Which modules?

[similarly]

tldr: is there an easy way to know which modules I need? Also, if I load a module in-game, can my players use it right away, or would they have to restart FGU?

I know this is an experience issue, and with more experience I'll figure it out, but was wondering if someone might have general advice.

I have a LOT of modules, and right now it takes FGU about 3 minutes to load them. I've seen advice here in the forums not to load all the modules, but I'm not 100% sure which ones I need and which ones I don't.

I know I can turn off adventures I'm not using (except some might have maps that could be useful if I suddenly need a map for an unexpected encounter).

I imagine some resources could be turned off that I'd only need for character creation (PHB? DMG? Sword Coast Adventurer's Guide?) For example, with everything loaded, under the "races" tab, I have about 10 entries just for "dwarf", but if I turn off some resources, until I only have one dwarf, won't that turn off other race options? Once character creation is over, can I unload those modules without any ill effects, or does FGU need those modules loaded to figure things?

Any Advice?

Also, FGU is not responding right now, and task manager is showing 10,500+ mb of memory? That seems like a LOT of memory for something like FGU considering that my entire smiteworks programs files only amounts to 287mb and my appdata/roaming file is only about 2 gigs. So why is FGU swinging 10 gigs of ram?

[LordEntrails]

Simple, if you are not actively using something, then you don't need it loaded.

There are two 'modes' that GMs work in, one is campaign development. That is when you are creating or modifying stuff. And in this mode you usually need more modules loaded; such as monster books, an adventure or two, and maybe the PHB for creating PCs and using the items for parcels. You probably also want the DMG for reference to NPC and encounter creation and magic items.

When you are running an adventure you are in another 'mode'. In this case all you need loaded is the adventure and possible your development module (where you copied everything from all those other resources during 'development mode'. You do not need additional modules open like adventures, monster books, PHB, DMG, etc. In the off chance that during play you need something from one of them, they take maybe 30 seconds to load, and it's much wiser to load and unload them as needed then to have them loaded just in case. Don't load adventures just to have the maps available in case you need them, load them if you need them, or as I do, have a folder full of maps you have gotten off the forums and intent and then when you need an extra map load/copy from there as needed (and imo don't load them all into your assets, that's asking for trouble if you have thousands of maps like me).

As for players having access, assuming you are meaning player modules, they will be able to begin downloading them from the beginning or when the GM marks them for player use. Players don't, and shouldn't be given access to, DM modules like monster manuals, the adventure, etc. They only need the PHB, Xanathar's, etc. And if you use the Adventure League rule of PHB +1, then they only need the PHB plus one other book loaded (plus maybe things like effects modules).

As for RAM usage, folder size has little to do with it because all of the "stuff" in your FG Data folder is compressed to save disk space. When you open that in RAM it can be more than 10 times as large. Especially images, they are all about compression.

[similarly]

EDIT: sorry, I was writing this when you answered. We can safely ignore this. I understand now. Thank you.

Question: If I have the PHB and DMG and Monster's manual, should I unload the "5E SRD Bestiary", "5E SRD Data" and "5E SRD Magic Items"?

Here's my list of modules: Can I safely unload a bunch of these and just load as needed?
5e srd bestiary
5e srd data
5e srd magic items
"An Elf and an Orc Had a Little Baby" (a resource on multiracial characters)
Book of Heroic Races
Book of Lost Spells (If I unload it, can players still use those spells okay in-game?)
Broderick's Compendium: Plants and Fungi Across the Realm
Calendars
Calpurnia's 101 Lesser Magical Items
Cobblestone City (maps)
Content Generator 2020 5e
D&D 5e FAQs
D&D 5e Unearthed Arcana (players, dm)
D&D Basic Rules (players, dm)
D&D Dungeon Master's Guide (players, maps)
D&D Eberron Rising from the Last War (dm, players, relics)
D&D Elemental Evil - Player's Companion
D&D Explorer's Guide to Wildemount (dm, players, adventures)
D&D Guildmaster's Guide to Ravnica (dm, krenko's way, players)
D&D Monster Manual
D&D Mordenkainen's Tome of Toes (dm, players)
D&D Mythic Odysseys of Theros (dm, players, adventure, maps)
D&D Player's Handbook
D&D Sword Coast Adventurer's Guide (dm, maps, players)
D&D Volo's Guide to Monsters (dm, maps, players)
D&D Xanathat's Guide to Everything (dm, players)
Default Fumble and Critical Hits Tables
Dungeons & Dragons & Drugs & Alcohol
Fantastic Tomes & Librams
FG Battle Maps
Food and Drink
Lost Artifacts of Greyghast
Midgard Heroes
New Weapons 5e homebrew
NPC Quirks
Ravnica Maps
Remarkable Inns and their Drinks
Remarkable Shops & Their Wares
Southland Heroes
SRD Items Store
Tome of Beasts
Ultimate Bestiary: Revenge of the Horde (5e)
UM Trinkets
Underworld Races and Classes (players and dm guide)
Unlikely heroes
Waterdeep city encounters
Zacchaeus' dragon heist map pack

(there are also a bunch of adventures, and soon will be a couple more resources)

[similarly]

Simple, if you are not actively using something, then you don't need it loaded.

There are two 'modes' that GMs work in, one is campaign development. That is when you are creating or modifying stuff. And in this mode you usually need more modules loaded; such as monster books, an adventure or two, and maybe the PHB for creating PCs and using the items for parcels. You probably also want the DMG for reference to NPC and encounter creation and magic items.

When you are running an adventure you are in another 'mode'. In this case all you need loaded is the adventure and possible your development module (where you copied everything from all those other resources during 'development mode'. You do not need additional modules open like adventures, monster books, PHB, DMG, etc. In the off chance that during play you need something from one of them, they take maybe 30 seconds to load, and it's much wiser to load and unload them as needed then to have them loaded just in case. Don't load adventures just to have the maps available in case you need them, load them if you need them, or as I do, have a folder full of maps you have gotten off the forums and intent and then when you need an extra map load/copy from there as needed (and imo don't load them all into your assets, that's asking for trouble if you have thousands of maps like me).

As for players having access, assuming you are meaning player modules, they will be able to begin downloading them from the beginning or when the GM marks them for player use. Players don't, and shouldn't be given access to, DM modules like monster manuals, the adventure, etc. They only need the PHB, Xanathar's, etc. And if you use the Adventure League rule of PHB +1, then they only need the PHB plus one other book loaded (plus maybe things like effects modules).

As for RAM usage, folder size has little to do with it because all of the "stuff" in your FG Data folder is compressed to save disk space. When you open that in RAM it can be more than 10 times as large. Especially images, they are all about compression.

Thank you. That makes complete sense. So I can just unload what I'm not using. That's much better.

[Granamere]

Also if you have something used from a book AKA MOD and you click to use it and the MOD is not opened it will prompt you to load it. Try it out load up an encounter that has the creature you copied to it from Monster Manual. Now unload Monster Manual then go an try and open the creature info. It should prompt you to load Monster Manual.

Also I would unload
5e srd bestiary
5e srd data
5e srd magic items

Since you already have DMs Guide and Player Guide loaded.