FGU Sharing LOS Definitions for Maps - Crowd Project

[ddavison]

PotA updated maps at this original post:

https://www.fantasygrounds.com/forum...l=1#post452575

Thanks @Halfront. I will be sure to check those out.

[Zacchaeus]

If anyone else is working on any maps for any modules can you let me know so that I can keep the first post updated. Also, of course, if you intend to do any maps check the first post to make sure that it isn't already done or in progress.

[Acererak]

Hi,

I would like trying to help you create one or two maps.
I started a test on Sunless Citadel. Still a lot of work to do but first I would like you to confirm this is what you're expecting to not spend time doing useless work
Here is the first simple rooms then if you can validate the way I do and/or giving some advices.

I updated file with few more rooms. Let me know if interresting for you I continue ?

DD TYP The Sunless Citadel.xml

[ddavison]

Hi,

I would like trying to help you create one or two maps.
I started a test on Sunless Citadel. Still a lot of work to do but first I would like you to confirm this is what you're expecting to not spend time doing useless work
Here is the first simple rooms then if you can validate the way I do and/or giving some advices.

I updated file with few more rooms. Let me know if interresting for you I continue ?

DD TYP The Sunless Citadel.xml

I checked out the fortress players map and that looks excellent for the part you have done so far. Well done.

[ddavison]

PotA updated maps at this original post:

https://www.fantasygrounds.com/forum...l=1#post452575

Feathergale-Spire-Player-Ground-Level
Feathergale-Spire-Player-Level-Three
Feathergale-Spire-Player-Level-Two
Feathergale-Spire-Player-Pinnacle
Feathergale-Spire-Player-Stable-Level
Fane-of-the-Eye-Player (the only thing still trying to figure out is how to handle to foggy pit area [5.04.05 F5 Rust Monster Pit])
Halls-of-the-Hunting-Axe-A-Player
Halls-of-the-Hunting-Axe-B-Player
Halls-of-the-Hunting-Axe-Player
Howling-Caves-Player
Necromancers-Cave-Player
Rivergard-Keep-Player (some fine tuning left around ledges)

Hey Halfront, I have a few suggestions on your map.
Fane of the Eye
General notes - zoom in to look for overlaps and collapse those into each other so it "appears" that there are fewer point. The program I use to extract the final points will replace any duplicate points so performance should be better and the result will be a bit cleaner. See examples:

Your version of a door:
Door-1.jpg

My version of the door:
Door-2.jpg


To fix this, just go into selection mode, single click the point and drag it until it snaps onto the other point. My extraction tool will delete the duplicate point. Note that you can also use the delete, but this takes longer on a big map.

For Terrain usage, please note that walls prevent entering. In the example below, you have a columnthat can be climbed; however, they can't climb onto the top. I would redo it like below.

Your version:
column-1.jpg
My suggested version:
column-2.jpg

[Kanbie]

I finally have time to devote to this project. Is there any organization to this Crowd Sourcing such that I can direct my attentions to a few maps? I wouldn't mind checking out Tomb of Horrors and seeing If I can't convert that but I would rather work on unclaimed battle maps first.

[Zacchaeus]

I finally have time to devote to this project. Is there any organization to this Crowd Sourcing such that I can direct my attentions to a few maps? I wouldn't mind checking out Tomb of Horrors and seeing If I can't convert that but I would rather work on unclaimed battle maps first.

See the first post in this thread.

[Acererak]

Hi,
I nearly finished a first version of Fortress Map.
DD TYP The Sunless Citadel.xml

I think there is some slight details to fix/enhence but it become impossible to handle on my environment. Performence decrease as walls numbers and points increase :-(

I'll post my issues in another discussion.
Let me know if the map will be useful to you, I will start groove as soon as possible.

[Guoccamole]

A few suggestions after doing some more mapping.

1) Please make terrain lay down a line (not a closed shape). The spurious closing line is counter-productive when plotting a stairway, or cliff, ledge, and on complex rooftops. It’s also inconsistent with the ‘line’ selection. Perhaps add a ‘polygon’ selection for that behavior.
2) Please add single letter keyboard shortcuts to all the mapping modes, so mouse is not required to change modes. Easy mode access is key, especially for the simple pointer which would be very valuable to flip on/off at will.
3) Please support general text input from windows devices. I have a drawing device whose input seems to be ignored by FGU even though normal mouse/keyboard input works. (pie in the sky?)

Thank you!

[Guoccamole]

FGU Mapmaking Feature suggestion - Map triggers (automated, or manual hidden door triggered) + layer visibility reveals.

I can think of (at least) two triggers which could help with some maps (simple multi-layered maps). Some maps have tunnels below or bridges above existing rooms creating vertical conflicts for 2D maps. Such conflicts make the player map problematic since there’s no way (currently) to show one room without the map revealing too much (the tunnel or the bridge outlines from above or below conflict). However, if FGU had map triggers, and those triggers could (e.g.) reveal a new layer by flipping its visibility from off to on, then the extra information could ‘magically’ appear when appropriate. In the case of a tunnel, the trigger could be a magic door, or presence of vision a certain distance into the tunnel entrance. For a bridge, it could be character crossing the bridge. Once these events occur, they flip the visibility bit of a (very small) map from off to on, and voila! The secret tunnel or hidden bridge is now revealed. It’s still extra information since two rooms may be connected or associated in ways the PCs did not realize, but at least its hidden until both the original room and the hidden features are both discovered.

Either of these situations could be triggered by GM opening a specific trigger ‘secret door’ manually. So secret doors could be triggers as well. And the secret doors could be invisible ones, so they’re just there as convenient buttons for the GM to press to reveal the secret at appropriate time. (The automated triggers, above, could be added later.) The nice thing about these triggers + visibility switch is the map maker could arrange the map for the reveal using (automation or) familiar ‘opening’ secret door by GM, and the GM would not need to fiddle with map layers to make happen. Easy to use, yet very powerful for layered information on 2D maps.

For example, this trigger+reveal combo would solve a problem with two different rooms on the map, “Dragon Hatchery”, from “Hoard of the Dragon Queen”. (“Lost Mine of Phandelver” also features a bridge overhead, for another example.) The Dragon Hatchery map is great and detailed and simple (enough), but it packs multiple levels of area onto one map creating a couple (simple) overlay conflicts. Very cool for the creative (and perhaps realistic) setting, but not so great cartographer (and FGU) trying to hide information until proper discovery. (The current player map punts, and just shows the ‘hidden’ information... so not really a fully player map.)

With these features (trigger + layer visibility mechanism), Fantasy Grounds could provide simple tools for FGU cartographers to solve sticky map issues yet keep the playtime simple and familiar (or automated) for the GM.