FGU Sharing LOS Definitions for Maps - Crowd Project

[stewartl42]

Done. I also completed Amber Temple 2, so both maps should be complete.

[Zacchaeus]

Hey, I noticed no one was working on OotA yet and figured I'd go ahead and get a start on it. I've only done the first map for now, so I could upload it and maybe get feedback before doing a ton of maps and realizing something about how I'm doing it makes them unusable. The starting point map is a bit confusing in its own right with all the layers and bridges and questionable visibility status so I did it up the way I would for my own table using the map provided, with a focus on how it will look as a player and what makes the most sense without assuming too much.
This map is a hard starting point considering all the possible levels and angles the players can reasonably end up within the 2D space so with the various zones within the map all being multi purpose it would be more clutter than helpful to do more than I have. The organic walls didn't lend themselves to making pretty joins with doors and the vagueness makes it hard to setup much more without it causing problems of some sort or another for a fresh party but if what I did looks good given what I had to work with then I'll be happy to keep going on LoS definitions for OotA.

Hi Friend and thanks for taking part in this project. I''ve added your name to the first post against this one.

I absolutely agree with you that this is a problematic map to start with but I think you've done a great job on it.

The only thing I might be tempted to do would be to add some terrain occluders along the edges of the walkways and bridges like shown in the attached. My thinking here is that although it doesn't specifically say anywhere (that I can find) that the bottom of the cleft can't be seen from the walkways I think we can surmise that is the case. The webs would probably be sufficient to obscure the bottom even if the lack of light didn't. I think adding this would also confine the tokens a bit and give the players a sense of claustrophobia which I think would enhance the tension of the situation.

Other than that though this is good stuff.

[Zacchaeus]

Thanks Zacchaeus - I made the adjustments. Added a door to the portcullis and changed the terrain marker from the rim of the Grand Stair to the inside of the stairs - I like that a lot better.

The first level is done - on to the Glitterhame!

Looking good Garth; onwards and upwards

[Allmight]

@Zacchaeus, i noticed that you havn't updated the list. I have completed the work on Cult of Cinders and am now working on Tomorow Must Burn, part 3 in the adventure path, and it is about 50% completed.

[Zacchaeus]

Done. I also completed Amber Temple 2, so both maps should be complete.

Good stuff Stewart.

In Temple 2, I see where you are coming from with the secret door at X5a but I think that this somewhat gives the game away. Remember secret doors completely block LOS so the players are likely to figure out that something is there. I think I'd just make the statue (and the other three smaller ones in the same area) terrain blockers. The fissure at X41 should have a wall round it I think.

Temple 1 is looking good.

[Zacchaeus]

@Zacchaeus, i noticed that you havn't updated the list. I have completed the work on Cult of Cinders and am now working on Tomorow Must Burn, part 3 in the adventure path, and it is about 50% completed.

Done; thanks for spotting that. I think I'm going to have to find another method of listing these. I'm going to run out of room soon.

[FriendBesto]

Hi Friend and thanks for taking part in this project. I''ve added your name to the first post against this one.

I absolutely agree with you that this is a problematic map to start with but I think you've done a great job on it.

The only thing I might be tempted to do would be to add some terrain occluders along the edges of the walkways and bridges like shown in the attached. My thinking here is that although it doesn't specifically say anywhere (that I can find) that the bottom of the cleft can't be seen from the walkways I think we can surmise that is the case. The webs would probably be sufficient to obscure the bottom even if the lack of light didn't. I think adding this would also confine the tokens a bit and give the players a sense of claustrophobia which I think would enhance the tension of the situation.

Other than that though this is good stuff.

Thanks for the feedback, I like the idea of skirting the walkways with landscape, makes it look better from the ground too (assuming you have 100+ft dark vision you could still see some of the stalagmites and webbing from below).
I actually ended up taking double the time looking at the reference maps and reading every description for more clues. The biggest Issue I had was just deciding to ignore the rope bridge from zones 6-8, with no clear description for where that bridge attaches the only thing that made sense to me is call its appearance a graphic error and say its part of the same walkway instead of being over or under. There are a couple extra areas I left open because the dark vision distance would easily cover the span, and finally I did a 1 man playtest and realized the grid alignment made a close skirting landscape zone an issue (you would easily reveal the whole cave entering the landscape wall while going across the bridge for example). The zones don't look nearly as neat and tidy from a GM view when I pulled them to a safe point in reference to the grid but when walking around with a token it no longer easily reveals too much, and this way there still aren't any zones added that would require a GM to toggle vision for good vision functionality during a normal run.

I also ended up doing a whole extra revision on the landscape just to account for which areas should be visible based on elevation (That odd block on the eastern side of the path looked good to me for a blind spot when I moved the token around, and the bridge from zones 6-8 spanning to zone 10 has very little dropoff along its run but also is clearly above the next section of walkway [hidden steep bridge blocked from view in the side view to go from zone 10 to the natural walkway])

Edit: The Module data seems to be missing a number of images, I've only checked out the maps so far but it was easier to make a list of the images that that are here rather than whats missing...
List of maps available, DM versions: Menzoberranzan, Sword Coast, Velkynvelve.
Player Versions: (done already: Velkynvelve, Oozing Temple), Blingdenstone, Mantol Derith, Troglodyte Lair, Whorlstone Tunnels.
I finished the oozing temple map and added the expanded xml file while editing my post. I got 4 more maps I can work on for now and will keep doing those as time allows but I made a fresh campaign just to make sure it wasn't corrupted data from doing the first map so I wanted to get the issue flagged along with the adding the map.

[Allmight]

Maps with depth (slopes), how would you draw the occluders on them?

Follow ground, or top of slope?

[Allmight]

Maps with depth (slopes), how would you draw the occluders on them?

Follow ground, or top of slope?

I think i may have an idea how to tackle this type of map. I tried a combination of wall and terrain occluders. That way i can keep the walls visible, but still maintain an effective LOS. Is this overkill?

map_depth_sugestion.jpg

[Zacchaeus]

Maps with depth (slopes), how would you draw the occluders on them?

Follow ground, or top of slope?

I think just the top or bottom of the slope. It will possibly depend on what direction the token comes in from. If from the top then they'd see down into the whole area once they reached the top of the slope. If they come in from the bottom they'd not be able to see what was at the top of the slope. Probably the same kind of treatment that you'd do for stairs.