FGU Mapping Tools - Multiple LOS

[Jiminimonka]

Is it possible to assign different LOS to different layers on a map?

I want to make an Inn with a roof, and 2 floors. So when the party goes in the ground floor they get the ground floor LOS, and when they go upstairs, I hide the ground floor layer, and reveal the 1st floor layer ('mericans would call it the 2nd floor) and its own LOS. Seems like it should be possible.

[Fear Grounds]

You absolutely can. Just make sure that you have the ground floor selected before you start drawing your LOS for it, otherwise Fantasy Grounds will create a new layer for LOS. Do the same thing for the next floors you want to add. When you turn off visibility for the upper floors, the LOS for those floors also becomes hidden. Just keep in mind that if you are using large maps/images, then you may see some performance loss as these will end up being quite large files to share.

[Zacchaeus]

I believe that you can do this but I've never tried to do it. One thing is don't have LoS in a folder - I know that doesn't work.

[Jiminimonka]

I have each floor in a folder - so it pretty much has to be in a folder, seems like a bug for it not to work like that. But if it doesn't work I can always name each LOS layer after the floor. Thanks to you both.

[Jiminimonka]

Having multiple floors on one map, if it doesn't over load the computer (hopefully turning off layers is a stress relief to the FGU load) - would mean not having to load a new map and move the players onto it.. when they use the stairs to go to the next level, you just hide the old one, reveal the new, and wibble around the tokens if they are out of position.

[LordEntrails]

imo the problem putting 2 floors overlaid on the same map is what happens when the party is not all on the same floor? Also, what happens when a tokens revealed LOS from floor 1 when you turn off those layers and turn on floor 2?

[Jiminimonka]

Yeah, in an inn being on 2 floors can be a problem. I have the stair line up so if the tokens are on the stairs the map won't reveal the LOS except the stairs. I was just thinking about last time the party were in the Inn, and how they were fighting on 2 floors, come back here and you have said exactly what I was thinking! LOL

In a dungeon of course, having them move floors is usually a party wide thing.

Still I'm just learning the tools for maps in FGU - I have a map made in Dungeondraft with a corridor blocked with furniture - which are assets on the FGU map so when the players move the furniture, I can clear the corridor for them.

EDIT: A major utility is having a building with just a door, and then taking the roof off when the party enters...

[Jiminimonka]

Talking of the mappng tools - the layers defaulting to open every time you reload is a pain in the neck. Please can you have them remember the state they were in before.

[Geometer]

Talking of the mappng tools - the layers defaulting to open every time you reload is a pain in the neck. Please can you have them remember the state they were in before.

Seconded, emphatically.

[MassSailor]

I have each floor in a folder - so it pretty much has to be in a folder, seems like a bug for it not to work like that. But if it doesn't work I can always name each LOS layer after the floor. Thanks to you both.

Did this scenario successfully with LOS layers in the floor folders - just had to toggle the folder visibility for each floor. May have gotten better in the past few months but occasionally LOS would get a little wonky - retaining some occluders from a deactivated layer. Cycling LOS off and back on at the map level worked to quickly reset. All in all, worked ok - but like already pointed out, wouldn’t have worked as well for PCs split across floors.

[Jiminimonka]

I suspect that lots of people will like this idea https://fgapp.idea.informer.com/proj/fgapp?ia=135550 - FGU please remember layers lock status between sessions (and between closing & re-opening a map in a session. Yeah its in the works, but yeah it slows down map making considerably.

[Zacchaeus]

I suspect that lots of people will like this idea https://fgapp.idea.informer.com/proj/fgapp?ia=135550 - FGU please remember layers lock status between sessions (and between closing & re-opening a map in a session. Yeah its in the works, but yeah it slows down map making considerably.

Is this happening under particular circumstances because I'm not seeing this, I created this map in the image below and locked up all the layers and they remain locked after closing and reopening both the map and the client. Do I need to do something else to reproduce?

[Jiminimonka]

Is this happening under particular circumstances because I'm not seeing this, I created this map in the image below and locked up all the layers and they remain locked after closing and reopening both the map and the client. Do I need to do something else to reproduce?

Make some folders and put them items inside. Then close the folder.

[Zacchaeus]

Make some folders and put them items inside. Then close the folder.

Nope, everything still all locked up. Do I need to leave some open (i tested this as well and if they are open they remain open). Do I need hundreds of assets? Is my image too small perhaps - not enough layers/folders?

[Geometer]

Do I need hundreds of assets? Is my image too small perhaps - not enough layers/folders?
Could be. Try it with something like the attached.

I have the same issue as Jiminimonka, it may well be something to do with the number of layers, but I can't tell because I've only drawn a few maps so far and they all have lots of layers, and they all explode like that every time I load up.

[Jiminimonka]

Nope, everything still all locked up. Do I need to leave some open (i tested this as well and if they are open they remain open). Do I need hundreds of assets? Is my image too small perhaps - not enough layers/folders?

Exactly they are open, now try with 50 assets in one layer and 5 layers and try navigating around. They need to stay shut. Also for the record when I am making maps (and modules etc., the only extension I use is Author).

[Jiminimonka]

Could be. Try it with something like the attached.

I have the same issue as Jiminimonka, it may well be something to do with the number of layers, but I can't tell because I've only drawn a few maps so far and they all have lots of layers, and they all explode like that every time I load up.

What assets are those Gemeter?

[Geometer]

What assets are those Gemeter?
Which ones are you referring to?

[Jiminimonka]

Which ones are you referring to?

FG 40.jpg in your post

[Geometer]

@Jiminimonka; Can't remember off hand, mostly from the FG Art Packs I think

[Jiminimonka]

@Jiminimonka; Can't remember off hand, mostly from the FG Art Packs I think

If they are not FG Art Packs (which I have already) can you check next time you look at that map and DM me. Cheers. Looking for some more wall styles. I'm editing a mine (it is a mine, not Moria). Thanks.

[Geometer]

If they are not FG Art Packs (which I have already) can you check next time you look at that map and DM me. Cheers. Looking for some more wall styles. I'm editing a mine (it is a mine, not Moria). Thanks.

Ah, you mean the walls. They're from Torstan's Assets, part of the FG assets bundle

[Jiminimonka]

Thanks - I have those - gonna check them out.

[WishX]

I suspect that lots of people will like this idea https://fgapp.idea.informer.com/proj/fgapp?ia=135550 - FGU please remember layers lock status between sessions (and between closing & re-opening a map in a session. Yeah its in the works, but yeah it slows down map making considerably.

This is a confirmed bug with an open trouble ticket. It will be rectified in an upcoming release. I'll go ahead and delete the Idea Informer entry so people don't get confused.

[Geometer]

This is a confirmed bug with an open trouble ticket. It will be rectified in an upcoming release.
Good to know. Thank you.

[Jiminimonka]

This is a confirmed bug with an open trouble ticket. It will be rectified in an upcoming release. I'll go ahead and delete the Idea Informer entry so people don't get confused.

OK - thanks.

[Geometer]

This is a confirmed bug with an open trouble ticket. It will be rectified in an upcoming release. I'll go ahead and delete the Idea Informer entry so people don't get confused.
I hate to say this but it's still happening.

[DCrumb]

This may come out with the vision and lighting updates, or it may be done "soon" after that update. (Not a developer, so don't have access to their roadmap.)

[Geometer]

This may come out with the vision and lighting updates, or it may be done "soon" after that update. (Not a developer, so don't have access to their roadmap.)

OK, thank you. Even more reasons to look forward to the lighting fx then!

[Norgewalk]

Yeah, in an inn being on 2 floors can be a problem. I have the stair line up so if the tokens are on the stairs the map won't reveal the LOS except the stairs. I was just thinking about last time the party were in the Inn, and how they were fighting on 2 floors, come back here and you have said exactly what I was thinking! LOL

In a dungeon of course, having them move floors is usually a party wide thing.

Still I'm just learning the tools for maps in FGU - I have a map made in Dungeondraft with a corridor blocked with furniture - which are assets on the FGU map so when the players move the furniture, I can clear the corridor for them.

EDIT: A major utility is having a building with just a door, and then taking the roof off when the party enters...


I agree. What I’ve found that helps simplify moving tokens when players change floors is the Portals - REVAMPED! Extension by Rob2 (https://forge.fantasygrounds.com/shop/items/123/view) which is available in the FG Forge.

Players just walk onto the staircase or wherever I have a portal area set up and the token moves to the next map and it opens for the player.
It can prompt them or not, be hidden or one way.

It’s not perfect since the maps are independent, tokens on the ground map aren’t visible to the player on the roof map.

I haven’t found a good way to represent tokens on different maps. Like a player on a balcony at level 2 looking down on another at level 1. When the maps don’t line up pretty it gets confusing. I’ve used placeholder tokens to represent them that I move manually. Still have to target manually, etc.

I do wish we could have a layer that became invisible when a player was under it, like a roof, without the addition effects that terrain does.

… or put layers above and below the token layer(s)
That gets complicated to manage though.

Check out the ext. thought id share.

- Norgewalk

PS: This coupled with locked doors and the Map Parcels ext make the map immersively interactive. Not often but occasionally it lets me give the players free roaming of an area to explore on their own.

[WinterSoldier7]

I'm in the situation where I want to have a 2nd floor map overlooking a ground floor map, with PC tokens on each and no issues.

From reading this thread, it sounds like I need to do a reverse and have them as separate images altogether to avoid headache.

Is that so, or has anything change regarding layers in the last year? Anyone know?

[LordEntrails]

I'm in the situation where I want to have a 2nd floor map overlooking a ground floor map, with PC tokens on each and no issues.

From reading this thread, it sounds like I need to do a reverse and have them as separate images altogether to avoid headache.

Is that so, or has anything change regarding layers in the last year? Anyone know?
They do not need to be separate images, but you do not want them overlaying each other and try to use layers to distinguish them. Put them on the same image, just put the second (etc) floors off to the top or side of the others. Draw a LOS wall box around each level so you do not get vision bleed between the floors. FG won't calculate vision between levels etc, but it can still be used if you have balcony's on the second level and a blurred or dimmed region on the map for the lower levels.

[WinterSoldier7]

Ah, I hadn't thought of doing it that way - that would be a good starter, thanks.

The ideal would be to have someone on the 2nd floor be able to see the tokens on the ground floor somehow, granting them the ability of overlooking the enemy and firing down. Not sure how to do that in FGU, short of duplicating a token perhaps.

[Griogre]

Just tell them what they can see verbally, show the tokens they can attack on the combat tracker (or manually target them for them) and let them attack it - is how I do it. Sometimes a scenario like this is easier to just do theatue of the mind. Think how you would do it in that type of scenario and you can do that with a map too.