Gate City Shadows Core GM Panel

Platinum Edition - Complete Feature Guide

Version 1.9.2 | © 2025 Gate City Shadows, LLC. All rights reserved.

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Welcome, Professional Game Masters

The Gate City Shadows Core GM Panel (Platinum Edition) is your comprehensive command center for running professional tabletop RPG sessions in Foundry VTT. Designed specifically for GMs who demand efficiency, organization, and seamless gameplay flow, this panel transforms your virtual tabletop into a powerful campaign management system.

Whether you're running a weekly D&D campaign, a Shadowrun heist, or a Pathfinder adventure, the Core GM Panel provides the tools you need to focus on storytelling while the panel handles the administrative overhead.

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Table of Contents

1. The Core Panel System
2. Essential Cards
3. Campaign Management Cards
4. Media & Atmosphere Cards
5. Beta Features (Platinum Exclusive)
6. Platinum vs. Gold Edition Comparison
7. Professional GM Use Cases

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The Core Panel System

Your Command Center

The Core GM Panel is built around a flexible three-zone layout that adapts to your workflow. Think of it as your mission control center—everything you need is organized, accessible, and working together seamlessly.

Three Strategic Zones:

• Left Zone (Status): Real-time monitoring and combat management
• Center Zone (Media): Communication, atmosphere, and session logging
• Right Zone (Jobs): Campaign management, finances, and content generation

Why This Matters for Professional GMs

Efficiency Through Organization: No more hunting through menus or switching between multiple windows. Everything you need is in one place, organized logically.

Persistent Memory: Your layout preferences are saved automatically. The panel remembers exactly how you like it arranged, so you can jump right into your session without setup time.

System Agnostic Design: Works with any Foundry VTT game system—D&D 5e, Pathfinder, Shadowrun, Call of Cthulhu, and more. The panel automatically detects your system and adapts accordingly.

Seamless Integration: All cards communicate with each other automatically. When combat starts, the Storyteller logs it. When you distribute loot, the Banker tracks it. Everything works together without manual intervention.

Performance Optimized: Built for professional use with real-time monitoring and automatic optimization. The panel tracks its own performance to ensure smooth operation even during intense combat sessions.

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Essential Cards

🎯 Session Timer

What It Does: Tracks your session time with precision, including breaks and pauses.

Professional GM Benefits:

• Accurate Time Tracking: Know exactly how long your sessions run for better scheduling and pacing
• Break Management: Pause for bathroom breaks, meals, or technical issues without losing track of play time
• Session Labels: Tag sessions with custom labels ("Session 5: The Dragon's Lair") for easy reference
• Export to Chat: Share session duration with players instantly—great for milestone tracking and XP calculations
• World-Scoped: Timer persists across Foundry restarts, so you never lose track of your campaign's total play time

Real-World Use Case: Running a 4-hour session with a 30-minute dinner break? The timer tracks both separately, giving you accurate play time (3.5 hours) and total session time (4 hours) for scheduling future sessions.

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⚔️ Combat Tracker

What It Does: Provides a comprehensive, system-agnostic combat management interface that automatically detects and displays initiative, health, and turn order across multiple game systems.

Professional GM Benefits:

• Universal Compatibility: Works with D&D 5e, Pathfinder 1e/2e, Shadowrun 6e, Savage Worlds, Call of Cthulhu, and more—no manual configuration needed
• Automatic Health Monitoring: Visual health bars with color-coded indicators (green/yellow/red) show combatant status at a glance
• Enhanced Event Detection: Tracks not just round and turn changes, but also damage sources, healing, KOs, deaths, and condition changes
• Shadowrun 6e Specialization: Full support for Shadowrun's unique damage flow (Attack → Defense → Soak → Final Damage) with detailed tracking
• Real-Time Updates: Health bars and initiative display update automatically as combat progresses
• Combat Controls: Next Turn, Next Round, and End Combat buttons for smooth combat flow
• Multi-Encounter Support: Track multiple encounters simultaneously with encounter-specific naming

Advanced Features for Professional GMs:

• Granular Damage Tracking: See who dealt damage to whom, with source attribution for every attack
• Action Logging: Automatically tracks spells, attacks, item usage, and special abilities
• Death vs. KO Distinction: Properly distinguishes between unconscious and dead—critical for systems with different mechanics
• Condition Monitoring: Tracks status effects and conditions as they're applied or removed
• Combatant Lifecycle: Monitors when combatants join or leave combat, with initiative changes logged

Real-World Use Case: During a complex Shadowrun combat, the tracker automatically logs each step of the damage flow—attack hits, defense rolls, soak attempts, and final damage—giving you a complete combat narrative in the Storyteller without any manual input.

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📖 Storyteller

What It Does: Your automatic session recorder that captures every important event, creating a comprehensive log of your campaign's story.

Professional GM Benefits:

• Automatic Event Capture: Records combat events, transactions, broadcasts, music changes, and more—all automatically
• Event Classification: Organizes events by type (combat, character, reward, mission, social, travel, magic, technology, environment, audio, media) for easy filtering
• Enhanced Combat Logging: Detailed combat narratives including damage sources, action descriptions, and combat flow
• Shadowrun Damage Narratives: For Shadowrun systems, displays complete damage flow (Attack → Defense → Soak → Final Damage) in readable narrative format
• Session Timer Integration: Only records when your Session Timer is running, so breaks and setup time aren't logged
• Export Capabilities: Create journal entries with chronological or categorized session logs for campaign documentation
• Extended Memory: Stores up to 5,000 events (increased from 1,000) for long-running campaigns
• Duplicate Prevention: Intelligent duplicate detection prevents event spam while preserving important information
• Multi-Encounter Tracking: Tracks multiple encounters simultaneously with encounter-specific filtering

Advanced Features for Professional GMs:

• Granular Combat Events: See detailed attack/defense/soak actions, not just generic dice rolls
• Source Attribution: Every damage event shows who dealt it and to whom
• Action Descriptions: Spells, attacks, and item usage are logged with full context
• Condition Tracking: Status effects and conditions are logged as they change
• Combatant Changes: Logs when combatants join, leave, or change initiative
• Smart Suppression: Automatically suppresses generic dice rolls during combat to focus on meaningful events

Real-World Use Case: After a 4-hour session with multiple combats, social encounters, and loot distribution, you export a categorized log. The Storyteller has automatically organized everything—you can see all combat events together, all social interactions together, and all rewards together. Perfect for campaign recaps and session notes.

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👥 Roster

What It Does: Real-time player and character management with visual status indicators.

Professional GM Benefits:

• Live Status Updates: See who's online, who's offline, and who's in combat at a glance
• Character Integration: Shows character portraits and names for quick reference
• Role Identification: Instantly see who's a GM, PC, or regular user
• Combat Indicators: Visual markers show which players are currently in combat
• Real-Time Synchronization: Updates automatically as players connect or disconnect

Real-World Use Case: Starting a session and need to know who's present? The Roster shows you immediately. During combat, you can see at a glance which players are engaged and which might need attention.

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📊 Core Status

What It Does: Real-time system health monitoring and performance metrics.

Professional GM Benefits:

• Performance Monitoring: Track FPS, ping, and connection status to ensure smooth gameplay
• System Information: See Foundry version, game system, and module status at a glance
• Scene Information: Current scene name and ID for quick reference
• Combat Status: Active combat round and turn information
• Token Management: See controlled tokens and player counts
• Proactive Issue Detection: Identify performance problems before they affect gameplay

Real-World Use Case: Noticing lag during a session? Check Core Status to see if it's a connection issue, performance problem, or something else. The metrics help you troubleshoot quickly.

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Campaign Management Cards

💰 Banker

What It Does: Comprehensive financial management system that automatically detects and handles currencies across 15+ game systems.

Professional GM Benefits:

• Universal Currency Support: Works with D&D 5e (CP/SP/EP/GP/PP), Pathfinder (CP/SP/GP/PP), Shadowrun (Nuyen), Star Wars (Credits), Cyberpunk (Eurodollars), and more
• Automatic Detection: No configuration needed—the Banker automatically detects your game system and currency format
• Multi-Denomination Support: For systems like D&D and Pathfinder, switch between denominations (copper, silver, gold, etc.) seamlessly
• Automatic Conversion: Convert between currency denominations automatically (e.g., 100 copper = 1 gold)
• Transaction History: Complete audit trail of all financial activities—perfect for tracking campaign economics
• Bulk Operations: Process multiple transactions quickly for complex loot distribution
• Real-Time Updates: Balance updates are instant and synchronized across all connected players
• Pathfinder 2e Coin Items: Full support for Pathfinder 2e's coin item system with automatic synchronization

Advanced Features for Professional GMs:

• Ledger Management: View complete transaction history for any actor
• GM Controls: Full control over all financial operations with proper access controls
• Actor Integration: Direct integration with character sheets—no manual data entry
• Transaction Notes: Add notes to transactions for context ("Payment for information", "Loot from dragon hoard")

Real-World Use Case: Your party defeats a dragon and finds 5,000 gold pieces, 200 platinum pieces, and various gems. The Banker automatically converts everything to your preferred denomination, distributes it to party members, and logs each transaction. The Storyteller automatically records the loot distribution. Done in seconds, with a complete audit trail.

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📋 Mission Brief

What It Does: Dual-interface mission and quest management system for tracking jobs, objectives, and outcomes.

Professional GM Benefits:

• Dual Interface Design: Separate "Brief" and "Debrief" tabs for mission planning and results tracking
• Brief Side: Plan missions with job details, location, up to 3 tasks, rewards, potential bonuses, and notes
• Debrief Side: Track results, approach (quiet/loud), completion status, and outcome notes
• Chat Export: Generate beautifully styled mission cards for sharing with players
• Quick Reset: Clear form buttons for both tabs to quickly move between missions
• System Agnostic: Works with any game system—perfect for Shadowrun jobs, D&D quests, or Pathfinder missions

Real-World Use Case: Planning a Shadowrun heist? Use the Brief tab to outline the job, location, objectives, and payment. After the session, use the Debrief tab to record how it went, what approach the team took, and what complications arose. Export to chat to share the mission summary with players.

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Media & Atmosphere Cards

📡 Broadcaster

What It Does: Instant media sharing system for broadcasting images and videos to players with full-screen overlay display.

Professional GM Benefits:

• Instant Delivery: Share images and videos with all players instantly—no file transfers or manual sharing
• Full-Screen Overlay: Media displays as a full-screen overlay, ensuring everyone sees it clearly
• Customizable Display: Adjust scaling (25-200%), dimming (0-90%), and auto-close timers (0-120 seconds)
• Target Selection: Broadcast to all players, specific players, or GM only
• Video Controls: Recipients can control video playback (play, pause, seek)
• Multiple Formats: Supports images (PNG, JPG, WebP, GIF, BMP, SVG) and videos (WebM, MP4, OGV, OGG)

Real-World Use Case: Need to show players a map, NPC portrait, or clue? Select the file, choose your display settings, and broadcast. Everyone sees it instantly in full-screen. Set an auto-close timer so it disappears after 30 seconds, or leave it up for players to reference.

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🎵 DJ Booth

What It Does: Professional dual-deck music system with sound effects management and playlist support.

Professional GM Benefits:

• Dual-Deck System: Professional crossfade between tracks for seamless music transitions
• SFX Management: Quick-access sound effects library with volume control
• Playlist Support: Create and manage custom playlists for different moods, scenes, or locations
• Library Management: Organize music and SFX libraries with search functionality
• Volume Controls: Separate music and SFX volume with independent fade settings
• Real-Time Broadcasting: Music and SFX play to all connected players instantly
• Legacy Migration: Automatic migration from older DJ Booth versions

Real-World Use Case: Running a tense investigation scene? Queue up your "mystery" playlist. When combat breaks out, crossfade to your "combat" playlist. Need a door creak or gunshot? Quick-access SFX library. All players hear everything in sync, creating a shared atmosphere.

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Beta Features (Platinum Exclusive)

The Platinum Edition includes early access to experimental beta features. These cutting-edge tools give you first access to new functionality before it's released to other editions.

🎲 NPC Generator (Beta)

What It Does: System-aware NPC generation that creates fully-statted NPCs with names, biographies, and appropriate stats for your game system.

Professional GM Benefits:

• System-Aware Generation: Automatically detects your game system (D&D 5e, Pathfinder 2e, Shadowrun 6e, etc.) and generates appropriate NPCs
• 8 Archetypes: Guard, Politician/Noble, Cultist, Shopkeep, Scholar, Thief, Warrior, Healer—each with stat bonuses and penalties
• Quick NPC Button: One-click randomization of all fields (name, level, archetype, biography) for instant NPC creation
• Name Generation:
• Common Names: 100 realistic English names for grounded campaigns
• Fanciful Names: Generated compound surnames (e.g., "Greenstar", "Ironheart") with automatic vowel handling
• Biography Generation: Mad-libs style biography generation with 60 templates (30 original + 30 new) creating unique personality descriptions
• Quick Skills: Optional automatic skill assignment based on archetype and level
• Real-Time Preview: See calculated stats and biography before generating the NPC
• Image Selection: Browse and set actor/token images during NPC creation
• Folder Organization: Save NPCs to existing folders or create new folders for organization

Advanced Features for Professional GMs:

• Level/CR Scaling: NPCs are generated with appropriate stats for their level or Challenge Rating
• System-Specific Stats: D&D 5e gets ability scores and proficiency, Shadowrun gets attributes and skills, Pathfinder 2e gets complete actor structure
• Preview Before Creation: Review stats, biography, and appearance before committing to NPC creation
• Biography Placement: Automatically places biographies in the correct location for your game system

Real-World Use Case: Need a shopkeeper NPC in 30 seconds? Click "Quick NPC"—the system generates a name, appropriate stats for a level 3 Shopkeep archetype, a unique biography, and you can add an image. Review the preview, adjust if needed, and generate. Perfect for improv-heavy sessions.

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💎 Loot Generator (Beta)

What It Does: System-aware item and currency generation that creates appropriate loot for your game system.

Professional GM Benefits:

• System-Aware Generation: Automatically detects your game system and generates appropriate items with correct data structures
• Random Item Generation: Generates 1-3 random items (weapons, armor, consumables, equipment) with system-specific properties
• Adjustable Currency: Currency slider (0-10,000) with system-aware currency symbols
• Rarity/Rating Selection: Min/max rarity or rating range selection for all supported systems
• Distribution Modes:
• Random Split: Evenly divides currency and randomly assigns items
• Targeted Distribution: Manual assignment to specific players
• Preview Modal: Preview generated items and distribution before confirmation
• Multi-Denomination Currency: Full support for CP, SP, GP, EP, PP in D&D and Pathfinder
• Items Directory Fallback: Creates items in Items Directory if no recipients selected
• Storyteller Integration: Automatically logs all item creation and currency payout events

Real-World Use Case: Your party defeats a boss and you need appropriate loot. Set the currency slider to 500, select rarity range (uncommon to rare), choose 2 items, and click generate. Preview shows a +1 longsword, a potion of healing, and 500 gold split evenly. Adjust if needed, then confirm. Items are created, currency is distributed, and everything is logged in the Storyteller.

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🎨 Theme Switcher (Beta)

What It Does: Visual theme customization with 6 distinct themes that adapt to your game system.

Professional GM Benefits:

• 6 Distinct Themes: Classic, 90's Retro, Sci Fi, Fantasy, Horror, and Gate City Shadows (brand theme)
• Smart Detection: Automatic theme suggestions based on your game system
• Manual Override: Select any theme regardless of system detection
• Scoped Styling: All themes are scoped to the panel only—no interference with Foundry's interface
• Real-Time Updates: Theme changes apply instantly with accurate indicator updates
• Visual Consistency: Themes provide visual consistency across your panel for better organization

Real-World Use Case: Running a Call of Cthulhu campaign? Switch to the Horror theme for atmosphere. Running Shadowrun? Sci Fi theme fits perfectly. The panel adapts visually to match your campaign's tone.

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Platinum vs. Gold Edition Comparison

What's Included in Each Edition

Feature	Gold Edition	Platinum Edition
Core Panel System	✅	✅
Session Timer	✅	✅
Combat Tracker	✅ (Basic)	✅ (Enhanced)
Storyteller	✅ (Basic)	✅ (Enhanced)
Banker	✅	✅
Broadcaster	✅	✅
DJ Booth	✅	✅
Mission Brief	✅	✅
Roster	✅	✅
Core Status	✅	✅
NPC Generator	❌	✅ (Beta)
Loot Generator	❌	✅ (Beta)
Theme Switcher	❌	✅ (Beta)
Beta Features Access	❌	✅
Early Access to New Features	❌	✅

Enhanced Features in Platinum Edition

Combat Tracker Enhancements

Gold Edition: Basic combat tracking with initiative display and health bars.

Platinum Edition:

• Granular Event Detection: Tracks damage sources, actions, deaths, conditions, and combatant changes
• Shadowrun 6e Specialization: Complete damage flow tracking (Attack → Defense → Soak → Final Damage)
• Action Logging: Automatically logs spells, attacks, item usage, and special abilities
• Source Attribution: Every damage event shows who dealt it and to whom
• Death vs. KO Distinction: Properly distinguishes between unconscious and dead
• Condition Monitoring: Tracks status effects and conditions
• Multi-Encounter Support: Track multiple encounters simultaneously

Professional GM Value: The Platinum Edition's Combat Tracker provides complete combat narratives automatically. You don't need to manually log what happened—the tracker does it for you, creating detailed combat logs that feed into the Storyteller.

Storyteller Enhancements

Gold Edition: Basic event logging with simple combat tracking.

Platinum Edition:

• Granular Event Display: Detailed combat events including damage sources, actions, deaths, and conditions
• Shadowrun Damage Narratives: Complete damage flow displayed in readable narrative format
• Extended Memory: 5,000 events (vs. 1,000 in Gold) for long-running campaigns
• Smart Suppression: Automatically suppresses generic dice rolls during combat to focus on meaningful events
• Enhanced Duplicate Detection: Intelligent duplicate prevention
• Multi-Encounter Filtering: Filter events by specific encounters

Professional GM Value: The Platinum Edition's Storyteller creates comprehensive session logs automatically. After a session, you have a complete narrative of everything that happened, organized by type, ready for campaign documentation or session recaps.

Beta Features (Platinum Exclusive)

Gold Edition: No beta features.

Platinum Edition:

• NPC Generator: System-aware NPC generation with archetypes, names, and biographies
• Loot Generator: System-aware item and currency generation
• Theme Switcher: 6 distinct visual themes
• Early Access: First access to new features before they're released to other editions

Professional GM Value: Beta features give you cutting-edge tools for content generation and customization. The NPC Generator alone can save hours of prep time, and you get first access to new features as they're developed.

Summary: Why Upgrade to Platinum?

For Professional GMs, Platinum Edition provides:

1. Enhanced Combat Tracking: Complete combat narratives with source attribution and detailed action logging
2. Advanced Session Logging: Comprehensive event capture with extended memory and smart filtering
3. Content Generation Tools: NPC and Loot Generators save hours of prep time
4. Early Access: First access to new features and improvements
5. Professional Workflow: Tools designed specifically for professional GM needs

The Bottom Line: If you run regular sessions and want the most powerful, feature-rich GM panel available, Platinum Edition is the clear choice. The enhanced combat tracking and session logging alone provide significant value, and the beta features (NPC Generator, Loot Generator) can dramatically reduce prep time.

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Professional GM Use Cases

The Improv Master

Scenario: Running a session with minimal prep, need to create NPCs on the fly.

Platinum Solution:

• Use the NPC Generator's Quick NPC button to instantly create fully-statted NPCs
• Generate names, stats, and biographies in seconds
• The Storyteller automatically logs all NPC interactions
• The Mission Brief helps you track improvised quests and objectives

Value: Turn "I need a shopkeeper" into a fully-realized NPC with personality in 30 seconds.

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The Combat Enthusiast

Scenario: Running complex combat encounters with multiple combatants, status effects, and damage sources.

Platinum Solution:

• The Combat Tracker automatically tracks all damage sources, actions, and conditions
• Shadowrun damage flow is completely tracked (Attack → Defense → Soak → Final Damage)
• The Storyteller creates detailed combat narratives automatically
• Multi-encounter support lets you track multiple combats simultaneously

Value: Focus on running combat while the panel handles all the tracking and logging.

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The Campaign Archivist

Scenario: Need comprehensive session logs for campaign documentation and player recaps.

Platinum Solution:

• The Storyteller automatically captures all events with 5,000 event memory
• Event classification organizes everything by type (combat, social, reward, etc.)
• Export capabilities create journal entries with chronological or categorized logs
• Multi-encounter filtering lets you review specific encounters

Value: Complete campaign documentation without any manual note-taking.

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The Loot Master

Scenario: Need to quickly generate and distribute appropriate loot after encounters.

Platinum Solution:

• The Loot Generator creates system-appropriate items with correct data structures
• Multi-denomination currency support for complex currency systems
• Distribution modes (random or targeted) for flexible loot distribution
• The Banker automatically tracks all transactions
• The Storyteller logs all loot distribution automatically

Value: Generate, distribute, and log loot in seconds with complete audit trails.

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The Atmosphere Creator

Scenario: Want to create immersive atmosphere with music, sound effects, and visual media.

Platinum Solution:

• The DJ Booth provides professional dual-deck music with crossfade
• SFX library for quick sound effects
• Playlist management for different moods and scenes
• The Broadcaster shares images and videos instantly with full-screen overlay
• The Storyteller logs all music and media changes

Value: Create cinematic atmosphere that enhances storytelling without technical complexity.

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The Multi-System GM

Scenario: Running campaigns in multiple game systems (D&D, Shadowrun, Pathfinder).

Platinum Solution:

• System-agnostic design works with any Foundry VTT game system
• Automatic detection adapts to each system without configuration
• System-specific features (Shadowrun damage flow, Pathfinder coin items) work automatically
• Theme Switcher adapts visually to match each campaign's tone

Value: One panel for all your campaigns, automatically adapting to each system.

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Getting Started

Installation

1. Enable the Module: Go to your world's module settings and enable "GCS: Core GM Panel (Platinum Edition)"
2. Open the Panel: Type /gcs core in chat and hit Enter
3. Arrange Your Layout: Drag and drop cards to customize your three-zone layout
4. Explore Beta Features: Check out the NPC Generator, Loot Generator, and Theme Switcher

Quick Start Tips

• Start with Session Timer: Begin tracking your session time immediately
• Enable Storyteller: Let it automatically log events while you focus on gameplay
• Try Quick NPC: Use the NPC Generator's Quick NPC button to see how fast you can create NPCs
• Experiment with Themes: Try different themes to find what works for your campaign
• Use the Banker: Set up your party's finances early for seamless transaction tracking

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Support & Resources

Getting Help

• Documentation: Comprehensive guides and user documentation
• Community Support: Join our community for tips, tricks, and support
• Technical Support: Contact support for technical issues

Feature Requests

We welcome feature requests from professional GMs. Your feedback helps shape the future of the Core GM Panel.

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Conclusion

The Gate City Shadows Core GM Panel (Platinum Edition) is designed specifically for professional Game Masters who demand efficiency, organization, and powerful tools. With enhanced combat tracking, advanced session logging, content generation tools, and early access to new features, Platinum Edition provides everything you need to run professional tabletop RPG sessions.

Upgrade to Platinum Edition and experience the difference that professional-grade GM tools can make in your campaigns.

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

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