Monster Manual & Tokens

[ShadeRaven]

I am putting the cart before the horse, I am sure, considering some issues with tokens I have run into, but early indications in testing the next update and confidence in the developers here has me forward thinking.

So with that said, I am hoping to get some feedback from the other DMs/GMs out there, especially those who like to modulate all of their ruleset components (like myself).

Because I was having some troubles with tokens for a while, I stripped them out of the monster manual module I created to store creature. This module has grown up quite a bit over time and was up to 800 kbs. Nothing noteworthy, but still full of hundreds of creatures.

However, when I decided to give the new pre-release patch a test, I wanted to give tokens a good run at it to push the system again. While I have been pleased with the results, one significant aspect in the module creation process became apparent - a monster manual full of tokens is going to be humongous. I added just 232 tokens to start (a far cry from having all of the creatures "tokened") and the MM Mod grew from 800 to 3,525kb already! I can only imagine how large it would be if I populated the entire module with appropriate images. Heck, I've barely scratched any of the bigger creatures as is.

So the question I offer up is... how have other developers/designers dealt with token parsing? Do you not create a master Monster Manual? Have you broken it up into small pieces (by level? alphabetically?)? Do you just keep monster tokens separate and only add them individually later on for when you need them?

Would love to hear what's working and what to avoid from those who have dealt with monstrous modules.

[Zeus]

I wouldn't worry too much. I use fully stocked modules with tokens with no problems.

My MM is about 12.5MB is size whilst my MM2 is 19.5MB in size. The reason why MM2 is so large is because it contains all MM monsters as well, this so that encounter groups referenced in MM2 monster fluff, which also contain references to MM monsters, work 100% with no missing links. MM monsters in my MM2 don't appear in the Library under the NPC lists though as I suppress them.

All my tokens are 50x50px pog/counter types.

Aside from an issue I experienced last year with my MM2 crashing FGII when the module was left opened for a sustained period, everything has worked fine. I believe in my instance I had some rogue characters in my MM2 module's XML which FGII didn't like, since clearing the MM2 file I havn't had any repeat issues.

[ShadeRaven]

Good to know, DrZ! I was worried I might strain FG2 with that big of a file.

I am using 64x64 tokens, but I am debating on converting them to JPEG to save just a little more memory. My MM is all the monsters from every source (MMs, Dragons, Dungeons, etc)., so it is quite large. That said, I have a long road ahead of me to start capturing and creating tokens for all of them again. :P

Still, if FG2 can handle it (and I don't mind a little longer of a load time, which I don't), then I am encouraged.