Using the Chat Window

Sending Chat Messages

To enter a simple chat message, just type a message in the chat entry box and press Enter.

For players, the speaker for the chat message will be the active character, or the player's user name if no characters are active. For GMs, the speaker will be the active speaking identity (see below).

Chat Modes

When pressing the Enter key to send messages, you can also hold modifier keys to change the mode of the message sent.

Chat Mode

Modifier Key

Example

Chat Mode

Modifier Key

Example

Normal

-

Bill: No way! It's mine!

Intended Action

Ctrl (Player)

Bill: I open the lock.

Story

Ctrl (GM)

The room is dusty, with a single set of footprints across it.

Emote

Shift+Ctrl

Bill scratches his scalp

Out-of-Character

Alt

YourUsername (Bill): I'm hungry, getting some Cheetos

Below is an image of the examples shown how they look in Fantasy Grounds VTT. The top-left window is the GM window, and the lower-right window is the player (Bill) window. This shows how GMs and players both see items sent via Chat.

image-20240815-222111.png

Chat History and Chat Buffers

FG provides a couple tools to help manage chat during the game.

Chat History: A history of the most recent chat entries entered into the chat entry box are saved. Just press the up or down arrow key while the typing cursor is in the chat entry box to access chat history entries.

Chat Buffers: There are 2 chat buffers that can be toggled between, in case you want to quickly comment on a game while writing a lengthy piece of dialogue. Just hold the CTRL modifier key while pressing the up or down arrow key.

Whispers

The GM and players can whisper to each other during the game session to pass private messages. The GM can monitor all whisper messages via a campaign option if they choose.

To whisper, just type /whisper followed by the character name and the text you want to whisper. If you type in a partial character name, you can press Tab to auto-complete the name. To whisper to the GM, just type GM for the character name.

image-20240815-222647.png

If you as the GM attempt to whisper to someone who is not currently logged into the game, you will get the following error:

Hidden Chat Messages

There are several hidden message types used by FG:

  • If the Show GM die rolls option is set to off, then all rolls will be secret GM messages.

  • Whispers are only visible to the users involved in the whisper.

  • Any dice tower rolls will be shown as secret GM messages only.

A secret GM message is identified by a shuttered eye icon (or question mark), and only visible to the GM.

To share a chat message that is hidden, the GM has a few options:

  • Middle click on the secret GM message to share with everyone.

  • Drag chat message entry, and drop on chat window to share with everyone.

  • Drag chat message entry, and drop on character list to share with a single player.

Speaking Identities

The GM has a list of speaking identities shown at the bottom of the chat window below the chat entry box. Initially, only the default GM user name will be shown in this list.

  • Chat default ID: Type /gmid followed by the desired default user name to use for chat text.

  • Add Identity: Type /identity followed by the name you want to display when chatting. The name will be activated automatically.

  • Change Speaking Identity: Just click on the identity you want to chat as.

  • Remove Identity: Right-click on the identity you want to delete, and choose the Remove menu option.

Moods

Each user can define text to display with normal chat messages to indicate the speaker's mood when speaking. For players, the mood can be set on a per character basis.

  • Set mood text: Type /mood followed by a single word describing the speaker's mood, or place the mood text within parentheses to set a multi-word mood.

  • Remove mood text: Type /mood by itself.

  • Use mood for one message: Follow directions for setting mood text, but then enter additional text on the same line to indicate the text you want to speak with this mood.

Voting

The GM or players can initiate a vote. Each player can place their vote on the vote topic (empty vote, yes, or no)

  • Call vote: Type /vote followed by the text to display with the voting box.

  • Change vote: Click on the voting box to toggle vote between empty, yes and no states.

 

 

 

 

AFK

As a player, if you are going to be away from your keyboard (AFK) for an extended period, you can specify to the rest of the people in the session that you are away. A clock icon will be displayed on your character's portrait in the character list when you have indicated that you are AFK. As soon as you start typing in the chat entry box, the AFK icon will be removed.

To toggle AFK status, you can type /afk in the chat entry box, or you can right click on your character portrait and select the AFK menu option.

Move Chat Window

To move the chat window, just right-click on the chat window and select the Unlock Position menu option. Then, you can drag the chat window anywhere on the tabletop, and select the Lock Position menu option to keep it there. You can also click Reset Position to reset the Chat window to it’s default position along the left side of the main window.

Copying Chat Message Text

To copy a chat message, right-click on the chat message and select the Copy Text To Clipboard menu option. This option is not available if the

Chat Window Context Menus

When the GM right-clicks on the chat window, they have a few additional features they can access.

If right-clicking on a chat message with a number or dice:

  • Reset: Displays the number or dice without any total.

  • Negate Value: Displays the number or dice with a negative total.

  • Double Value: Displays the number or dice with double the positive total.

  • Halve Value: Displays the number or dice with half of the positive total.

  • Display Sum: Displays the number or dice with a positive total.

Chat Commands

These commands can be entered on the chat entry line, and are activated when you press the Enter key. If the text is dragged to a hot key, then the command will be executed when the hot key is pressed. Most slash commands can be shortened as long as the shortened version of the command is unique.

Slash command parameters in brackets are required, and parameters in angled brackets are optional.

For a list of chat commands in Fantasy Grounds VTT, type /help into the chat window and hit Enter.

Chat Command Format

User Type

Notes

Chat Command Format

User Type

Notes

Information / Help

/help

Anyone

Lists all available chat commands divided into Application Slash Commands and Ruleset Application Commands.

/info

Anyone

GM: Displays Game Info, Campaign loaded, Ruleset and server info like Cloud, Server Visibility, IP address and currently connected users.

Player: Displays Game Info like Username, Campaign being played, and Ruleset

/version

Anyone

Shows the version of Fantasy Grounds VTT, what license is active, if any, and what ruleset(s), theme and extensions are currently loaded.

/debug [on|off]

Anyone

Turns on debug mode, which collects more information. This is usually requested by developers or support staff when troubleshooting an issue.

Dice Rolls

/die [NdN+N] <message>

Anyone

Make a die roll with the given message.

/dicevolume [0-100|on|off]

Anyone

Allows you to control the volume of the sound dice make when rolled, or turn the sound on or off.

/diceeffect [on|off]

Anyone

Turns dice effects on or off.
See: All Things Dice | Disable Dice Effects

/rollon [table name] <-c [column name]> <-d [NdN+N]> <-hide>

Anyone

Roll on the campaign table named, and display the result. If column name is specified, only display the results from that column. If d option specified, then use that die roll instead of the default table die roll. If hide specified, then only display the results to the GM.

/random [number]

Anyone

Rolls a random number between 1 and the number you set after the command.

/mod [number] <message>

Anyone

Add a modifier to the modifier stack with the given description, if any.

/scaledice <80-120>

Anyone

Scale the size of the dice / dice tray between 80% (smaller than default) to 120% (larger than default).
/scaledice 100 will reset the dice to default.

Chat Modes

/action [message]

Player

Indicate character's intended action. (same as action chat mode)

/story [message]

GM

Display story text. (same as story chat mode)

/emote [message]

Anyone

Emote a feeling or action. (same as emote chat mode)

/ooc [message]

Anyone

Out-of-character speech. (same as OOC chat mode)

/story [message]

Anyone

Display story text.

/mood [mood] <message>
/mood ([multiword mood]) <message>

Anyone

If message is specified, generate a standard chat message with the given mood text. If message is not specified, then show mood text for any subsequent messages.

/mood

Anyone

Clear mood text for any subsequent messages.

Chat Whispers

/whisper [character] [message]

Anyone

Whisper a message to the named character. If GM is specified as the character name, then the message will be whispered to the host.

/reply [message]

Anyone

Whisper a message to the last person who whispered you.

Chat Misc

/vote [message]

Anyone

Display a voting box in the chat window with the message specified.

/afk

Anyone

Lets others know that you are currently AFK (away from keyboard).

/clear

GM

Clear the chat window for GM and players.

GM Identity Management

/identity [identityname]
/id [identityname]

GM

Activate the specified GM speaking identity name. If the identity does not exist, it is created first.

/gmid [identityname]

GM

Change the default GM speaking identity. The default is "GM", and can be originally set at the launcher screen.

Misc

/console

Anyone

Opens the application console log.

/option [option_name] <option_value>

Anyone

Allows you to change an option’s state without opening the Options window from the Sidebar.

/scaleui <50-200>

Anyone

Scales the FGVTT user interface between 50% of the default size, up to 200% of the default size.
More info here:How to Make The User Interface Larger or Smaller

/vsync [0-4]

Anyone

Allows your computer to limit the amount of frames that your GPU is outputting to match the framerate of your monitor.
More info here: Reducing GPU Usage | 2. Advanced FGU Commands Use With Caution

/imagequality [0-3]

Anyone

Reduces the quality of an images being rendered in FGVTT. This can help mitigate performance issues from huge maps or assets.
More info here: Reducing GPU Usage | 2b. the imagequality command

/export

GM

Opens the module export window.

/exportchar <name>

GM

Exports the character named to an XML file, or all characters if no name specified.

/exportnpc <name>

GM

Exports the NPC named to an XML file, or all characters if no name specified.

/importchar <name>

GM

Imports an XML file for a character. The XML file must be in the correct ruleset format, and can contain multiple character records.

/importnpcr <name>

GM

Imports an XML file for an NPC. The XML file must be in the correct ruleset format, and can contain multiple character records.

/flushdb

GM

Removes sharing of all campaign database records (but does not remove owners).

/save

GM

Immediately save campaign database to disk. FG automatically auto-saves campaign ever 5 minutes.

/kick

GM

Allows the GM to manually terminate a player’s connection to the server.

/reload

GM

Reload the ruleset files. Can only be used when no clients are connected to the host.

/openwindow [windowclass] <datapath>

GM / Dev

Allows you to manually open a window if you know the windowclass and datapath for the window.

/closewindow [windowclass] <datapath>

GM / Dev

Allows you to manually close a window if you know the windowclass and datapath for the window.

/gc

GM

gc stands for Garbage Collection. This cleans up some items in memory that are no longer needed.