Reverse-Pit and Terrain Height Boxes

[Braincain007]

Hello all. I have been getting back into fantasy grounds recently and was surprised to see all the things that have been added in the last ~6 years. Two things I have noticed are the token and camera view modes. That brings me to two feature requests that I would like to suggest:

1. Reverse Pit. Right now in the LoS settings, there is a pit option that, when entered, cuts off the token from being able to see anything outside of it. This is great and adds alot. What is missing is the reverse, like a Hill of sorts. The ability to have an area where a token inside can see out, but tokens out can't see the token inside. This way if you had something like a pyramid, this would reveal more of the map as you go up.

Now, you may retort that we already have this in terms of the Terrain LoS settings, but the problem is that while a mini in terrain can see outside of it, there is no way to indicate height, so any other terrain used blocks vision. Take for example, this pyramid structure in one of the premade maps from FG Battle Maps. It uses the terrain to create the stair effect, but a creature on the middle step cants see past the step immediately below it. this is because there is no way to represent height. It also means if the mini is sat in that little cut out to the left, that the view gets really weird since it can see into the walls on the sides of the terrain boxes, but not through them all. Now you don't necessarily need height to have a reverse pit, and I do think it would be a great tool in the tool box. However, I will still argue for bringing in height anyway.

pyramid los.png
pyramid middle step.png
pyramid weird lighting.png


2. Height. For the reasons mentioned above, it would be great to be able to set the height of certain pieces of terrain and walls. However, it would also be amazing because of the camera and token views that have been introduced. You could make pseudo-3d representations of the map by making off sections to be a certain height. To handle the "walls" of the elevated sections of the map, you could have a toggle for either black (what it does now), transparent (so you can have floating platforms), or use the pixels underneath the drawn lines to have it sorta represent what the walls might be like. You could also be able to set the height of individual layers to create truly 3d maps for wizard towers or the like.

I am sure I don't have to mention that the Draw Steel Codex brought in the ability to do height and has a whole system for setting terrain height to achieve parallax effects, and I don't think you need to go that hardcore with it. It could provide some inspiration in how to do it however. This mainly stems from me seeing how you are able to have these cool token and camera views, but other than making minis fly there isn't any real way to take advantage of the height.

[pindercarl]

Hello all. I have been getting back into fantasy grounds recently and was surprised to see all the things that have been added in the last ~6 years. Two things I have noticed are the token and camera view modes. That brings me to two feature requests that I would like to suggest:

1. Reverse Pit. Right now in the LoS settings, there is a pit option that, when entered, cuts off the token from being able to see anything outside of it. This is great and adds alot. What is missing is the reverse, like a Hill of sorts. The ability to have an area where a token inside can see out, but tokens out can't see the token inside. This way if you had something like a pyramid, this would reveal more of the map as you go up.

Now, you may retort that we already have this in terms of the Terrain LoS settings, but the problem is that while a mini in terrain can see outside of it, there is no way to indicate height, so any other terrain used blocks vision. Take for example, this pyramid structure in one of the premade maps from FG Battle Maps. It uses the terrain to create the stair effect, but a creature on the middle step cants see past the step immediately below it. this is because there is no way to represent height. It also means if the mini is sat in that little cut out to the left, that the view gets really weird since it can see into the walls on the sides of the terrain boxes, but not through them all. Now you don't necessarily need height to have a reverse pit, and I do think it would be a great tool in the tool box. However, I will still argue for bringing in height anyway.

pyramid los.png
pyramid middle step.png
pyramid weird lighting.png


2. Height. For the reasons mentioned above, it would be great to be able to set the height of certain pieces of terrain and walls. However, it would also be amazing because of the camera and token views that have been introduced. You could make pseudo-3d representations of the map by making off sections to be a certain height. To handle the "walls" of the elevated sections of the map, you could have a toggle for either black (what it does now), transparent (so you can have floating platforms), or use the pixels underneath the drawn lines to have it sorta represent what the walls might be like. You could also be able to set the height of individual layers to create truly 3d maps for wizard towers or the like.

I am sure I don't have to mention that the Draw Steel Codex brought in the ability to do height and has a whole system for setting terrain height to achieve parallax effects, and I don't think you need to go that hardcore with it. It could provide some inspiration in how to do it however. This mainly stems from me seeing how you are able to have these cool token and camera views, but other than making minis fly there isn't any real way to take advantage of the height.

Thanks for the notes. The line-of-sight system in the middle of a re-write and we are already considering some of the ideas you've mentioned.

[Braincain007]

Okay, good to hear! happy to see everything, good luck!