Can a DM play a player character if a group is short a player?

[TMO]

i would much prefer to just span multiple monitors with my DM client, than to open another client. The character sheet isn't that big after all

Not everyone has that luxury. That said, I have three monitors myself that I stretch FG across. I would probably do what you would do, but even with three monitors I find my real estate can get cluttered very easily. I am certain much of it is due to relative inexperience with navigating around the various FG windows, especially stories, encounters, monster stats, maps, parcels, combat tracker, maps, etc.

This is also why I added my vote to the idea of allowing the Chat Log to become its own first-class citizen window. It gets hidden very easily.

[Hecklerus Prime]

I find my real estate can get cluttered very easily.

I had the same problem until I got a second monitor. I was running as DM on a 12" laptop! Talk about nightmares! That's when I really learned to use the minimize function on the in-game windows. Each icon looks unique to what the window is (NPC sheets, maps, items, etc.) so it really becomes a snap to keep stuff organized.

[TMO]

...That's when I really learned to use the minimize function on the in-game windows. Each icon looks unique to what the window is (NPC sheets, maps, items, etc.) so it really becomes a snap to keep stuff organized.

I think this is a YMMV scenario. I will have more than one map or NPC open. So if they are minimized then I have to resort to hovering to figure out which is which. I count myself as among those who struggle a bit with the alternative document management model of FG. Once a window is hidden, it stays hidden until I move everything out of the way or until I find a link that will bring it to the surface. This isn't always easy. For me, a task switcher of some kind would be wonderful. I don't imagine someone has created a mod for this???

[damned]

I think this is a YMMV scenario. I will have more than one map or NPC open. So if they are minimized then I have to resort to hovering to figure out which is which. I count myself as among those who struggle a bit with the alternative document management model of FG. Once a window is hidden, it stays hidden until I move everything out of the way or until I find a link that will bring it to the surface. This isn't always easy. For me, a task switcher of some kind would be wonderful. I don't imagine someone has created a mod for this???

nope. no mod for this
i had this as a player 2 nights ago in an unfamiliar ruleset!

[TMO]

nope. no mod for this
i had this as a player 2 nights ago in an unfamiliar ruleset!

Does this fall under the capabilities of the mod technology?

[damned]

Generally I play on one screen only. I have two screens but I only use FG on one screen almost always - as a player and as a GM.

As a player:

I drag the following to my hotkeys:

• common rolls that the GM calls for
• links to my class in players handbook
• links to spells in players handbook
• regularly used maps

everything else i close as soon as im finished with it


As a GM:

I drag the following to my hotkeys:

• link to spells (although i almost always ask the player to provide the info/link if I have a query about what they are trying)
• link to classes (although i almost always ask the player to provide the info/link if I have a query about what they are trying)
• regularly used maps
• regularly used NPCs that are not in CT

I also use:

• player maps with pins
• no GM maps - see above
• encounters - keep some generic encounters handy
• combat tracker is used by me to access the NPC stats if needed

everything else - i close it as soon as im not using it.

I use my second screen for PDFs and google and maybe pyromancers.

I am going to give the Windows 10 second screen thing a go though - it will make having multiple PDFs and Maps outside of FG much easier!
WINKEY + CTRL + D to launch a new one
and WINKEY + CTRL + left/right arrows to switch

[damned]

Does this fall under the capabilities of the mod technology?

i really dont know... ive not seen anything doing anything close so maybe not...

[TMO]

• player maps with pins
• no GM maps - see above

Yes. I learned that trick early on. I really appreciate the modules that have done this already for me. I think some of the D&D Next adventures didn't pin the player maps (or didn't include any so I added them myself), so I ended up adding the shortcuts. I am grateful to have the DM maps, but with FG it almost seems unnecessary if you have the player's map pinned.

[Griogre]

TMO if you have multiple map's, NPCs or reference you find yourself opening constantly try dragging them down to the hotkey bars so you can just press a key or click to bring the window up to the top.

[TMO]

TMO if you have multiple map's, NPCs or reference you find yourself opening constantly try dragging them down to the hotkey bars so you can just press a key or click to bring the window up to the top.

That's good advice and I have tried to use the hotkeys more regularly to make it easier to access commonly used assets. I am more apt to use the hotkeys when I can plan what I need ahead of time. Using them on-the-fly is something I will try to remember. There is a lot of learned behavior with Fantasy Grounds and I don't play nearly enough for this to become second nature. Still, I think your advice might give me the push to try this more often.