WotC Maps with FGU layers vs. two different Player & DM Maps?

[BrettM]

Hi! I thought I heard in one of the FGU videos that the new layers ability would mean all information on one map, vs. having two maps (and Player & DM map) as in FGC. Is this the case, and any idea when this will be rolled out for WotC publications, both upcoming publications and potentially going back to what has already been published (SKT, CoS, GoS, etc.)? Thanks!

[Zacchaeus]

Not sure where you heard that but I have no plans to do that.

[BrettM]

I've watched a number of FGU videos, so can't remember exactly, but I believe it was a comment by Joshua Watmough in his GENCON video. If I find the reference I'll post it here. I could have been just a "this can be done" vs. "this will be done".

[Zacchaeus]

I think it was probably it can be rather than it will be done. Modules have to be compatible with Classic so they can't be created in Unity. Classic doesn't have layers and so the maps wouldn't work in Classic - and even if they did it would also double the size of maps so that would also be a major factor.

If, in the future, when modules are only created for Unity then it may be something that would get done. And even when that day comes I'm not sure that I'd want to go back into existing modules and change them. Most of the modules were not created in Classic even - so to create such maps you would have to virtually rewrite the entire module in Unity.

[BrettM]

Thanks Zacchaeus.

[Granamere]

I claim zero knowledge of this but I have a question. When I look in my vault folder for classic and unity I see different sides for modules.

WOTC2ETOEE.dat in Classic it is 26,782 KB and in Unity it is 27,681 KB

WOTC5ECOS.dat in Classic it is 122,208 KB and in Unity it is 122,679 KB

WOTC5EROTF.dat in Classic 165,477 KB and in Unity 166,105 KB

I kind of assumed that FGC pulled down a FGC version and FGU pulled down a FGU version. Since the files sizes are different I would guess it would be possible to have a FGU version that only FGU pulled down with cool new maps and all without it needing to be there in the FGC version. I can see where this could be a huge pain in the rear thought if you needed to go back to two separate mods to fix a typo.

Feel free to tell me how wrong I am because I have no idea of what goes on in the back end to make these cool products. :)

[Zacchaeus]

There is only one depositry for all modules and both the Classic and Unity modules are exactly the same. Even the LoS information is in the Classic module but it doesn't get used. Quite why the sizes are different I'm not sure.

[Moon Wizard]

The manifest files for FGU are a different format and size than FGC.

Regards,
JPG