Battlemap! - Valley of Ancient bones (WIP)

[flyenemu]

XCali,

Thank you for posting this for review. I find the idea behind the map to be quite wonderful. I can see it providing a lot of immersion for players and GMs alike! It is also quite reusable, as most battles I run (in D&D) only deal with a 10x10 grid. This would allow for random encounters and most trivial combat to have a bit more 'umph' so to say.

I do, however, share in the opinion that the colors are a bit dark, but not for all the same reasons. When I am running a game (on a tan dry erase battlemap), I like to use bright colors to note different effects and whatnot so that I can see (at a glance) what is where. I have enough to do on my end of things as a GM (monster stats, adjudicating, initiative, etc.), that I need things to be clear and easy to read. My problem with the colors has to do with the grid most of all. For me, it blends in with the rest of your work, and makes it hard to see where one ends and the other begins.

As a player, I find the more the GM offers me on the map, the more I will use. By this I am referring to the 'hills' and 'ridges' on your map. If I was to see those in game I would think "Boy oh boy! I'm going to climb up one of those and peg baddies with my bow!". I as a GM would also like to use such wonderful terrain to exploit the benefit of enemies with flight. So, in addition to a grid with more contrast, I would recommend the grid also overlaps the map entirely.

In conclusion, I find your work quite wonderful, and given the above mentioned changes (and the cash to burn) I would buy a dry erase mat with your print on it!

[XCali]

Think this message glitched. Anyway...

[XCali]

XCali,

Thank you for posting this for review. I find the idea behind the map to be quite wonderful. I can see it providing a lot of immersion for players and GMs alike! It is also quite reusable, as most battles I run (in D&D) only deal with a 10x10 grid. This would allow for random encounters and most trivial combat to have a bit more 'umph' so to say.

I do, however, share in the opinion that the colors are a bit dark, but not for all the same reasons. When I am running a game (on a tan dry erase battlemap), I like to use bright colors to note different effects and whatnot so that I can see (at a glance) what is where. I have enough to do on my end of things as a GM (monster stats, adjudicating, initiative, etc.), that I need things to be clear and easy to read. My problem with the colors has to do with the grid most of all. For me, it blends in with the rest of your work, and makes it hard to see where one ends and the other begins.

As a player, I find the more the GM offers me on the map, the more I will use. By this I am referring to the 'hills' and 'ridges' on your map. If I was to see those in game I would think "Boy oh boy! I'm going to climb up one of those and peg baddies with my bow!". I as a GM would also like to use such wonderful terrain to exploit the benefit of enemies with flight. So, in addition to a grid with more contrast, I would recommend the grid also overlaps the map entirely.

In conclusion, I find your work quite wonderful, and given the above mentioned changes (and the cash to burn) I would buy a dry erase mat with your print on it!

Thank you. That is very helpful info. I'll be sure to check it out. The thing I would need to figure out, is how to still convey the night feel without it being too dark.

[XCali]

Don't freak out!

This is just an experimental build for those that did not like the idea of the height of things creating blindspots.

The main file is still safe and sound. This is a spin-off to see if this can be added to the set as an option for DM's/GM's. So let me know what you think.

I am still pondering how to make it a lot brighter without losing the 'it's night' effect. Just so you guys know.

I did fiddle a bit with the brightness.

Valley of Ancient Bones_Experiment1_byOmri.jpeg

[XCali]

Hi everyone,

This is the way I'm thinking at the moment with the main Valley map. I changed the size of the middle structure. Cleaned up the floor a little. And made the map lighter.

Valley oF Ancient Bones_Lighter_byOmri.jpeg

I know there are people who enjoy the flat battlemaps more and I respect that. And I am working towards making different versions of this map. But, I do, and I mean, I really do also wish to make an ISO battlemap that works. So feedback that helps towards that end is very welcome.



P.S. The GRID will come back too, I am just working on the map as is for now.

[Mouse]

Hey XCali

Maybe ISO battle maps are more suited to spots where there is nothing in the way - a flat scene, or a scene where all the tall bits lie on the back edge of the scene.

Of course, I'm not a DM, nor even a player (having come at mapping from the point of view of a fantasy writer), so I might be wrong, and there might be plenty of battle maps done in ISO with things in the way, but which are still good to play on. I'm really just thinking out loud here.

The other scenario I can think that an ISO map would be good is a multiple level map where the inside of a building is shown in 3 or 4 floor levels, but even then you'd have to be careful not to occlude any of the floor space by having an intricate system of rooms with only half the wall cut away to show them.

[XCali]

Hey XCali

Maybe ISO battle maps are more suited to spots where there is nothing in the way - a flat scene, or a scene where all the tall bits lie on the back edge of the scene.

Of course, I'm not a DM, nor even a player (having come at mapping from the point of view of a fantasy writer), so I might be wrong, and there might be plenty of battle maps done in ISO with things in the way, but which are still good to play on. I'm really just thinking out loud here.

The other scenario I can think that an ISO map would be good is a multiple level map where the inside of a building is shown in 3 or 4 floor levels, but even then you'd have to be careful not to occlude any of the floor space by having an intricate system of rooms with only half the wall cut away to show them.

Hmmm, for a next ISO battlemap that is quite a good idea. Thanks Mouse.

The levels thing I don't quite understand, but I have an idea.

[Mouse]

I've seen some maps where the floors of a house are drawn on top of each other in strict ISO perspective - like that grid I gave you on another thread when I explained what isometric perspective was.

The important thing about those maps was that the floors were actually lifted apart from each other like the layers of a dolls house, and the internal walls were all cut away, so that you could see every inch of the floor space where a player might stand

[XCali]

I've seen some maps where the floors of a house are drawn on top of each other in strict ISO perspective - like that grid I gave you on another thread when I explained what isometric perspective was.

The important thing about those maps was that the floors were actually lifted apart from each other like the layers of a dolls house, and the internal walls were all cut away, so that you could see every inch of the floor space where a player might stand

Oh yeah! I understand now.
It is a nice idea for when you have a zoomed in part.

[XCali]

Hi,

I thought I'd add a DUSK version of the map. See how it works.
Valley of Ancient Bones_Dusk_byOmri.jpeg


And one with a normal grid on top of it, no fancy stuff with it.

Valley of Ancient Bones_Dusk_WithGrid_byOmri.jpeg