Are there special things to consider in FGU when sharing NPC to a player

[Maetco]

The context is DnD 5e and the idea is oneshots etc. with premade character's with no need to level up or similar edits. I could use existing NPCs (which I have a ton of) as PCs. I launced FGU twice (GM and Player) and tried the following:

"There are quite a few threads around that discuss this. Basic steps:

Put the NPC on the combat tracker.
Change their faction to friendly (green helmet).
Drag the link from the Combat Tracker to each individual PC portrait on the desktop. This will share the NPC with the owner of that PC.
Put the NPC token on the map. This helps the players to re-open the NPC sheet (if they close it) by double-clicking on the token on the map."

It opened the window of the NPC but the player side didn't have LOS from the token and couldn't move it. Are there extra limitations in FGU functionality or did I miss a step?

Ps. Sorry if the post is bad, I wrote it in a hurry.

[Kelrugem]

The context is DnD 5e and the idea is oneshots etc. with premade character's with no need to level up or similar edits. I could use existing NPCs (which I have a ton of) as PCs. I launced FGU twice (GM and Player) and tried the following:

"There are quite a few threads around that discuss this. Basic steps:

Put the NPC on the combat tracker.
Change their faction to friendly (green helmet).
Drag the link from the Combat Tracker to each individual PC portrait on the desktop. This will share the NPC with the owner of that PC.
Put the NPC token on the map. This helps the players to re-open the NPC sheet (if they close it) by double-clicking on the token on the map."

It opened the window of the NPC but the player side didn't have LOS from the token and couldn't move it. Are there extra limitations in FGU functionality or did I miss a step?

Ps. Sorry if the post is bad, I wrote it in a hurry.

You need to turn on Party Vision and Movement in the settings :) Then friendly tokens can be moved and "looked through" :)

[SilentRuin]

The context is DnD 5e and the idea is oneshots etc. with premade character's with no need to level up or similar edits. I could use existing NPCs (which I have a ton of) as PCs. I launced FGU twice (GM and Player) and tried the following:

"There are quite a few threads around that discuss this. Basic steps:

Put the NPC on the combat tracker.
Change their faction to friendly (green helmet).
Drag the link from the Combat Tracker to each individual PC portrait on the desktop. This will share the NPC with the owner of that PC.
Put the NPC token on the map. This helps the players to re-open the NPC sheet (if they close it) by double-clicking on the token on the map."

It opened the window of the NPC but the player side didn't have LOS from the token and couldn't move it. Are there extra limitations in FGU functionality or did I miss a step?

Ps. Sorry if the post is bad, I wrote it in a hurry.

You will not be able to use end turn or target with the shared NPC as a player - only move (if you have Kelrugem's mentioned options set) and do attacks with text blocks in the NPC stats.

In order to get full use of an NPC as a player you will have to write an extension or get an extension that gives you those abilities (through special overrides or ownership assignment - to get end turn, targeting, etc. to work for player). Otherwise the host will need to do these things for you.

[Maetco]

Thanks for the advice, now it works the way I expected, except the "end turn".


You will not be able to use end turn or target with the shared NPC as a player - only move (if you have Kelrugem's mentioned options set) and do attacks with text blocks in the NPC stats.

At least in my test the targeting worked normally but the end turn button didn't as you mentioned. I think this is far from perfect but totally usable, especially in one-shots.

One additional question though, is there a way to share the NPC to the player if they don't have a PC? Basically this step: "Drag the link from the Combat Tracker to each individual PC portrait on the desktop. This will share the NPC with the owner of that PC."

[Kelrugem]

For Targeting one just has to be aware of that the token is selected with which one wants to target, may have been a problem in your case Silentruin? :)

@Maetco, you can also share NPC sheets in general, like drop them into chat for example, then they can click there onto the sheet :) (make sure it is the sheet coming from the CT though, otherwise you share the general NPC entry of the library)

[SilentRuin]

For Targeting one just has to be aware of that the token is selected with which one wants to target, may have been a problem in your case Silentruin? :)

@Maetco, you can also share NPC sheets in general, like drop them into chat for example, then they can click there onto the sheet :) (make sure it is the sheet coming from the CT though, otherwise you share the general NPC entry of the library)

Interesting - targeting now works when a few months ago it did not. End turn still does not however. Nor of course does full control of NPC as if you owned it. Because I wanted my players to have full control of an NPC - be able to support full use of inventories, buttons for special behaviors, and other things that only an owner of a node could operate - I had a combination of two extensions add in the abilities to do all that (not worth getting for someone just wanting to do what we are discussing here).

Not sure what version of FGU you are running but in 5E as of today with no extensions - I tried this example.

1) Campaign is 5E with no extensions.
2) Host: Drop an NPC (I've done many but Acolyte is right there when you bring up NPC list) into combat tracker.
3) Host: Set NPC to friendly.
4) Host: Drag NPC combat tracker link (far right of entry) over player portrait and drop it.
5) Player: NPC sheet will appear in player.
6) Host: Set combat tracker turn to shared NPC.
7) Player: Hit end turn. It does not work for me.

Previously before the delayed move token changes recently implemented - targeting would also not work for my players. Now - I'm using myself as a player and I've seen ownership issues (since my host and player are same user) that masks the targeting problem in the past - but I'm willing to believe it now works for true remote players if you say it does (not the same user as host being a player).

However, if you have an example way like I do above of getting end turn to work I'm all ears. If it turns out somehow FGU is supporting things I had to write specialized code to support I will certainly remove them out of my extensions as I'm a firm believer of less changes means less incompatibility chances :)

[Kelrugem]

Interesting - targeting now works when a few months ago it did not. End turn still does not however. Nor of course does full control of NPC as if you owned it. Because I wanted my players to have full control of an NPC - be able to support full use of inventories, buttons for special behaviors, and other things that only an owner of a node could operate - I had a combination of two extensions add in the abilities to do all that (not worth getting for someone just wanting to do what we are discussing here).

Not sure what version of FGU you are running but in 5E as of today with no extensions - I tried this example.

1) Campaign is 5E with no extensions.
2) Host: Drop an NPC (I've done many but Acolyte is right there when you bring up NPC list) into combat tracker.
3) Host: Set NPC to friendly.
4) Host: Drag NPC combat tracker link (far right of entry) over player portrait and drop it.
5) Player: NPC sheet will appear in player.
6) Host: Set combat tracker turn to shared NPC.
7) Player: Hit end turn. It does not work for me.

Previously before the delayed move token changes recently implemented - targeting would also not work for my players. Now - I'm using myself as a player and I've seen ownership issues (since my host and player are same user) that masks the targeting problem in the past - but I'm willing to believe it now works for true remote players if you say it does (not the same user as host being a player).

However, if you have an example way like I do above of getting end turn to work I'm all ears. If it turns out somehow FGU is supporting things I had to write specialized code to support I will certainly remove them out of my extensions as I'm a firm believer of less changes means less incompatibility chances :)

I am pretty sure that targeting normally always worked for players (at least for friendly tokens), but I may be wrong in some details since I am an "always-be-DM" :D

I didn't claim that the other thinks work though, the end turn is indeed done by the DM, and not all actions work (the actions tab for NPCs in 3.5e/PF1 is for example also not fullly controllable by players after the sharing) :) It is a bit of try&error to see whether or not the player has some actual control over something when shared :) (it is certainly not completely supported by FG that players can use NPCs; for that either extensions are needed, or the NPC needs to be created as a PC)

[SilentRuin]

I am pretty sure that targeting normally always worked for players (at least for friendly tokens), but I may be wrong in some details since I am an "always-be-DM" :D

I didn't claim that the other thinks work though, the end turn is indeed done by the DM, and not all actions work (the actions tab for NPCs in 3.5e/PF1 is for example also not fullly controllable by players after the sharing) :) It is a bit of try&error to see whether or not the player has some actual control over something when shared :) (it is certainly not completely supported by FG that players can use NPCs; for that either extensions are needed, or the NPC needs to be created as a PC)

I said host could do it in first post but discussion was how players could do it.

Some of us are lazy DMs and are willing to write stuff to enhance our laziness :)

But yes, players cannot fully support control of NPCs without extension help.

[Kelrugem]

I said host could do it in first post but discussion was how players could do it.

Some of us are lazy DMs and are willing to write stuff to enhance our laziness :)

But yes, players cannot fully support control of NPCs without extension help.

Yeah, no worries, I have seen that :D I just wanted to answer about the targeting, vision and movement :D

[EllivasKram]

https://www.fantasygrounds.com/forums/showthread.php?60485-CT-Open-on-Turn-extension&highlight=CT-Open-On-Turn

OR

Pay as much as you want for this potentially 'Free' extn

My bad was meant to post link to

https://www.fantasygrounds.com/forums/showthread.php?60330-Player-NPC-End-Turn

But both in combo are real cool for DM