To Grid or Not to Grid that is the problem! (AND your little furniture too) :)

[Forkbeard]

As someone who adds grids automatically through a VTT, and since my grids are 1' hexes across flats (in game units), I really appreciate maps that are without a grid.

A few cartographers provide grid and non-grid versions.

Since most VTTs add grids (I assume), and adding grids is relatively trivial I see very little reason to add them during map creation. Any opinions on this?

Now I see one issue myself, in that grids are generally layered underneath furniture. At least that's my preference for aesthetic reasons.

This brings me to another issue for me, that of placing furniture within a map. Again I really really really appreciate a map with and without furniture. Again, it's easy to add later, easy (I feel) for a cartographer to provide both types and VTTs allow furniture to be added anyway.

Another reason I think cartographers include furniture is to avoid folks re-using their maps and perhaps selling them, with just different furniture and/or terrain?!?

The reason this is an issue is that players can and do move furniture around. In my VTT I can simply slide the furniture to where they move it. Not to mention I can reuse maps with differing furniture.

I realise maps aren't so pretty with the furniture removed, but if you can please provide versions without, I think many folks will be appreciative of the flexibility. None more so than me.

Any opinions?

[madcowchef]

I'd never grid unless someone specifically requests it. Its incredibly easy to grid once you have an image and allows people to chose the grid appropriate to their game (square or hex typically).

[Forkbeard]

I'd never grid unless someone specifically requests it. Its incredibly easy to grid once you have an image and allows people to chose the grid appropriate to their game (square or hex typically).

I know, and that's why I happily purchase your maps

[wdmartin]

I generally do both. Currently I'm GM for two different games; one uses a VTT (Maptool), the other uses the table in my dining room. They're doing different adventures, obviously, but sometimes I can recycle a map from one group in the other. So it's just as easy to add a grid and export it twice, once with that layer turned off.

[Forkbeard]

I generally do both. Currently I'm GM for two different games; one uses a VTT (Maptool), the other uses the table in my dining room. They're doing different adventures, obviously, but sometimes I can recycle a map from one group in the other. So it's just as easy to add a grid and export it twice, once with that layer turned off.

I think it's good to see no grid being made available, however the no furniture issue is also a problem. Any thoughts on that?

[wdmartin]

Well, I'm making maps primarily for my own use. So I'm going to put the furniture in.

That said, it's a reasonable thing to want a version with no furniture that you can decorate yourself, and I'll do it by request.

[Forkbeard]

Well, I'm making maps primarily for my own use. So I'm going to put the furniture in.

That said, it's a reasonable thing to want a version with no furniture that you can decorate yourself, and I'll do it by request.

Completely understand, I suppose I'm saying that it's sensible for folks to consider this kind of thing when they create their maps, and try to put furniture/objects on other layers, not just for other people like me, but because they can re-use their maps/tokens more easily. Not just furniture, but also terrain.

It appears self-evident to me (I'm layering everything and the kitchen sink, and that includes objects on inn tables, another grip of mine), but then again my views on scale are not common apparently

Is it fair to say that common VTTs aren't easy to do this kind of layering, to the level of knives, forks, plates, and food on those plates?

I just wonder why the norm is to create tokens that are fixed, e.g. a table with a specific book on it.

Right now I'm trying to devise ways to know what portion of a figure token would be under a certain height of water when the character is wading.

I'm thinking of moving to a TIFF layered solution, so that I can get partial 3D info out of the image file.

[Gamerprinter]

I usually create fully furnished chambers in the maps that I create, that are placed on a separate layer than the ground floor, so placement of grids is easily done. I usually don't place grids, unless asked for such in a commission map, as many will use my maps in VTT apps which has the capability of placing its own grids. While I also create map objects independant of maps, usable in any map, they often were created as part of a fully furnished map, then I pulled them from those maps to make into independant objects. When I create tables many are empty of objects on them, while many have food, books, maps or whatever motif I want to promote in a given map that fits the purpose of the table.

When I create depth in water effects I use layers of semi-transparent blue, so that objects that are darker blue are deeper in the water (beneath semi-transparent layers) than other objects placed above a semi-transparent blue layer. You can tell looking at one object next to another in water which is deeper which is not.

[Forkbeard]

I usually create fully furnished chambers in the maps that I create, that are placed on a separate layer than the ground floor, so placement of grids is easily done. I usually don't place grids, unless asked for such in a commission map, as many will use my maps in VTT apps which has the capability of placing its own grids. While I also create map objects independant of maps, usable in any map, they often were created as part of a fully furnished map, then I pulled them from those maps to make into independant objects. When I create tables many are empty of objects on them, while many have food, books, maps or whatever motif I want to promote in a given map that fits the purpose of the table.

I think what I've realised is that VTTs either aren't being used, because folks print out their maps, or VTTs are not very advanced.

The conclusion I'm coming to, is that the VTT really needs to replace, or interact directly with, the painting software as much as possible.

In that way, objects can be placed, as in a painting program, but easily lifted off if necessary at game time.

I'd really like to get to a stage where the VTT does a great deal of the work, for instance light sourcing and associated shadows.

If you have a map showing darkness in one area, then what happens when someone lights a torch?!?

When I create depth in water effects I use layers of semi-transparent blue, so that objects that are darker blue are deeper in the water (beneath semi-transparent layers) than other objects placed above a semi-transparent blue layer. You can tell looking at one object next to another in water which is deeper which is not.

I really love that layering you're doing. I'm new to map making, and even though a basic water effect can be created quickly, and looks great, I like the idea of feeling that depth. I wondered about doing this to show the deeper areas of a pool.

[Falconius]

And if the grid is hinted to in the drawing of the rooms instead of being explicit lines, for instance a chequerboard pattern of tiles, then what?

Aside: What is "VTT", I'm asuming a file type meaning something along the lines of virtual terrain tools or similar, and follow up, what programs use them?