Alternate Zone Movement
This module for Foundry VTT 13 and 14 replaces the ruler's standard distance with transitions between zones defined as separate Regions. It works with both the regular ruler and the ruler of a dragged token.
Compatibility
- Foundry VTT 13 and 14.
- Any game system that uses the standard ruler classes or classes derived from them.
- Levels 6.1.0 is recommended for multi-level Foundry VTT 13 Scenes.
- Native Scene Levels are supported on Foundry VTT 14; the Levels module is not required there.
Zone Setup
- Create a separate
Regionon the Scene for each zone. - Open the Region settings and add the Movement Zone behavior.
- Set the Entry Cost. By default, entering a zone costs
1. - Where zones overlap, set a higher Overlap Priority for the zone that should be used.
The module is enabled for a Scene automatically when it contains at least one active Region with the Movement Zone behavior. You do not need to change the grid units to zone.
Multi-Level Scene
The elevation range of each Region must correspond to its floor. On Foundry VTT 14, assign the Region to the appropriate native Scene Level as well. For example:
| Floor | Region | Bottom Elevation | Top Elevation |
|---|---|---|---|
| First | Hall — Floor 1 | 0 | 9 |
| Second | Hall — Floor 2 | 10 | 19 |
Regions can completely overlap in shape. At token elevation 0, the first-floor zone will be selected; at elevation 10, the second-floor zone will be selected. On Foundry VTT 14, the native Level ID carried by a token ruler waypoint is also used to distinguish overlapping Regions. Elevation is taken from the ruler waypoint; if it is not present there, the module uses the current Levels token, the selected token, the active native Scene Level, or the active elevation range in the Levels interface.
Do not create overlapping elevation ranges unless necessary. If a point belongs to multiple zones, the module selects the higher priority, then the narrower elevation range, and then the stable Region ID.
Counting Rules
- The starting zone has a cost of
0. - Entering another zone adds its Entry Cost.
- Re-entering the same Region after an ignored gap does not create a transition.
- Space outside zones is ignored by default. It can be treated as a separate zone in the world settings.
- The ruler label can display the name of the destination Region.
The route is checked at a configurable interval measured in fractions of a grid cell. A value of 0.25 is suitable for most maps; reduce it if the path crosses very narrow zones.
Origin of the Idea
The zone-based ruler concept was inspired by the Zone Movement module. The code, zone model, floor selection, transition algorithm, and ruler integration in this project were implemented independently.