Sharing Images With Players - Revealing Spoilers

[rocketvaultgames]

When a multi-layer image is shared with a player, the player sees it build in real-time as assets are downloaded.

This presents huge opportunities for underlying layers to be seen by players when they should not be, and will not be when the full map is displayed...

Is there any way to have a placeholder "loading" image, or even just a blank/black screen until the player has all of the assets ready to load the full image?

Building it in pieces as they are available can also just give clues about what scenery, etc. was added by the GM and not part of the original map (hinting at hidden monster locations, etc.)

[Zacchaeus]

If the player has no token on the map it will be blank until they have a token on it.

Also I'm not seeing any issues with images loading layer by layer. Having said that I can only test joining my own game but when I share a map then everything gets shared all at once.

Again, however, I can only test with maps from modules that only have a couple of layers. It may well be that if you have created this map yourself and have used lots of assets and have lots of layers that this will take a long time to upload especially if you or one of your players have a slow internet connection. I still think, however, that the map will be blank until you put a players token on it.

So some more details might be in order.

[rocketvaultgames]

If the player has no token on the map it will be blank until they have a token on it.

Also I'm not seeing any issues with images loading layer by layer. Having said that I can only test joining my own game but when I share a map then everything gets shared all at once.

Again, however, I can only test with maps from modules that only have a couple of layers. It may well be that if you have created this map yourself and have used lots of assets and have lots of layers that this will take a long time to upload especially if you or one of your players have a slow internet connection. I still think, however, that the map will be blank until you put a players token on it.

So some more details might be in order.

These are maps with many assets and layers. They function fine when loaded.

It's just the concern of the load order and delay whether from computer speed or data transfer speed, it draws assets as they become available. There can be multiple seconds between the drawing of the layers potentially spoiling the maps.

I do agree that keeping the player token off the map could be a workaround, but far from fool-proof as there is no way to know when a map has finished loading on the player side for sure.

Additionally I there are (thankfully rarely) situations where some assets on the map fail to get to the player and then parts of the map might be visible that shouldn't be.

Example from today:: 63162

This was just with me connecting with a second instance from the same (relatively high-end) computer.


The issue might rarely be a problem, but the methodology of displaying parts of a map to a player as they become available rather than waiting to display it altogether after all parts are ready leaves the door open to potential campaign-ruining spoilers.

[Zacchaeus]

I think, maybe, the devs would need to see the campaign for this one. I take it that you can reliably reproduce this in a new campaign without extensions?

[rocketvaultgames]

I think, maybe, the devs would need to see the campaign for this one. I take it that you can reliably reproduce this in a new campaign without extensions?

Can the devs confirm if this is indeed the methodology for showing images? (loading graphics as they are downloaded rather than all at the same time after all files for the map are available)

[Moon Wizard]

I've escalated to Carl to comment on the image behavior you noted.

Thanks,
JPG

[rocketvaultgames]

I've escalated to Carl to comment on the image behavior you noted.

Thanks,
JPG

Thank you. I really appreciate all of the feedback from the SmiteWorks team.

[pindercarl]

Thank you. I really appreciate all of the feedback from the SmiteWorks team.

I understand your concern with image loading. Graphics are loaded the first time that the client attempts to draw them. Subsequently, the graphics are in memory and do not need to be loaded. We could implement a system to stall drawing an image until all graphics are loaded, but this would require a new system and significant testing to handle potential failed cases. I'd recommend adding to the feature request list, so that it doesn't get lost.

[rocketvaultgames]

I understand your concern with image loading. Graphics are loaded the first time that the client attempts to draw them. Subsequently, the graphics are in memory and do not need to be loaded. We could implement a system to stall drawing an image until all graphics are loaded, but this would require a new system and significant testing to handle potential failed cases. I'd recommend adding to the feature request list, so that it doesn't get lost.

Added: https://www.fantasygrounds.com/featurerequests/featurerequests.php?

Search for: Avoid Map Spoilers For Players

[rocketvaultgames]

Thank you. I really appreciate all of the feedback from the SmiteWorks team.

Related to this:

It appears that all the map graphics load for a player before the global mask loads... so the player can see the masked portion of the map briefly. Can the mask load first instead? My players keep getting spoiled by things that should be hidden from them.

[pindercarl]

Related to this:

It appears that all the map graphics load for a player before the global mask loads... so the player can see the masked portion of the map briefly. Can the mask load first instead? My players keep getting spoiled by things that should be hidden from them.

Is this occurring when the image is first shared with the players? Or, any time the map is opened on the player client? (I want to identify where I'm looking for the issue.)

[rocketvaultgames]

Is this occurring when the image is first shared with the players? Or, any time the map is opened on the player client? (I want to identify where I'm looking for the issue.)

I just happened to notice it when testing something else from a second instance of FG on the GM's machine today. I double-clicked the CT portrait of the PC to open the map it was on and I could see the masked area on the player side for probably 0.3 seconds or so.

[pindercarl]

I just happened to notice it when testing something else from a second instance of FG on the GM's machine today. I double-clicked the CT portrait of the PC to open the map it was on and I could see the masked area on the player side for probably 0.3 seconds or so.

Thanks. I'll look into it.