Tokens - where they go and how to optimize their use

[donpaulo]

Yes a long title certainly but after searching for the best way to use Tokens I didn't find a simple answer about how to optimize using them.

I know from reading that we shouldn't dump large numbers of tokens into the Token folder or its sub-folders.
They are;
HOST
SHARED

So as some have pointed out, the token folder is sometimes HIDDEN in the C:\ProgramData\Fantasy Grounds\tokens
This is the first hurdle for us non-otaku :)
Once we relative newbies discover how to access this area we are then challenged by optimizing token use.

When we open the FG client and click on the token button within FG we get a popup with set of "hats" or "covers". Mine has over 30 of them ! Yay !

22766

My question is that I have a further EXTENSIVE numbers of tokens I want to use in my campaigns both as a GM and a player.

How do I replicate this feature ?

In other words I want to make a number of new "hats/covers" that I can access through the FG client thus giving me more token choices that are available UNDER the hats. Instead of dumping a ton of tokens into the general token area making a mess of things.

Usually there is a feature with a plus/minus button so I can create more folders etc. This is not an option in the token area of FG.

I hope I worded that correctly.

At the risk of repeating myself i will rephrase

I want to put new tokens into FG.
I have MANY tokens.
I want to put these tokens into NEW easy to locate "folders" that I can find in the FG client under the covers.
When I look in the C:\ProgramData\Fantasy Grounds\tokens subfolder I see HOST/NEWFOLDER/SHARED as my options
How do I create new covers so I can easily sort and find the tokens I want to use ?

Thanks in advance to the community for helping us non computer literate folks to better use this amazing program

dp

[Zacchaeus]

The best solution for lots of tokens is to create a token module. Find the module called animal POGS or one called letters in your modules folder. Make a copy of that folder somewhere else, the change the .mod to .zip and then unzip the file. You will then be able to see how the module works. You can create new folders in the tokens folder and put your tokens in there. Whatever you name these folders will be the name of the bags (not hats) that appear in the token window when you open it.

Once you have sorted out your tokens zip up the file again and change the .zip back to .mod. If you want to change the name you’ll need to also change the name in the definition.xml file to the same name you give the module.

[donpaulo]

sweet jesus you saved my @$$ Zacchaeus

Thanks mate !

[damned]

Those icons are also a Bag - like a Dice Bag - but in this case a Token Bag :)

[donpaulo]

I stand corrected

not hat, not cover

BAG

[donpaulo]

Zac just posted a great video on the subject as well

https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=hOC6icDH03U

[shadzar]

Also remember that every asset you add while running FG will make it reach to 3.5 gig memory limit, so you don't want to have too many at a time. unused tokens, portraits, etc you might want to disable. I think that is the limit Laerun found was @4 gigs memory for all the imagery tokens/maps/etc. No matter what the power of your computer, its just the limits of current FG architecture.

so don't leave all the tokens on all the time, make a few different token modules and turn off the ones you don't need when you move to other maps or something. and you can always repackage the ZIP file to only the ones you need and add more, but taking a token away might break a link inside FG and you have to choose another token later to replace it. so be careful how many you dump into one token pack.

You can always add more later. :)

[LordEntrails]

Also remember that every asset you add while running FG will make it reach to 3.5 gig memory limit, so you don't want to have too many at a time. unused tokens, portraits, etc you might want to disable. I think that is the limit Laerun found was @4 gigs memory for all the imagery tokens/maps/etc. No matter what the power of your computer, its just the limits of current FG architecture.

FYI, this is not an issue specific to FG. Any 32-bit compiled application running on a 64-bit operating system will have this memory limit.

Do note, that last Friday Doug mentioned on the FG Friday Twitch stream that John has been re-working the code so that a 64-bit version of FG can be available in the near future. (i.e. before FGU)

Edit: Oh!
Welcome to the forums!

[jrh18]

Oh 64 bit would be amazing.

I mentioned this in another post, but figure it makes sense here. To reduce image sizes you want to use a compressor and shrink the image to the right size to begin with. I have found that https://tinypng.com does a great job of reducing the size of png and jpg files (usually 20-80%). I have also found that any image that is larger than the resolution of your players smallest screen usually isn't helpful. I target mine for about 1700X900 at the maximum. This leaves room to move the image around and close it. I haven't found zooming particularly useful yet because the tokens can move sometimes 180 squares in a round (Orcs with aggression are fast). When I use Dungeon Painter studio the lowest it can make an image is 32 pixels per 5 foot square so if I need a map that can provide that range plus say 120 ft for a play to cast a long range spell you end up at a width or height of 1,920 pixels. Usually I take photoshop (or gimp) and then shrink the image in half.