My Encounter maps and the Odd Asset. WIP and finished. ;)

[XCali]

Hi everyone!

Just a few notes before I start:
->I'll keep on posting maps I made in this thread as I go along. So, remember to check the other pages.

-> Most if not all of the maps and assets in this thread of mine will be free to use personally and with friends when an RPG is involved.
->If you enjoy the maps, it would be nice to hear what you liked about them, and if you want, tell me what kind of cool stories came out of them.



Today I thought I'd go in the direction in making a thread specifically for RPG maps collection, be it encounter maps, overview maps or something in that line. This includes sometimes when I go on a WIP streak to get one just right, or just want to post add a almost finished one to the thread. This was MOSTLY created for you all to find something that can be used in your RPG games with your friends.
Also, I do create assets for these maps, so I will often post some of them as I go along.

Also, if there is something specific that is rare out in the wild, you could always compel me to try such a map.

And for those that really like my style of maps, I do take commissions for maps from low budget battlemaps, encounter maps, overview maps, concept art all the way up to the more epic maps. Just throw a line my way if you are interested.

That said! Down to business. The first map was one that came together yesterday, of a Desert Cliff map bordering a body of water, an encounter map. The grid version is 1 square for 5 feet.

This is a small piece from my Twin Bridges map
Fire_Lily_Gorge.jpeg


DesertCliffs_Map_Version3_WOG_byOmri.jpeg

A jungle map for use. I added further maps to the jungle set further on in this thread
Jungle_ThreeTrialsOfTheGuardian_byOmri_v1.jpeg

((EDIT: Since creating this thread a while back, I have had the chance to play DnD for the first time, yays. )



EDIT 2: This is from quite a bit later in the thread, but I wanted to add it to the first page. Free to use.
The_Key_byOmri.png

Edit 3 (J 2020) : The Floating Caravan has a Jungle Set further in the thread
EDIT 4(J 2022): I added the Night version of my Nessa'Mor city map. But as said in the thread later on, I wish to hear about play test feedback on your campaign if you decide to pick it up.

[XCali]

2023 EDIT
I decided to make a quick list of some of my FREE modules on DriveThruRPG.

BRIDGE GATE - An entry map to set up Thunder Rock City. Map + Adventure Ideas
Bridge Gate - Cover Art v1.0.png

Thunder Rock - Map Set + Lore
273808.jpg

Shai'Gidon - Region Map + Plus setting overview
Shai'Gidon - Map Cover1b.png

Shai'Gidon - Main Lore
Shai'Gidon - Cover1.1.png

Triproot Barrow - Map and adventure one shot as introduction before Nessa'Mor city.
Triproot Barrow - Cover Art v1.0.png

Nessa'Mor - The Arch City Maps - Multiple Variants, storm, night, sunny.
CoverArt_V3c.png

Riverstone Wharf - Tisa'Dor - Map set
Riverstone - Cover v1.0.png

Leafling Species - Lightwork Inventors - Tai'Vior
Leafling_Cover_Art2.png


And if you wish to support me in making more free extras and more products in filling out the Tai'Vior Setting, check out my other products. HOPE MAPS

[Tenia]

Hi Omri, nice stuff here
You could also add smaller versions of encounter maps for virtual tabletop playing... I would say something like grids of 70x70 (px) for Roll20 and 100x100 for FG, and two versions of each : One with grid visible and one without, as these softwares can add their own grid. For the one without grid, just let one square visible (in a place that doesn't interfere with the game, near a corner for instance) so that the game master can align his grid.
Looking forward to seeing more maps !

[XCali]

Hi Omri, nice stuff here
You could also add smaller versions of encounter maps for virtual tabletop playing... I would say something like grids of 70x70 (px) for Roll20 and 100x100 for FG, and two versions of each : One with grid visible and one without, as these softwares can add their own grid. For the one without grid, just let one square visible (in a place that doesn't interfere with the game, near a corner for instance) so that the game master can align his grid.
Looking forward to seeing more maps !

That is useful. Thanks

I do wish to refine how I present my maps for use. But, I'll have to do that when I get a break from my current big project.

[XCali]

These are two city maps for use as mentioned above and two encounters.

Darkwood_WithoutNote.jpeg

Have fun

[XCali]

Helloooo!

Okay, so I was talking with someone, and I thought I REALLY REALLY wish to learn what format my jpegs need to be for the Virtual side, like Roll20 and the sort. Can anybody point me in the right direction? I have not played on there myself, so I have no clue.
The size
the grid (Still don't get it for Roll20)

Any tips towards those ends are much appreciated.

[Tenia]

Hi,
What matters for VTT is the file size (the bigger the more time it takes to load) and playability. Grids are placed to interact with the the game mechanics of the software and are useful for battlemaps, to compute how many squares a player or NPC can move in a turn/round, distances, blast areas of spells for instance. The scale is usualy 5' for a square, so the token of a human size character will occupy a square. I don't know for other softwares, but here is how it works in FG :
1. The GM load a map (your Terror from the deep map for instance)
2. He/she then defines the software grid position and size as here (if the map is already "gridded" he/she have to place it in accordance) :
map1.jpg
3. The software grid appears (thin lines over the map) :
map2.jpg
4. Now, the software can calculate distances, so if a player can move 30' in a round, his/her token will be able to move only 6 squares, and a blast area of a 25' square will be shown as here :
map3.jpg
5. The GM share the map with the players (map is downloaded from the GM to the players computers, this is what can take time depending on the size.
So your maps do not necessarily have to have a grid on the whole map, a square somewhere near a corner is enough for the GM to be able to place the software grid.
For the grid dimension, I think 50px per square is enough (speaking FG here, 70px for Roll20), but, as in some situations players and GMs may have to zoom in, if your map is too pixelated at 200%, you may consider to produce a 100px/square grid.
Playability : For encounters maps, a player/NPC token will occupy a square, so verify that they can freely move on your map. Your Terror from the deep is good here, as the tokens can move even in the narrow passages (there are squares to put the tokens in)
For the dimension, it really depends on the type of encounter : It is not necessary to have a 100*100 squares map for a encounter between 5 adventurers and 6 goblins for example, unless the GM has planned some pursuits/racing around the map perhaps.
To resume: Choose the number of squares according to the encounter type and number of tokens, remember that a square=5', choose the grid size (50, 70, 100) depending of the map and the size of the file (it is perhaps better to work with 100px and to shrink after, although I know that 7/10 is not a round number), save your final map at the lowest jpeg quality you can afford.
Hope this helps,
Regards

[XCali]

Hi,
What matters for VTT is the file size (the bigger the more time it takes to load) and playability. Grids are placed to interact with the the game mechanics of the software and are useful for battlemaps, to compute how many squares a player or NPC can move in a turn/round, distances, blast areas of spells for instance. The scale is usualy 5' for a square, so the token of a human size character will occupy a square. I don't know for other softwares, but here is how it works in FG :
1. The GM load a map (your Terror from the deep map for instance)
2. He/she then defines the software grid position and size as here (if the map is already "gridded" he/she have to place it in accordance) :
map1.jpg
3. The software grid appears (thin lines over the map) :
map2.jpg
4. Now, the software can calculate distances, so if a player can move 30' in a round, his/her token will be able to move only 6 squares, and a blast area of a 25' square will be shown as here :
map3.jpg
5. The GM share the map with the players (map is downloaded from the GM to the players computers, this is what can take time depending on the size.
So your maps do not necessarily have to have a grid on the whole map, a square somewhere near a corner is enough for the GM to be able to place the software grid.
For the grid dimension, I think 50px per square is enough (speaking FG here, 70px for Roll20), but, as in some situations players and GMs may have to zoom in, if your map is too pixelated at 200%, you may consider to produce a 100px/square grid.
Playability : For encounters maps, a player/NPC token will occupy a square, so verify that they can freely move on your map. Your Terror from the deep is good here, as the tokens can move even in the narrow passages (there are squares to put the tokens in)
For the dimension, it really depends on the type of encounter : It is not necessary to have a 100*100 squares map for a encounter between 5 adventurers and 6 goblins for example, unless the GM has planned some pursuits/racing around the map perhaps.
To resume: Choose the number of squares according to the encounter type and number of tokens, remember that a square=5', choose the grid size (50, 70, 100) depending of the map and the size of the file (it is perhaps better to work with 100px and to shrink after, although I know that 7/10 is not a round number), save your final map at the lowest jpeg quality you can afford.
Hope this helps,
Regards

Ah! Thanks a bunch. That is very helpful!

So, depending on which program I make it available for, I need to resize the square in the corner for the map. But, question then,

1. what is preferred? The square in the corner, a gridless map or a map with a grid beforehand? Or do I add all three types in a zip for those purposes?

2. What quality do you export out at on average?

3. Now it also makes me think about my Thunder Rock city map I am gearing up to sell a set FULL of different versions, labelled, unlabelled, day and night ect. those sorts of things. If I go lower quality, the small houses doesn't take long to become very pixellated. I'm just a bit confused to what to do in scenarios like those.

THANK YOU SO MUCH that you took the time to respond. It really helps structure my process with making maps available, free or paid going forward.

[Tenia]

You're welcome Omri
1. You can submit all three of course, just a square to show grid dimension is enough for me as a GM, although grid lines can be a part of the drawing and/or may be helpful depending of the map (light lines over a dark background for example)
2. Usually 70-75% jpeg quality is a good compromise. for an encounter map loaded in a middle of a game session, keeping up the map around or under 1mb is good I think, the loading has to be fast enough to avoid loosing player's attention. Maintaining a good tempo, having a fair playing time between players without too much down time is important in a (virtual or not) tabletop RPG.
3. As this is a background map which will be loaded once in the beginning of the session and then keeped in players computer cache, rule #2 is less important here. I think around 2mb would be OK, here 75% quality again seems nice.

[XCali]

Hi!



I was busy playing around on my maps yesterday and a few variations came out of it.
Also, I'm busy creating one for a story I am writing. This one. Here is a small sneak peek of it.
But, do feel free to use this sneak peek for personal use.

Entrance to the deep roads_byOmri.jpeg




Hope the maps are useful