may be pointless for me to try and help him by purchasing a version that lets me edit my character myself.

[Trenloe]

As for my license. the launcher claims I have v3.2.3 ULTIMATE even though I only bought LITE.
STANDARD FG licenses were upgraded to Ultimate for FG Con 10 which ran over this last weekend. Your license will revert to STANDARD in a couple of days.


One question: is it just dumb to buy this if I am trying to be a player and not a DM? Its starting to look like this is designed for the DM to do everything and that it may be pointless for me to try and help him by purchasing a version that lets me edit my character myself.
If you want to play in all GM games then you need a standard license. So you've got the right license.

Other things you are posting about are really just you getting to grips with Fantasy Grounds terminology and how it works. Rulesets, library modules, campaigns, manage characters, etc., etc..

Saving - don't ignore error messages telling you that writing to files is failing. That will be why you're not seeing data being saved. I'm guessing that with your update issues you report in post #1 that file rights got screwed up. Some recommendations here: https://www.fantasygrounds.com/forums/showthread.php?30604-Windows-file-access-issues-can-t-update-campaigns-not-saving-etc-Fix-options

[Talyn]

One question: is it just dumb to buy this if I am trying to be a player and not a DM? Its starting to look like this is designed for the DM to do everything and that it may be pointless for me to try and help him by purchasing a version that lets me edit my character myself.

Not at all. If you have your own Standard / Full / whatever-it's-called-this-week license, you can join any GMs server. If you only had the free Demo License you could only play in a game where the GM had the Ultimate License. So having your own license actually gives you more opportunities to play, plus contributes to the company to pay their salaries and keep the lights on to continue development for more features and more content.

[klintusfang]

Please provide more info - as I'm confused as to what you're actually seeing. What do you mean by "does nothing"? Earlier you said "i get the main game window, but all of the class, race, etc. info is completely empty"

If this is still the case, then you need to do what I mentioned - go to the library and open some data modules to see the data. Without doing this you will see no data.

I recommend you watch this video: https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=nurEMR4JJeU It shows using manage characters, opening a library module (Around 4:00 in the video) - this shows the PHB (Core Class Pack), but you can open the 5E SRD or Basic Rules to get access to the public data if you don't have the PHB.

I really would recommend you spend some time with the user guide and/or watching some videos. Fantasy Grounds does do a lot of things differently from most usual Windows applications, so it's worth spending the time with these resources before trying to dive into Fantasy Grounds. Don't just jump in blindly!

Thank you. I do see now that the select box before the start button where it lets you select a ruleset is *not* actually selecting the ruleset but just appears to let you select a rules set from the list of rule sets before hitting start for no discernible reason. I assumed i was selecting the ruleset there since it clearly lets me select an item from that list before I click start. There really isn't any other reason to give me an option to select a ruleset from the window in the start menu, but apparently I was mistaken.

I do see the library button now in the right corner, even of the manage characters window, where I must go to actually select a ruleset. Thanks.

[Trenloe]

Thank you. I do see now that the select box before the start button where it lets you select a ruleset is *not* actually selecting the ruleset but just appears to let you select a rules set from the list of rule sets before hitting start for no discernible reason reason. I assumed i was selecting the ruleset there since it clearly lets me select an item from that list before I click start. There really isn't any other reason to give me an option to select a ruleset from the window in the start menu, but apparently I was mistaken.

I do see the library button now in the right corner, even of the manage characters window, where I must go to actually select a ruleset. Thanks.
This is all FG terminology.

A "ruleset" is the FG framework specific to a RPG system (rules). It contains the specific PC sheets, NPC sheets, combat tracker, items, underlying automation, effects, conditions, etc. for that RPG system. It does not contain any data in and of itself. Ruleset = blank framework for the RPG rules system you want to play.

"Library data module" (very often just called "module") is where actual data is stored. To get reference data, scenarios, classes, etc. you will need to activate one or more modules. Doing it this way gives the GM complete flexibility in what they have open in their campaign (or the player in Manage Characters). You might not always want to have the base SRD/Basic rules or PHB open - especially if playing in a custom setting.

So - as far as FG terminology goes. When you select a "Ruleset" on the Manage Characters or New Campaign screen, you are selecting the framework for that specific RPG system. You need to select the correct ruleset, there is a very good reason for this, otherwise you won't get the correct view, and you won't be able to open correct library modules as these are specific to the ruleset, as each ruleset will have different data structures.

[klintusfang]

i can see rulesets and make characters now. though it still doesn't appear to save anything.

Is that normal too? Is it expected saving your work is also an arcane process that is going to take research to understand? I don't mean to be snarky. I'm just trying to figure out if there are still issues with data saving inconsistently like i had with the updater before I set time aside later to pour through manuals.

[Trenloe]

i can see rulesets and make characters now. though it still doesn't appear to save anything.
See the bottom of post #9.

[klintusfang]

Saving - don't ignore error messages telling you that writing to files is failing. That will be why you're not seeing data being saved. I'm guessing that with your update issues you report in post #1 that file rights got screwed up. Some recommendations here: https://www.fantasygrounds.com/forums/showthread.php?30604-Windows-file-access-issues-can-t-update-campaigns-not-saving-etc-Fix-options

That is what I figured. I will look into that later. The application definitely appears to store user data in non-standard locations (not i the user data area as far as I can tell but in other places where applications aren't supposed to place user data) based on the types of error messages it generates. I'm not that surprised it is having trouble with saving given that. ;) I'll figure it out later though.

[LordEntrails]

One other thing, FG saves automatically every few minutes and when you use the FG option to Exit (not if you terminate the running process). That's why there is no save button, it does it automatically.