Effects and visibility

**Zacchaeus** · December 26th, 2014, 18:46

I was trying to add an effect which would give a player a disease; however I didn't want the player to know that he actually had this disease. I remember watching a video about effects and the author was saying that effects could be hidden from the player and indeed they can. BUT, only if I go into the Combat Tracker and set the little blue button from 'VSBL' to 'GM'. When I apply an effect it is apparent to the player immediately as well as putting a string into chat describing that an effect has been applied and who applied it. So I looked in the options and I found the 'Show Effects' option. However this appears to do nothing at all; i.e. effects are visible always, whether this is on or off. Additionally there is a little eye button on the effects panel next to each effect. Again whether this is on or off when the effect is applied doesn't seem to make any difference.

So the question is; can an effect be applied to a PC (or anything else I suppose) which is invisible from the outset? It looks to me that this should be the case and indeed I'm pretty sure in one of the videos I watched the author was saying just that. Is it the case that this isn't working as expected.

(Might this also be related to the IF and IFT effects not working as well?)

**damned** · December 26th, 2014, 23:21

I just tried adding it every possible way I could think of and it always displayed in chat window when applied from effects.

i could manually create a new one that was visible only to GM directly on the CT.

**Zacchaeus** · December 27th, 2014, 12:52

Originally Posted by damned

I just tried adding it every possible way I could think of and it always displayed in chat window when applied from effects.

i could manually create a new one that was visible only to GM directly on the CT.

Ah, damned I believe that you have hit upon the solution; the only damned (see what I did there?) thing I didn't try

And thinking about it this is the way I'd want to go anyway. However I still think that the developers meant for effects to be drag/dropped without being visible (which would be handy). So, do we think it's a bug, that we can't do that, and that it shows up in chat?

**damned** · December 27th, 2014, 14:02

its not a bug - C&C works the same way... it is worthy of requesting as a change though...

**Zacchaeus** · December 27th, 2014, 14:13

Originally Posted by damned

its not a bug - C&C works the same way... it is worthy of requesting as a change though...

Done!

**Zetesofos** · July 3rd, 2015, 17:12

Found this thread by search, and update on this request?

**Zacchaeus** · July 3rd, 2015, 17:45

Well, looking at the list my suggestion got 2 votes so far, so I'm not hugely hopeful

**Griogre** · July 3rd, 2015, 19:25

...
So the question is; can an effect be applied to a PC (or anything else I suppose) which is invisible from the outset? It looks to me that this should be the case and indeed I'm pretty sure in one of the videos I watched the author was saying just that. Is it the case that this isn't working as expected.

Hmm this post is old and I missed the original one. Yes, you should already be able to do what you want. This is where you use the seldom used Campaign Effects window. In the top right of the FG desktop is a button with the "Effects" tooltip. Click it to open the campaign effects pop up. At the bottom right click the / to open the + and to add an effect (or right click the custom list and select: Add). Add a custom effect but leave it blank, then at the very end of the effect line is an "Eye" icon. Click the icon so it changes from "visible" to "invisible." Add the rest of the effect. Player's can't see "invisible" effects on the custom list or when you drop them. By making the effect invisible first before filling out the details if you had players connected, even if they had the window open they couldn't see the actual effect.

**Zacchaeus** · July 3rd, 2015, 22:36

Griogre, you got me excited there for a moment, you naughty person!

I'm afraid this doesn't work - at least not in 5e. Following your instruction I created a "diseased" effect, but as soon as it's dragged onto the player it pops up on the Combat Tracker and also tells them in the chat window exactly what has happened just in case they missed it on the CT.

You are correct about one thing though. If the effect is hidden on the DM's effect window, the players don't see it on the list of effects.

**Griogre** · July 4th, 2015, 01:41

Damn, I thought I checked, but today was hectic. Sorry.

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