Using FGII Offline

[Samalie]

Hi all,

I'm a GM of a 4e campaign, and I'm looking for something better than drawing/printing out maps/token tracking/etc all the time. We are a group that gets together to play...no online sessions.

Anyone out there have experience using FGII in an "Offline" environment? Any pitfalls to watch out for? Do I need 2 PC's - one as GM, one client, or can I run it all off of 1 PC with multi-monitors?

Thanks :)

Samalie

[Malovech]

Some people do do this, but you would either need two computers or run a client and server running on one system with a dual display setup. The mapping would work just fine, but you would lose the use of the combat tracker, unless, I guess you made all the PCs into NPCs.

[Foen]

I have seen posts in this, but I cannot find them ATM. I believe some folks swear by it as a GM tool and others use multiple monitors (or GM machine plus player laptop) so that players can move tokens around the map etc.

One guy even linked his up to a screen projector.

Not sure that helped you though.

Foen

[Illrigger]

FG works perfectly well in a single-user environment as a mapping/combat tracker. Some things you might want to be hidden from players will be exposed (monster stats, the map, etc), but it DOES work. (BTW, the first reply is wrong, you CAN make PCs on the DM client, and run the entire party from it.)

You don't NEED two PCs and two licenses, but I do recommend it for a more suitable environment because of the above issues. You can get away with using two monitors and one license as well (running the program twice on the same PC), but you'll end up moving all the counters yourself, which is a bit of a pain.

[Malovech]

FG works perfectly well in a single-user environment as a mapping/combat tracker. Some things you might want to be hidden from players will be exposed (monster stats, the map, etc), but it DOES work. (BTW, the first reply is wrong, you CAN make PCs on the DM client, and run the entire party from it.)

You don't NEED two PCs and two licenses, but I do recommend it for a more suitable environment because of the above issues. You can get away with using two monitors and one license as well (running the program twice on the same PC), but you'll end up moving all the counters yourself, which is a bit of a pain.

Whoa, what? You can run a PC as a DM, how?

[Griogre]

Start a second instance of FG. If you have a second monitor you can drag the second instance over to it. Can't say I recommend doing it that way in an online game though. I usually just have a player open the PC I'm going to run (usually because someone couldn't make it). That way I don't have to run another copy of FG and I can get the PC on the combat tracker and everyone can see his portrait on the map.

[Bidmaron]

Griogre, why can't they see the portrait if you run a second instance? Doesn't the second instance work like a regular client?

[Griogre]

You caught me in a typo I fixed. A big reason for opening a PC by running a second instance or having another player open the character is because the linked token to the character can't be seen by other players on the map unless that character is opened.

[Jingo]

I've done face to face using FG around my kitchen table with my kids, using one computer and two monitors. It works well, but requires a little more work on GMs part. On the primary monitor I ran the full version, on the secondary monitor (facing the players) I ran the client. In the client I then loaded up all the characters in the party so I could access them as a GM from my screen. Then I simply shared maps with them, dropped their chars on maps from combat trackers and then they would just tell me where to put their char and who they attacked when in an encounter etc.

I like it because I can fold up my laptop to put the game away when we eat and I don't have to mess with folding up and putting away battlemaps, markers, pencils, maps, miniatures etc.

[Oberoten]

I've done face to face using FG around my kitchen table with my kids, using one computer and two monitors. It works well, but requires a little more work on GMs part. On the primary monitor I ran the full version, on the secondary monitor (facing the players) I ran the client. In the client I then loaded up all the characters in the party so I could access them as a GM from my screen. Then I simply shared maps with them, dropped their chars on maps from combat trackers and then they would just tell me where to put their char and who they attacked when in an encounter etc.

I like it because I can fold up my laptop to put the game away when we eat and I don't have to mess with folding up and putting away battlemaps, markers, pencils, maps, miniatures etc.


Damn. :) I wish my Pa had been as cool as that about my hobby when I was a kid. ... lets just say SOME people bought into the whole "Roleplayers are devil-worshippers" train of thought.

Take a proud moment for you are sharing a hobby with your kids that will keep them happy and in developing their minds as well as creating many good together moments. And if that isn't being a good dad...

... you know? I think I get a bit soppy when the dentist has given me enough anastetics for a small horse?