Putting Tokens in Campaign : Module Tokens?

[Tosayuf]

Hello,

I hope this is the right place to ask this.

I am creating my first campaign, and by that I mean a one sentence story--single encounter--one map to have one quick session to introduce friends to fantasy grounds and get my hands a little dirty on the creative side.

I have a "Story" that links/opens up to a page where I have written my basic sentence and linked the encounter (after creating NPCs) and map. I am now exporting it so I can test it out.

Simple.

During the export I need to be sure to drag the tokens down into the dialogue box so they are saved in the "campaign." When I try, I get an error that says, "only non-module tokens can be saved."

I have read the link https://www.fantasygrounds.com/wiki/index.php/Tokens describing tokens, and I get that module tokens are: "Tokens loaded from a token module. Token modules can be activated via the Modules button in the Token Box window. All tokens loaded from a module will be placed in a token bag with the module's name. Module tokens are only displayed in the GM token box."

But I am using, what I thought was, generic "monster tokens" by Ray Gaustadnes. I didn't think that was a module.

Does someone know a way I can move the tokens to the right place so I can save them with my campaign? Can I just copy and past them in a particular folder? I am not sure why you buy/get tokens if you can't make custom games with them.... Any help would be appreciated.

[damned]

Hi Tosayuf these tokens are in modules - you activated them earlier. You dont need to drag the tokens in - so long as you activate those modules before you load up the map and combat tracker I think you will be ok.

[Tosayuf]

My first question is if I keep my current status quo, does that man when players connect my unshared token module will have to load to their system? I am trying to see best practice to keep their download footprint as small as possible.

Even if they don't need to download it, my intention is to have this a self contained adventure where I don't need additional modules loaded (outside for rule sets). Part of me doing this is learning best-practices for when I go bigger.

Is there a token folder I can put individual tokens in that will be saved with the module? I am still a little confused on the process. In this video at mark 8:25 (https://youtu.be/1yFW3_izigE?t=502), the youtuber is clearly using a module to load tokens--he even says that is what he is doing.

At mark 24:58 (https://youtu.be/1yFW3_izigE?t=1498) it shows him saving only the tokens he needs when he is exporting the custom module. That is where I am stuck. It won't let me drag tokens to my saved campaign. I am being told it is ok because I have the module loaded, but I want to understand why it works for him and not me. I am less concerned about making this one campaign work, honestly it is just one encounter to test the program, and am more concerned with best practices for creating campaigns.

Thank you for your reply! This is a great community, which is something I learned by playing in my first FG CON recently.

EDIT: I am putting this link into the Adventure Module Creation Best Practices (https://www.fantasygrounds.com/forum...Best-Practices) thread. If a moderator thinks that is a more appropriate home, feel free to move it.

[LordEntrails]

@Tosayuf, tokens are one of my weakest areas. I don't have any token modules so I can't actually try these ideas, but here are my thoughts.

If the token module is not encrypted, then you should be able to open it up outside of FG and then copy the tokens into the tokens/campaign folder. When you use them from that location, then can you drag them into the export?

As for the download, my understanding is that only those tokens in the shared folder get automatically downloaded to the clients/players on connection. Other takens get downloaded "on-demand" such as when you add them to a shared map. But, I've never tested how this works or heard from the devs on this.

I've also attached another document I've started, Token Best Practices, but be aware that this is an early draft that I haven't shared before, and therefore no one has reviewed it for accuracy. But, take a look and see if it help. Maybe you can help me finalize it for sharing?

[Trenloe]

Quick pieces of information:
1) if you ever intend to share your module (i.e. use for anything other than personal use) you should not be including tokens from other modules as the artwork will be more than likely be covered by copyright which doesn't allow you to distribute.
2) When you use a token from a module within your campaign a link to the token module is created. It doesn't copy the token to your campaign it just references the token in the token module.
3) When you create your own adventure module (using the export functionality) any tokens from token modules are referenced via a link to the token module. So you need the token module installed on the GMs computer. Note: for token modules, FG doesn't need the referenced token module to be activated by the GM within the campaign, the token will be accessed from even closed modules.

Therefore, if you use tokens from copyright protected modules you should just use the links as mentioned in item 2 (i.e. do not unpack the tokens from the token module) and make a note that you need the relevant token module installed on the GMs computer.

[Tosayuf]

Quick pieces of information:
1) if you ever intend to share your module (i.e. use for anything other than personal use) you should not be including tokens from other modules as the artwork will be more than likely be covered by copyright which doesn't allow you to distribute.
2) When you use a token from a module within your campaign a link to the token module is created. It doesn't copy the token to your campaign it just references the token in the token module.
3) When you create your own adventure module (using the export functionality) any tokens from token modules are referenced via a link to the token module. So you need the token module installed on the GMs computer. Note: for token modules, FG doesn't need the referenced token module to be activated by the GM within the campaign, the token will be accessed from even closed modules.

Thank you Trenloe. I think I got my head wrapped around this. If I make a custom campaign to share or sell, I need to make my own copyright free tokens and place them in the ".\Fantasy_Grounds_Data\tokens\host" folder. They will appear in my token bag, and I can drag them to the export dialogue box when I export/create the module.

If I am just running my own campaign and have the module with the tokens, then I can link it to the npc. After I export and create the campaign module, I don't need to drag any tokens to the dialogue box. I only need to own and have downloaded module with the tokens in it for them to show up on my npcs. I don't even need to open the token module.

I tested it. It seemed to work. Thank you. Assuming I am not misunderstanding something (correct me if I am), I have a related question.

It worked when I tested to make sure my tokens would still appear on my npcs. Even tho I didn't open my token module, the tokens were there! W00t!

But I encountered a maps problem: I didn't open my maps module, and my map link with the battleground stopped working. Once I opened the map module, it worked fine.

Is there a way to just save individual maps from purchased map modules for personal campaigns? I can't even link the generic Smiteworks battlegrounds unless I leave that module open. I am thinking of creating a larger personal campaign for my group, so I got all the major map packs. If I have to use maps from all three, and open all three, does that mean the players will have to download all three? I would love it if I could just download one map from the map pack into the ".\Fantasy_Grounds_Data\campaigns\campaignname\ima ges" folder.

Again, I am trying to leave as small and efficient footprint as possible in my personal campaign/modules. It seems maybe I shouldn't have got the map packs and just scoured the internet for individual maps or create my own custom maps, something I don't want to spend the time doing if I can help it.


EDIT: when I quoted Trenloe it removed my appreciation for LordEntrails for his document. It helped clarify token data locations. I hope this thread helps him further flesh it out.

[Zacchaeus]

No, you can't save maps from a purchased map module. Additionally if you put tokens you have created into a folder called 'tokens' in your campaign directory they will export with the module.

[Trenloe]

If I make a custom campaign to share or sell, I need to make my own copyright free tokens and place them in the ".\Fantasy_Grounds_Data\tokens\host" folder. They will appear in my token bag, and I can drag them to the export dialogue box when I export/create the module.

This is only if you want to make it 100% stand alone. You can still link to FG token modules - you just need to be clear that those token modules are needed to be installed.

They will appear in my token bag, and I can drag them to the export dialogue box when I export/create the module.

If you've used the token within the data you are exporting (added it to a NPC or encounter record) you don't need to drag it to the export window. FG will include the token file with the module automatically.

But I encountered a maps problem: I didn't open my maps module, and my map link with the battleground stopped working. Once I opened the map module, it worked fine.

Correct. Any module record (other than tokens) need to be open on the GM side. The player's don't need to have the adventure modules open (in fact, *do not* share adventure modules with players) the GM shares individual records as and when needed.

Is there a way to just save individual maps from purchased map modules for personal campaigns?

Take a screenshot and save that as a file. But, I'd recommend you use the maps directly from the module - see my next comment below.

Again, I am trying to leave as small and efficient footprint as possible in my personal campaign/modules. It seems maybe I shouldn't have got the map packs and just scoured the internet for individual maps or create my own custom maps, something I don't want to spend the time doing if I can help it.

If you want to leave as small a footprint as possible then re-use maps etc. from modules - don't extract them and put them in your campaign. Building up lots of records in your base campaign will result in campaign bloat and it will slowly use more and more memory and you may even see it slow down. The recommendation is to use as much data from modules as possible - keep your base campaign lean with PC records and a few other pieces of data.

[damned]

The maps are in a module and in a module they will remain.
You might setup a story entry identifying which map modules the adventure requires to have open.
You might look at https://pyromancers.com/dungeon-painter-online/ for quick and dirty maps if you want to make your own.

[Tosayuf]

Thank you everyone for your knowledge, time, docs, links, et cetera. I feel like I understand it a lot better now and can continue on my creative process.

When you start something like this you usually don't know what you don't know, so you can't ask the right questions. Hats off to everyone.

Trenloe, thank you for clarifying that using the modules actually reduces your footprint (among all you other great insights). I didn't even think of that.