Foundry VTT

[gds73]

I downloaded and got started with Foundry VTT last year. Using the Startup set up from TheNewDm on youtube, I got things set up to do Traveller. But I kind of got sidetracked with some things and did not get into it like I originally wanted to. Decided to get back to it. But I am not very computer savvy and am having a hard time setting things up to do maps and run adventures through it. Does anyone one have a good Tutorial and or something similar to help a non computer savvy guy get things working? I already have the following set up.

twodsix System

Add on Modules
Dice so nice
Dice tray
Inline Web Viewer
Traveller map Tools
Tokenizer
Token Action Hud for twodsix
Token Action hud Core
Sockitlib
settings extender
sequencer
popout
pings
Moncks enhanced journal

Mainly I want to be able to load maps and tokens for my PCs and NPCs

Thank you for any help that can be given.

 

[Anstett]

There is a thread here:

Mongoose Traveller for Foundry went live today

I noticed that, today, an official Mongoose Traveller for Foundry went live: https://github.com/Mongoose-Publishing/traveller-foundryvtt Thank you!

forum.mongoosepublishing.com

@NotASnark is the person who works on that VTT.

 

[gds73]

I saw that after I posted the question. It is a different set up then what I had. I went ahead and downloaded it and so far like it. Hope he can get it further down the road with other stuff.

 

[Anstett]

@NotASnark is active under the same user name on the TravellerRPG Discord server as well, and is responsive.

 

[ResslynHalvik]

Did you find any didactic material for how to set up Foundry for a Traveller adventure, and how to do stuff with it during the game?

Having been away from RPGs for about 40 years, VTTs are new to me. I'd like to find some good resources that lead me through setting up Foundry for Traveller, what materials I need to prepare for it for an adventure, and how to use it during (and between?) the play sessions.

 

[Anstett]

Reach out to me where you like to talk about VTTs overall. I do not use Foundry but I have been running my games online with VTTs for 22+ years.

Glad to talk about the differences in running at a table, running online over Discord, etc. using a VTT, the pros and cons of all of the things.

 

[ResslynHalvik]

I'm just keen to find some didactic material that I can work through that will tell me how to referee a game using a VTT in general, or Foundry in particular. Right now I don't know where to start.

 

[Anstett]

Let's have that conversation.

I am not aware of any materials written recently to cover all those aspects.

In a search there are articles from various people giving their take on different aspects. There are no definitive sources because so much is based on your GM style and the type of players you want at your table.

 

[ResslynHalvik]

I am surprised that Foundry don't seem to provide any instructions. I have messaged them, but no reply yet.

 

[ResslynHalvik]

I have no head a reply from Foundry, but I don't understand it. They have pointed me at some material that is all way too advanced for me, and feels like coming in halfway through a conversation.

What I'd like to understand is the following, I think:

1. What's the minimum I need to buy to have a functioning Foundry that would let me run a Mongoose Traveller game?
2. What would I need to prepare before a game in Foundry?
3. What do I need to do during a game session in Foundry?
4. If I want to expand from the bare minimum to cover the full set of Mongoose books that I woen, do I need to spend more money?

 

[Endie]

I have no head a reply from Foundry, but I don't understand it. They have pointed me at some material that is all way too advanced for me, and feels like coming in halfway through a conversation.

What I'd like to understand is the following, I think:

1. What's the minimum I need to buy to have a functioning Foundry that would let me run a Mongoose Traveller game?
2. What would I need to prepare before a game in Foundry?
3. What do I need to do during a game session in Foundry?
4. If I want to expand from the bare minimum to cover the full set of Mongoose books that I woen, do I need to spend more money?

I'd strongly advise just using Owlbear Rodeo (with something like Discord for video conferencing) and pretending that you are all at the same table. It has an easy and intuitive dice roller interface and if you can all add +2 for your skill to your roll at the table I dare say that you can do it on a VTT.

Every other VTT introduces complexity that inevitably slows everything down, especially in combat. Watching people on live play videos on Youtube they are still struggling with the mechanics after a great many sessions. We have a transparent experience on Owlbear that doesn't get in the way of us having fun, and exactly matches the tabletop experience (except that we are blessedly spared a trip to Kirkcaldy three weeks out of four).

It's also vastly cheaper than the alternatives.

Edit: I'm a software engineer, not someone terrified of scripting or configuration. I've purchased Foundry and found it usable, and have tried Fantasy Grounds as well, as well as trialling a friend's Roll20. They're fine and they work. But they stand between you and the TTRPG experience you're used to. Beware all evangelists, including me.

 

[ResslynHalvik]

So, is Owlbear just something that adds a dice rolling tool to Discord audio/video sharing?

 

[Endie]

It’s a fairly lightweight VTT.

 

[ResslynHalvik]

Yeah, having no experience and close to no knowledge of VTTs, I don't really know what that means. I'll assume you were saying "Yes, that's right"

 

[CordwainerFish]

Every other VTT introduces complexity that inevitably slows everything down, especially in combat.

In my experience combat in FG is pretty smooth... or would be if someone (they know who they are) would remember to set their targets.

 

[gilthy]

So, is Owlbear just something that adds a dice rolling tool to Discord audio/video sharing?

Owlbear Rodeo is a browser-based tool which offers shared 2D maps (with a GM and a Player view), tokens (to be placed and moved on those maps) and shared die rolling.

Foundry and Roll20 (the other big players in that space) offer the same, plus more.

All of those are meant for group play over the internet. The GM goes to the web site, sets up a session, and shares information with their players, who then can join the session. Details vary between the various options.

I've played Traveller during Covid Lockdown using Roll20, using what Roll20 provides as standard plus some image files of maps and illustrations, the provided Mongoose Traveller 2e character sheet on that site, and Discord for voice and video. We also had paper sheets, some people used Roll20 for dice, some rolled physical dice (as we had an in-person game we were continuing online).

Roll20 has pretty okay tutorials (I think it's the bigger company), but a lot of those use D&D as an example.