Just sent over a new token pack I made for publication on the market.
The plan is to develop a new style of random dungeon generator with forced perspective and "mini-map."
(Its not out yet... but look for it soon.)
Its based on the idea that map areas are divided in 19x19 unit grid, with bird's eye view perspective to each area.
Quick walk-through on manual setup of the pack.... should help with thinking through how an API should be coded.
1) Add a new map page.
2) Set the page side to a multiple of 14 (84 for example: 14 x 5 = 84)
3) Make sure grid is enabled and the grid size is 14 units.
Your map should look like the above.
If you do not have Dynamic Lighting you can skip this step.
4) Now go to the Dynamic Lighting Layer. Outline the first column with a rectangle. Repeat for every other column.
Your map should look like the above.
5) Now we do the rows. Outline the first row with a rectangle. Repeat for every other row
Your map should look like the above.
Note: That process can be repeated on the GM layer. Its not necessary, however if you are using fog of war only it can be helpful.
6) Now you can drop in the major feature of your dungeon. Go to the map layer and drop in the Dungeon Depth tiles as you see fit. Flip and spin as needed. Be sure to be using only the “14x14” room and hallway tiles. They should size properly since the page grip is 14 units.
This a very simple and small dungeon.
Note: The “black” off-map area will look like Dynamic Lighting or Fog of War to the players. This reduces the work you have to do for map setup.
7) Now you can add in other “14x14” features like stairs (up or down.)
While still on the map layer, drop in the Dungeon Depth features you want. Flip and spin as needed. They should size properly since the page grid is 14 units.
Now my dungeon has stairs down into this level and stairs even further down.
8) Now change the grid units to 12.
.
This will break the map alignment, however we will be changing it again. This just lets Roll20 do all the working of properly sizing the tiles for us. Now we can bring in “inner” walls.
I brought in a corner wall section and tee wall section I plan to use.
9) Now change the grid units to 1.
And move the “inner” walls into place.They fit centered on the room.
The map is almost complete!
10) Going back the Dynamic Lighting layer (if you have the feature.) Added the few lines need.
11) Turn on Dynamic Lighting and/or Fog of War. Set the background to black. You can make your grid transparent, the map is already perfectly aligned to the to 1x1 units.
12) Go to the token layers and you are finished!
13) Just add players! All done!
As you can see… my brave dwarven cleric’s perspective is forced to whatever room he is in!
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Now... for the API.
Because this works in a grid....
1) The dynamic lines are largely known.
2) We can use a simple simple recursive algorithm to generate dungeon floor plans.
3) Additional details can be added in easily.
And.... adding a mini-map is simple.
1) Keep track of what areas the players have entered.
2) Reserve an area of the map that is ~10% of size of the total map. Put a visible to all light source there.
3) Since we know what is in each 14x14 grid... its easy to reproduce the same images in the reserved space in a 2x2 grid.
4) Masked unexplored areas with a black 2x2 image above.
5) Remove the mask as the players progress.
6) You could even add in player tracking.
Anyhow that is the idea.
Worth while?
Or any thoughts?
The plan is to develop a new style of random dungeon generator with forced perspective and "mini-map."
(Its not out yet... but look for it soon.)
Its based on the idea that map areas are divided in 19x19 unit grid, with bird's eye view perspective to each area.
Quick walk-through on manual setup of the pack.... should help with thinking through how an API should be coded.
1) Add a new map page.
2) Set the page side to a multiple of 14 (84 for example: 14 x 5 = 84)
3) Make sure grid is enabled and the grid size is 14 units.
Your map should look like the above.
If you do not have Dynamic Lighting you can skip this step.
4) Now go to the Dynamic Lighting Layer. Outline the first column with a rectangle. Repeat for every other column.
Your map should look like the above.
5) Now we do the rows. Outline the first row with a rectangle. Repeat for every other row
Your map should look like the above.
Note: That process can be repeated on the GM layer. Its not necessary, however if you are using fog of war only it can be helpful.
6) Now you can drop in the major feature of your dungeon. Go to the map layer and drop in the Dungeon Depth tiles as you see fit. Flip and spin as needed. Be sure to be using only the “14x14” room and hallway tiles. They should size properly since the page grip is 14 units.
This a very simple and small dungeon.
Note: The “black” off-map area will look like Dynamic Lighting or Fog of War to the players. This reduces the work you have to do for map setup.
7) Now you can add in other “14x14” features like stairs (up or down.)
While still on the map layer, drop in the Dungeon Depth features you want. Flip and spin as needed. They should size properly since the page grid is 14 units.
Now my dungeon has stairs down into this level and stairs even further down.
8) Now change the grid units to 12.
.This will break the map alignment, however we will be changing it again. This just lets Roll20 do all the working of properly sizing the tiles for us. Now we can bring in “inner” walls.
I brought in a corner wall section and tee wall section I plan to use.
9) Now change the grid units to 1.
And move the “inner” walls into place.They fit centered on the room.
The map is almost complete!
10) Going back the Dynamic Lighting layer (if you have the feature.) Added the few lines need.
11) Turn on Dynamic Lighting and/or Fog of War. Set the background to black. You can make your grid transparent, the map is already perfectly aligned to the to 1x1 units.
12) Go to the token layers and you are finished!
13) Just add players! All done!
As you can see… my brave dwarven cleric’s perspective is forced to whatever room he is in!
~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~
~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~
Now... for the API.
Because this works in a grid....
1) The dynamic lines are largely known.
2) We can use a simple simple recursive algorithm to generate dungeon floor plans.
3) Additional details can be added in easily.
And.... adding a mini-map is simple.
1) Keep track of what areas the players have entered.
2) Reserve an area of the map that is ~10% of size of the total map. Put a visible to all light source there.
3) Since we know what is in each 14x14 grid... its easy to reproduce the same images in the reserved space in a 2x2 grid.
4) Masked unexplored areas with a black 2x2 image above.
5) Remove the mask as the players progress.
6) You could even add in player tracking.
Anyhow that is the idea.
Worth while?
Or any thoughts?
