Distance Measurement (DPS - Dere Positioning System)

Last updated: 01.2025

The Dere Positioning System (DPS) is an automatic distance measurement system in the DSA5 system for Foundry VTT. It automatically calculates distances between tokens and applies corresponding modifiers.

DPS Functions

The system provides the following automatic calculations:

• Distance modifiers for ranged weapons
• Vision modifiers based on lighting conditions
• Range checks for melee and spells
• Height differences in distance calculation

Activating DPS

DPS can be activated globally or per scene:

Global Setting

1. Open Game Settings (gear icon)
2. Select Configure Settings
3. Under DSA5, find the option Enable DPS
4. Activate the checkbox

Per Scene

DPS can also be overridden for individual scenes:

1. Open Scene Configuration (right-click on scene > Configure)
2. In the DSA5 section, find the option DPS for this scene
3. Choose between:
   • Default (use global setting)
   • Enabled
   • Disabled

Distance Calculation

DPS calculates distances automatically:

Basics

• Distance is measured between token centers
• The scene grid (step/meter) is taken into account
• Height differences (elevation) are included in the calculation

Formula

The actual distance is calculated as: $$\text{Total Distance} = \sqrt{\text{Ground Distance}^2 + \text{Height Difference}^2}$$

Ranged Combat Modifiers

With DPS enabled, ranged modifiers are calculated automatically:

Range	Modifier
Close	+2
Medium	0
Far	-2
Very Far	-4
Out of Range	Not possible

The specific ranges depend on the ranged weapon being used.

Lighting Conditions

DPS works together with sight automation:

Darkness

The system automatically detects how dark it is at the target location:

• Full illumination: No penalty
• Dim light: Light penalty
• Darkness: Severe penalty

Light Sources

Tokens near light sources receive better visibility conditions:

• In the bright area of a light source: -2 darkness levels
• In the dim area: -1 darkness level

Target Selection

With DPS enabled, targets are automatically checked:

• Melee: Only tokens in melee range (≤2 squares) can be selected as targets
• Ranged: Distance modifiers are automatically applied

Tips

• Terrain: DPS doesn't account for walls or obstacles - only straight-line distance
• Token Size: Large tokens may affect range calculations
• Elevation: Use the token elevation controls for flying creatures or multi-level maps
• Manual Override: You can always manually adjust modifiers in the combat dialog

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See also:

• Combat
• Sight and Light
• Scene Settings