How Fantasy Grounds Unity can be the top VTT even with WotC's new 3DVTT and DnDBeyond

[ddavison]

Nice job Valeros.

[Ryuson]

I'm parsing out the OP and it looks like there are a few parts (some implied), which I'll comment on separately:

1. Modernize the UI: I took this separate from the next part (re: mobile/tablets). But yes, that concern has been raised before and continues to be raised. I'm all for it. That being said, I do see that the UI has much improved since I began in 2020.

2. FG available on mobile and tablets: A question I had though was on the Wish List; I believe there is just one (I've visited it but not too often tbh). But should there be two - one for current users and another open to the public (i.e., potential customers)? As a current user, this is not a feature I or my gaming group see as a priority, but I can see the appeal. However, if potential customers do, that would make it a bigger priority? I would think SW not only wants to keep their current customers happy but see what future features should be added to grow market share.

That being said, I am not sure SW or FG should go "head-to-head" with its main competitors (Roll20, FVTT and WotC's upcoming VTT). It should play it's own game, if that makes sense, b/c that's a game it could win. Since all the hullabaloo surrounding WotC and Roll20 joining forces with OBS, I've been thinking how FG competes in the market place. What is its competitive advantages? One obvious advantage (at least to me) is the robustness of the program itself. I didn't see a program out there like it. I saw FG as the tool when I want to run more complex/crunchier games. FVTT may come close but it requires a level of technical expertise I simply don't have nor the time to figure it out. I'm going to run something on Roll20 for the first time this year (for free), but it will be a FATE game. But we all know, low crunch games like this can literally be run simply on discord or a whole host of other options.

3. Persistent server: This has been raised before as well. The big question is profitability and whether FG itself wants to enter that space. FVTT pretty much has the model, with self hosting, cloud hosting or partner hosting being options. Any entrepreneurs out there?

[LordEntrails]

Nice feedback Ryuson.

Two things; FG has been available on OBS longer than Roll20 has (it was the first VTT to have access to the DMSguild). But with legal issues about extensions and software, most of the new products moved to the FG Forge (it's why the Forge was created).

From rumors I've heard, the issue with persistent servers is actually legal and due to licensing issues with IP holders. Don't know if that's true or the details, but it at least an important consideration.

[BushViper]

It is an age old feature of these forums. There is an established group of users who make it a point to come into perfectly reasonable and good natured posts about what people would like to see the software be able to do, and tell people why they shouldn't want that or why it isn't useful. Contrast that with the owner of the company coming in and saying "thanks for the feedback", for some reason people feel the need to tell you you're wrong to want the software to be any different than it is right now.

I think it goes without saying that every suggestion would be filtered through the development process of Dev resource allocation, company priorities, etc. but people get very defensive around here for reasons I don't pretend to actually understand.

This post couldn't be more accurate.

[Ludd_G]

...

[Ludd_G]

When discussing the ideas about tablets or phones, please remember that the full functionality does not need to be there and not everyone uses FG the same way. Even something small can be very useful and fun.

For example, previously I created a simple program that worked with FG to give the players some functionality on the phone. Only to move their characters, pan the map, and roll dice. But that was all we needed. FG displayed on a large screen TV and we had a blast playing in person. (DM was on a laptop connected to a different laptop that acted as the players FG which was displayed to the large screen TV.)

The DM could use the full power of FG and from their phones players could move their own characters around, move the map as needed, and of course Roll Dice! It was great!

And that is just something simple. With even a small API, a great number of things could be done. It does not need to be the full suite of FG functionality.

Here is all the user had on the phone. Simple and amateurish and nothing like the FG suite, but it worked for us to have fun which is what FG is here is support.

Hi Valeros,

Any chance of sharing this? It'd make my table-top face to face games (with me running the game on FG, players rolling dice and using paper sheets, FG map displayed on horizontal tv with miniatures matched to tokens etc.) so much easier for my players. No worries if not, but I thought I'd ask.

Cheers,

Simon

[celestian]

I felt like this was an issue when I joined the community 10 years ago (and said as much), and clearly there are people who still perceive it as an issue today, and there have been many in between. I've tried to speak up against this mentality over the years to try to create a more welcoming environment. The fact that you don't see it as a problem is not surprising to me. I'm trying to change that by speaking up as a relatively senior member of the community.

I've seen it a lot and its not just related to suggestions. I know a few folks that will avoid asking questions or making suggestions due to how it seems like not matter how benign the request/suggestion someone will always make some dismissive, snide or condescending remarks by some of the more active people in the community. There are some outstanding folks in the community that make up for some of this but, it's what I've seen.

To stick to the OPs original theme... Couple things that would improve FG for me and mine, and it's no easy task, make it easier to develop for. The forge is a great improvement but developing for FG using Lua and it's own custom API and nonstandard configurations is very daunting. No real debug tools (being able to set breakpoints to look at values and see problems). Documentation for the FGU API exists but there is almost none for layering on CoreRPG (the functions within required to make use of it). With the size of the dev team at SW, if the system was easier to develop for it could reduce some of that load by having a much larger dev community. No small request but it's been something I've desired since before FGU (and was hoping it would see major changes in this area).

[BushViper]

I've seen it a lot and its not just related to suggestions. I know a few folks that will avoid asking questions or making suggestions due to how it seems like not matter how benign the request/suggestion someone will always make some dismissive, snide or condescending remarks by some of the more active people in the community. There are some outstanding folks in the community that make up for some of this but, it's what I've seen.

Yep. It's a near-guarantee that you'll see the same 4-7 folks dogpiling individuals.

None of us who have noticed this know each other, much less spoken to one another. We have absolutely nothing to gain by reaching the same conclusion.

It's a legitimate issue and anyone who doesn't see it is not being honest with themselves (or part of the problem).

[DaddieCat]

When discussing the ideas about tablets or phones, please remember that the full functionality does not need to be there and not everyone uses FG the same way. Even something small can be very useful and fun.

For example, previously I created a simple program that worked with FG to give the players some functionality on the phone. Only to move their characters, pan the map, and roll dice. But that was all we needed. FG displayed on a large screen TV and we had a blast playing in person. (DM was on a laptop connected to a different laptop that acted as the players FG which was displayed to the large screen TV.)

The DM could use the full power of FG and from their phones players could move their own characters around, move the map as needed, and of course Roll Dice! It was great!

And that is just something simple. With even a small API, a great number of things could be done. It does not need to be the full suite of FG functionality.

Here is all the user had on the phone. Simple and amateurish and nothing like the FG suite, but it worked for us to have fun which is what FG is here is support.

This is stunning!

[LordEntrails]

For those of you who see this undesirable behavior from some in this community (myself included no doubt). I would appreciate anyone willing to reach out privately (or in another thread if you so desire) to help me figure out how I can improve my own behavior and influence others towards behavior that would not be seen so negative. Thanks.