Extreme lag when using lights

[SirGunther]

I'm running Dungeon of the Mad Mage right now, but this is an ongoing problem, where the token movement gets super laggy if you turn on any lights. It runs well enough if there are no light sources, but if you enable light and add lights, then it takes like 2-3 seconds after grabbing a token for it to move. Once it starts moving, it moves just fine, but that initial lag makes it very frustrating to use. It makes the very nice lighting features of the program totally useless. Extensions don't matter - it behaves the same way with or without extensions.

[Laerun]

That particular module and it's maps have been problematic to different degrees and such since its release. However, over these past couple of FG major releases, many performance and optimizations have been challenged and tough for everyone. The DotMM maps, despite optimization efforts, are really much too large and complex for VTTs due to the dimensions and the sheer amount of occluders. It's likely worse now due to other factors. Hopefully Smiteworks can sort these things out.
If you can zip up your campaign folder and upload to a google drive or Dropbox and shard a link for the developers so as to maybe help them determine the root causes of these issues if possible.

[Moon Wizard]

Thanks for reporting. I've passed along your post to Carl to review. Please provide a zipped up copy of your campaign folder; and which specific map(s) you are having a problem on.

Regards,
JPG

[Blackwolfe]

I'm running Dungeon of the Mad Mage right now, but this is an ongoing problem,

Yeah, we're trying to muster on and pretend everything is fine, meanwhile I've had two players semi jokingly suggest we look for a new software to run.

[SirGunther]

I really like a lot about FGU and I've sunk enough money into it that it's hard to leave, but my players haven't. What they care most about is performance and these issues aren't helping my case for FGU with them. I really want to use the cool features that FGU has, but I can't. I don't want to bash the developers, they've done great with limited resources, but I feel like adding all the 3d stuff while lighting is still such a mess was a mistake. What we have always cared most about for a VTT has been ease of map making followed by LOS and lighting. I hope they get it worked out, because poor performance kills the momentum and fun of a game.

[Blackwolfe]

I really like a lot about FGU and I've sunk enough money into it that it's hard to leave, but my players haven't. What they care most about is performance and these issues aren't helping my case for FGU with them. I really want to use the cool features that FGU has, but I can't. I don't want to bash the developers, they've done great with limited resources, but I feel like adding all the 3d stuff while lighting is still such a mess was a mistake. What we have always cared most about for a VTT has been ease of map making followed by LOS and lighting. I hope they get it worked out, because poor performance kills the momentum and fun of a game.

I could have (and have previously) written these exact same words very heartfelt.
I've been a loyal champion of FG since choosing it back in 2020. I've suggested it to many many D&D players and DMs
My players in recent months have repeatedly suggested we try a different VTT and I keep soothing them because I hold out the hope that FGU will stop being buggy.
More than one company has tanked and gone bye bye when the people calling the shots continue to focus on new features while performance fails over and over.
Whatever the internal problems are (and I bet there are some) that we the customers don't know, please work it out.
Priority should always be on making sure the product performs over new development and that often means slow down and play test the F out of it before pushing it out as an update.
- Still a fan, Love Blackwolfe.

[Moon Wizard]

Which map are you running in DotMM?
My party just wrapped up L1, and advanced to L2, and haven't seen any performance issues. I don't run any extensions either.

I did previously escalate to Carl, and I just re-pinged him.

Regards,
JPG

[SirGunther]

Which map are you running in DotMM?
My party just wrapped up L1, and advanced to L2, and haven't seen any performance issues. I don't run any extensions either.

I did previously escalate to Carl, and I just re-pinged him.

Regards,
JPG

We're currently on L14. I run a fair amount of extensions, but it occurs without extensions.

A feature that would aid in testing would be the ability to save and load extension sets, so you don't have to remember what 20 or thirty extensions you had enabled when you turn them all off. But I know that's a whole other thread.

[Moon Wizard]

You can copy the extensionstate.xml file in the campaign folder; and then delete it to reset extensions. To restore, just re-copy the extensionstate.xml back to the original location.

Regards,
JPG

[SirGunther]

You can copy the extensionstate.xml file in the campaign folder; and then delete it to reset extensions. To restore, just re-copy the extensionstate.xml back to the original location.

Regards,
JPG

Awesome! Thanks for the tip. That will make testing a whole lot easier.

[Blackwolfe]

We're currently on L14. I run a fair amount of extensions, but it occurs without extensions.

A feature that would aid in testing would be the ability to save and load extension sets, so you don't have to remember what 20 or thirty extensions you had enabled when you turn them all off. But I know that's a whole other thread.

That is a cool tip. We just happen to be playing level 14 currently as well, though the group was in map Level 12 when the game became buggy.

[Orimn]

Awesome! Thanks for the tip. That will make testing a whole lot easier.

What I do when something is acting up and need to test, Is navigate to my campaigns folder and make a copy of the campaign.

Then you can just do whatever you feel like with it to find a solution (hopefully), or try changing a bunch of things if necessary

Your original campaign will be exactly how you left it

Also a good Idea to back those campaigns up as well, Fantasy Grounds by default saves them in your "USER" AppData folder so you'll need to enable see hidden files on your computer to find them

[Moon Wizard]

I tried popping open my current group's campaign, dropped the party into L12 and L14 with lights on, and started moving them around the map. I didn't see any noticeable slowdowns; but perhaps I'm using things differently than you are.

Can one of you post a link to a copy of your zipped up campaign folder, so that I can see your version in action? (I won't have any extensions, but can look at the base data.)

Regards,
JPG

[Moon Wizard]

A new update has been pushed which should improve the performance in most situations with token vision/lighting.

Regards,
JPG