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Fantasy Grounds Manual (OCR'd, Bookmarked)[1]

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Page 1: Fantasy Grounds Manual (OCR'd, Bookmarked)[1]
Page 2: Fantasy Grounds Manual (OCR'd, Bookmarked)[1]

Introduction ................................................................................................................................................................................... 2 Welcome to Fantasy Grounds .......................................................................................................................................................... 2 Program Setup ................................................................................................................................................................................................... 3 www.fantasygrounds.com .................................................................................................................................................................... 3

Getting ready to play ............................................................................................................................................................ 4 Hosting Games.................................................................................................................... 4 Joining Games....................................................................................................................... 5

Creating Characters Locally .............................................................................................................................................................. 5 Player's guide ................................................................................................................................................................................ 7

The Desktop ....................................................................................................................................................................................................... 7 The Character Sheet ................................................................................................................................................................................... 7 Conversation and Chat Modes ........................................................................................................................................................ 8 Dice ........................................................................................................................................................................................................................... 10 Drag and Drop .............................................................................................................................................................................................. 10 The Radial Menu .......................................................................................................................................................................................... 11 Sheets and Drawings ................................................................................................................................................................................... 11 Sheet Bookmarks .......................................................................................................................................................................................... 12 Smooth Gameplay Walkthrough ................................................................................................................................................. 12

Gamemaster's guide ............................................................................................................................................................... 14 Gamemaster Controls .............................................................................................................................................................................. 14 Record Sheets .................................................................................................................................................................................................. 16 Advanced Sheet Options ..................................................................................................................................................................... 19 Running the Game ...................................................................................................................................................................................... 19 Where to go for more information? ......................................................................................................................................... 21

Foreword Fantasy Grounds is the result of about a year of development. The original motivation for the project was the seeming void in the field of online roleplaying software. Although budding with expectation, the community of role playing game enthusiasts has not discovered the medium to take their hobby to the internet in earnest.

Many of the existing means available for online roleplaying haven't often been designed with this purpose in mind. With Fantasy Grounds, we made making sure the user feels like playing the RPG our primary goal. The software has been

designed to emulate the gaming table in basic principles as well as the user interface. Special care has also been taken in making the basic functions as easily available to the beginner as possible; to make sure anyone can step in and concentrate on the fun and not the technicalities.

I believe we have managed to create a package that captures the essence of role playing games - storytelling and the world of the imagination. I hope you have a good time enjoying it with your friends.

Tero Parvinen Smite Works Ltd.

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INTRODUCTION

WELCOME TO FANTASY GROUNDS.

Fantasy Grounds is a virtual tabletop for pen & paper role-playing games that provides all the tools you need to play your favorite role-playing game online. This is not a game in itself. but rather a tool that enables you to play social role­playing games online that were originally meant to be played at home with your friends. Fantasy Grounds is compatible with d20 fantasy games out of the box. but it can also be modified to support several other pen & paper style role­playing games.

A game consists of a Gamemaster. a campaign the Gamemaster is running. and players acting as adventurers. The Gamemaster has control over what happens and when. and chooses his or he~ course of action based on the players decisions. The players' role is to decide. either by themselves or as a group. what to do and how. The campaign is a general setting in which game actions take place.

Usually the Gamemaster has prepared a campaign beforehand to be able to keep the game moving along at a steady pace. but a game can also be run without preparations. Players might want to see a map for instance. at which point Gamemaster can share a map for everyone to see. A well prepared Gamemaster has made a map beforehand. but he or she can also decide to make one on the fly.

Running a campaign and taking part in one. requires a common set of rules. or a ruleset. to go by. This is something the party and Gamemaster must decide. To be able to play d20 games with Fantasy Grounds. for instance. the players and the Gamemaster should have the appropriate rulebooks. Fantasy Grounds is open ended and does not enforce any specific ruleset so it is up to the Gamemaster to decide what is allowed and how the game is played.

To get a game started. the players and the Gamemaster should agree on when to play and the Gamemaster needs to tell the players his or her Internet Protocol Address

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INTRODUCTION

or Server Alias provided by Fantasy Grounds game hosting options (see Hosting Games, below).

PROGRAM SETUP

The minimum system requirements for running Fantasy Grounds are:

Windows XP or 2000 with DirectX 9.0 Pentium@ 3 500 MHz or equivalent RAM:256MB Video Memory: 32 MB Hard Drive Space: 30 MB Internet Connection

Insert the Fantasy Grounds CD or if you bought Fantasy Grounds electronically, run the downloaded installer package. Follow the on screen installation instructions and choose an appropriate

directory to install the software in. When you start the program for the first time, you are prompted for a license key. This license key is written inside the CD package or on the purchase confirmation e-mail if you bought Fantasy Grounds from an online distributor. Once you have entered a valid license key, you are taken to the main menu (see the next chapter).

WWW.FANTASYGROUNDS.COM

The Fantasy Grounds website is located at www.fantasygrounds.com. In addition to general information, the site has a message board with several forums, one of which is for Customer Support. In the downloads section, you can find software patches, token and portrait packs as well as new rulesets when available.

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@efii93 ready to play

This chapter explains how to get started with Fantasy Grounds. The first section is for the Gamemaster, who hosts the gaming server. The last two sections are meant for players, who either connect to a game or want to create characters locally.

HOSTING GAMES This feature is available with the full license version of Fantasy Grounds only.

With the gUidance of this section you, the Gamemaster, should be able to handle the somewhat technical issues encountered at the start of the first gaming session.

1. Open the Fantasy Grounds application.

2. Select the "Host a Game as a Gamemaster" option from the selection menu.

3. Write a "User name and a "Gamemaster name" in the boxes. The "User name" is a name you are known

in person by your players and the "Gamemaster" is the name used for game master chat messages and could be e.g. GM, Gamemaster, or some other identity. You can change the settings at the beginning of each session if you want to. Click "Continue".

4. In the host options you can load a previously built or downloaded campaign or create a new campaign. The campaign means the setting (being) created for the game, NPCs, maps, landscape images and miscellaneous notes on the world and its turning. You might want to look at a ready-made campaign first to see the kinds of material you can incorporate into campaigns using the tools in Fantasy Grounds. Let us now, however, create a new campaign; after the instructions you'll be told how to load a campaign, ready-made or your own.

a. Click the "Create new campaigns" button.

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b. Write down a name for your campaign. e.g. Judith·s Earth or Plains of Gallanor.

c. Select the d20 Rules (the GMs can create their own rulesets or modify existing rules to accompany house rules. but these advanced features are not covered in this manual).

d. The players can connect directly to your IP address. but it could be convenient to give them only your unique alias because with many Internet connections the computers· address changes frequently. When connecting to your game using an alias the {)layers first contact Fantasy Grounds servers that map the alias to your IP address. So. click on the Generate button to get your own server alias and check the check box active. You do not need to generate another alias in subsequent sessions - the one just generated is your own.

e. If you like. you can also assign a password to your game. but if you do. remember to give that also together with the unique alias to your players.

5. Click ·Starf

6. Refer to the Gamemaster's GUide for more instructions.

LOADING A CAMPAIGN

Omit steps a to c in phase 4 above. click "Load campaign" and select the name of the campaign. Campaigns you have created will appear in the drop-box under the "Load campaign" button.

Notel If you are behind a firewall or use other extensive network security. consult your ISP or firewall manual if you have problems.

JOINING GAMES

This section allows you. the player. to qUickly and easily connect to a game hosted by your Gamemaster.

1. Open the Fantasy Grounds application.

2. Select the "Join a Game as a Player·· option from the selection menu.

3. Write down a ··User name··. which is the name you are knovv:.n in person ?,y the other players. In the Host address field. enter the IP address OR the alias your Gamemaster has provided you with. You can change the settings at the beginning of each session if you want to. Click "Starf.

4. If your Gamemaster has protected the game with a password. you are presented with a passwor~ r~quest. Enter the password and click OK.

5. Wait until the gaming desktop and a character selection screen appear. Create a new character and enter a name for your character and double click on it. Alternatively. you can select an existing character (if any) by double clicking it.

6. Refer to the Player·s Guide for further instructions.

CREATING CHARACTERS LOCALLY

With these instructions you can start creating characters locally even if you are not hosting or connected to a game.

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1. Open the Fantasy Grounds application.

2. Select the ··Create and View Local Characters·· option from the selection menu.

3. Select the d20 ruleset from the list (in fresh installations the only choice) and click Start.

4. Wait until the gaming desktop appears.

5. There are two items in the right-hand side of the desktop, one includes d20 reference material and the other holds

buttons for character creation and selecting existing characters.

6. Create a new character and enter a name for your character and double click on it. Alternatively, you can select an existing character (if any) by double clicking it.

7. Refer to the Player·s Guide and the rulebook for your game for further instructions.

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PLA YER"S GUIDE

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This chapter is devoted to describing how to play roleplaying games (RPGs) with Fantasy Grounds. The Player's gUide is an information source for each user, the Gamemaster or the player. For the players, learning this chapter is sufficient, but the Gamemaster should also study the Gamemaster's gUide. The following sections describe the player-accessible features and properties of Fantasy Grounds. We hope you have a pleasant learning experience!

THE DESKTOP

After joining a game or starting the local mode (LM) of Fantasy Grounds, the gaming desktop opens. It contains the character portraits of active players in the top-left (LM feature), the chat window below the portraits, dice (LM feature), and hot-key slots in the bottom. On the right­hand side of the desktop are items for making notes, accessing reference material (LM feature) and a box containing tokens; the buttons in the top-right corner open customization options. Right-clicking an

empty part of the desktop opens up additional features. A feature in local mode only is the character selection item above the d20 reference material.

THE CHARACTER SHEET

OPENING / CLOSING

Your character's portrait can be found in the upper left corner of the window. Successive left-clicks of the portrait reveal and hide the character sheet. The character sheet first opens up showing the main tab; left-clicking the tabs on the right SWitches to different pages.

TYPING IN TEXT AND NUMBERS

Left-clicking fields in the character sheet evokes the text cursor. The fields requiring numerical values can be modified also using

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the middle mouse-button: either pressing the button while moving the mouse up and down or rolling the wheel change the attributes. The ability scores link to a number of modifiers: The ability­dependent modifiers in abilities, combat, saves, armor, and skills fields update automatically according to the conventions of the d20 fantasy game rules. Additional miscellaneous modifiers can be inserted by modifying the ability­based bonuses and they appear as ovals in the top-right corner of the particular modifier.

Note! Playing a d20 RPG with Fantasy Grounds requires the knowledge of the rules of the game. In order to create a character you should have the Player·s Handbook.

CONVERSATION AND CHAT MODES The chat window, on the left, is always visible. In-character chat, actions, emotes, and out-of-character messages can be entered using different commands. The next few paragraphs describe these and other available chat options.

CHAT MODES

Producing the different styles of chat is easy. After finishing a line of conversation on screen, the style can be

Table 1 Chat modes

selected by pressing Enter while holding down combinations of the Shift, Control, and Alt buttons. Hitting Enter without any additional modifier buttons produces in­character chat. An abbreviation of the selected chat mode shows on the right in the chat entry area and changes according to the state of the selection buttons. Table 1 summarizes the chat modes.

Usually it is not critical if you miss the appropriate chat mode, but in the long run, it is more fun to take advantage of them. They enable even better immersion than traditional pen & paper roleplaying and the chat window gets easy to read almost effortlessly.

Mode Key Mode description Example message Result

Chat In-character speech No way! It's mine! Ted: No way! It's mine!

Act Control Intended action I open the lock Ted: I open the lock

Emote Shift- Feelings and trivial scratches his scalp Ted scratches his scalp Control actions

OOC Ait Out-of-character [s it 4000 XP for Ivl3 Billy: [s it 4000 XP for Iv[ 3 speech

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Table 2 Using moods

Example Result Description

Imood (anxious beyond reason) I don't want any part in this!

Brian (anxious beyond reason): I don't want any part in this!

The mood (in parentheses) is applied only to the one comment This is wrong! Brian: This is wrong!

Imood (anxious beyond reason) I don't want any part in this!

This is wrong!

Brian (anxious beyond reason): I don't want any part in this!

The mood is applied until another mood or empty mood is selected

Imood

Brian (anxious beyond reason): This is wrong!

Imood anxious I don't want any part in this!

Brian (anxious): I don't want any part in this!

The single word following Imood is taken as the mood

This is wrong! Brian: This is wrong!

Imood anxious I don't want any part in this!

This is wrong!

Brian (anxious): I don't want any part in this! Brian (anxious): This is wrong!

Imood

ADDING A MOOD TO IN­CHARACTER CHAT

Adding a particular mood to the in­character speech (Chat) output is a nice way to enrich the dialogue.

Table 2 gives examples of the use of moods (Brian is the character's name).

A shorthand for Imood is 1m. Note also that the slash character (/) must be the first character in the message.

WHISPERING TO THE GAMEMASTER

Another "slash-command" at the players' disposal is Iwhisper (or Iw). The message written after Iwhisper goes to the Gamemaster only. As an example,

Iwhisper rn backstab Margie at the first opportunity.

VOTES

Players can arrange votes by using the slash command Ivote. For instance,

Ivote Shall we enter?

brings up a vote in the chat window with the question.

VOICE BUFFERS

In Fantasy Grounds each player can type in text into two voice buffers, toggled with the Tab-button. This can be convenient when typing a particularly long piece of dialogue and wanting to respond to an urgent situation, for example. Writing the response in one buffer and then continuing with the other can save time and nerves.

HOT-KEYS

Pieces of dialogue can be dragged to the hot-key slots (there are a total of 96 slots -each combination of Shift, Control and Alt buttons holds 12 slots, one for each function-key)' Simply drag and drop the text to a hot-key slot in the bottom of the desktop. Hit the corresponding key to produce an in-character chat message. If action, emote or out-of-character messages are required instead, the slash-commands, lact, lemote, and looc preceding the message

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yield the desired results. The hot-key radial menu evoked with the right mouse button (see below) provides an option for relabeling the hot-key. For instance, "Greetings! I am Brian the Fist, earl of T rollhaven. Who might you be?"', could be conveniently labeled as "greeting".

DICE

The desktop offers six different dice. Dice use described in this section covers rolling one or several dice, using modifiers and attaching messages to roll results.

ROLLING ONE DIE

To roll one die, grab the die with the mouse and drop it into the chat window. You need to put some swing in the throw or the die will not roll properly, just as with real dice. Releasing the mouse button anywhere but in the chat window does not count but is a "practice rolf" whose result will not show up in the chat.

ROLLING SEVERAL DICE AT ONCE

Several dice of the same type can be rolled at once. Each click of the right mouse button while dragging a die brings up an additional die. ReleaSing the left mouse-button tosses them all at once. Alternatively, the radial menu (right­mouse button) on a die lets you select the number of dice required.

ROLL MODIFIERS

Making a skill check, for example, might need a skill modifier. Numeric fields from the character sheet, chat hot-keys (regardless of their label) can be dragged and dropped to the modifier box below the chat window. Dragging them onto any die results in the same. Dragging several modifiers to the modifier box or dice prior to rolling puts them in the modifier stack and the number of lit

counters tells the number of different modifiers in the stack. The stack empties at any dice roll or it can be erased using the radial menu option.

Dragging modifiers from the character sheet also characterizes the action. For example, dragging the hide bonus (+3) from skills to the modifier stack and a subsequent roll of a d20 (14) gives a result, Hide 17. If a player drags a Long bow bonus (+5) and a Rapid shot modifier (-2) to the modifier stack and makes a d20 roll of tt, it results in: "Long bow +5, Rapid shot -2: 14."

IDlE

It is also possible to "throw" dice with the text interface. The dice thrown must be of the types available on the desktop. For example:

Idie 6d20+10 ExplOSion damage

may result in "Explosion damage 13 9 20 3 315 +10"',

DRAG AND DROP

Certain user interface elements, numbers and text fields, for instance, can be grabbed, dragged and dropped onto other parts of the desktop and various sheets. Stat modifiers on the character sheet, attack bonuses, skill check modifiers as well as dice results, tokens from the token box and text from the notebook are examples of dragable items. The mouse pointer changes into a hand every time it hovers over a field whose contents can be dragged. While dragging a number, say, over the character sheet, the fields accepting the dragged item show a highlight. If the dragged value adds to the target field, there is a small "plus-sign" in the field, otherWise the target field changes into the dragged value when dropped. Bonuses and modifiers retain the description text of the source, meaning that

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dragging such an item into a hot-key slot or on the modifier stack shows the modifier·s name when it is used.

WOUNDS AND HEALING

The die results can be dragged and dropped. which allows e.g. qUick application of wounds from damage roll results. Pressing the Control-key while dragging a numeric item negates the value. This is useful when healing wounds. gaining negative experience. and soon.

THE RADIAL MENU

Right mouse button used on any object evokes an options menu. Clicking once on an item brings up the options and shows them until choosing one of them or canceling the selection by clicking outside the choices. Another way is to hold the right button down and releasing it on the selected option. Using the radial menu is both convenient and essential in getting the most out of Fantasy Grounds. It is good ad vice to check the options each item on the desktop offers.

SHEETS AND DRAWINGS

The Gamemaster can hand out images or blank drawings. shared to one or all of the players. Once the GM has shared a sheet. the players cannot close them but only minimize them; this is so because the Gamemaster needs to know that the players have the material and have not by accident closed it.

DRA WING ON IMAGES

The radial menu from an image contains an option for turning on or off the drawing mode. If the drawing mode is off. the image window can be dragged to another place on the desktop while in

dra wing mode. the pen draws line on the image.

USING POINTERS AND POINTER TYPES

A pointer is a special type of drawing used to deSignate intended character movement or attack targeting. for example. Usually it is an arrow. drawn in the color of the player·s dice. Holding both the left and right mouse button down and dragging the mouse draws the pointer. Another way is to select it from the radial menu. where the various pointer types can also be found. The additional pointer types are the square. circle. and cone. Using the two-button-drag method they can be drawn by holding down the Shift. Control. or Alt key while dragging. There can be only one pointer per user at a time.

DESKTOP ITEMS

The buttons on the right-hand side of the Fantasy Grounds desktop include dice and pointer color selection. portrait selection. notebook. d20 reference book. and token box.

TOKENS

Tokens are small pieces. such as buttons. arrows. and counters that can be placed on the desktop. sheets and hot-keys. Clicking the token box shows the selectable tokens; click the middle-button of the mouse to shake the box (clicking the left button while holding down Control produces the same result), Placing a token on a shared sheet also shares the token; the GM can lock all tokens on shared sheets. after which all token movements must be approved by the GM. The radial menu and the mouse wheel allow token rotation.

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PLA YER"S GUIDE

REFERENCE

The d20 reference includes crucial material f rom the d20 SRD including character classes, races, feats, spells, weapons, armor, and common modifiers. The items can be dragged to hot-keys and recalled conveniently from there. Especially useful is hot-keying the modifiers most commonly used by the particular character: the name of the modifier appears in the hot-key bar while dragging it from there provides the numeric value. Memorized and frequently used spells can be dragged from the reference to the spells tab of the character sheet.

NOTEBOOK

The notebook allows making personal notes. A note can have a heading and text. The symbol on the left of the heading of the note is for dragging

to, for instance, a hot-key slot. The menu­options for note records include closing the note, deleting the record, minimizing, and sharing the note to all players (each player can individually close the note, and they cannot edit it; the GM can additionally close it for everyone). The new sheet selector creates a new record in the notes; alternatively Control­clicking the Notebook desktop button directly creates a new record.

SHEET BOOKMARKS

The numeric keypad can be used to set quick keys, or bookmarks, to certain sheets, one to each of the n umber keys from 0 to 9. To set the bookmark, hold the corresponding button down for about a second. The sheet will briefly blink to indicate it was stored in the bookmark.

From this point on, you can bring up the sheet qUickly by tapping the number key.

SMOOTH GAMEPLA Y WALKTHROUGH

This section proVides some ingredients for smoother gameplay.

OPEN MINISHEETS

Click the "coin" labeled with your character's name in the top-right corner of the desktop to open your character sheet. On the Main and Spells tabs you will find three buttons: open minisheet, open qUickslots, and open minilist.

• The minisheet includes the HP account and AC,

• the qUickslots keep track of spell casting and

• the minilist includes all prepared spells.

l <lng;ston M 1 1H~ lI~nd d~5 ~

If you use the minisheets and take advantage of the hot-keys you rarely need to reference your complete character sheet.

DRAG IMPORT ANT MODIFIERS ONTO THE HOT KEY BAR

Drag important and frequently used modifiers from the character sheet to the hot key bar. It is very convenient to have at least the total save modifiers, initiative, weapon attack bonuses and most important skill bonuses qUickly available. Remember also that any combination of Shift­Control- and Alt-keys brings up another set of hot keys.

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PLA YER"S GUIDE

The modifiers in the hot key slots can be dragged onto the modifier stack and pressing the corresponding function key adds the modifier there. See also the hot key paragraph in the ··Conversation and chat modes·· section.

USE TOKENS

Click the token box open and drag a suitable set of tokens to the hot key bar or onto the desktop. Placing a token on the desktop makes one copy of the token whereas putting the token into a hot key slot creates a ··mini token box"" from where you can obtain any number of such tokens.

SELECT POINTER AND DICE COLOR

To customize the color of your dice and the pointer used on images click on the button with the arrow icon on it. In the selection box that appears. click on the color of your choice. Note. however. that it is best if all players have different colors. You can evoke the color settings also from the radial menu of your character portrait.

SELECT OR CREATE A PORTRAIT

Fantasy Grounds comes with a set of portrait images to assign to a character. Just click the portrait button in the top­right corner of the desktop and choose; alternatively. bring up the choices from the radial menu of your character portrait.

If you wish. you can also use your own images as portraits. Simply copy an image in PNG. JPG. BMP. GIF or TGA format to the "Fantasy Grounds\Portraits" folder. The image will be selectable among the premade portraits. When selected. the image is scaled and centered. so

preferably you should have images whose sides are of equal length.

OPEN THE CLASS DESCRIPTION PAGE

The d20 system reference book on the right-hand side of the desktop includes the character classes from the d20 System Reference Documents. Click open the page of your character·s class. For convenience. you might want to drag the page to the hot key bar for qUick referencing; drag the "draggable link" beside the class name.

If you play a spell caster. you can find another (or several) additional "draggable links··. Clicking the link opens a spell page. but it can also be dragged to the hot keys.

DRAG SPELLS FROM THE SPELL LIST TO THE CHARACTER SHEET

Now open the spell list for your character class as described above and open the spells tab of your character sheet. Now just drag the appropriate spells from the link symbols beside the spell names to the spell selection list. The spell appears on the list and the list sorts according to spell level.

COMBAT SITU A TIONS

Eventually. a combat situation arises. often requiring some dexterity by the player. For smooth gameplay you might want to. once again. check the possibilities of using pointers in target selection. Dragging & dropping damage to the wounds field and using the Control key for healing should be assets worth paying attention to. Utilize the minisheets and the hot keys and draw on the images to improve game flow on your part. Make an impression by collecting all relevant modifiers to the modifier stack before making the rolls.

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GAMEMASTER·S GUIDE

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One of the users participating in a session acts as the Gamemaster (GM)' In Fantasy Grounds, this user is also the one whose computer acts as the network host, with other users connecting as players. To start the game in Gamemaster mode, you need to follow the instructions for acting as a host in chapter 2. You can also start in this mode if you want to create information in preparation for a game session in the future.

Note! The Gamemaster mode is only available using the full version of Fantasy Grounds.

GAMEMASTER CONTROLS

The Gamemaster has some special controls at his disposal in addition to those offered to players. Before acting as a Gamemaster, it is a very good idea to familiarize yourself with the controls available to all users by reading chapter 3 of this manual.

CHA T CONTROLS

When the Gamemaster types chat messages ··in character··, they are displayed in a special font face to distinguish them from regular chat by players, and the I1!essa~es are sent using the Gamemaster Identity specified when the session is created (see chapter 2), The GM also has access to two special actions, using narrator mode and th.e identity list. Narrator mode text IS presented to the players in a special font and without a speaker title. For the Gamemaster, narrator mode takes the place of the action chat type, and is accessed by entering a line of chat using Control-Enter. A special way of entering text prepared beforehand is by using chat frames in the story book (see The story book below for more information).

The identity list is located below the chat window on the screen, and contains all the identities the GM can chat as. When starting a session, it includes only the GM identity, but other identities can be added to this list to represent the non player

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characters (NPCs) involved in the adventure. By activating an NPC identity, the gamemaster can type in chat and emote messages, which will be sent using the name of the identity. NPC chat messages will be displayed using a specific font coloring.

Clicking the chat bubble icons on NPC or monster sheets (see Personalities below for more details) adds them to the identity list and activates them. Another way of adding identities that is particularly convenient when you need to add an identity on the fly, is to use the lid slash command. The command takes the name of the identity as a parameter. Typing ··/id Vernon" would add Vernon to the identity list and activate him.

The active identity can be changed by either clicking the name of the identity to activate with the left mouse button, or by pressing down the Shift key and using the left and right arrow keys. To delete an entry from the list, bring up the radial menu on the entry you wish to delete and select ·Remove Entry"· from the menu. You can also click with the middle mouse button on the identity you want to delete to perform the operation. Note that you can·t delete the GM identity at the beginning of the list.

The Gamemaster can clear the chat buffer using the radial menu on the chat window. This operation affects all players connected as well. The radial menu also includes options to send a ··stop·· and "speak freely" indicator to the players. These can be used by the GM to indicate to the players that he or she wishes to take a moment to enter chat text without the players interrupting.

Also, chat logging can be turned on or off using the chat window radial menu. Chat

logging is made into a file called chatlog.html in the campaign folder, which can be found under the Fantasy Grounds program folder in the "campaigns·· subfolder.

The / whisper command differs from that available to the players. You must specify the name of the character as the first parameter to the command, for example:

Iwhisper Julia You hear a muffled footstep behind the door

DIE ROLLS

When the Gamemaster rolls dice by dropping them on the chat window, the results are hidden from the players. The GM can see the results of the roll normally, but a question mark icon is included in the roll result. For the players, the only indication of the fact the GM rolled some dice are the shadows visible from the dice themselves. If the GM wants to reveal the rolled value to the players, he should either drag and drop the value onto an empty portion of the chat window or click on the result with the middle mouse button. Of course, the GM can also simply roll a die outside the chat window, but no modifiers will be applied and the result can·t be manipulated using drag and drop.

SCREEN TINTING FOR ENVIRONMENT AL LIGHTING

If the GM wants to emphasize the conditions the player characters are experiencing, the screen can be tinted a particular color using the lighting controls. Changing the hue affects all players in the session. The available colors are day (normal colors), night (blue tint), fire (red tint) and forest (green tint).

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GAMEMASTER·S GUIDE

GAMEMASTER TOKENS

The Gamemaster can use special tokens reserved only for his or her use. Usually, these are either used for decoration or to represent places or objects in the world. These tokens behave identically to all normal tokens, except only the GM has them in his token box, and is therefore the only one capable of adding them onto sheets.

To use Gamemaster tokens, place image files into the "tokens\host" subfolder under the Fantasy Grounds program folder CC:\Program files\Fantasy Grounds" by default).

RECORD SHEETS

To create adventures, the Gamemaster has four basic types of record sheets at his disposal. Some of them can be shared with players, while others are for reference purposes only.

THE STORYBOOK

The story book contains pages of formatted text, which can be used for many purposes. The most basic use is as the body text for adventures, where notes for encounters, locations and story arcs are described. It can also contain a library of descriptions for cities, religions, organizations et cetera. Story book pages can also be shared with players, so they can be used to prepare handouts such as letters or journal pages.

One particular feature that is of special use with a chat based system is chat frames. They contain text the Gamemaster has prepared before the game session that can easily be dragged and dropped on the chat window when needed. Such text is typically narrator messages about the initial description of places and people, but it can also be more specific, such as descriptions of planned significant events in an adventure, or chat lines for particular NPCs. A chat frame text can optionally include a speaker title. If it is not speCified, dragging the chat frame onto the chat window will result in a narrator message, otherwise the title is used and the message is entered as an NPC message. A chat frame that includes the title can also be dragged onto the identity list to add that title as an active entry. GMs are encouraged to take advantage of this feature - it can ease play conSiderably.

Another useful feature of story pages is the ability to add links to other sheets. This way, a description of a village can link to a map of the area, as well as the most Significant NPCs. A sequentially written adventure can also contain links to the next and previous pages, as well as a story book page used exclUSively as an index with links to all the other pages in the adventure.

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By default, existing story book pages are in viewing mode. To edit a story book page, enter edit mode by accessing the radial menu and select "Enter Edit Mode". After this, you will be able to use most of the standard text editing functions. The radial menu contains options for changing paragraph types and text formatting. To create links, change the paragraph mode to "Link" and drag an icon from a list or record sheet to the empty link icon.

IMAGES

Image sheets can be used to display maps, generic images or freehand drawings. An image consists of different layers, any or all of which

can be used in a particular sheet. The bottom layer is a static bitmap image. Typically maps prepared before the play session are bitmaps created using a map making program, downloaded on the internet, or scanned in from a conventional paper drawing. A grid overlay layer can be activated by the GM, using a freely definable grid size. The third layer available is the drawing layer, onto which any player or the Gamemaster can sketch freehand drawings. The GM has controls for erasing the entire drawing layer.

The bitmap layer can be masked, or hidden from the view of the players. When an image is masked, its contents are visible as a transparent ghost layer to the GM only. He or she can then use the mouse to draw selection areas that are revealed to the players. This way, the player characters (PCs) can enter a dungeon, and the GM reveal the map gradually as the PCs explore.

The process used for creating image sheets varies depending on the availability of the bitmap layer. If you want to use a bitmap image, the file containing the image data needs to be copied into the image folder for the active campaign. This folder can be found under the Fantasy Grounds program folder by first entering the "campaigns" subfolder, then the folder with the name of the current campaign, and finally the "images" folder. Fantasy Grounds automatically detects images added or removed at this location. The application supports PNG, )PG, GIF, BMP and TGA image formats.

Bitmaps can be big files, and transferring them over the network to all players can take a while. For this purpose, you can find the "Preload Image" option on the image radial menu, which sends the image data to the players without displaying the sheet. Use this if you know you will need to display an image in a minute to ensure the smoothest possible operation.

Image sheets can also be used without a bitmap, simply as a freehand drawing. This is useful for small scale battle or encounter map creation, or as scratch paper for generic sketching. Image sheets like this can be created just like any other resource, see the chapter Managing resources below.

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PERSONALITIES The personality sheet describes NPCs. containing both descriptive text and statistics. The sheet is divided into tabs for

description. combat statistics and non­combat statistics. The description page uses a formatted text control similar to the story page sheets. and has all the properties of story book pages. The statistics pages contain text and number fields usable for storing the abilities. skills and other statistics of the NPC.

The chat bubble icon next to the NPCs name can be used to insert the NPC into the identity list.

The personality sheets can't be shared to players. and are for the GM's reference only.

ITEMS Item sheets resemble story pages in functionality. but have their own sheet type. This will help in categorizing different types of adventure assets. but is also useful in separating items from the story when using imported modules. Item sheets can be shared with players.

020 REFERENCE MATERIAL The d20 reference book contains reference information from the d20 SRD. A separate desktop icon contains the monster list. The monster sheet is similar to the personality sheet described above and copies of items on the reference lists can be created on the modifiable lists by dragging an entry from the reference books onto the list of personalities or items.

MANAGING RESOURCES Story pages. images. personalities and items are all accessed through the list scrolls that open when you click on the respective desktop icons.

To create new entries. you can either use the new sheet selector on the list scrolls or press down the Control key and click the desktop icon directly.

Entries can be deleted using the radial menu on either the sheet window. or on the respective entry on the list scroll. and selecting the "Delete Record" option. Please note that if you delete an image with a bitmap. the bitmap will also be removed from the image folder.

The names of the sheets can be modified on the record sheet itself or on the list scroll by accessing the radial menu on the item and selecting "Edit"".

SHARING SHEETS WITH PLAYERS Displaying a sheet to players is referred to as sharing the sheet. To do this. select the "Share Sheet"" option on the radial menu of the sheet. This will send the sheet to all the players currently connected to the session. The players will not be able to alter any of the modifiable fields. but they will be able to place tokens and create draWing strokes on images.

To display a sheet to only one player. drag the icon representing the sheet from the list scroll or the left upper corner of the sheet in question on the target player's portrait.

Small portraits of the players viewing the sheet will be displayed on each shared sheet. If you share a sheet with modifiable fields. you can grant one player editing access to it using the radial accessible from this small portrait.

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ADV ANCED SHEET OPTIONS

The Gamemaster usually comes to deal with a lot more sheets than the players do, and for this purpose two advanced controls are nice to be aware of

RESIZING SHEETS

Some sheets can't be resized (such as character sheets), others can only be resized in one direction (the combat tracked, and some are automatically resized on the players' screens to match the size of the corresponding sheet on the Gamemaster's screen (images). To resize a sheet, press down control and drag inside the sheet with the left mouse button.

SCROLLING AND PANNING

Most sheets with information beyond what can be shown on the screen at one time can be scrolled by either using the scroller button by pressing the left mouse button down on it and moving the mouse to scroll the list, or similarly by pressing down the middle mouse button (usually on the mouse whee)) anywhere on the corresponding area you wish to scroll.

RUNNING THE GAME

Getting familiar with the controls accessible through the Fantasy Grounds user interface is important for Gamemasters in order to focus on the story they are telling. This chapter contains some hints for efficient ways of working with the application.

PREPARING THE ADVENTURE

Whereas the actual game can proceed at equal speed or even faster than when running pen and paper roleplaying sessions around a conventional gaming table, some people may find that using a keyboard is more demanding in describing the action than face to face

chatting. This situation can be remedied by preparing the adventure beforehand. You should consider running whole sessions by "winging it" only if you are confident in using the interface and your playing group is already accustomed to using a text based network chat program.

Make good use of chat frames in the story book as opening lines for encounters and crucial moments in the adventure. Not only will this give you an opportunity to make the most out of epic moments, it will also give the players a chance to speak out.

One of the strong points of text based chat compared to conventional roleplaying situations is the ability to hide the identity of the GM behind the identity of the

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NPCs. Use the lid command to create identities for different NPCs, and make them chat with one another as well as the PCs. You can also use chat frames to write crucial parts of dialog for NPCs.

PROPELLING THE GAME FORWARD

During the game, pay special attention to the state of the game. It is harder to judge the reactions of other players without seeing them in person, but it is also easier to take action in text chat. If a situation seems to bog down, step in and propose a course of action, or use the stop icon and move the story on. Calling votes using the Ivote command is good for such situations.

USING MODULES

You can download module files that contain record sheet collections. The actual content of the modules can vary from campaign settings and adventures to libraries of NPCs or magic items. See the Fantasy Grounds official web site at http://www.fantasygrounds.com for downloadable content.

Module files are placed in the "modules" folder under the Fantasy Grounds program folder. After this they can be loaded and unloaded using the module selection view. After you load a module, you can make modifications to the record sheets created as a result, but they will be lost if you unload and reload it. Modules are meant to be used in the same way as many conventional RPG supplements, usually published as books. When you make modifications to items from modules, keep in mind their nature, and limit the changes to small, session specific information.

COMBAT

The most important tool for the Gamemaster during combat situations is the combat tracker. It is a list that can be used to keep track of all PCs and NPCs participating in the combat, sorted according to initiative, along with their wounds and active effects.

To add entries to the list, use drag and drop starting from an entry on the NPC or monster list or a PC portrait. You can also add empty records using the radial menu on the list. The radial men u also has the option for removing entries.

To keep track of initiative, either drag or type the initiative results into the corresponding field on the tracker, and select ··Sor( from the radial menu. The entries will be arranged in the order of descending initiative.

In combat situations, the GM may want to lock the tokens on a sheet so that players can·t freely move them around, or add new tokens to the particular sheet. To do this, select the ··Lock Tokens·· option on the radial menu from any token on the sheet you want to lock. When the tokens are locked, any drag attempt on a token will result in a move vector being displayed.

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The Gamemaster can either move the token to an alternative location. or ayprove the move. Pressing down the Control key and left clicking on the token or simply clicking on the token with the middle mouse button will approve the action and move the token to the target position.

Combat usually progresses in rounds. Fantasy Grounds supports this by allowing the Gamemaster to flag one f>layer at a time ~s having his or her turn. When a player s turn is activated. an indication of this is displayed in the chat window. the active player gets an audio signal of the event. and his or her character·s name under the portrait is displayed in bold text. To set a player as active in the round order. bring up the radial menu on his or her portrait and select ·T oggle Turn··. Selecting this option again on a player who is in turn will deactivate all players. effectively moving the turn to the NPCs. A blank turn indicator line will appear in the chat to indicate this.

Special situations will often occur during combat and when they do. characters attempting skill checks or attacks may

require Gamemaster adjucated modifiers. Sometimes it is convenient to take this into account without telling the players. Other times. it might be easier to have the players take care of them. or just be able to present the modifiers in order for the players to have an easier time judging the difficulty of an action for the character. To create modifiers the players can drag directly from the chat window to the modifier stack. use the /die slash command. Specify the modifier as the die roll. and any description you may want to attach to it as the message. Another nice way to use this is to award experience the players can drag and drop directly on the experience field. It will be automatically added to the value already in the field. Some examples of the use of this command are:

/die -4 Range penalty

/die 1500 Experience award

WHERE TO GO FOR MORE INFORMATION?

This manual can only introduce you to the most common aspects of Fantasy Grounds. For more information and a user community. check out the Fantasy Grounds website at www.fantasygrounds.com.