Great White Games/Pinnacle Entertainment Group

edbraindead · Posted: Thu Dec 25, 2008 8:01 pm Post subject: Fantasy Grounds II

How many people on here have used or still use Fantasy Grounds II to play Savage Worlds online?

I'm looking at getting into it with a group of players, and wasn't sure of the pros and cons. I've messed with the demo a little, but it's for D20 and the features are pretty restricted for a demo.

I'm looking at it in a way to play with friends that have moved away, as a means to continue role-playing with them.

Y'all Of Cthulhu · Posted: Thu Dec 25, 2008 10:31 pm Post subject:

I haven't used Fantasy Grounds II yet with Savage Worlds, but I play in a regular Call of Cthulhu game using the official ruleset developed by Digital Adventures, who created the Savage Worlds ruleset for Fantasy Grounds II. That ruleset has been top-notch and made our game run much smoother since we went over to it from the generic ruleset we were using before the official ruelset's release. I have heard great things about the Savage Worlds products which have been created for Fantasy Grounds II and I'll be all for picking up the Explorer's Edition core bundle once they get the liscencing issues worked out in regards to Deadlands and an official Deadlands module for FG II gets released. I'm really digging Savage Worlds at the moment, but my mine interest in the system lies with its use for Deadlands: Reloaded...and Realms of Cthulhu when it's released...oh and Space: 1889 if that rumor turns out to be true. Wink

edbraindead · Posted: Thu Dec 25, 2008 11:36 pm Post subject:

Thanks for the response. I've heard good things about it. I'm definitely waiting for deadlands to be part of it. I also want to play solomon kane using it.

With your Call of Cthulhu game, do you run your own campaign or is there a lot of written adventures that are available for fantasy grounds?

Phillipe D'Oro · Novice Joined: 06 Jan 2008 Posts: 27

I've played a couple of adventures using it. Good product, easy to use (at least as a player, haven't made the leap to GM yet), terrible documentation. I had trouble installing the Savage Worlds ruleset, because of the documentation, but now that I've got it going, it works fine.

You'll probably need some help from the forums or experienced users to really get going.

The GM needs to buy a FG license and the SW ruleset. The players just need the ruleset.

edbraindead · Posted: Fri Dec 26, 2008 4:45 pm Post subject:

Yeah I've been hearing that the documentation is crappy. Now is there a combination of the savage worlds ruleset and explorer's edition in one package?

River Rat · Posted: Fri Dec 26, 2008 5:59 pm Post subject:

Why yes there is!

http://www.digitaladventures.net/catalog/product_info.php?cPath=31&products_id=100

This is the link for the Savage Worlds ruleset and Explorers' Edition reference modules. You can also find in on RPGNet. Just make sure you get the right one. There is an Revised Rules edition out there as well.

Check out the forum on www.FantasyGrounds.com or www.savageworldsonline.net to find games or help. Both our excellent communities of friendly and helpful people.

RiverRat

UmbraLux · Veteran Joined: 31 Jan 2008 Posts: 675

edbraindead · Posted: Fri Dec 26, 2008 7:26 pm Post subject:

These are all good points in helping me decide whether to get fantasy grounds or not. It sounds like I'll be picking it up, but might have to get used to the card issues.

I was thinking of running zombie run. Has anyone tried to GM zombie run on fantasy grounds?

mac40k · Seasoned Joined: 04 Dec 2007 Posts: 270

I'm running Sundered Skies on FG2 right now using the SWEX ruleset. It works well enough although it gets quirky from time to time doing things like rolling the wild die on damage even though the players have all typed in the instruction for it not to. You can always just elect to roll the wild die separately each time rather than use the option to have it roll automatically. Also, since Acing is automatic, it makes it difficult when you were just wanting to roll 2d6 to look up results on a table.

Didn't realize there was an issue with the Advantages that cause you to draw multiple cards. I thought it handled this. For Level Headed I though it just showed the better card and for Quick it just redrew if any card less than a 5 came up. You don't need to see the other cards anyway.

It doesn't support using cards for other things though, like cycling through a deck to determine random encounters. The built in card rack will only deal up to 5 cards, then has to be reshuffled.

The biggest issue is templates. For the circular ones you can use FG's built in circle drawing tool, but the cone in FG at 45 degrees is the wrong shape. I've created a token, but it suffers from being only positionable in one of 8 orientations, so it's tough to line up correctly sometimes. I read a thread on the FG forum that the code supports modifying the shape of the cone drawing tool, but the guys at Digital Adventures didn't take advantage of this.

Still, FG is enabling me to run Sundered Skies right now whereas I wouldn't be doing it without it. As others have said, just make sure you buy the right thing. They still sell the Revised ruleset and a SWEX upgrade for people that own the Revised ruleset as well as a version that is complete based on the Explorer's Edition.

siefertma · Posted: Fri Dec 26, 2008 11:47 pm Post subject:

I'd really like to get into FG as well seeing as I have a problem finding local players.
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Y'all Of Cthulhu · Posted: Sat Dec 27, 2008 1:19 am Post subject:

edbraindead · Posted: Sat Dec 27, 2008 1:50 pm Post subject: fg 2

I'm definitely looking forward to using Fantasy Grounds II. I guess I'll just have to get used to any of it's quirks, but at least I'm aware of them ahead of time.

I really want to run Solomon Kane or Deadlands as a campaign using Fanatasy Grounds. I heard that maybe someday Deadlands will be added to the mix, but there's licensing issues?

With family and work and everything and all my old players moving away, this seems like the best way to keep games going.

Do most of you play with people you know that live far away or have you developed groups through the forums?

Support is also a big thing. I'm starting to check the forums and it seems like a lot of people use Fantasy Grounds. I actually didn't hear about Fantasy Grounds until I went to Gen Con '07. I didn't really check it out though, because I still had my players in the area and had no need for it.

UmbraLux · Veteran Joined: 31 Jan 2008 Posts: 675

Murgh Bpurn · Posted: Mon Dec 29, 2008 6:22 am Post subject:

edbraindead · Posted: Tue Dec 30, 2008 8:45 pm Post subject:

I keep hearing great things. When payday rolls around, I think I'll be picking it up. It's nice that it's a one-time buy aside from new rule sets and adventures.

I appreciate all the help in whether or not to get FG II. I think it's going to give me a lot more rpg opportunities.