SWADE Token Height (altitude) explained

[Lonewolf]

After seeing yet another question about token height (altitude) on Discord. Here is the full explanation again in a format that is better preserved that Discord.

First point. The default diagonal distance value in a new SWADE campaign is 1. It was set like this whilst investigating another function and not returned to original value.

So here is how you replicate the issue everyone is taking about:
1. Start a new SWADE campaign. This is important. Any time you open an extension there is chance it injects code in db.xls which does not get removed. So to test with clean data. Always use a new campaign and never load extension of any kind when testing ruleset code.
2. Activate rulesets module and FG battle maps module. This map module ships with FG and therefore everyone can duplicate results using it.
3. Open combat tracker and add two NPCs. Then drag them to the map
4. Have one target the other and move them apart so the range reported is 20
5. Now hold down ALT key and scroll the target so the height marker says in at height (altitude) 20
6. The distance between that is still 20 but it can’t be.

What is happing is FG is simply measuring the biggest value in range or height. Reduce the horizontal distance between the tokens to about 10. The range does not change because the height is now bigger and so it still says 20.
Move the token far apart and when horizonal distance is greater that height the range changes. To the higher horizontal distance is used.

Ok so remember when I said that default diagonal distance is 1?

Go into the option menu and look under House Rules. Change Map: Diagonal Distance to 1.5 and repeat the experiment again.

1. Horizonal distance set to 20 and Height set to 20. The range is now rounded off 30. Hypotenuse appears.
2. The maths people will be screaming 28.284 at this point. Ok then go into options again and set the multiplier to RAW. The value show is now 28.3. Close enough to make them happy, I hope.

So simply set your house rule up and tell us what happens.

[Moon Wizard]

As far as I know, the option was specifically set to 1x by the Savage Worlds ruleset developer. (i.e. greatest value of any axis) as the default.

Regards,
JPG

[Lonewolf]

As far as I know, the option was specifically set to 1x by the Savage Worlds ruleset developer. (i.e. greatest value of any axis) as the default.

Regards,
JPG

Yes indeed and the value should be not be changed in the rules set code. It is now a house rule that people can change as required using a dedicated option provided.

The change was introduced quite some time ago. It was done during an investigation to get past the limitations of the token reach. It was all about trying to get effects auras working. The no 1 request feature on Fantasy Grounds. Unfortunately Ikeal was called away for a real life issue before this investigation was complete.

The current value works fine. For most setting where people just use melee weapons.

Prior to adding the function for height into core. There was an extention the SWADE users had to do the same thing. This is now redundant but some people seem to prefer loading this rather that simply changing a number out of habit.