Lite license question

[Bidmaron]

If I am playing a Complete SRD game (w/ the add-on to the basic d20), must my players have the full license or can they just have the lite license? The FAQ is very confusing about this.

[Griogre]

First, the players only need the lite version to connect to the game. A full version can run a game or act as a player. There is no upgrade from lite to full so anyone interested in running a game in the future should get the full version.

Let’s talk about the default d20 library book modules first and then move on the CSRD.

There are two basic types of library book modules – those with blue covers and those with green covers. The blue covered books (d20 Basic Rules and d20 Spells) can be opened and accessed by both the DM (game host) and players. The green covered books can only be accessed by the DM (d20 Magic Items, d20 Monsters). This is true regardless of what version the players are running. However the DM has to ok the player's using the blue books by drag and dropping the green check on the modules he wants the players to use before they can open them.

The Complete SRD consists of seven library book modules and works similarly. The blue books can be opened by the players (CSRD Basic Rules, CSRD Divine, CSRD Epic, CSRD Psionics, CSRD Spells) and the blue and green books can be opened by the DM, with the green books only being openable by the DM (CSRD Magic Items, Complete SRD Monsters).

Because of the way the CSRD was made if a player wants to have the Complete SRD blue library book modules for reference he will need to buy a copy of the CSRD for himself and put the modules in his module folder.

There are two large elephants in the room which I have not talked about because they don’t apply directly to your question. 1) There is a type of library book module (called a common module) which does transfer data to the players while the players are connected to the GM if the GM sets it that way. Many newer style products from Digital Adventures use these modules but not the CSRD. 2) Rulesets are different from modules though most include modules.

If you have other questions, ask – there are plenty here to help you out and the forums are friendly.

[Bidmaron]

What a great and thorough reply.

If I understood it all correctly, if anyone wants to use things not in the basic rules, they must have the CSRD. What is not clear is whether you can install CSRD with the lite edition.

Also, when I go to module activation, do I still need d20 Basic Rules if I activate all the CSRD modules?

Since I want to run a Pathfinder adventure, I guess I'm going to have to dive into customizing modules. There are several threads relating to that, so hopefully that'll go okay.
--Dale--

[Griogre]

If I understood it all correctly, if anyone wants to use things not in the basic rules, they must have the CSRD.
No, that is not correct.

We may need to back up and explain just what FG is. FG is a virtual table top which allows you play role playing games over the Internet. FG is just like the table you play on in a face to face RPG session. On that table you, typically have a battle map, some dice, some minis or tokens and the character sheets the players are using. What Fantasy Grounds gives you at the basic level is the dice and battle map, tokens to move around on the battlemap and a pen to use on the battle map plus some character sheets. That is the basic d20 ruleset that comes with Fantasy Ground.

The character sheet is just like a piece of paper. You can type anything you want on it, doesn’t matter whether you have a PH or not. The library book modules are like the books you probably have laying around the table or on the floor, PH, splat books, setting books, campaign notes, ect.


What is not clear is whether you can install CSRD with the lite edition.
People with the lite versions would install CSRD by dropping the module files in the module folder.
People with the full version would do the exact same thing. But if they host a game which requires a full version of FG they will be able to use the green books.


Also, when I go to module activation, do I still need d20 Basic Rules if I activate all the CSRD modules?
No you don’t need them but they don’t hurt you either. They are completely separate from each other. You might use the d20 Basic Rules for one thing and the CSRD Monsters for another when running a game. Both can be used at the same time. The advantage the CSRD has over the default library books they have *everything* in the SRD. The default books are an abridged version of the SRD. I suggest you load up the FG demo and take a look at the books if you have not yet done so.


Since I want to run a Pathfinder adventure, I guess I'm going to have to dive into customizing modules. There are several threads relating to that, so hopefully that'll go okay.
Pathfinder is so close to D&D you would only need to input the monsters that are different, not many, and put in the maps. If you use a voice program with FG (and most people do) you could just read the descriptive text right out of the book out loud. I’m a player in a Shackled City Campaign and that is exactly how the DM does it. You'd make something called Adventure Modules which are just like the modules you buy at a game shop - An Adventure.

Ok, if you’ve been following this why do you want to get the CSRD if you could just open your PH? For the player’s it is mostly connivance. For the DM there is a bigger reason. The combat tracker was greatly improved in FG2 so you are going to want to use it. To take full advantage of it you are going to want you have at least the combat page on your personalities filled out. Buying Library Book modules like CSRD save you data input time. If you are like most people you want to spend as much time running your game as possible and as little putting data into the computer as possible. For the cost – modules (library or adventure) can save you a ton of time.

I offered my opinion on the time saving for modules, however in the interest of full disclosure I am doing some work for Digital Adventures and they make the CSRD.

If you have any more questions just keep asking, play with the demo if you get a chance. You can’t save anything in the Demo but open up a character sheet and see how you type things in. I asked a ton of questions before I bought FG. :p

[Bidmaron]

I already bought two copies of the full license (my son and I). I am impressed with the program. I'm working on an XML converter to convert RPGXplorer to Fantasy Grounds II (I posted on this a while back to see if someone had done it, and I gave up on the RPGXplorer folks doing it).

Thanks again.
--Dale--

[Griogre]

You're welcome. Let me know if you have any more questions.