Gate City Shadows Core GM Panel (Platinum Edition)

Version 3.5.0 · Released April 7, 2026

One Foundry window packed with cards (focused mini-tools) for running sessions: combat, audio, whispers, loot, shops, maps, calendars, logging, and more. GMs get the full toolkit; players get a separate, slimmer panel with permissions-safe tools, not a copy of your GM dashboard.

What you get

• Modular cards you show, hide, and reorder to match your table.
• Two layout modes: full three-column workspace or compact single column (about a third of the screen width), each with its own saved order, visibility, and window position.
• Named layout profiles (since v3.2.7): save and apply snapshots that can include theme, full vs compact, visible cards, order, collapsed cards, and floating launcher position. Switch profiles when the night shifts from dungeon crawl to court intrigue.
• Optional beta features (world setting): experimental cards stay available to Platinum GMs but can be turned off for a calmer, more predictable table.

The module is built with GM authority in mind: player tools mirror allowed workflows and should not replace Foundry’s normal permission model or your table’s social contract.

Compatibility

• Foundry VTT: minimum v13; verified against 13.351 in the shipped manifest.
• If your installer or listing shows different numbers, treat the module manifest (module.json in the package) as the source of truth.

Quick start

1. Enable the module in your world, then open the GM panel with chat /gcs core, your hotkey (if set under Foundry keybindings), or the floating launcher (drag to move; position is remembered per client).
2. Tweak the experience under Configure Game Settings → Module Settings → GCS Core GM Panel. Settings are grouped by topic (panel and appearance, launcher, card visibility by column, DJ Booth, Whisper Window, performance, advanced, debug) so related toggles are easy to find.

GM vs Player

Layouts at a glance

• Full mode: Left (“what’s happening now?”): status, roster, time, combat, quick rules. Middle (“show, sound, story, secrets”): media, DJ, whispers, log, journal, factions, shop, loot. Right (“campaign operations”): missions, money, NPC tools, world map, calendar, look and feel.
• Compact mode: same cards in one scrollable column. Ideal for laptops, portrait monitors, or when the map should own most of the screen.
• Switching full vs compact is not resetting your campaign: each mode remembers its own layout.

Feature map (by job)

Use this as a session map, not a rigid script. Step-by-step behavior for every control lives in the User Guide (see below).

Session operations

• Core Status, Roster, Session Timer, Calendar (real-world and in-world dates, recurring events, GM-only vs shared).

Combat

• Combat Tracker (encounters, initiative, turn/round, end combat) with optional hover bubbles on tracker rows and/or canvas tokens (module settings, off by default in v3.3.0).

Media and audio

• Broadcaster (images/video to players, targeting, preview).
• DJ Booth (music lane, SFX lane, playlists, soundboard; SFX Stop stops effects without stopping music).

Whispers and secrets

• Whisper Window (GM↔player notes, optional mirror to Foundry whispers, Export PDF of the thread stored in this browser).

Economy and loot

• Banker (multi-currency moves with system-aware handling).
• Shopkeep (beta): GM publishes inventory; players use Player Shopkeep.
• Loot Generator (beta): preview-first runs, rarity bands, distribution options.

Campaign and world

• Mission Brief / Debrief (objectives, debrief, what players may see; feeds World Hub when allowed).
• World Map (beta): campaign map and markers; Player World Map updates when you save.
• Faction Web with Player Factions (filtered player view).

Logging and recap

• Journal (in-panel browser with folders and search).
• Storyteller (event log and exports).
• Narrator (beta): prose-style recap from live context.
• Quick Reference / Player Quick Reference (search, exports where offered).

Look, feel, and diagnostics

• Theme Switcher (beta) and Player Theme Switcher.
• System Health for troubleshooting and support-friendly exports when needed.

What’s new in 3.3.0

• Module settings: Regrouped into clear sections; card visibility lists left, middle, and right columns (v3.3.0), with Loot Generator grouped with middle tools. World beta toggle stays easy to find.
• Combat Tracker (optional): Hover summaries on tracker rows and/or map tokens (separate toggles, both default off). Canvas bubbles keep a framed, readable look even when the Core Panel window is fully closed.
• DJ Booth: Streamlined Soundboard add/edit dialog (icons, library suggestions, clearer layout). SFX Stop stops active sound effects in sync for the table without stopping music. Improved spacing and controls in the soundboard UI.
• Whisper Window: Larger recipient chips; PDF export of the local recent thread; toasts and highlight on the newest line for GMs and players so new messages are easy to notice.
• Reliability: Continued stability, defensive behavior, and security-conscious defaults aligned with ongoing production standards. No destructive migration is required to upgrade from 3.2.x.

Languages and game systems

• UI languages: English, Spanish, and French (panel language in module settings or follow Foundry, depending on your choice).
• Game systems: The panel aims to work across many Foundry systems. Combat summaries, currency, loot, and NPC tools adapt where the module recognizes the system. Niche or brand-new systems may fall back to generic behavior that is still usable.

Practical tip: Before a big session in a new system, spend a few minutes with Banker, Loot Generator, and NPC Generator in a throwaway scene to see what auto-fills and what you still enter by hand.

Documentation in this package

• docs/USER_GUIDE.md … Step-by-step GM reference for each card and setting.
• docs/Player_USER_GUIDE.md … Onboarding and reference for player-facing tools.

Copyright and support

© 2025-2026 Gate City Shadows, LLC. All rights reserved.

Support: support@gatecityshadows.net