Some Fantasy Grounds Questions

[Griogre]

I'm thinking about converting my online D&D game over to Fantasy Grounds. I downloaded the demo, read the manual and connected a slave to the master and messed around in the demo.

I have some questions:

1) Monsters. How hard is it to add a custom monster to the data base? What I am talking about is I see the d20SRD monsters which I presume are in some XLM data file(s). If I wanted to add a unique monster or two how much effort would that be? It would be nice if you could just fill out one of those monster forms and save it. How hard is it to convert monsters from e-Tools to FG?

2) Draw tool. On the map drawing tool (feather) can you change the color or pen width? That black doesn't show up well on some backgrounds.

3) Tokens. I see you can use custom tokens in the full version. Can they look like the character portaits? Also, if I put down six Orcs is there a way to distinguish between them without using different tokens?

4) Map Sizing. I got the map to zoom in with the mouse wheel. Getting it to zoom by holding down the Ctrl key didn't seem to work well for me. How are you suppose to zoom without the mouse wheel?

5) Numeric keypad. I was not able to enter character stats with the numeric keypad. Is there a way to do this?

6) Imbedded Dice. I see you can use the /die command to make a dice macro. Is it possible to do something like this? "I hit AC {1d20+9} with my longsword for {1d8+3} damage." so you would get "I hit AC 23 with my longsword for 7 damage." What I'm asking is can you have more than one die roll in a macro and Text before and after the dice.

7) I have some of my own dungeons in .doc files. It looks like it would be easy to cut and paste the text into the "storybook". Can you just cut and paste into the storybook?

8) I use voice when playing online. Does Fantasy Grounds have a problem with this (other than bandwidth)? I use teamspeak if it matters.

That's all for now. ;) Thanks for any replies. Thus far I am impressed with FG.

[Cantstanzya]

1) Monsters. How hard is it to add a custom monster to the data base? What I am talking about is I see the d20SRD monsters which I presume are in some XLM data file(s). If I wanted to add a unique monster or two how much effort would that be? It would be nice if you could just fill out one of those monster forms and save it. How hard is it to convert monsters from e-Tools to FG?
First, you'd have to create a custome ruleset. There are a couple of how to guides in this forum. Basically you just copy the existing ruleset and name it something else. Then to add new monsters, it is very easy. Just open a text editor and paste into the proper file xml file the new monster. You will have to learn xml, but it is very easy.


2) Draw tool. On the map drawing tool (feather) can you change the color or pen width? That black doesn't show up well on some backgrounds.

I have heard talk of making the pen size adjustable as well as the color, but don't know if it will be part of the 1.06 release. It wouldn't surprise me if it was in there because they have done so much with it. Maybe a dev can jump in and let us know if it will be in the next version


3) Tokens. I see you can use custom tokens in the full version. Can they look like the character portaits? Also, if I put down six Orcs is there a way to distinguish between them without using different tokens?

You would have to take the portrait and scale it down in size and then drop it in the token folder. As far as the monsters you can drag their token out to the map and then type text in the chat like Orc #1 and drag it to the token and then it when the players hover their mouse over that token it will show "Orc #1".


4) Map Sizing. I got the map to zoom in with the mouse wheel. Getting it to zoom by holding down the Ctrl key didn't seem to work well for me. How are you suppose to zoom without the mouse wheel?

The mouse wheel is all I know of, but check the shortcut keys quick guide that someone made that is in the forums. There might be another way.


5) Numeric keypad. I was not able to enter character stats with the numeric keypad. Is there a way to do this?

Use the numbers above the leters. The numbers on the keypad is for calling up frequently used maps or characters. To use this feature open up a map, then with that map in the front, push and hold a number on the keypad for a couple of seconds (you will see the screen flicker). Now when that map is covered up with a bunch of other stuff push the key on the number pad you assigned it to and it will come up to the front.



7) I have some of my own dungeons in .doc files. It looks like it would be easy to cut and paste the text into the "storybook". Can you just cut and paste into the storybook?

Someone has created a converter that will take a microsoft word doc and convert it to xml. You may have to manipulate the word doc to get it into the format the converter is looking for.


8) I use voice when playing online. Does Fantasy Grounds have a problem with this (other than bandwidth)? I use teamspeak if it matters.

My group uses ventrillo. No problems at all. FG uses very little bandwidth, except when transfering files like large maps, so as long as everyone has a decent connection there shouldn't be a problem.

[richvalle]

First, you'd have to create a custome ruleset. There are a couple of how to guides in this forum. Basically you just copy the existing ruleset and name it something else. Then to add new monsters, it is very easy. Just open a text editor and paste into the proper file xml file the new monster. You will have to learn xml, but it is very easy.

Actually you don't have to 'learn' xml for this. Just look at how the existing information is entered, copy one of the existing entries, paste it back in and then edit it. I've added several creatures this way and it works just fine.


I have heard talk of making the pen size adjustable as well as the color, but don't know if it will be part of the 1.06 release. It wouldn't surprise me if it was in there because they have done so much with it. Maybe a dev can jump in and let us know if it will be in the next version

I'm pretty sure it will be in the next release. They showed us a screen shot of how it was going to look quite a while ago.



The mouse wheel is all I know of, but check the shortcut keys quick guide that someone made that is in the forums. There might be another way.

The Cntrl key is to increase and decrease the size of the map window itself. I'm sure ther is a keyboard shortcut for those without mouse wheels (those poor, poor, people) but I don't know what it is.


Someone has created a converter that will take a microsoft word doc and convert it to xml. You may have to manipulate the word doc to get it into the format the converter is looking for.

I have the converter around here somewhere. Let me know if you are interested in it.


My group uses ventrillo. No problems at all. FG uses very little bandwidth, except when transfering files like large maps, so as long as everyone has a decent connection there shouldn't be a problem.

We use TeamSpeak and it works well.

rv

[Griogre]

Thanks for the responses Cantstanzya and richvalle. It's good to know about teamspeak and I was pretty resigned to putting monsters in by hand. I was probably confused on the zooming with the control key.

I may take you up on the .doc converter later, though I am using a MS Word clone which may cause problems. My first priority will be to get up to speed on FG with my currently ongoing stuff. One of the things that attracts me to FG is it looks like I could just wing it with minimal input data from both my players and myself and add stuff later. There doesn't seem to have to be a large upfront cost.

Does anyone know anything about embedded dice codes?

Another question I have. Now that I have messed with FG awhile, I is obvious that drag and drop was their perfered method of moving many types of character and monster data. Given that, is there a way to drag the weapon damage dice from a character sheet to the screen? I experimented with putting /die xdx in the weapon damage field and it seems to work but doesn't give me the normal GM options of clicking for approval.

Any insights would be appriciated.

[richvalle]

Thanks for the responses Cantstanzya and richvalle. It's good to know about teamspeak and I was pretty resigned to putting monsters in by hand. I was probably confused on the zooming with the control key.

I may take you up on the .doc converter later, though I am using a MS Word clone which may cause problems. My first priority will be to get up to speed on FG with my currently ongoing stuff. One of the things that attracts me to FG is it looks like I could just wing it with minimal input data from both my players and myself and add stuff later. There doesn't seem to have to be a large upfront cost.

Does anyone know anything about embedded dice codes?

Another question I have. Now that I have messed with FG awhile, I is obvious that drag and drop was their perfered method of moving many types of character and monster data. Given that, is there a way to drag the weapon damage dice from a character sheet to the screen? I experimented with putting /die xdx in the weapon damage field and it seems to work but doesn't give me the normal GM options of clicking for approval.

Any insights would be appriciated.

I'm not sure what you mean about embedded dice codes.

Currently, you can not drag and drop the damage from the character sheet nor many things from the npc sheet. This should change in the next update of the program (1.06).

rv

[Ged]

4) Map Sizing. I got the map to zoom in with the mouse wheel. Getting it to zoom by holding down the Ctrl key didn't seem to work well for me. How are you suppose to zoom without the mouse wheel?


Pressing the control key changes the pan-icon on the image to zoom-icon. Dragging that icon with the left mouse button is the alternate way to achieve zooming.

The next patch will give you more control over the dice.

[Griogre]

Thanks for the responses Ged and richvalle. It does look like your next patch is going to add a ton of stuff.

By embedded dice codes I ment having a die roll embedded in a sentence where the dice code is replace by a number generated by the code. For example, I might write a macro something like this: Hydra head attacks hitting AC [embedded dice roll] for [embedded dice roll2]. The program would resolve the embedded dice rolls and substitute them in the sentence so if I ran the macro it would display something like: Hydra head attacks hitting AC 21 for 10.

Personally, even when I play face to face I roll my to hit and damage dice at the same time. I find FG dice rolling "pretty" but slow and am likely to use dice macros most of the time, especially now I know about the /die ?xdx syntext.

Another question on dice rolling, if I may. I do like the ablility to click and hold on a dice and while holding right click to get more dice. But say I was rolling the attacks of a 7 Headed Hydra with has an attack of +11. Is there a way to throw 7 dice and have the +11 added indivually to every die instead of seven 20's being rolled and +11 added to the total?

[richvalle]

I'd just roll all 7 and eyeball it. Just like I would at a table.

Or hot key the +11 and hit it each time before I roll the d20. Do it 7 times quickly and then look up to see the results.

[Griogre]

Yeah, on the dice rolling I often find if faster to just drop a bunch of real dice and read then rather than using an online die roller.

You did bring up something I have been wondering about. How do you add an ad hoc mod to the die roll mod below the chat window. I just added the +11 in personallity Allan's initiative box and dragged in onto a hot key, then pressed the hot key to get the mod. Seems to work ok, until I changed the initiative back to 0 on the personallity sheet. It is nice that multiple presses of the hot key sums the mods. Is there a better way of adding mods to the shortcuts?

Same type of thing if I wanted to give a character a +1 or +2 circumstance bonus or penality. I'm on voice so normally I would just say it but it would be nice to mod the players die roll if I could do it in a hurry.

[richvalle]

For a quick one time mod use the mouse roller while 'in' the mod box. You can scroll up and down for + and 1's.

rv

[Griogre]

'Doh! :o LOL, I must have tried everything to get a mod into the box... but roll my mouse wheel. :p Thanks!

[Sigurd]

From experience, two observations:

1. Unless a monster is recurring it is perfectly possible for the DM to look at a sheet of real paper - say the Monster Manual :) - and run an encounter. It is certainly no harder than Face to Face play - if you are organized it is easier.

You can wait with a custom ruleset until you feel ready.


2. The dice are very well animated. Your comment about sometimes just using real dice rather than a die roller generally applies to Fgrounds dice - they may be virtual but they are easy to use.


Good luck, Sigurd

[Griogre]

From experience, two observations:

1. Unless a monster is recurring it is perfectly possible for the DM to look at a sheet of real paper - say the Monster Manual :) - and run an encounter. It is certainly no harder than Face to Face play - if you are organized it is easier.


Currently, I use initiative cards. I use them in face to face games already. I find they really help speed things up in face to face games and are a good referance in online games. The Game Mechanics has a good set of them as does The Other Game Company, and NPC Designer will spit them out now, also. Great time savers.

One think I like very much about what I have learned about FG is there really appears to be minimal input necesary before you can play. Sure you can do lots of custom stuff - but you don't have too.


You can wait with a custom ruleset until you feel ready.
That's the way I feel about it. I like the "personality" cards enough I would probably add MM2 and 3 overtime. I do find it kind of strange you can't just drag and drop the monster's to hit and damage off of the cards. Why the be able to drag the CR but not that data?


2. The dice are very well animated. Your comment about sometimes just using real dice rather than a die roller generally applies to Fgrounds dice - they may be virtual but they are easy to use.

Most online die rollers that I have seen are clunky and slow for a GM. FG has done a good job of letting you grab a die and change it to a bunch of them very fast. I do wish they had better dice macros because I really like rolling to hit and damage at the same time, but Ged said they were working on better dice macros.


Good luck, Sigurd
Thanks, I'm going to run the demo tonight with one of my players and we'll see how things go. I'll probably have more questions tomorrow. :p

[richvalle]

That's the way I feel about it. I like the "personality" cards enough I would probably add MM2 and 3 overtime. I do find it kind of strange you can't just drag and drop the monster's to hit and damage off of the cards. Why the be able to drag the CR but not that data?


Posting an often said line: This should be possible in 1.06. :)

rv

[Griogre]

Well, my group will be getting Fantasy Grounds on Friday. I do have another question, though.

On icons (tokens) can you have large ones? IE an Ogre is a large creature in D&D and should take up a 2x2 area on the board or a large square made of four smaller squares. Can you size tokens individually to get a large one for large monsters?

[richvalle]

Well, my group will be getting Fantasy Grounds on Friday. I do have another question, though.

On icons (tokens) can you have large ones? IE an Ogre is a large creature in D&D and should take up a 2x2 area on the board or a large square made of four smaller squares. Can you size tokens individually to get a large one for large monsters?

Yes. The standard I use (others do it different) is 50 x0 50 is Medium. So making a token 100x100 is large and just go up from there.

Note: This is a very cool effect. I had some players being chased by Bagherst (after fighting 7 of them). After the fight they could hear the sound of more coming.

As the characters ran (moving their tokens on the map) I dropped some more 5x5 tokens of bagherst in, then a 10x10 Greater Bagherst.

Someone says 'Ha-ha' and 'take that off' but I leave it on the map and drop some more 5x5's in behind it.

Someone asks 'Is that really how big that is?'. Me 'Yes'.

It inspired them to move faster. :)

rv

[Toadwart]

Just a note. You can't scale an individual token within FG. i.e. can't place down 3 identical tokens then scale one of them up to be bigger then the other two.
You can have different sized tokens and you can 'lock' the token scale then zoom the map in/out to change the scale of ALL tokens relative to the map.