New to FG and I have some questions

[Caelen]

I've been playing around with the Demo version and I'm considering switching to FG from Roll20, but I have a few questions. I loaded the demo 5e campaign and I've gone through the included tutorial story pages.


How do I get FG to stretch across and fill multiple monitors? One of the walkthrough videos (https://www.fantasygrounds.com/wiki/index.php/Videos) mentioned using a multiple monitor setup, which is what I have.
If I get an unlimited license, is there any limit to the number of demo accounts that can connect to a game I run? My players and I ran into that problem trying out the demo; only one other person can connect at a time.
Is there any sort of built in file backup functionality, or would I need to sync my FG folders to something like google drive?
I'd like to be able to use one computer with a player-view monitor and a gm-view monitor. Is there a way to do this? Can I have two instances of FG running with two different accounts?
Can I use one account on different computers? I use my desktop for online games and my laptop for face to face games.
(5e) How do I make death saves for NPCs? I can't find this in the combat tracker or on the NPC sheets.


I might have more questions later, but that's all for now.

[JohnD]

1. Just drag the sides and stretch across your monitor real estate.
2. You have the demo right now not an Ultimate license. Demo allows one connection. Ultimate allows any number of demo connections.
3. Do not sync like this. Move files around manually.
4. Run a 2nd instance and connect to yourself via "localhost" as the address. Put each instance on a separate monitor.
5. Yes but not concurrently.
6. Good question. Maybe jyst manually roll a d20 and track it somewhere.

Welcome! Stick with FG; you will not regret it.

[Zacchaeus]

Hi Caelen and welcome to FG

1) Grab the edge of the FG window and drag it across onto your other screen - just like you would any other window.
2) No, there is no limit. There is a limit of one demo account if you only have the standard license.
3) Yes, FG backs up you campaign every 5 minutes or so and when you quit. Never, ever, use Bloud based back up software when FG is running.
4) Yes, you can start a second instance of FG and have it on another monitor. You can also run a (demo) copy on another computer on the same network and join the main instance over your LAN.
5) Yes, but only one instance at a time. You can run your ultimate license on multiple monitors. You can run on different computers but you'll need to copy your data from one to the other if you want to continue something that you started on the other machine.
6) NPCs don't get death saves. When they are reduced to 0 hp they are dead.

[Caelen]

6) NPCs don't get death saves. When they are reduced to 0 hp they are dead.

Thanks for the welcome and other info. The reason I asked about NPC death saves is that FG clearly tracks this somewhere. When PCs target NPCs with attacks and hit while the NPC is Dying, it counts a death save and outputs the total death saves to chat. Plus, NPCs go into Dying before Dead, just like PCs. Important NPCs do get death saves just like PCs after all.

[Zacchaeus]

Thanks for the welcome and other info. The reason I asked about NPC death saves is that FG clearly tracks this somewhere. When PCs target NPCs with attacks and hit while the NPC is Dying, it counts a death save and outputs the total death saves to chat. Plus, NPCs go into Dying before Dead, just like PCs. Important NPCs do get death saves just like PCs after all.
Hmm, I have never noticed this because I remove NPCs from the Combat Tracker as soon as they are reduced to 0. I'd need to test it out which I can't do right now. Certainly I'm not aware of any kind of automatic roll being made for NPCs nor any method to make one.

[Moon Wizard]

It does track the death saves for NPCs, but that information is currently hidden, since NPC sheets don't have a death saves section. The only place it is visible is when it's output to the chat window.

Regards,
JPG

[Caelen]

Is there an easy way to roll a set of dice and keep the highest few? For example, 4d6 keep 3, for generating stats in 5e?

[Zacchaeus]

You can do this in Manage characters or use this extension (https://dmfirmy.com/).

[Caelen]

You can do this in Manage characters or use this extension (https://dmfirmy.com/).

That extension is exactly what I wanted, thanks. I didn't know FG had extensions; now I get to look into all the shiny things I can add to it :D

[Caelen]

Does FG have any Unearthed Arcana or DMs Guild content available? If not, can I make these things for myself to share with my players?

[Moon Wizard]

I believe that several of the DM's Guild offerings come with FG modules. There are instructions for installing modules on the wiki for the modules that you get from the DM's guild.

Regards,
JPG

[LordEntrails]

Does FG have any Unearthed Arcana or DMs Guild content available? If not, can I make these things for myself to share with my players?
A bunch. One of the community members (sorry, I don't remember who!) has an FG module with all the UA stuff here (https://www.dmsguild.com/product/200210/Unearthed-Arcana-FG-Module?term=unearthe&filters=0_0_0_0_0_0_45545_0&test_epoch=0). Plus there are adventures and other FG modules on the DMsG, just search for VTT or follow this link (https://www.dmsguild.com/browse.php?filters=0_0_0_0_0_0_45545_0).

[Caelen]

Wow. That kind of thing never happened with Roll20... I think my group will probably switch, since they all love UA content. More things to play with! Thanks a lot.

[Myrdin Potter]

Nickademus is the person who converts the UA materials to Fantasy Ground format. He also released a template that allows you to make modules (can be loaded in campaigns) directly in XML vs. using the in game tools.

If you go to DMs Guild and look at the filtering options at the left, you will see a bunch of products for sale for FG. Just choose VTT and look through them.

There are random monster tables, AL modules, a file to auto-trigger sounds in Syrinscape using the user created extension, and even all the standard WoTC character pregens done in FG format.

Plus the store here has tons and tons of items for sale.

Really much deeper than any other VTT on the market.

[dulux-oz]

There are random monster tables, AL modules, a file to auto-trigger sounds in Syrinscape using the user created extension, and even all the standard WoTC character pregens done in FG format.

Plus a complete library of Syrinscape Sounds ready to be dropped into a campaign (with the DOE: Sound Extension loaded).

[Caelen]

Speaking of sounds, does FG include any ability to play music during an online game? If not, what options are there?

[Zacchaeus]

See Dulux's Post directly above yours. :)

[dulux-oz]

Speaking of sounds, does FG include any ability to play music during an online game? If not, what options are there?

Yes, with the DOE: Sound Extension - see the relevant thread in the Armoury Forum and/or the Wiki :)

[Caelen]

Ah, I see. I'll dive into the documentation for that and see how it works. Thanks again!

and edit: My group decided to make the switch. We'll be getting all the FG 5e stuff once we finish our Curse of Strahd campaign on Roll20.

[dulux-oz]

Ah, I see. I'll dive into the documentation for that and see how it works. Thanks again!

and edit: My group decided to make the switch. We'll be getting all the FG 5e stuff once we finish our Curse of Strahd campaign on Roll20.

Good choice! :p

Let me also offer you and your group this bit of advice: If you haven't done so already, let me encourage you to take a look at some of the great Tutorial Videos available on the Fantasy Grounds Wiki (and on YouTube). Damn'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 foundation of just about all the RPGs we play with Fantasy Grounds - 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 Fantasy Grounds. Once you've gone through the CoreRPG Videos you can then go on to Videos about your chosen RPG.

When you get familiar with the basic Fantasy Grounds product the next step is to check out some of the Extensions (Plug-Ins) for FG, such as the DOE: Sound, DOE: Locations, DOE: Weather and DOE: Organisations Extensions (to name a but a few - and a Shameless™ Self Plug).

And keep on asking questions - we're a pretty friendly lot here, and we love answering questions.

Cheers

[Caelen]

I've got the ultimate license now, so we're playing with the basic rules to figure out more about how FG works before we get the full 5e bundle. A question came up; is there a way to pick a theme for each player, or is everyone stuck with what I pick on my end?

[Myrdin Potter]

The DM determines the theme for everyone.

[Caelen]

I'm running into a problem. We're using the 5e sample campaign with the 5e SRD and UA libraries loaded. Players (including myself when I connect a second instance as a player) can't see anything in the Weapons section of the Items window.
20697
I can see it just fine on the GM side. Any idea what's wrong?

[LordEntrails]

As a player have you opened the SRD or just as the DM?

[Zacchaeus]

Indeed, as LE says. Although the SRD data module is shared (has a green tick against it in the modules window) the players still need to open or load the module. Click on the 'Load button in the players view to see the data.

[Caelen]

I loaded it on both the GM and the Client, which is why the SRD shows as a group in the Items window and the armor items are present in the Armor window of the screenshot.

edit: screenshot of the Client Data Module Activation 20700

edit2: screenshot of the GM view 20701

[Zacchaeus]

Ok, I see what you mean now. This is also happening for any equipment list. I will see that this gets reported. Thanks for posting this one.

[Caelen]

Where is it best to post problems like that? Is there a specific forum section I should go to in the future?

[Caelen]

I just connected the client mode again and all of the modules were not loaded, but on the gm mode it remembers which modules are loaded... is this normal behavior? It seems like a bit of a pain to have to load modules manually every time you connect to the same game.

[LordEntrails]

Where is it best to post problems like that? Is there a specific forum section I should go to in the future?
Generally each ruleset has a bug thread stickied at the top of it. For instance, 5E is here (https://www.fantasygrounds.com/forums/showthread.php?37510-5e-Bug-reports-(Continued-Part-2)). Non-ruleset specific issues usually start their own thread in the House of Healing forum here (https://www.fantasygrounds.com/forums/forumdisplay.php?41-The-House-of-Healing).


I just connected the client mode again and all of the modules were not loaded, but on the gm mode it remembers which modules are loaded... is this normal behavior? It seems like a bit of a pain to have to load modules manually every time you connect to the same game.
Nope. I think it's part of what Zacchaeus noticed above and said he would report, but not sure.

[Caelen]

I just double checked with one of my players. His modules start unloaded as well even though he had previously loaded them all the last time he connected. I'll head over to those forums to make posts for the issues, that way it's all in the right place. Thanks for all the help!

[Moon Wizard]

No worries. I scan almost all threads at least every couple of days. Both items are on my list to fix.

Thanks,
JPG

[Caelen]

You are indeed a wizard. Thanks!

[Caelen]

Is there a way to make a map window stay behind other windows? To use my Roll20 interface as an example of what I want, here we have Strahd von Zarovich visiting the local tavern while a group of adventurers rests from the day's toils. 20731 As you can see, the character sheet for Strahd (shrunken to prevent spoilers!) sits atop the map. Is there any way to achieve this with FG?

[damned]

Is there a way to make a map window stay behind other windows? To use my Roll20 interface as an example of what I want, here we have Strahd von Zarovich visiting the local tavern while a group of adventurers rests from the day's toils. 20731 As you can see, the character sheet for Strahd (shrunken to prevent spoilers!) sits atop the map. Is there any way to achieve this with FG?

Nope. Maps in FG are a window just like every other window. Clicking on the Map will bring the map to the front.

[Caelen]

If I buy one of these very nice looking portrait packs (https://www.fantasygrounds.com/store/?pub=35), can I share them with my players, or do they have to buy them separately?

[damned]

Hi Caelen this is unfortunately a quirk of a very early design decision that isnt easy to unpick (but is I believe addresses in the FGU product) - only the GM says the portrait pack. You can apply the portraits to the players sheets but they cant see them and choose themselves unfortunately.

[Caelen]

If I can assign them to the players, that's good enough, thanks!

[Trenloe]

Some GM's take screenshots of the portrait view in FG and share these as images with the players - they can then select an image for the GM to apply to their character. This can be done with token modules as well.

[LordEntrails]

Note, on your earlier question of placing the map at the back, you can make an image a background decal. But you can't place tokens on it and everyone has to have the same screen resolution/FG window size for it to appear the same to everyone. But, decals are easy to make.

[Caelen]

Again, thanks to all of you for your help! Another question, is there a way to set a message of the day that will display in chat when people log in? I noticed that the DOE Base extension puts a nice little blurb in.

[LordEntrails]

see ​https://www.fantasygrounds.com/forums/showthread.php?22369-Message-of-the-Day-(MOTD)-Extension

[Caelen]

Even better, I like how it jumps right out to the front with a story entry. Thanks!

[Caelen]

I keep left clicking on maps to move the map view instead of middle clicking. Is there a way to swap what these buttons do? Is there a way to lock the window in place so I quit moving it?

[LordEntrails]

I keep left clicking on maps to move the map view instead of middle clicking. Is there a way to swap what these buttons do? Is there a way to lock the window in place so I quit moving it?
Not that I know of.

[Zacchaeus]

You can use the image control (little gold thing on the bottom right) along with CTRL and/or Left click and hold to move the map view. More details here (https://www.fantasygrounds.com/wiki/index.php/Images).

[Caelen]

For those who use 5e, how do you track items with charges? I tried dragging and dropping the Wand of Secrets item into the actions tab on the character sheet, but nothing happened. I made a new power using the edit button and was able to set up a 3 charge/once ability for a Wand of Secrets, and that seems to work. I'd really like it to link to the actual wand description though. Is there any way to pull that off?

[Zacchaeus]

Once you have created the power you can click on the icon to the right and fill out the item description.

[Full Bleed]

I keep left clicking on maps to move the map view instead of middle clicking. Is there a way to swap what these buttons do?
No. But I'm hoping FGU will have custom keybinding... it's kind of a no-brainer for easing new user adoption and broadening the device support spectrum.