DM maps vs PC maps

[gray808]

I'm starting to set up my campaign to use Fantasy Grounds. I'm at the point where I am getting the maps ready to import, and have a quick question:

Say I have a dungeon with 4 levels. For each level, I have 2 maps: one for the DM with room numbers, secret doors, trap location, etc., and one for the PCs which is just the plain map, with the DM only stuff hidden.

When I am creating my maps in FG, can I make one small map for my (the DM's) reference, with links to story items, encounters, and the like, but not intended to have tokens etc (i.e. maybe 500x250px), and then make one specifically for sharing with the players, revealing fog of war as they go, and scaled up to the size the tokens will work, say 1200px along the long side?

I'm seeing some examples where they have both maps at full size, and that seems like a waste of memory, if I am just using the DM map for my own reference and for links to Encounters, NPCs and the like.

Thanks

--Gray

[celestian]

Are you using FGC or FGU?

I've done some experimentation with FGU and I was able to place the player map down, setup LOS/etc and then drop the DM map ontop of it and hide it from the players but not the DM. So... the DM sees the DM version, the players see the player version. They both use the same LOS/etc.

If you're in FGC... it's an entirely different ballgame.

[gray808]

We are just starting out. I bought the original FG Ultimate license, on Steam, not knowing that the FG client won't run on a modern Mac.
Since I am on Steam, my choice is either to pay in full for a Unity license or wait until it 's available on Steam to get the discount.
I'm already out a couple of hundred bucks without ever playing a game, so right now the plan is for me to get my campaign (a version of Temple of Elemental Evil, converted from 2E to 5E), into FG, and then depending on how long that takes, either play with FG, forcing one player to figure out a VM solution, or upgrade to FGU and hope it 1) is stable enough to play and 2) makes it easy to pull the campaign from FG to FGU.

I worry that what you suggest (laying 1 large map on top of another large map) will end up eating twice the amount of RAM than just having a single large player map with a mini-map that I can click on encounter, etc, links.

--Gray

[gray808]

Adding: Line of sight and stuff like that is unimportant to me. I just want to be able to have a map, and encounter, and let my players fight the encounter. If it handles tracking initiative and xp and loot, so much the better. But the only reason I'd be switching to Unity is because it won't run on a Mac, and asking someone to use a previous OS version just to be able to run FG is ridiculous.

--Gray

[LordEntrails]

You're plan is good. Players maps are typically 50 pixels per square (10 pixels/foot) though you want to keep the size to roughly 2048x2048 and 1MB File size or less.

DM maps are whatever you need. And in many cases you don't need a DM map. Secret doors and traps can be placed/indicated on teh player map using story links and the players will not see those pins. Traps can be done as NPCs so you can roll attacks, saves, etc.

[gray808]

Awesome, thanks for the quick reply.

--Gray