Thinking of buying FG, is this possible?

[alexander]

Anyone recommend any map-making program that shows a dungeon like in published adventures of WotC? Not battle maps where minis slug it out, but area maps, like of the whole town or dungeon level.

[kepli]

Yep, Dundjinni ... just follow the link in my signature and have a look around

[Yenooc]

I second the motion on Dundjinni!

It's simple to use, and the items available from user downloads is tremendous.

[Sigurd]

1. Is it possible to see a list of servers and perhaps view games-in-progress (like Yahoo! Games where you can host, join, or view games) or is this strictly a GM-Players thing?

The style of FG is very different from Yahoo! Games - more private.

Right now, a game is amazingly like a private gaming session you'd have at your house, at a gaming table. The DM invites the players. The players get an address (an internet address) everyone shows up at the same time and games.

There is no impersonal list of ongoing game servers. You don't surf through servers unanounced.

Each game is very much under the control of the DM. Sometimes finding a game across the internet is a bit of a challenge but once you settle down inside of a group it's as regular as the group dynamics - without any influence or fees to the program creators.

There is a little hand holding, so that instead of remembering an IP number you can type a server selected allias. You can use 4 four letter words eg "able ogre dead keep" instead of 123.214.123.153. The program remembers the last setting so if you dont have more than one group you simlply press the icon at the appropriate time and go. If the DM's machine is not live on the internet the clients wont start.

Its not like Never Winter Nights with its central list of servers and automated games. Politeness and working with a group are vital in this game because you are relying on their efforts, esp the DM.

I like it very much for all the reasons above. I hope you will too.

Sigurd.

[ShaneB]

We restrict our games even furthur by using a private network which is password protected on Hamachi.

[alexander]

Hmmm... Hamachi. Haven't heard that word in a while.

Thanks for speaking up for this program, it's looking better and better. Still bummed that it can't do maps and have to get yet ANOTHER program for that, but anyway...

Is there any place to post announcements for DM/Players wanted?

[richvalle]

There are some free map programs. You can probably make maps with Gimp though I've not tried.

I remember seeing some posts about free map making programs in the past.

You can use the Guild section here to look for games/players.

rv

[Griogre]

Thanks for speaking up for this program, it's looking better and better. Still bummed that it can't do maps and have to get yet ANOTHER program for that, but anyway...

Fantasy Grounds is a virtual tabletop software. This means it potentially has all the things that sit on you table when you are playing.

Their are plently of map making tools around and tons of free maps - WoTC's site has hundreds alone. You can also scan in maps if you have hand drawn ones. I do this alot for small maps when I am in a hurry. I can sketch, scan and put a map in FG in a few minutes.

[NimbyDagda]

Because I come from a MUD background I use zMapper for mapping, which is really good once you get used to it. You can get it from https://forums.zuggsoft.com/phpbb/viewtopic.php?t=18512 there is free trial if you want to try it out.