May Challenge Voting

[meleeguy]

extremely useful - I will definately use it.

I appreciate that bit of encouragement, thank you. I plan to continue on with it and others, after a short break.

Bringing up our maps side by side and I agree with the board that yours is the better map. Your use of textures borders on exquisite. There is one particular spot on the main bluffs that is particularly realistic, reminding me of the lower Grand Canyon rim. Well done! And best of all, you demonstrated the techniques behind it's construction.

I voted for Redrobes for reasons I find hard to explain relative to the other maps. I'm surprised the mud caves didin't do better myself, but that is the nature of 'contests'. My regards to those running this and others for the benefit of the community. Great job.

Dormouse, that you for the very useful feedback. I'm intrigued by VTTs, although I haven't played any as yet. I need to learn more about how things are done and so I will.

My map is exactly 8 pixels per foot in both dimensions, which I should have mentioned from the outset, hence 1280x1040.

[meleeguy]

So, in retrospect, many of us didn't understand VTT mapping requirements.

What a great way to learn, however! I had no idea. Hmmm, so where is a good place to discuss 'meta-VTT-cartography'? Is this perhaps a burgeoning field of interest? To further expand, how does all this relate to overhead projector maps (which I'm getting ready to actually do) .

My congratulations on being asked to host this contest btw. The prizes make it more exciting, but it was the subject itself, with the emphasis on cartography, that is the most facinating part of all (to me).

[RPMiller]

So, in retrospect, many of us didn't understand VTT mapping requirements.

What a great way to learn, however! I had no idea. Hmmm, so where is a good place to discuss 'meta-VTT-cartography'? Is this perhaps a burgeoning field of interest? To further expand, how does all this relate to overhead projector maps (which I'm getting ready to actually do) .

My congratulations on being asked to host this contest btw. The prizes make it more exciting, but it was the subject itself, with the emphasis on cartography, that is the most facinating part of all (to me).

I believe we may have a forum up for this very soon.

[Badger]

THAT would be fantastic!! I would definitely be interested in pooling vtt knowledge and technics and maps.... This challenge really got my psyched about VTT ... I hadn't really kept up with it.... back in the day when the idea of tabletop playing online was in its infancy (I actually started playing d&d online via IRC chat from a bulletin board ... that was when I had the state of the art 386dx66 with 4MB of ram, a compressed 210MB HD and the external brand new 14.4 baud modem.) I currently use that as a doorstop in the garage.... (oh.. don't forget the 16bit graphics card!!!) I also played a lot of DOOM ((IDKFA))

But I digress... I kinda lost interest when the good VTT products were the kind you had to pay for in order to really gain the full benefit (there was POW WOW that had a nifty paintboard for the chatroom.. ) and then I picked up a D&D group again and things like trying to play online and get players across the country (and world sometimes) together at the same time was such a nuiscance that it wasn't worth the effort.

But VTT's now have not only the online play, but as demonstrated by numerous members can be used from a PC to Laptop for players in a group, to using a projector... to being able to take VTT battlemaps and print them for group use... and I'm sure there can be many more uses... I would imagine an ultimate setup would be a full size table screen that users could activate via touch to move their pieces as well as have their character stats on screen .... I bet that would cost a pretty penny... $$$

But I hope to see that forum up and actively participate in... Man I LOVE THIS SITE !!!! .... I think I said that when I got here tho...

We should erect a bronze statue of Arcana and mount it on the front steps to the site ..... !!!!

Del

[meleeguy]

I believe we may have a forum up for this very soon.

As the cartographically wise decide.

[meleeguy]

I expected options for doors and openable windows. A base map without them. Plus the images for the doors and windows. Plus a map with them in the state the party will first encounter.

Light and Shade will depend on circumstances and are definitely best added in the VTT.

Could you explain or provide links to 'good' examples please? On my map there are a variety of doors and windows both horizontal and vertical - would I provide a stamp set along with furniture and carpet stamps? Are there alignment requirements? Can stamps be stacked? Alpha channels ok? etc.

Thanks! I'm interested in finishing this but I need to know more, especially the ones that apply to more than one specific VTT. Now I better think about projector needs.

[RPMiller]

Just a quick note on projector use. I'm not positive about other VTTs, but MapTool has a "projector mode" that is used for local playing sessions with a projector. Just thought you might like to know.

[dormouse]

I can repost my tower map without doors, and at a higher resolution, with each level as a separate image (if anyone wants). The original is 128 px per 5 feet...what is best for VTT?

Please.

What is best for VTT depends entirely on the VTT.
I use BRPG which works on a base 61px per 5 feet with a maximum 200% zoom. So that makes the ideal resolution 122px per 5 feet. Your original size would be fine.
Other VTTs would be use different scales, but everyone is likely to be happy to resize.

[dormouse]

Could you explain or provide links to 'good' examples please? On my map there are a variety of doors and windows both horizontal and vertical - would I provide a stamp set along with furniture and carpet stamps? Are there alignment requirements? Can stamps be stacked? Alpha channels ok? etc.

Thanks! I'm interested in finishing this but I need to know more, especially the ones that apply to more than one specific VTT. Now I better think about projector needs.

I'd love to provide links, but people only seem to post full maps which are hard to use. VTTs generally handle 'stamps' differently. Most VTTs, I would think, are able to change the alignment of the 'stamps', though some may offer a restricted range of changes. Most VTTs can handle jpg & png formats and have no problem with alpha channels.

For use, I would like to see an empty map, no movable (or likely to be moved) furniture or objects, no doors and no openable windows (fixed windows are fine included).
And a full set of separate images of the doors, opening windows, furniture and objects intended for the map.
And a map with all the images already present would demonstrate the intended design.

[dorpond]

I can repost my tower map without doors, and at a higher resolution, with each level as a separate image (if anyone wants). The original is 128 px per 5 feet...what is best for VTT?

-Rob A>

Maptool uses any scale as long as you have enough memory to load the assets. There are some maps that I use that are set for 20 pixels per cell and there are some maps where I set the grid to 200 pixels per cell. Maptool does not limit grid sizes or map sizes for that matter, so a general rule of thumb I suggest to people is that you should upload images at higher resolution and if certain VT's have restrictions or the GM wants to have smaller file transfers, then the GM's can size them down as needed. Sizing down is much better than sizing up.

So your 128 per 5' is perfectly fine - leave them as is.