Controlling Window Explosion

[Ken L]

I was wondering what everyone did for window management. To run on the GM side, you need a large number of windows open which is troublesome when the map is itself a window. Unlike other platforms where the Map is the background, the map and the combat tracker tend to dance around for those with smaller resolutions.

There's an extension to save window layouts on close, but FG always starts minimized or full-screened on one monitor so unless you immediately re-size it, they'll bunch on edges (editing char data, quick maintenance).

For Fitt's Law, the most valuable UI elements are placed on the edges of the view area, so perhaps a tabbed pane replacing the chat window would grant enough space to do other things with that zone. I'm curious what other DM's take on this is.

From personal experience I have a 2 pane chat area where the other pane is a ship diagnostics layout (components/damage/fuel/etc..) which saves my players the trouble of opening a specific window for it when they can just flip a switch. I was thinking about expanding it to other things but first I thought I'd bounce it off those who've used FG for years.

For my pathfinder game, I have 5-6 windows open across 2 monitors, and they often pop up dead center which is that seam between my monitors.

[Bonkon]

I thought I read in the new update (3.3.2 I think it is) that came out today that FG saves windows location.

[LordEntrails]

I run a single 15" monitor at 1920x1080 resolution. Below is a typical layout for me.
The GM overview/area/campaign map in the top right overlays the chat and PC portraits. We do most things by voice and I don't worry about the PC's doing something wrong with a roll etc so I pay little attention to the chat window/log. Then the current battlemap overlays that, since I usually don't need the area map when we are in a battle/room. Next to that is the story entry with links to what I need and then the CT. Below that I have space for NPC records or other misc. stuff.

Sometimes I minimize windows and drop the tokens along the bottom, or drag their links into the hotbar if I think I will need them in more than one session. Guess in general I just deal with it. Sure, I hope that FGU will help with better windows controls (tabs etc), but not something I'm worrying about at the moment because I usually manage.

20568

[kylania]

Here's my screen from tonight's game:

https://imgur.com/ubfc0eQ

The mid screen seam thing is pretty annoying indeed. :) The X to close windows is right in the middle.

[Ken L]

I had 3 monitors once upon a time, but I threw my mouse at the middle one and never bothered to replace it as I realized I only really used 2 (2x27" now).

I have no idea how you manage all those overlapping windows Lord. In my PF game much of my space is taken up by tables given the randomness of some regions. I pretty much need to have the effects window and the CT open during combat so there's that taking up half of my second monitor, plus the party info window.

my Sr5e game is more streamlined, but that's owed to the system requiring less upfront, and less effects overall.

[JohnD]

I had 3 monitors once upon a time, but I threw my house at the middle one and never bothered to replace it as I realized I only really used 2 (2x27" now).

I have no idea how you manage all those overlapping windows Lord. In my PF game much of my space is taken up by tables given the randomness of some regions. I pretty much need to have the effects window and the CT open during combat so there's that taking up half of my second monitor, plus the party info window.

my Sr5e game is more streamlined, but that's owed to the system requiring less upfront, and less effects overall.

Maybe post a screenshot and people could give you some ideas to try?

[LordEntrails]

I had 3 monitors once upon a time, but I threw my mouse at the middle one and never bothered to replace it as I realized I only really used 2 (2x27" now).

I have no idea how you manage all those overlapping windows Lord. In my PF game much of my space is taken up by tables given the randomness of some regions. I pretty much need to have the effects window and the CT open during combat so there's that taking up half of my second monitor, plus the party info window.

my Sr5e game is more streamlined, but that's owed to the system requiring less upfront, and less effects overall.

Though it's not shown that way on my image, the three things I need on top (battlemap, story, CT) don't overlap. So I can get everything I need with those. With 5E I don't need the effects window open because I can apply 95+% of the effects I need to apply from the CT or NPC actions. And those I don't I usually just type manually into the CT rather than look them up in the effects list (probably a bad habit, but it works).

But, we all play differently and have different expectations. I've adapted to a system that works for me using the limited screen space I have. But, it's also a lot like how I work. I only have so much screen space and realistically can only have two windows in use at a time. Whether those are documents, remote server connections, etc. I just have to use the task bar or tab to navigate them.

[Ken L]

Maybe post a screenshot and people could give you some ideas to try?

I VNC'd so here's a screenshot. Not during a session, but I recreated my layout. In reality it gets more messy as random encounters spawn the generation windows as well as me needing to get new maps or story entries which I then neglect to close as I juggle things. I've blurred out regions that are spoilers for my players.

https://i.imgur.com/2pTBfjk.jpg

[Zacchaeus]

Here's mine

[Full Bleed]

I hope FGU includes some way to add tabs to open windows so we can merge and manage things better. Being able to pin windows to edges would be a win, too.

[ColinBuckler]

One thing that would be really useful is a method of either selecting a window from a list of open window/objects - or to cycle through the windows bring them to the top.

The reason for this is that some players play on a small laptop screen and real estate is at a permium on their smaller screens. Usually players say hang a minute whilst I look for window X and you just know they are moving several windows around on their screen looking for windows X.