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

-

Ted: No way! It's mine!

Intended Action

Ctrl (Player)

Ted: I open the lock.

Story

Ctrl (GM)

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

Emote

Shift+Ctrl

Ted scratches his scalp

Out-of-Character

Alt

UserTed: I'm hungry, getting some Cheetos

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 (or /w) 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.

To reply, just type /reply (or /r) with the text you want to use to reply to the last whisper sent to you.

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 (or /id) 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 (or /m) 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 (or /m) 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 menu option. Then, you can drag the chat window anywhere on the tabletop, and select the Lock menu option to keep it there.

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: Displays the number or dice with a negative total.

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

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

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

If right-clicking on the chat window without clicking on a chat message:

  • Prompt Icon: Display a prompt icon in the chat log.

  • Halt Icon: Display a halt icon in the chat log.

  • Clear: Clears the visible chat log for the GM and players.

  • Start/Stop Chat Log: In addition to the visible chat log, all chat messages are also saved to a chatlog.html file in your campaign directory. By default, this chat logging is enabled. You can use this option to disable.

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.

Chat Command Format

User Type

Notes

Chat Command Format

User Type

Notes

Dice Rolls

/die [NdN+N] <message>

Anyone

Make a die roll with the given message.

/mod <description>

Anyone

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

/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.

Chat Modes

/action [message]
/a [message]

Player

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

/story [message]
/s [message]

GM

Display story text. (same as story chat mode)

/emote [message]
/e [message]

Anyone

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

/ooc [message]
/o [message]

Anyone

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

/story [message]
/s [message]

Anyone

Display story text.

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

Anyone

Clear mood text for any subsequent messages.

Chat Whispers

/whisper [character] [message]
/w [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]
/r [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.

/clear

GM

Clear the chat window for GM and players.

GM Identity Management

/identity [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.

/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.

/importchar

GM

Imports an XML file. 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.

/reload

GM

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