SmiteWorks is growing! We have acquired Tabletop Connect.

[Phoxounet]

Thank you for your message, Ddavison. I gained some sheet creation experience, trying to adapt an uncommun ruleset for TTC. Several months ago, I tried to do this in CoreRPG but i had to get my hands dirty and to edit xml files but i was not capable enough at it. I tried again today, just with the interface and the CoreRPG ruleset but it is far from the result I want (Carl already saw what kind of sheets I want to be able to create...). I have some ideas and I already suggested them to him. I would be happy to see FGU development and improvements and to help during the beta tests.

So far, I am just wandering about the transition beetwen TTC and FG, from a monetary point of view. Since I could still make a slight adaptation of our rpg ruleset in FG2, we could use it before the FGU release. So far, I am afraid that what we paid for TTC (GM+3 players licenses) could not be enough, regarding FG2 pricing. I guess that you will deliver us the best possible transition solution and I'm confident about this.

Moreover, the FG community seems to be a really nice one. I think it could be a good thing to be part of it.

Regards.

[ddavison]

Indeed. Our community will be better off for having you and the many other TTC folks come over.

We hope to have the transition stuff worked out in the next two weeks.

[Tailz Silver Paws]

Looks like I'll have to start making 3D map tiles and tokens soon. Nice to see Smiteworks moving in this direction.

I wonder if you could do "snap together" map sections in a kind of map builder for players? That folks like me make the map sections / map tiles for?

[Phoxounet]

Please continue to share your thoughts on what you'd like to see in the final interface, though. That helps us shape what the final product will look like.

Well... I can have a billion ideas a day... so your risk

Anyway, since TTC was acquired by SW, I have made soome tests in the current software version. I have several suggestions, regarding the interface and the editing mode. What is following assumes that most of TTC features for sheet edition will be integrated.

• Arrays !!!! So far i can say, all rpg come with arrays (weapons, armors, etc.). In the current version of FG, there are tables. Roll tables... For new rulesets, what can really be long is to create items, spells, etc. Arrays could be a wonderfull feature for that.
• Item Collections : a weapon collection could be an Item Collection, armors could be another one, for example. Defining a collection could come with creating a template (arrays !!!) so that each time you create an item for that collection, each piece of information is easy to edit and to read.
• Spells/Powers/Skills libraries powerfull edition mode : like Item Collections. For example, having a formating or naming convention (like [Fireball.spell]) could be a link to open the designed librairy (spells) and search for the Fireball spells. In this way, you can easily create the whole librairies of your favorite RPG and then easily link the content when clicking on a spell in your sheet.
• Gen/Roll macros (love them so much in TTC !!! ). And options for roll macros (explode, keep the lower, etc.) so that each roll macro can be precisely definited.
• Drag'n'Drop rolls results to eventually modify another roll macros.
• Tag mechanic for fields. Like the ability to identify what's the attack or the initiative roll. Let me explain. The initiative roll should be the easiest way for that. Imagine Initiative rolls are designed and identified in PC sheets. Having a tag mechanic on Initiative roll could automatically fill the Combat tracker. In fact, exactly as it is currently working in some rulesets. But having an editing option for that in the GUI (for ruleset and sheets edition) could be powerfull, yet easy to use. Well... excatly like in TTC.
• The possibility to translate menus and tabs... a good part of the french community really loves FG as it is. What is coming in FGU will help this community to grow. So far, all these items can be edited (XML). It could be a good thing to be able to manually change every single tab and menu in the interface, so that non english/us speaking players could easily adapt FGU interface for their mother language : more players, more people in the community, even for non xml editing capable people. (I am french and i do have a fellow player that can't speak/read english ).

I am pretty sure that most of these features can actually be done in the current version but should be user friendly in the Unity version (well, I really don't like XML edition ).

Moreover, I am pretty sure that FG could be easily be adapted for some board games : Talisman, Runebound, and more... Just an idea. For these games, no GM but adventure cards. If cards can be linked to tokens, stuff and npc, then it could be really easy to adapt these board games.

Regards.

[ddavison]

Well... I can have a billion ideas a day... so your risk

Thanks Phoxounet, there are some great ideas there.

[Ken L]

I wonder if they'll have better drawing tools. I think the biggest hole is simple map drawing either by image tile or map with drawing tools. System specifics FG has in spades.

[Lavahawk]

Not really happy about this. I backed the GM edition of 3d table top connect, and a flat FG is what I'm going to be stuck with? All I see is countless add-ons for sale. I don't want to have to pony up even more money to get something that I was already supposed to have. I would rather have gotten a refund. thanks a bunch.

[ddavison]

Hello Lavahawk,

If you follow the announcement on the TabletopConnect page, you will see that refunds are available for anyone who would like them. We are excited for the future of the merger between Fantasy Grounds' best features and TabletopConnect's best features. What you see as a negative (lots of add-ons available) is something we consider to be a very strong, positive component of FG. The ability for us to actively and officially support RPG publishers means that you can get officially supported content from the publisher preloaded and ready to run. The ready-to-run adventures and content for FG receive great reviews and it becomes much easier to run content online or even at the table when you have a whole suite of tools and features built around providing that content in the best way possible for digital play.

We are also excited about the future of 3D as an optional way to play. Most RPG companies still produce all their maps and art in 2D, but we see a good opportunity to allow DM's shift from 2D to 3D or back and forth as needed to better run their campaigns.

[Shandorf]

I think it would be cool to see our characters in 3d like avatars are created in MMO's. To be able to spin them 360 degrees to see them at all angles. Also, an inventory tree to see what your character is equipped with. Maybe after you equip your character with items that you drag and drop, the record sheets will adjust accordingly. Just a few ideas since you're venturing in to 3d. Keep up the good work! You guys are becoming the premier virtual tabletop.

[jshauber]

I think it would be cool to see our characters in 3d like avatars are created in MMO's. To be able to spin them 360 degrees to see them at all angles. Also, an inventory tree to see what your character is equipped with. Maybe after you equip your character with items that you drag and drop, the record sheets will adjust accordingly. Just a few ideas since you're venturing in to 3d. Keep up the good work! You guys are becoming the premier virtual tabletop.

Hi Niles,

TTC had the functionality you mention above. The PCs were 3d minis that you could rotate to view from any angle. There was limited capabilities for equipping them. If you had a wizard, for example, you couple have him holding a staff, orb, wand, etc and also change cloak colors. Fighter types could have shield, sword, axe, etc. I am sure this will be something that will be further explored as the new version of FG/TTC comes on online and goes into use.

For Lavahawk, You will still get a 3d gaming environment, you will just have a whole load of DLC that is officially licensed. If you still want to input everything yourself you can, but the DLC makes life much easier as a GM to just get a game up and running. I am/was an Exec Producer level backer of TTC and also a huge FG user while I have been waiting for Carl to get TTC going. One of the things I used to bug Carl about was getting licensing for content so GMs didn't have to enter it all themselves, also the reason I use FG instead of all the other VTTs that are available.

I see the merger as a great thing for both programs. Don't give up on it yet. Maybe jump in a couple of FG games to see how the interface and content work so much better than anything else out there. You might want to go ahead and stick with FG for now and see what happens now that Carl if part of the team and the two programs are brought together.