Can't believe I'm here. Other people play this game too?

[caffeineNYC]

Used to play Traveller back in the early 80s. None of my friends owned the books, which meant that I always GMd (to date, I never actually played the game as a player) and I don't think I ever met anyone who played the game who didn't learn of it through me (no internet back then, so none of us knew anything outside of our circle of friends). The last time I played Traveller, politicians and news media were still wondering out loud if role playing games were spawning a generation of Satanists and delinquents.

I enrolled my daughter in a D&D class a few months ago, and decided I missed role playing, so I'm getting back into it. Got ~4 oneshot 5e games under my belt and we used Foundry VTT, which was nothing short of amazing. No more hand-mapping or describing "you walk into a room that's roughly 30 by 40 which a door on the north wall in first 10 feet and a window on the eastern wall in the center". My jaw practically hit the floor when I saw what VTTs do.

So then I decided to see what's going on with my other favorite game. Lo and behold, I see there's a subreddit and TONS of YouTube videos devoted to it, along with VTT support. Foundry support of Traveller is anemic, but I found FGU with *excellent* Traveller support, so I made the plunge, and here I am!

A couple of very basic questions about FGU:

1. I quickly learned that FGU screen real estate is at a premium. None of the sub-windows have a minimize button. Is there a way to hide/minimize windows to have a clean and orderly FGU desktop?

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2. Similarly, when I start poking around the Library, say, the Core Rulebook, I noticed that each click opens up a new window. Is there a way to open a new link by reusing a Library window already opened? Sometimes I'm just poking around the rules and I don't want to close every single window that opens. The way a modern browser works is perfect: lets us choose whether to open a new tab or reuse an old one.

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3. One thing that surprises me is that I can't seem to poke around the core rules without creating a campaign. Logically, I shouldn't have to start a campaign or connect to the cloud to look at my documentation. Is this possible?

4. Similarly, an NPC shouldn't be tied to a campaign, either. Is there a way to share NPCs among different campaigns? E.g. If the players meet someone in Marooned on Marduk, can I share the NPC with a homegrown campaign?

5. I'd like to actually play the game as a player rather than a GM at least once in my life. How can I find campaigns that are looking for players?

[damned]

Welcome caffeineNYC

Sometimes platforms use jargon that can cause some confusion.
A campaign in Fantasy Grounds is not the same as a prepackaged adventure might be in D&D.
You can run many adventures back to back (or simultaneously) in the same FG campaign.
The FG campaign is more like a container.

Personally - as soon as I have finished with a window I close it. Most windows are 2 or 3 clicks away - and important items are dragged to the HotKeys.
Ive always got Chat and Combat Tracker open and if Im GM a reference manual and probably a map.
Everything else I close as soon as Ive used it.

You dont have to connect to the cloud server - you can open your campaign locally.
But yes - you need to load the Traveller environment to access the Traveller resources.

If you are in an AUS timezone (your alias suggests otherwise) I might have a Traveller opening...

[JonStormbringer]

4. Similarly, an NPC shouldn't be tied to a campaign, either. Is there a way to share NPCs among different campaigns? E.g. If the players meet someone in Marooned on Marduk, can I share the NPC with a homegrown campaign?


Welcome to the forums and to Fantasy Grounds (FG). I think damned answered everything, but thought I'd add something to your question number 4. I am primarily a home brewer DM--So I create a lot of custom content. What I did, to have access to all of my NPC's/Monsters was create a new campaign called, "Monsterous Beings." After I've entered any new NPC's/Monsters, I export the campaign (Type /export in your FG chat box to see what that interface looks like). I can then use that as a module in any other campaign (the same way your would use any rule books/adventures/expansions). When I want to add another NPC/Monster, I just go into my Monsterous Beings campaign, make the additions and re-export it. It saves all of the previous information and will update your module. Works pretty well for me, personally. I use the same technique for custom races and classes that I've created.

#5, you can, if damned time slot doesn't work for you, check out: https://www.fantasygrounds.com/forums/forumdisplay.php?40-LFG-Looking-for-Group

I played a good deal of Traveler back in the 80's. Was a great game, but I haven't explored it on FG yet.

Again, welcome to the forums and I hope you're able to find a game. FG is a fantastic tool that has a little bit of a learning curve. Once you get it down though, it's very rewarding/fun.

[JohnD]

Welcome. If you were blown away by Foundry, wait until you get a good workout in FG under your belt. :)

[bmos]

None of the sub-windows have a minimize button. Is there a way to hide/minimize windows to have a clean and orderly FGU desktop?In most rulesets you can right-click on a window and there will be a minimize button in the resulting radial menu. I'm not sure about Traveller.

[kronovan]

1. I quickly learned that FGU screen real estate is at a premium...

This is a trick I learned from the Keeper of the Call of Cthulhu campaign I play in. Unfortunately, it will only work if you have 1 or more additional displays connected to your PC which are not configured for surround spanning. Don't run FGU in full screen mode, but instead run it windowed and resize the window to fill most of your primary display. Then stretch the window side(s) as far a you want on to your secondary display(s). Configured as such, it's easy to move floating windows like the Combat Tracker onto the portion of the FGU window on that second display. By not having surround spanning enabled, you can still use portions of your secondary display(s) for PDFs, or audio and voice apps. I'm currently only doing this for the Combat Tracker and Encounter windows, but those alone go a long way towards increasing FGU's screen real estate and reducing clutter.

[johnecc]

Hi, welcome to FG and back to Traveller. It was actually my 1st rpg back in 1980.

Having used FG for a couple of years, I feel you about real estate, but as Kronovan says, I hook my laptop up to my tv and strecth the window.

I have a few sessions as a Traveller player in FG under my belt now, and it is still evolving with new functionality and content being added. My way of ‘bookmarking’ things is to drag their link to the hotbar, as Damned mentioned. I use it for access to maps, pages from the reference manual, etc. the different windows, Party Sheet, Items, etc are just a click away, so close them ifyou don’t currently need them.

Hope the suggestions here and above help.

Get into a game and enjoy.

[caffeineNYC]

Welcome caffeineNYC

Sometimes platforms use jargon that can cause some confusion.
A campaign in Fantasy Grounds is not the same as a prepackaged adventure might be in D&D.
You can run many adventures back to back (or simultaneously) in the same FG campaign.
The FG campaign is more like a container.

Personally - as soon as I have finished with a window I close it. Most windows are 2 or 3 clicks away - and important items are dragged to the HotKeys.
Ive always got Chat and Combat Tracker open and if Im GM a reference manual and probably a map.
Everything else I close as soon as Ive used it.

You dont have to connect to the cloud server - you can open your campaign locally.
But yes - you need to load the Traveller environment to access the Traveller resources.

If you are in an AUS timezone (your alias suggests otherwise) I might have a Traveller opening...


Gotcha. A campaign is more like a regularly meeting group, and could contain what we'd call campaigns and oneshots.

Too bad about the windows and accessing documentation. If other people live with it, I can too.

Argh! I *wish* I could. I just had a client call with with an Australian bank a couple of weeks ago It was something like 11:30-ish am for them when it was 10:30-ish pm for me.

[johnecc]

Yeah, if the game Damned speaks of is the one I think, then its the same one I am in. If I calculate correctly, it would start around 6:30am Saturday your time.

[caffeineNYC]

Hi, welcome to FG and back to Traveller. It was actually my 1st rpg back in 1980.

How unusual for 1980! I've never met anyone whose first game was Traveller. That's so cool!

I started around the same time. Not sure about Australia, but here in the US were seriously asking whether role playing was causing "Satanism" and delinquency. I think those were our Reagan years, where our conservative party pretty much dominated politics, so the liberal party was looking for issues to demonstrate that they, too, were the party of morals and ethics. They glomed on to "Dungeons and Dragons" (the catch-all phrase for all role playing) and music, mostly hair metal (which seems so tame by today's standards). I remember all the hubub surrounding D&D was the best advertising that anyone could buy; EVERYBODY I knew wanted to play D&D because of what we were hearing on the news.

I think that's why D&D got so popular in the US relative to the other games out there, even though there were a lot of really great games back then. All that free advertising in our media. So, at least for us, D&D definitely became the "gateway drug" for other RPGs. That's why it's so interesting to hear that Traveller was your first RPG!

[caffeineNYC]

This is a trick I learned from the Keeper of the Call of Cthulhu campaign I play in. Unfortunately, it will only work if you have 1 or more additional displays connected to your PC which are not configured for surround spanning. Don't run FGU in full screen mode, but instead run it windowed and resize the window to fill most of your primary display. Then stretch the window side(s) as far a you want on to your secondary display(s). Configured as such, it's easy to move floating windows like the Combat Tracker onto the portion of the FGU window on that second display. By not having surround spanning enabled, you can still use portions of your secondary display(s) for PDFs, or audio and voice apps. I'm currently only doing this for the Combat Tracker and Encounter windows, but those alone go a long way towards increasing FGU's screen real estate and reducing clutter.

Ahhh, nice idea! I do the same thing for work when I RDP into a < Win10 machine. It might be a little tricky b/c my main monitor is 30" and I'd probably be using a laptop to extend the desktop -- the mismatch in size cause readability problems on the laptop, but I'll give it whirl. Even if the size mismatch is an issue, I can use the 2nd display for pdfs, browser work, and just to put FGU windows that aren't in use. Thanks for the suggestion!

[superteddy57]

How unusual for 1980! I've never met anyone whose first game was Traveller. That's so cool!

I started around the same time. Not sure about Australia, but here in the US were seriously asking whether role playing was causing "Satanism" and delinquency. I think those were our Reagan years, where our conservative party pretty much dominated politics, so the liberal party was looking for issues to demonstrate that they, too, were the party of morals and ethics. They glomed on to "Dungeons and Dragons" (the catch-all phrase for all role playing) and music, mostly hair metal (which seems so tame by today's standards). I remember all the hubub surrounding D&D was the best advertising that anyone could buy; EVERYBODY I knew wanted to play D&D because of what we were hearing on the news.

I think that's why D&D got so popular in the US relative to the other games out there, even though there were a lot of really great games back then. All that free advertising in our media. So, at least for us, D&D definitely became the "gateway drug" for other RPGs. That's why it's so interesting to hear that Traveller was your first RPG!

My first gaming experience was Traveller as well. Along with Ars Magica.

[chumbly]

My first RPG was Traveller too. Little Black Books 1980s. Had been playing SPI war games, and started playing Europa from GDW. Saw the
little black books, took home one Christmas in 1980, my brothers and I poured over them enthralled, and my great love for Traveller began.
I remember a few years later, during the Mega Traveller era going to an Origens Con, and talking at the GDW booth to Marc Miller, Frank Chadwick,
and a very long conversation with Loren Wiseman. Lordy, he was a nice guy, a pleasure to talk to about SCI-FI.

Chumbly

[johnecc]

Well, here in Australia we naturally didn’t get the games as early as those overseas. My brother was a big scifi reader and actually bought me Traveller as a Xmas present because he wanted to play it. ��

Yes, we went through the entire D&D is devil worshiping. The 1st club I joined actually folded because the guy who ran it was also a christian leader and felt he could champion the hobby if he wasn’t actually involved in it.

[kronovan]

Ahhh, nice idea! I do the same thing for work when I RDP into a < Win10 machine. It might be a little tricky b/c my main monitor is 30" and I'd probably be using a laptop to extend the desktop -- the mismatch in size cause readability problems on the laptop, but I'll give it whirl. Even if the size mismatch is an issue, I can use the 2nd display for pdfs, browser work, and just to put FGU windows that aren't in use. Thanks for the suggestion!

Yes having secondary displays with the same screen dimensions as your primary screen is ideal. That said, my primary, center display is a 40" HDTV, while my 2 secondary displays on the side are 27" LEDs. It's a bit awkward, but I do manage to make it work. A self contained window with icons like the Combat Tracker or Encounters window are much more managable when displayed on my side displays. Whereas windows with detailed text like stories are less optimal. Just having the extra screen real estate for maps and other images makes it worth it though..

[greyseasunder]

Have played D&D/AD&D since back in the day, along with a bunch of the old TSR titles (Gamma World, Star Frontiers, Top Secret, Boot Hill), Battletech, Twilight 2000, but had never played Traveller until about 2 years ago- just in time for the pandemic to hit. Since then, we've been doing weekly gaming sessions, alternating between Traveller 2e and D&D5e. The thing i really like about Traveller is, the comparative lack of violence- combat can be really deadly, so my players strive to keep out of it as much as possible. Really encourages role-play and thinking through situations.

[caffeineNYC]

Have played D&D/AD&D since back in the day, along with a bunch of the old TSR titles (Gamma World, Star Frontiers, Top Secret, Boot Hill), Battletech, Twilight 2000, but had never played Traveller until about 2 years ago- just in time for the pandemic to hit. Since then, we've been doing weekly gaming sessions, alternating between Traveller 2e and D&D5e. The thing i really like about Traveller is, the comparative lack of violence- combat can be really deadly, so my players strive to keep out of it as much as possible. Really encourages role-play and thinking through situations.

I totally forgot about Boot Hill. I bought the core rulebook and WANTED to play, but never actually played it, since I was the only DM in my core group of friends, and was already running Traveller, AD&D, Gamma World, Top Secret, and Paranoia.

It looked like a good game, but it also looked a little limiting in terms of the type of adventures you can dream up (e.g. no non-humanoids and I don't remember there being a leveling up / experience mechanic). I have a fondness in my heart for good westerns, so I always regretted not running Boot Hill.

[greyseasunder]

Boot Hill was pretty simple, we mucked around with it a bit, but it was never one of our top games- just felt too limiting in scope. I remember having fun with it though! You didn't miss much.

[Patrick Tuttle]

I, too, an looking for a traveller game. If anyone knows of a gm, please post the info. Thanks!!!

[savoylen]

I, too, an looking for a traveller game. If anyone knows of a gm, please post the info. Thanks!!!

I just posted an opening in the LFG forum.
Be sure to get on the Traveller discord as well... games post there all the time.

You might have to wait a bit longer for a FG based game but they do come up.

Good luck! - Savoy

[dmccoy1693]

I know how you feel. I've played more Traveller over Fantasy Grounds than tabletop.

Welcome to the boards.