If there's good reasons these aren't provided I would understand, but it doesn't sound to hard to make a version without marks on them available as this probably is what the adventure designer works with.
Since we're using a digital medium now, would it be possible to get unmarked versions of the encounter maps?
What a novel idea I wonder why no one has asked for this before...
Sorry it's not you it's just lots of people have been saying this is a great idea from when the magazines first came out. In fact one map artist even mentioned he submitted a copy without the key to WotC once it was suggested in the forums. But it's never happened. There has been no feedback as to why (since it would cost them nothing to provide this service), but it looks like it isn't going to happen.
It's one of a number of reasons I'm not subscribing.
Please do this.
Thank you,
Tom
We have heard these requests and we are working out how we can implement them in the future. No solid dates at this time, but it is on the radar.
Hey all!
We have heard these requests and we are working out how we can implement them in the future. No solid dates at this time, but it is on the radar.
How Hard could it possibly be to implement
Step 1: Tell artists to include a Labled and an Unlabled Version of Each Map
Step 2: Post online
Another possible solution
Like Goodman Games did...Host a section with User created Maps
or
Convince WOTC to not go after people willing to recreate and share for free User created maps on thier own sites. I use Dundjinni and Campaign Cartographer to create maps.
How Hard could it possibly be to implement ... etc...
I think the D&DI crew has a lot on their plate already and it's good to know that it's in the pipeline. I for one am happy to know this is coming. It's probably not a question of how easy it is but a matter of resources available at this time.
I imagine its hard to find 5 minutes in the day to post a file.
If they are so hardpressed for time maybe they should send them to me.
I can upload them to my Webshots account...I till have room for at least 8000 more files..and I could cut and paste the link and a snapshot in about 2 minutes for them.
Please people the excuses have got to stop..One Maps of Mystery on the site in 12 months..
Its time the play testing takes a back burner or what ever else they do..
Hire 1 Person to do nothing but post the Files...even if temporary
You must be a very angry person.
I am getting tired of hearing the same stuff over and over in the last 12 months
I am working on becomming a Millionaire...So since I told you I was working on one does that automatically mean I will become one
I know I keep using this example but once again...
I was here when Mastertools was being promised..and in not exactly the same words but
"No solid dates at this time, but it is on the radar."
edit: It is worth saying though that these are all low resolutions, so useless for printing and most VTTs
I have thus far cleaned them up with GIMP using the clone tool, which works but is a chore
Not every map lends itself for this type of editing though, unless you're a photoshop wiz!
I have asked Solice to inquire whether fan-made maps without the labels would be acceptable to post or povide links to. As soon as I find anything out, I will let you guys know.
I sure hope so. Paizo and Goodman games does.
I can provide maps made in Campaign Cartographer 3 and Dundjinni.
I can provide them with and without gridlines
I can provide them as Player's and DM's map
I can provide them as BMPs, JPG, PNG
When I do Maps I accredit the Original Cartographer, Original Source of Map and Company.
Although not for the game system I use, I am using some of the DDI Adventures in up comming games. I am already working on Converting and on Maps for Digital display.
For example, the arena map in the "Fight!" article of this month's Dragon.
WotC folks, it would create instant play value. The maps wouldn't even need to be beautifully rendered. Just simple, to the point (like the sample arena map), but at proper miniature scale.
Toss my hat over the wall for this.
Let's bump it up in the queue, WotC!
--Fleet'
Case in point: I just ran the Monastery of the Shattered Chain encounter from "Siege of Bordrin's Watch" Wednesday. Drawing out the interior of the temple itself took a good five or ten minutes. Having it prerendered (and preferably printed out ahead of time) would save SO much time, and get players right into the action!
Additionally, when (if?) the D&D Game Table goes live, I'd love to see a downloadable file that contains the maps for all the Dungeon adventures at the end of the month, or, if that's not a reasonable time frame, the end of the following month. If this thing is supposed to be fully integrated, there's no reason that shouldn't happen.
Case in point: I just ran the Monastery of the Shattered Chain encounter from "Siege of Bordrin's Watch" Wednesday. Drawing out the interior of the temple itself took a good five or ten minutes. Having it prerendered (and preferably printed out ahead of time) would save SO much time, and get players right into the action!
It's anticipated that these kinds of pre-made modules will be available, though the question mark is whether they'd be included as part of your DDI subscription (In the case of Dungeon, I'd hope so), or if they'd be a separate purchase/microtransaction (which I forsee for things like retail modules).
RPGA Modules are another question mark that I, for one, am VERY interested in hearing about.
All combat encounters are required to have a map section following the encounter information section and statistics blocks. With only very few exceptions which must be approved at all levels of the administration, maps should be built using Dungeon Tiles, a Wizards of the Coast product designed for DMs to produce fast, visually appealing tactical environments. You can take digital photos of your tile layouts and add appropriate marks in editing software or use a map program to assemble the maps and then add marks.
In the near future, D&D Insider will have a Dungeon Tiles Mapper application available for free, which you can use to build your encounters. If you need access to additional tiles that are not available in the free version of the application when building your combat encounters, let your writing director know so access can be granted to you.
You'll need to include a manifest (list) of tiles that you used on the same page that you export an image of the map. This makes it easier for the DM to know which sets of tiles you're using. Don't use more than 2 of the same set of tiles to build your encounter. Use more recent sets when possible. If you need help with your maps, talk to your writing director.
Which is a horribly restrictive way to have to develop modules, because you can only write combat encounters you can map (no ship based combat now for example - I guess I can hope for a Ships tileset that includes a ruined ship (wet and dry)).
But at least that means the maps will be easily produced for digital play.
(oh and while its nice to know they are "looking at it" or whatever, considering this has been asked for since the first digital dungeon, its been slow coming, way to slow.)
Oh I think that the RPGA thing is well covered:
Which is a horribly restrictive way to have to develop modules, because you can only write combat encounters you can map (no ship based combat now for example - I guess I can hope for a Ships tileset that includes a ruined ship (wet and dry)).
But at least that means the maps will be easily produced for digital play.
(oh and while its nice to know they are "looking at it" or whatever, considering this has been asked for since the first digital dungeon, its been slow coming, way to slow.)
Just because a tile has grey stone slabs on it, doesn't mean it can't be in the shape of a ship. Players can scertainly imaginge the wooden prow of a ship.
Similarly a bar/inn could also be a bookseller/candlemaker. You just adapt what the decorations represent, and use a little imagination.
The tiles/maps can be as abstract as you like - their ultimate guide is just to give everyone a common point of reference so that we can all agree who's adjacent to what/who - and where the walls/rivers/cliffs are.
If the tiles are not going to be used to represent what they are, then they are irrelevant to how I can draw my maps. That however is not the case with the LFR writer's guidelines.
Tagged and and untagged although there are some things on some of the untagged maps that look like they are still spoilers. Elemental Chaos, soft sand, that sort of thing.
Now to get a "PC Handouts" PDF with the untagged maps, NPC pictures etc.
I guess a step forward and a half step backwards is still a half step in the right direction.
It isn't that hard to figure out what they need to do. Screw giving us the tagged maps (which we already have in the mags) and just include the unmarked maps (without spoiler information) in high enough resolution to print nicely at full size (1" = 1 square). Lower the ink requirement on the mags (that stupid solid color border thing) and I'm happy.
I guess a step forward and a half step backwards is still a half step in the right direction.
Hopefully with the ELUA Changes in Dundjinni..Maybe more Cartographers may start using it and all they have to do is export it in PDF format already scaled out to print..with or without grids.
I even believe CC3 can do scaled maps, I have not played with it much to know for sure.
If and when WOTC oks "user" maps for the Adventures I will post some of the Ones I did.
Some suggested improvements:
Higher resolution
remove room numbers
remove hidden terrain (such as soft sand)
Again
Thank you.
Hurray hurray!
:bounce:
P.S.: I Agree with:
remove room numbers
remove hidden terrain (such as soft sand)
Fellow forum readers: what is the best method for printing these out? Copy and paste the images into a blank Word document and increase the scale? I don't see a print option from the screen that pops up when I view the images.
Then why bother instructing people to use the tilesets at all?
If the tiles are not going to be used to represent what they are, then they are irrelevant to how I can draw my maps. That however is not the case with the LFR writer's guidelines.
Largely because in previous campaigns author "A" would draw in paint, "B" used Campaign Cartographer, "C" Dunjinni, "D" free-hand, etc.
While not a problem in and of themselves, it led to quality issues. Sometimes things were drawn to a 1square = 10' scale, sometimes you couldn't make out what the images/maps were supposed to look like, sometimes there was no grid, so the DM had to guesstimate.
So, the writers decided to standardize on a single product - and made the logical choice of standardizing on WotC product - one that can be used for free, and that promotes another WotC product (tiles).
Largely because in previous campaigns author "A" would draw in paint, "B" used Campaign Cartographer, "C" Dunjinni, "D" free-hand, etc.
While not a problem in and of themselves, it led to quality issues. Sometimes things were drawn to a 1square = 10' scale, sometimes you couldn't make out what the images/maps were supposed to look like, sometimes there was no grid, so the DM had to guesstimate.
So, the writers decided to standardize on a single product - and made the logical choice of standardizing on WotC product - one that can be used for free, and that promotes another WotC product (tiles).
Are you sure the "Writers" or more precisely the Cartographers decided or do you mean WOTC decided to mandate their product be used?
Once created the files from any of the above sources can be viewed and used free. I believe that all can export jpg, bmb, png files which can be opened and viewed with even a browser
Even Campaign Cartographer has a free viewer which allows a DM to scroll and zoom or view out an actual CC file without conversion.
If WOTC would clearly explain the standard for all maps then there would not be any problems.
Such as
Maps will be formated 1" = 5' scale (square or hex grids..or both)
Cartographers will include a Tagged and Untagged Version of each Map
Cartographers will include a Gridded and A Nongridded Version of Each Map
There you go standardization
The Above would allow both printout easily or use in VTTs...with or without grids with unlimited Creativity.
Oh and like someone already stated the Maps using just WOTC Tiles will become so Bland and standard that the Adventures will start to become all alike.
As it is either WOTC needs to create tiles for specific adventures or "blah" maps.
Are you sure the "Writers" or more precisely the Cartographers decided or do you mean WOTC decided to mandate their product be used?
The LFR Writers Guidelines are maintained by Chris Tulach (RPGA Content Manager) with input from the LFR Writing Admins (volunteers). The maps included in an LFR module are designed by the author of that module.
The LFR Writers Guidelines are maintained by Chris Tulach (RPGA Content Manager) with input from the LFR Writing Admins (volunteers). The maps included in an LFR module are designed by the author of that module.
thats fine and dandy for LFR but not for the rest of the adventures.
thats fine and dandy for LFR but not for the rest of the adventures.
And at no time did I mention other adventures. The discussion you joined in on was about the LFR Writer's Guidelines.
Since we're using a digital medium now, would it be possible to get unmarked versions of the encounter maps? If not now perhaps after D&DI requires a subscription? I plan on running the adventure path online (my players/friends are in another country) so I use the images from the pdf as encounter maps, and although I'm getting more adept at using the clone tool to clean them up it's still quite a lot of work. Also the resolution sometimes makes for grainy images
If there's good reasons these aren't provided I would understand, but it doesn't sound to hard to make a version without marks on them available as this probably is what the adventure designer works with.
And at no time did I mention other adventures. The discussion you joined in on was about the LFR Writer's Guidelines.
No the discussion I joined was about encounter maps. In case you have forgot I included the Original Poster's post so that you can reread it. As you can clearly see there is no mention of LFR. Although LFR was brought up later after many posts, the discussion is still about encounter maps in general and not specifically LFR Maps. However several things still apply to both.
I am still discussing Encounter Maps as it applies....to all adventures..Dungeon..LFR..Published Adventures...Using Dungeon Tiles only is very limiting in use. Not everyone will be using the Game Table. I personally don't want to use a Room for a ship..or Tiles for a Bland "Tavern". My statement about setting the standards applies to all Maps again. WOTC needs to set Quidelines for every Cartographer to use, no matter what they write for. If WOTC forces all Cartographers to use their Dungeon Tiles for all Maps in every product this will lead to loss of sales. If a Cartographer follows the simple quideline I mentioned any program could be used and Quality Maps could be created with unlimited imagination and no one would be forced to use only Dungeon Tiles, yet they would be standardized so that there would be a standard format. WOTC wants to be able to compete with exsisiting VTTs and limiting Maps strictly to Dungeon Tiles will not draw in exsisting users because the Exsisting VTTs can use Maps created with any program as long as its in several forms..jpg bmp png. I was interested in the Game Table and if its limited then theres no reason for me to even consider using it.
No the discussion I joined was about encounter maps.
And yet when you quoted ME, I was very clearly talking about LFR - hence the discussion on LFR Writer's Guidelines, when you felt the need to chip in about the writers being cartographers.
See, in a forum discussion there are sometimes smaller portions of that larger discussion going on.
Sifting through them and knowing the difference is key to good communication.
My point is, you kept replying to me, and if you check what I was specifically replying to was an LFR portion of Encounter Map discussion.
I was discussing the LFR Writers Guidelines, you felt the need to jump in and talk about the LFR writers I was discussing, and call them cartographers - questioning who made the decision to use the Dungen Tile Mapper.
I pointed out that IN LFR the writers do the mapping as well, you replied "thats fine and dandy for LFR but not for the rest of the adventures."
AGAIN - I was TALKING ABOUT LFR. Conversations evolve and go down a variety of tracks - yes, this is a thread about mapping in general, but I was engaging in a SPECIFIC SUBSET of that discussion.
I know you're passionate about maps, I get that, but you don't need to interject into a smaller subset of a larger conversation if you are only going to break apart that conversation as you've done here.
Now that this thread has been woefully derailed, I'm done with this conversation.