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Thread: Effects in FG

  1. #1

    Effects in FG

    I am super new to D&D, and super new to FG, so please forgive my ignorance if this question is dumb.

    Why are effects not already built into the system? There are professional computer coders that built the system in the first place. The Wiki shows the codes that are needed for different effects and how to manually put them in as a user. I just paid over $500 for game where I have to program in the specific code for effects on items and spells. I am given the code by the company that made the program. If the code works, and the effects can be put in ..... why did you not already do it? I have no idea what I'm doing. I am pulling my hair out trying over and over with trial and error to get effects to work. The syntax, brackets blah blah blah .... On the occasion where I am successful and I actually get and effect to work for a trait or item or spell ..... would it not be so much easier if a professional coder that built the fantasy grounds system to just put it in there. Everything in this game should be drag and drop.

    Anyway, I'm not angry, just frustrated. I spend more time trying to get Great Weapons Master feat effects to work than I do playing the game. I went with FG because I wanted to streamline the game. I went from a paper and pencil game that reminded me of doing taxes, to a computer based game that requires a degree in computers to actually run.

    Is there a list of items, feats, features, spells, effects codes that is more comprehensive than what is in the Wiki that I can copy and paste into my game? Will this stuff all be included one day and I should just be patient? Or is there a huge reason it is not already in there, and I am just to new and stupid to see it?

    Thank you in advance for any help or suggestions.

  2. #2
    Hi General

    welcome - I'm semi with you on some of the points, been using FG for over a year now, and as a group we have gradually built up a list of effect, powers, feats what we use - My players ( I DM) often grumble about why these aren't already in the game when you buy the content - and for a lot of those effects I agree.
    Some are choice to apply or not, and so the program isn't clever enough to know if you want to apply Great Weapon Master or not, and then if you don't want to apply it to the next hit, so some automation is left blank for you to do it the way you want to - you might just say I apply it, subtract 5 to hit, add 10 to damage or you may want to automate it, and I guess that's the crux - making it flexible to allow every game, every DM, every player to be different.

    Some effects, feats ; are impossible to code.. or are so complex if wouldn't work, or are 'fluff effect' no game mechanic and again impossible to code.

    Greater Weapon Master is one of those in between - if you Crit, or kill a creature - you should remember to attack again - system won't automate another attack, or remind you - But you can apply an effect by creating a power in your Action tab, and applying it when you wish to attack

    Effect GWM; ATK: -5; DMG: 10
    Target Self
    Expend on next roll

    When you attack it will subtract 5 to hit, give you +10 damage , and will then reset after you attack, ready for next time

    Would be interesting to see what official lines or general thoughts on why more automated effects aren't included in the modules you buy

    Mav
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  3. #3
    Zacchaeus's Avatar
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    Welcome to FG and to the community

    Effects are not hard coded so that there is flexibility in each ruleset so that the user can create their own characters the way they want or need. There are also literally thousands of possibilities and to hard code all of them would get messy. For example take a 1st level spell that an be cast at a higher slot level. To cover all the basis that would require maybe 5 possible effects just for that one spell and that isn't considering any possible bonus that the character might have if he chose a particular feat or had an ability.

    In some rulesets there is quite a bit of automation, especially the 5e one, which is the ruleset that I assume you are using. Most spells where an effect can be created will be created when you drag/drop the spell into the character sheet action tab. For effects not automated the Wiki is the best source and it does give comprehensive instruction as to how to set up effects and there are many examples. You'll find links to more resources for effects here. And for individual character classes there are links here to tutorials and downloadable characters with all of the effects created (which can be drag/dropped into your own character). Additionally there is more on effects and creating weapons/power group etc here. If all of that fails then ask on the forums especially in the threads for the rulesets you are interested in and someone will have an answer for you within a short space of time. You can also ask questions on the Discord channel.

    In respect of the Great Weapons Master you can't set up an effect to automate the additional bonus attack. For the second part you'll need a new line in the weapons section showing the penalty to damage and bonus to attack. (You can also set up a copy of the weapon in question and edit it in items before giving it to the player and it will then automatically add in the attacks.
    If there is something that you would like to see in Fantasy Grounds that isn't currently part of the software or if there is something you think would improve a ruleset then add your idea here https://www.fantasygrounds.com/featu...rerequests.php

  4. #4
    Zacchaeus's Avatar
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    Quote Originally Posted by Mavrik6666 View Post
    Greater Weapon Master is one of those in between - if you Crit, or kill a creature - you should remember to attack again - system won't automate another attack, or remind you - But you can apply an effect by creating a power in your Action tab, and applying it when you wish to attack

    Effect GWM; ATK: -5; DMG: 10
    Target Self
    Expend on next roll

    When you attack it will subtract 5 to hit, give you +10 damage , and will then reset after you attack, ready for next time

    Mav
    Whilst this is certainly an option it is much easier (IMO) to create a second weapon line in the weapons section. Additionally if you set it up to expire 'on next roll' the effect will disappear on the attack phase and will need to be reapplied in the damage phase. If you set it up to expire once per modifier then the effect will disappear only when you have completed the attack and damage. However this means that if the attack misses the damage will stick around until you next roll damage which might not be desirable and so the effect has to be removed manually. So, overall I'd suggest a new weapon line.
    If there is something that you would like to see in Fantasy Grounds that isn't currently part of the software or if there is something you think would improve a ruleset then add your idea here https://www.fantasygrounds.com/featu...rerequests.php

  5. #5
    But I need moar effects on me!
    I never claimed to be sane. Besides, it's more fun this way.

  6. #6
    Myrdin Potter's Avatar
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    The DMs Guild store has several modules with premade effects in them, so if you want to save a little time you can look at them. Plus it also has premade characters with many effects built in for the different classes and sub-classes. There are are character examples you can find at the top of this forum.

    I do understand the point of the OP. If a 3rd party can code spells so they work better, why doesn't the program do the same?
    Ultimate License. Running Hyperborea and CoC. Asks lots of questions. Mgpotter.com. PureVPN is a tested solution to run games when traveling. https://billing.purevpn.com/aff.php?aff=33044

  7. #7
    LordEntrails's Avatar
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    Quote Originally Posted by Myrdin Potter View Post
    ...
    I do understand the point of the OP. If a 3rd party can code spells so they work better, why doesn't the program do the same?
    My opinion? Resources.

    Sure, SW/FG could include a lot of stuff that currently is developed and maintained by the community. But then that would mean that their developer resources would be spent adding the effects and not working on new capabilities and the Unity rebuild/migration. New capabilities and Unity are not things the community can work on, but we can work on effects and other usability things. I'm happy with effects and such being left to the community and giving SmiteWorks the time to do stuff we can't.

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  8. #8
    Quote Originally Posted by LordEntrails View Post
    My opinion? Resources.

    Sure, SW/FG could include a lot of stuff that currently is developed and maintained by the community. But then that would mean that their developer resources would be spent adding the effects and not working on new capabilities and the Unity rebuild/migration. New capabilities and Unity are not things the community can work on, but we can work on effects and other usability things. I'm happy with effects and such being left to the community and giving SmiteWorks the time to do stuff we can't.
    The preceding reply is strong. Something similar happens with video games like Skyrim that allow users to create mods to enhance the "vanilla" game. Some community-created mods for Skyrim include realistic cold weather and survival effects, reorganization and expansion of the perk, or skill, trees, and enhancement to artificial intelligence. The maker of Skyrim, Bethesda, can't code all the new and improved features that users want because the former lacks resources. Furthermore, there is no expectation from the Skyrim community on Nexus, for example, that Bethesda should code a wish list that gamers have for Skyrim after its release. But Bethesda can give players access to its Creation Kit so that modders can build on the game. Fantasy Grounds' extensions remind me of Skyrim mods in that users can write programs to improve the game.

    Perhaps after FG Unity rolls out, FG Unity users will have even greater capabilities for writing scripts or extensions that enhance elements of the baseline experience. My sense is that those capabilities will happen only after some time, if at all. I am not a computer programmer, so I have no idea how one would access the scripting or coding language of Unity. But a Creation Kit or access to the coding language could lead to exponential improvements to the FG Unity utility. For that, SmiteWorks must open the door.

  9. #9
    Quote Originally Posted by L. R. Ballard View Post
    The preceding reply is strong. Something similar happens with video games like Skyrim that allow users to create mods to enhance the "vanilla" game. Some community-created mods for Skyrim include realistic cold weather and survival effects, reorganization and expansion of the perk, or skill, trees, and enhancement to artificial intelligence. The maker of Skyrim, Bethesda, can't code all the new and improved features that users want because the former lacks resources. Furthermore, there is no expectation from the Skyrim community on Nexus, for example, that Bethesda should code a wish list that gamers have for Skyrim after its release. But Bethesda can give players access to its Creation Kit so that modders can build on the game. Fantasy Grounds' extensions remind me of Skyrim mods in that users can write programs to improve the game.

    Perhaps after FG Unity rolls out, FG Unity users will have even greater capabilities for writing scripts or extensions that enhance elements of the baseline experience. My sense is that those capabilities will happen only after some time, if at all. I am not a computer programmer, so I have no idea how one would access the scripting or coding language of Unity. But a Creation Kit or access to the coding language could lead to exponential improvements to the FG Unity utility. For that, SmiteWorks must open the door.
    In this comparison with Skyrim, the actual vanilla game worked. The skills in the game and the items did what the description said it would do. All the mods you could download and use in Skyrim enhanced the vanilla game with more goodies and eye candy. Additionally, Skyrim costs $40 bucks. The entire D&D collection with an Ultimate license cost me over $500. For $500, I was hoping for a vanilla game that does not require me to code in the basic effects of feats, items, and skills. I am all for the community making a working game, work better. But here, the community is trying to make a broken game work period.

  10. #10
    Thank you for your response, and for the links you provided. All good recourses.

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