some ?'s before purchase

[mf2]

I'm sure you guys are sick of answering these kinds of questions, but hey i have to ask.

I'm having a rough time finding gamers, kind of live in an area that doesn't have a big population. anyway, i was considering this, but don't quite understand how it works...or, more importantly, how well it works.

right now i'm primarily thinking D&D 3.5, but might try other stuff out. anyhow, it's my understanding the program just uses some sort of default d20rule system. i have read some stuff about rule sets or whatever, is this something you can just download and when you start up the program, you can just select whatever game/ruleset you are about to run? it would be pretty cool if when u started FG, you could just pick the ruleset/game and it would just load the info for it. but, not sure of how it works or what its capable of.

my other questions are regarding actually running the game. basically, i make my own modules. i do it the old school way from old 2nd ed i think, where there's that caption you read to the players and all the secret dm stuff was written underneath. i have this stuff in word documents, and maps in a program i downloaded (cant remember its name right now) that has its own icons, etc. how difficult would it be to import this stuff into the interface? or will i have to retype/redraw it all in the FG program itself? i think i read somewhere that cutting/pasting is kind of a pain, but haven't seen anything about importing maps.

[A Trackless Stranger]

it's my understanding the program just uses some sort of default d20rule system. i have read some stuff about rule sets or whatever, is this something you can just download and when you start up the program, you can just select whatever game/ruleset you are about to run?
The application does use a default rule system. Basically, the rules are contained within plain text XML files. If you wish to modify (house rule) the existing rules or create entirely new rule systems, you can simply start a new ruleset, modify the XML contained within the appropriate files...and away you go.

Before a few of our more outspoken posters arrive with their usual "speech" about copyrights, you really do need to be cautious of what you are doing with the rulesets (especially if you intend to post your work online). Unlike others, however, I'm not going to lecture you on copyright law :D .


how difficult would it be to import this stuff into the interface? or will i have to retype/redraw it all in the FG program itself? i think i read somewhere that cutting/pasting is kind of a pain, but haven't seen anything about importing maps.
First, the easy part. Maps are simply image files contained within a directory. So, if you have existing maps in a mainstream image format, you simply drop them into a specific directory under the application installation and you are good to go.

In terms of copying and pasting adventure text...it's not terrible, but it could be better. The good news is two-fold. First, there appear to be some community efforts underway to create an editor. Also, SmiteWorks has a new version of the application coming out "soon" and it might (I don't specifically know) have updated functionality as that seemed to be a significant point of contention in the first version.

Hope that helps. Welcome to the community and feel free to ask more questions!

[Snikle]

Before a few of our more outspoken posters arrive with their usual "speech" about copyrights, you really do need to be cautious of what you are doing with the rulesets. Unlike others, however, I'm not going to lecture you on copyright law


LOL even though you are right.....

[Ged]

there's that caption you read to the players and all the secret dm stuff was written underneath. i have this stuff in word documents, and maps in a program i downloaded (cant remember its name right now) that has its own icons, etc. how difficult would it be to import this stuff into the interface? or will i have to retype/redraw it all in the FG program itself? i think i read somewhere that cutting/pasting is kind of a pain, but haven't seen anything about importing maps.

Copying and pasting pain is not that much of an issue for copying from an external program (word, acroread,...) and pasting into Fantasy Grounds story pages. It works - you'll have to format it though. You can also have the sections you read out loud formatted as "chat frames", which you can then drag and drop into the chat window; chat frame is just a paragraph type and can therefore reside between secret DM-notes.

Also, there is a Word file created by tarrasque that automagically creates FG-formatted stuff, more on it here (https://www.fantasygrounds.com/forums/showthread.php?t=2743).

[mf2]

Before a few of our more outspoken posters arrive with their usual "speech" about copyrights, you really do need to be cautious of what you are doing with the rulesets (especially if you intend to post your work online). Unlike others, however, I'm not going to lecture you on copyright law :D .




ok ya lost me now. do you mean if i just change the rules myself? i take it from your response you CAN download rule sets or whatever, but if its D&D stuff, white wolf, or what have you, you're not supposed to. i guess maybe i'll have a better idea how the rulesets work if/when i buy the stuff. but going through all that data and replacing it manually with stuff sounds like it might be a long process. maybe i should have specified this ? towards somebody running a D&D 3.5 game with this software.

thanks for all the info, sounds like it's pretty much capable of doing what's needed and from what i'm reading, also supposed to be having some improvements made in the near future.

[A Trackless Stranger]

ok ya lost me now. do you mean if i just change the rules myself? i take it from your response you CAN download rule sets or whatever, but if its D&D stuff, white wolf, or what have you, you're not supposed to. i guess maybe i'll have a better idea how the rulesets work if/when i buy the stuff. but going through all that data and replacing it manually with stuff sounds like it might be a long process. maybe i should have specified this ? towards somebody running a D&D 3.5 game with this software.

OK, sorry to have confused you first off. The whole legal element is really really really a side element and should not distract you from what is first and foremost a great application. :D

Basically, you have it right. The ruleset files are totally exposed and easily edited (again...as of the version that is available to us). So, if someone wanted to add in all the rules from something like Tome of Magic, could they? Yeah, they could and they could make it available and anyone downloading the file would have no problems making it work on their own machine.

Having said that, I'm sure you can see that there are potential legal problems. Whether they constitute a "serious" problem or a problem that is likely to generate even a cease and desist letter is another issue which I will leave for others.

The main point is that when you wrote:

i take it from your response you CAN download rule sets or whatever, but if its D&D stuff, white wolf, or what have you, you're not supposed to.

you basically had the right of it...does that help or am I just confusing the issue further?

Again, despite the fact that a few non-lawyers in the user community really harp over and over again on this issue, we are basically a great group that is first and foremost dedicated to having some sweet RPG fun.

My advice? Get the application...start a game...PM me...and let's get down to serious business :D Finding players is not particularly hard, the community is great, and the next version of the application sounds like it is going to be really really nice. I hope you think seriously about a purchase because I'm pretty confident you won't be disappointed.

Also, if you want a somewhat more active community of Fantasy Grounds users, definitely check out https://www.fouruglymonsters.com - the guys over there have done a very nice job of setting up a community and pay particular attention to making sure that folks can find games.

Hope that helps.

[mf2]

OK, sorry to have confused you first off. The whole legal element is really really really a side element and should not distract you from what is first and foremost a great application. :D

Basically, you have it right. The ruleset files are totally exposed and easily edited (again...as of the version that is available to us). So, if someone wanted to add in all the rules from something like Tome of Magic, could they? Yeah, they could and they could make it available and anyone downloading the file would have no problems making it work on their own machine.

Having said that, I'm sure you can see that there are potential legal problems. Whether they constitute a "serious" problem or a problem that is likely to generate even a cease and desist letter is another issue which I will leave for others.

The main point is that when you wrote:

i take it from your response you CAN download rule sets or whatever, but if its D&D stuff, white wolf, or what have you, you're not supposed to.

you basically had the right of it...does that help or am I just confusing the issue further?

Again, despite the fact that a few non-lawyers in the user community really harp over and over again on this issue, we are basically a great group that is first and foremost dedicated to having some sweet RPG fun.

My advice? Get the application...start a game...PM me...and let's get down to serious business :D Finding players is not particularly hard, the community is great, and the next version of the application sounds like it is going to be really really nice. I hope you think seriously about a purchase because I'm pretty confident you won't be disappointed.

Also, if you want a somewhat more active community of Fantasy Grounds users, definitely check out https://www.fouruglymonsters.com - the guys over there have done a very nice job of setting up a community and pay particular attention to making sure that folks can find games.

Hope that helps.

no apologies bro hard to get some things through when ur communicating over a message board. i think i get what ur saying - i was simply hoping u could download some exe file or something that would change the default rules to 3.5, but looks like if i want to do that, i have to do it manually if i dont want to risk The Man coming to get me. LOL. Although, i'm pretty sure i have seen some posts about downloading rule sets, so apparently some people are doing it anyway. big surprise!

the program sounds cool, but at the same time, it seems sort of dopey that you either have to use the system they give you, or totally make up your own stuff. Perhaps in the future the developers might consider working something out with wizards of the coast, white wolf, and/or some of the other more popular game systems out there. this way, you could pay a fee to get those rule systems, and the company who originated that system would get royalties or some % of profits. Seems to me this would be win-win for everyone - consumers can pay for it if they want to, the devs of FG make more $$$ and the game system companies make more $$$.

sorry about the ramble. might have to pick up this bad boy next week and see what happens.

[A Trackless Stranger]

Perhaps in the future the developers might consider working something out with wizards of the coast, white wolf, and/or some of the other more popular game systems out there. this way, you could pay a fee to get those rule systems, and the company who originated that system would get royalties or some % of profits.

That's definitely happening. I think that type of thing is really just a matter of time and a matter of having more third-party support. Right now, the number of third party companies that are providing support for Fantasy Grounds is extremely limited. There is little to no competition which has a host of implications. As more companies emerge, there will be more competition, better quality, and more choices for end users. As a result, I think we'll get more rulesets in more genres, more pre-published adventures, etc.

[Matchstick]

i was simply hoping u could download some exe file or something that would change the default rules to 3.5, but looks like if i want to do that, i have to do it manually if i dont want to risk The Man coming to get me.

To be clear, my Fantasy Grounds came with a D20 ruleset by default. So if you're going to be playing D20 most of the rules come with it by default. I've also got rulesets for the D20 Modern SRD, the fantasy SRD ruleset, and Iron Heroes but I did have to buy them (actually the Modern SRD was free). Also available for purchase from Digital Adventures (https://www.digitaladventures.net) is an Unearthed Arcana ruleset. I believe Digital Adventures is going to try and do Eberron at some point as well, along with probably some other rulesets.

As far as the modules go, most are laid out much like you say. You can drag and drop the descriptive test right on to the chat window and it'll appear there without your typing it. I've not created one, but honestly I would guess that you having all the graphics and test means that you have most of the work done already. It'll just be a matter of figuring out how to get the module made and then you'll be able to bring the stuff into the game fairly well.

If you look at the screenshot here https://www.fantasygrounds.com/images/screenshots/screenshot0001.jpg you can see how it looks. The boxed text is the descriptive text that would just get dragged to the chat window. You can see the maps listed in the back and a map graphic in front of it.

Hope that helps some. I'm not an expert by any means.

[Snikle]

....there will be more competition, better quality, and more choices for end users.

Hmm, I think he was saying that DA and FUM's quality is lacking! ;)

[Griogre]

mf2, one other thing that made not be clear to you. You don't need a ruleset to use Fantasy Grounds to play a game. If you were using a voice application with FG you could just narrate you module just like in a face to face game and have the characters (players) draw the map of the fly. I do this sometimes.

FG just gives you a program to share dice rolls, texted chat and descriptions, images and a drawable battle map with counters.

Rulesets are used to look up specific rules - if you know the rules or have the books you don't need them much - they are best used to make available the stuff that is actually gets commonly "looked up" during a game. The ruleset also has the character sheet.

The default d20 ruleset has an OK character sheets, the monsters and characters out of the SRD. I think it's best feature is the ability to search and find spell descriptions, monsters and display the characters sheets