Feature Request: Visible GM and player mouse pointer(s) to all/GM/players on map/imag

[tamahandy]

I have created a feature request in the ideas list:

A Visible GM and player mouse pointer(s) to all/GM/players on maps/images
https://fgapp.idea.informer.com/proj/fgapp?ia=136018

It would be nice to be able to see the live mouse indicator of the GM on the map, so as GM you could point/hint/indicate at objects, without the need to create pointers or to draw on the map which could clutter it up.

On top of that this would be great also if all players and the gamemaster would be able to see each other mouse pointers on maps/images so they could discuss/hint/show ideas/movements they are planning.

A general ON/OFF toggle and as GM being able to only share to selected players would be great too.

This indicator could also use the portrait as indiciator whose mouse point it is.

I know MS Teams has this if you share control/request control (including the avatar tied to the mouse indicator) and it is very handy because you can really see at what the other person is pointing with his mouse or can follow the direction of the mouse of him "live".

If there is an extension, I'd gladly take that (still running classic) and if it is already integrated into unity, that is just one more reason to move sooner than later.

My current work around is drawing or using pointers but sometimes it can clutter up the map quite a lot.

[Zacchaeus]

I'd agree being able to ping a point on the map would be useful at times; but I can't see a use case for having the GM and six player pointers on the map - that would get tiresome after a few minutes. And I'm not sure what impact that would have on resource usage and the consequential lag.

[Valyar]

I can find usage of this feature if it is on/off based (to implement either ping or continuously moving pointer) on highly strategical maps where a lot of options are available on the battlefield. Considering FG need to update each client probably the ping option is the best - multiple pings that remain until cleared or something like that.

[Trenloe]

Ways to use what's there already:
- Click both mouse buttons, hold, and draw a line - there is only ever one of these on the map at a time (click both mouse buttons to remove). So you can do a quick pointer (arrow) with a line, or hold CTRL, ALT or SHIFT to draw different shapes quickly. Players and GMs can do this, and they arrow is drawn in the colour of the player dice - ask the players to make their dice colour unique so you can differentiate who is pointing at what.
- Put a token on the map (I use letter tokens a lot) to highlight specific areas on the map, and move then around if needed. You can drag/drop text from the chat window onto a token on the map to give it a text tooltip (hover over to see the text). There used to be a hand-pointer token that was great for pointing things out - I think that's no longer available in the standard install.

[tamahandy]

Ways to use what's there already:
- Click both mouse buttons, hold, and draw a line - there is only ever one of these on the map at a time (click both mouse buttons to remove). So you can do a quick pointer (arrow) with a line, or hold CTRL, ALT or SHIFT to draw different shapes quickly. Players and GMs can do this, and they arrow is drawn in the colour of the player dice - ask the players to make their dice colour unique so you can differentiate who is pointing at what.
- Put a token on the map (I use letter tokens a lot) to highlight specific areas on the map, and move then around if needed. You can drag/drop text from the chat window onto a token on the map to give it a text tooltip (hover over to see the text). There used to be a hand-pointer token that was great for pointing things out - I think that's no longer available in the standard install.

We used to default to drawing a lot, so players can plan out movements within a city or on a map. Not been using pointers that much because we didn't knew these short cuts but I'm sure gonna distribute them to my players.

I also do think that lag/ping might be an issue, as we do have quite some lag between drawing/moving tokens on the map and seeing the results, but especially with such a feature I would hoped that this could be avoided, also this is one of the reasons I requested such an feature to have it "slightly" more real time.

I also do not need to have all players messing around on the map at the same time but all of them should be able to, so they can take turns or discuss/point at things among them self.

[similarly]

I like the idea of "ping" on a map. It's one of the things I miss from Roll20. However, my players and I usually just draw on the map and then erase. Easy enough.

[The Decepticon]

I am going to go with most of everyone's opinion here. A ping would be nice, but I am getting used to the arrow drawing and finding that it works just fine. I know I would leave the mouse cursor off. I have too much going on with multiple windows open and then seeing 5 pointers all over the map might send me into a coma.

Others might find it very useful, so if it is ever implemented then hopefully it is with an on/off button.

[tamahandy]

I have too much going on with multiple windows open and then seeing 5 pointers all over the map might send me into a coma.

Just so we understand each other, you can already have all your players drawing pointers.

I just want to have the players "mouse cursor" visible, no drawing, nothing permanent but the "live real time position of the mouser curser", so when they talk and point at something it will match the location on the map, which would IMHO clutter less than everybody drawing with their "fantasy grounds pointer pointers".

[Zacchaeus]

Just so we understand each other, you can already have all your players drawing pointers.

I just want to have the players "mouse cursor" visible, no drawing, nothing permanent but the "live real time position of the mouser curser", so when they talk and point at something it will match the location on the map, which would IMHO clutter less than everybody drawing with their "fantasy grounds pointer pointers".

I think everyone appreciates what it is you are wanting. However I don't think anyone else agrees that seeing 5 or 6 pointers skittering around on a map is really any kind of answer to the problem. Being able to ping a point on the map would certainly assist if you don't like the idea of drawing arrows - which is what most people use at the moment.

[The Decepticon]

I think everyone appreciates what it is you are wanting. However I don't think anyone else agrees that seeing 5 or 6 pointers skittering around on a map is really any kind of answer to the problem. Being able to ping a point on the map would certainly assist if you don't like the idea of drawing arrows - which is what most people use at the moment.

Thank you Zacchaeus. That was the point I was trying to get across.