Players can move npc tokens / Spell Area

[Dantharel]

Good evening Fantasy Ground players.

I am the master of our group and we play together at one table. I put a TV in the table and that's where we use the maps through Fantasy Grounds.

Currently we are still playing with miniatures but due to the cost and ease of use we will now be playing with tokens. We will continue to capture combat with pen and paper, using only vision and lighting effects. I am currently practicing a lot with the program because it is very complex.

I've already modified maps and everything works very well. Using a second laptop, I join the session to practice moving the characters. Unfortunately, I can also select the opponents via the second laptop. then the player sees what the npc has already explored and can theoretically move it too. if I lock the tokens you can still see the areas you have already seen and of course the view. This is very annoying, especially for tokens with darkvision or similar. We don't use Combat Tracker because we didnt need it. Only the tokens from the Asset folder.

And one more question.

Is there a way to use area templates that render aoe spells? Maybe as a colored floor. It's just a matter of recognizing which tokens are affected. Similar with effects like difficult terrain Can you also have an aura move with the character? e.g. like this guard spell from the cleric.

Thank you and best regards
Dantharel

[Sulimo]

Good evening Fantasy Ground players.

I've already modified maps and everything works very well. Using a second laptop, I join the session to practice moving the characters. Unfortunately, I can also select the opponents via the second laptop. then the player sees what the npc has already explored and can theoretically move it too. if I lock the tokens you can still see the areas you have already seen and of course the view. This is very annoying, especially for tokens with darkvision or similar. We don't use Combat Tracker because we didnt need it. Only the tokens from the Asset folder.


The reason you are seeing this behavior is because you are not using the combat tracker.

The tokens you have placed on the map are not tied to anything (just from Assets or the PC/NPC sheets), so clicking on one will reveal the LoS for that token, regardless of where it came from.

You need to drag tokens (Player and NPC) to the Combat Tracker first, then drag from the CT to the map for LoS, and more importantly in your case, the factions to work properly. The Factions will determine if a player could click on an NPC and see its LoS (there are three factions, Friendly (Green), Neutral (Yellow), and Hostile (Red)). Setting the NPC to Neutral or Hostile, and the PCs to Friendly will prevent the issue you are experiencing.

NOTE: You can still roll dice if you prefer, just go into Options and select the option for Dice: Manual Entry to On, then it will prompt for the rolls instead of using the digital dice.

[Dantharel]

Good evening Sulimo,

Many thanks for your response. I guess I'll have to do that with the Combat Tracker then.
I won't be able to test anymore for today. I'll do that tomorrow. Of course we roll the dice at the table but also the rounds, and nothing else happens in Fantasy Grounds and we didn't want that either.

So if all the tokens are in the combat tracker (are tokens enough on their own or do you have to create extra npcs?) can you play without having to use the fantasy Grounds rules system? we didn't really want to create real characters. The tokens only consist of names and images without values.

Kind regards
Dantharel

[LordEntrails]

Yes, you do not have to use the PCs and NPCs that are in the CT other than as their tokens. As DM, you can still prep the "tokens" by using Encounters function and have them grouped and preplaced on the map. Just use pen and paper to record all the action and such. You can even hide the CT after you have added items to it.

Though you may want to experiment with it, starting with just using it for initiative, but later for combat automation. I will say when my group switch from Skype Video and paper to FG with automation, our combats took 1/3 of the time than they did on paper. But you all have to be up for that.

[Sulimo]

You'll at least have to create a PC/NPC sheet and assign a token at the minimum, then drag that Token from the PC/NPC to the CT, then to the Map.

It shouldn't need any profession, race, or anything like that though. It won't prompt for rolls that way though (the Manual Dice Entry I was referring to previously), since the automation to prompt for rolls is dependent on things being setup as the application expects (attacks are setup on the PC/NPC sheets).

I have to be honest though, not using the automation in FG is really going to limit you, you are basically using FG as a glorified mapping tool. The power of FG is in the automation, not using it is going to limit the usefulness of the application.

[Dantharel]

Good morning and thank you for your answers,

So Fantasy Grounds was and is for us actually nothing more than a tool for the map. Automation is useful and faster, but my players and I would like to make it a little more old-fashioned.
We only want to use one card, the War of the Mists, and now instead of the miniatures, the tokens. I'll try that with the Combat Tracker and if that gets too cumbersome, then I have to trust the honesty of my group.

We also only play among friends, which probably makes it a bit easier. I'll try this out this afternoon. also this grouping, how it works and what it brings. maybe we will play automated games in the future, but it probably makes more sense if everyone has a laptop.
many thanks for your help

Kind regards
Dantharel

[kronovan]

So Fantasy Grounds was and is for us actually nothing more than a tool for the map.

I'm of the opinion, that with all the tools that have been added to FGU for images-maps over the past couple of years, it's actually a good tool for the way in which you're using it. Masking, LOS, Lighting and enviro effects aren't always featured on dedicated digital image and map displaying apps.

You do need to use the Combat Tracker. My understanding of it is that, tokens placed directly onto images-maps are actually just on the tabletop and FGU has no way of actually knowing how they relate to the map and what their limitations and restrictions should be. I'd recommend just entering the bare minimums on PC and NPC sheet, having those few, core stats that are tracked on the CT. That varies depending on the ruleset, but I'm referring to things like wounds or Hit Points, armor class or defense, fatigue, etc. That way if you wanted to display on tokens some of the visual effects that are available in some rulesets, i.e. blood droplets, skulls or incapacitated abbreviations, you could still do it by simply adjusting those values on the PC's/NPC's listing in the CT.

[Dantharel]

Good evening everyone,

I could now test the whole thing. It's more complicated than I thought at first.
So that the players cannot see the tokens, I first create the NPC character. Then they all come into an encounter. I can then set them as tokens in advance or later. To use the tokens, I have to drag them into the combat tracker as an encounter. it works, looks pretty good, but it's almost as much work as positioning real miniatures.

There is probably no easier way? what about npc who are neutral, like some animals. they should be on the map without a fight having to take place, but the players should not be able to move the animals. I can't get around the Combat tracker there either, which somehow doesn't make any sense.


Is there a way to display magic effects on the map, for example to check whether a fireball hits?


I had a problem earlier too. The player uses a torch or something similar via an effect. Unfortunately, I didn't find out how to take this effect down again. as a gm i was able to remove everything via the token light setting, but it was still visible in the game and everything slowed down noticeably. clicking multiple times doesn't remove the light, it actually stacks it.

With best wishes
Dantharel

[Zacchaeus]

You can use encounters to speed up placing NPCs onto the Combat Tracker and the map. See here https://fantasygroundsunity.atlassian.net/wiki/spaces/FGCP/pages/996640999/Preparing+Encounters+and+Random+Encounters

You can remove effects via the combat tracker. Click on the 'head' icon and then clear the effect using the delete button. See here for more on the Combat Tracker https://fantasygroundsunity.atlassian.net/wiki/spaces/FGCP/pages/996641984/5E+Combat+Tracker

See the videos here about lighting and other aspects of Line of sight etc https://www.fantasygrounds.com/forums/showthread.php?55797-How-do-I-in-Unity

You'll also see a video in that list regarding using spell tokens to represent spells.

[LordEntrails]

In addition to the spell tokens, you can use "Quick Draw Pointers" as well. I use spell tokens for lasting effects, like Spirit Guardians etc, but for a fireball, just hold down CTRL and Left/Right mouse button together to draw a quick circle. More details here; https://fantasygroundsunity.atlassian.net/wiki/spaces/FGCP/pages/1275232424/Common+Shortcuts+Hotkeys#Map

[Dantharel]

Good day,

Many thanks for your previous answers.

I also got the spell tokens from Dms Guild. They look great. I just have to test how I use the best and fastest. After the videos, these come in the image folder. All my cards are already in there. Along with the spells, it gets a little confusing.

Maybe I didn't understand the explanations very well, but is there a way to split this up?

I use all of the opponents via the encounter. Still, it would be nice to display simple npcs or animals without using the tracker or allowing players to draw the token.

I've just noticed that when I play across multiple maps, the tokens on the other map disappear. If I then pull the tokens back in, the whole explored area is reset. Is it possible to change this somehow? It would be stupid if the players had to uncover everything again after a simple stairway to map 2.

Kind regards
Dantharel

[LordEntrails]

I've just noticed that when I play across multiple maps, the tokens on the other map disappear. If I then pull the tokens back in, the whole explored area is reset. Is it possible to change this somehow? It would be stupid if the players had to uncover everything again after a simple stairway to map 2.

Kind regards
Dantharel
No, LOS is only kept for the current map. there are (at least) 2 feature enhancements related to this behavior on the wish list.
https://fgapp.idea.informer.com/proj/?ia=136793
https://fgapp.idea.informer.com/proj/?ia=135949

When possible (castles, villas, taverns, etc), I put all levels on the same map, and just put LOS walls between them. That way you are not switching back and forth between maps.

[Dantharel]

Good evening LordEntrails,
thank you very much, that's really a shame.

We are nearing the end of Curse of Strahd and are currently in the Amber Temple. I would like to have everything ready by the next appointment.
Now the amber temple has two maps and the ravenloft castle has a lot more.
Can I simply merge the Maps without there being any problems? could you tell me how to do that?

Best Regards
Dantharel

[LordEntrails]

There is not a 'merge' function, but you can open up the first floor, unlock it, then add the other levels as you would any image asset. Not sure if it will bring the LOS with it though. There might be others around who can give you more details. I almost always create my own maps, so I haven't actually had to merge purchased maps.

[Ludd_G]

I've just noticed that when I play across multiple maps, the tokens on the other map disappear. If I then pull the tokens back in, the whole explored area is reset. Is it possible to change this somehow? It would be stupid if the players had to uncover everything again after a simple stairway to map 2

Hi,

there is an great extension that solves this issue but it is unfortunately delisted on the Forge at the moment. I've messaged the creator to see if this will be resolved soon and if it is I can whole-heartedly recommend it:

https://www.fantasygrounds.com/forums/showthread.php?70474-FoWEnhanced-Extension-(all-rulesets)-Support-Thread

Hope this helps.

Cheers,

Simon