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Trying something different with Chronicles

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Edited 1421683323
Russ H.
Marketplace Creator
Trying something a bit different in the Old World Style: Chronicles. The set is frames, drop caps and design elements to create decorative frames or pages. The outside of the frames snap to the grid, while the inside edge is more decorative and transparent to overlap imagery you want to put inside your frame. As you can see when viewing the individual tiles in the set, the frame pieces are approximately 1/2 to 3/4 of a square. I designed these to feel like you were matting a piece of art, hence the overlap and minor transparencies within the inside edge. I've included the scroll edge again, but also created some black and white frame pieces with some very subtle hints of color. Here is one of the examples I made in the Roll20 map editor, keeping things snapped to the grid: I found that the Contrail Font already available in the map editor works really well for the text. To me, this would be a fun and different way of introducing ideas into an adventure; but then, I am odd. In the picture above, the drop cap and text has been placed outside the scroll and image. I've included the base land tile/scroll base tile as well, so obviously you can make the scroll page much bigger or make the frame the size you wish relative to the page, and the writing can go on top of that scroll as well. Layering in the editor here is really easy. Another snapshot example from tile editor here just keeping on the grid, trying to keep that left hand away from the ctrl+alt function as you all know I love to do, and placing random elements along the frame. The elements can be rotated, like shown in this shot, flipped, shrunk... it's up to the creator of the picture frame. This time, I placed the drop cap on top of the frame, and a design element on top of that. I put the yellow inside the frame just because it was a white frame on white background. And, not only are there a lot of elements within the set, it can be used with elements from other sets. Here is another shapshot example, bringing in a graphic from my library to put behind a the white frame, and using house and cobblestone elements from set 2 in Old World Style - this time I used both snap to grid and the off-grid features - and yes, I realize the mini-writing is really bad, lol: This is a big leap in trying something new with the Old World Style that I think can add a great element for your players. Happy framing! Hope you enjoy! Here's the link to the set on Roll20 - <a href="https://marketplace.roll20.net/browse/set/450/old-" rel="nofollow">https://marketplace.roll20.net/browse/set/450/old-</a>...
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vÍnce
Pro
Sheet Author
That's much nicer than just throwing up a parchment image on the map and typing text. Looks good Russ. I often like using "backdrops" to set a scene, now I can "Frame" it.
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Russ H.
Marketplace Creator
Thank you Vince! Hope to see some of the things anyone does with the set. Happy Framing!
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Gen Kitty
Forum Champion
That's really really nice looking!
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Russ H.
Marketplace Creator
Thank you GenKitty. I created another example, just to generate ideas this morning for fun and play with design a bit. I think the only things I took off grid here: placing the texts, and to rotate text over the sketch of "The Beast"... oh and of course, the brilliant freehand sketch (I am really bad at drawing with a mouse, ha ha ha). As I mentioned earlier, I am playing with using not only elements from this set, but from other previous sets as well. For this example, I brought in the new scroll edges made from Set 5: Other World to use as an extra design element. Here's the snapshot from the map editor at Roll20: What I did here for layering: Using the scroll and land/map background tile, created the outside - right click, sent to back. The picture is from my home computer library, uploaded and used as the graphic (the island, not the scribble). Added the frames around the picture To add the insert sketch of "The Beast", I used the "newscroll" edge tiles from Set 5 and just rotated once the edge was up. Then added the drop cap frame, drop cap, design elements (clouds elements at top and bottom of frame) and text from the list provided within the map editor on Roll20. As I mentioned, I did have to use the ctrl+alt feature to align the text box a little better for appearance, rather than snap to grid.
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vÍnce
Pro
Sheet Author
That looks great Russ. I can see a treasure map in my games future... I usually do this kind of "thing"(layering/collage) using various images from around the etherweb, but I can see how it would be advantageous ie(efficient) to have the elements at hand in your library. And they are all of a similar style that work well together. Very nice. p.s. How do you get around the apparent 512px image-width cap on the forums? I hate posting an image on the forum, only to have it too small to see any detail.
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Edited 1421524846
Russ H.
Marketplace Creator
I didn't realize there is a cap - I just clicked on the picture when typing the post. There is a little black box that appears at the bottom right with the dotted frame, and it resized to this by dragging the mouse. Thank you for letting me know. I will go ahead and shrink these down. File size-wise, these are around 100 kb or less (the one above is like 87 Kb). Sorry about that. Still new to posting in the forums. I will correct that. And thanks again for the compliment Vince. This set stands by itself, and the other sets work together; I just wanted to show how this set could cross over as well.
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vÍnce
Pro
Sheet Author
Thanks Russ, I never noticed the resize handle before... I just assumed that 512px width was the "hard" limit. I'm going to quit resizing/cropping my images to 512px prior to uploading and see if the resolution improves. I wonder how your images and Stephen's crypto glyphs would work together...?
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Russ H.
Marketplace Creator
Ooo! I shall take a look. Do you mean his puzzle sets? Those are quite nice! And good luck on the resizing - post a link in here if you don't mind or a PM when you do it.
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vÍnce
Pro
Sheet Author
Russ H. said: Ooo! I shall take a look. Do you mean his puzzle sets? Those are quite nice! And good luck on the resizing - post a link in here if you don't mind or a PM when you do it. Yes, Dungeon Puzzle . Stephen S. has a set of red/blue images that you overlay to reveal hidden information. I haven't used them myself, but I like the idea and I thought possibly they could be combined with some of your pieces. Marketplace synergy. :-)
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Russ H.
Marketplace Creator
I saw those! That is cool. a very different way of thinking to keep players entertained. The glyphs remind a bit of one of the other sets I have up on petroglyphs ; although I will admit, mine is not as nearly as cool as that. It's images for GM's to create a story for their players. I think you are right though. It would be cool to start doing some cross marketing with other vendors. Anyone want to pm a picture using their work and we can combine it into a frame to promote both artists?
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Russ H.
Marketplace Creator
Ok, I know this forum posting is to promote myself, but Vince, have you also seen <a href="https://marketplace.roll20.net/browse/set/448/sky-" rel="nofollow">https://marketplace.roll20.net/browse/set/448/sky-</a>... Love steampunk and these airships are awesome! Edited: Menet is the last name, btw.
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vÍnce
Pro
Sheet Author
Lady Blackbird anyone? I think the Sky Adventures Pack1 would work great for that.
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Russ H.
Marketplace Creator
Cool! Agreed!
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Gabriel P.
Pro
Marketplace Creator
This is an absolutely wonderful way to add visual appeal to your game. I really love that you've set it up to work with the snap grid for speed and ease of use.
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Russ H.
Marketplace Creator
Thank you! As you might know from other work, I LOVE the ctrl+alt off grid feature, resizing and layering to show off the editor, but tried so that these could also be used, re-sized or whatnot easily to grid and 1/2 grid. BTW, Gabriel, I'm looking forward to collecting the Wild Woods set soon! Love your autumn top down view trees!
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Russ H.
Marketplace Creator
Gabriel, I recently tried out Paul Ooshun's Dungeon Buddies on some of the OWS sets and loved the combination, so I wanted to see what the Wild Woods Set 1 from your collection would look like with the Chronicles set. The background and some trees were re-sized smaller on the grid because I wanted this to be a quick shot to show different artists' work working together in a scene. The frame snapped to grid and the leaves were placed grid and 1/2 grid, flipped and turned to grid. To me, there seems to be a trick of the eye, and you really want to jump into that scene below. Even though the vine framework is decorated by leaves, drifting this way and that, they really seem to fade away and become just what I had intended...a frame! Hoodalolly! Love your work! Thank you for letting me post a picture using it!
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Gen Kitty
Forum Champion
This is lovely work.
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Russ H.
Marketplace Creator
Thank you GenKitty! I hope to combine the Chronicles frames with more work from other artists as well. It's great to see how different styles can be combined! SIDE NOSTALGIC NOTE: Anyone else reminded of the story time in Electric Company when the actors did a skit behind a huge frame like this?
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The Aaron
Pro
API Scripter
Yeah, that looks totally awesome!!... now I just need the time to put something like that together for my players.... =D
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Russ H.
Marketplace Creator
Thank you Aaron! Time? What is this 'time' thing of which you speak...? lol
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vÍnce
Pro
Sheet Author
Russ H. said: Thank you GenKitty! I hope to combine the Chronicles frames with more work from other artists as well. It's great to see how different styles can be combined! SIDE NOSTALGIC NOTE: Anyone else reminded of the story time in Electric Company when the actors did a skit behind a huge frame like this? The Electric Company... Never had cable as a kid living in the country. PBS and Saturday morning cartoons...
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Russ H.
Marketplace Creator
Vince said: Russ H. said: Thank you GenKitty! I hope to combine the Chronicles frames with more work from other artists as well. It's great to see how different styles can be combined! SIDE NOSTALGIC NOTE: Anyone else reminded of the story time in Electric Company when the actors did a skit behind a huge frame like this? The Electric Company... Never had cable as a kid living in the country. PBS and Saturday morning cartoons... Yup! PBS ruled for kids' shows in the 70's! Ahhh life before cable, or its predecessor - OnTV. ha ha ha - Morgan Freeman as Easy Reader for the win! ...and now we take you back to shameless self promotion: Really hope folks enjoy Chronicles to 'frame' their adventures! [ba-dump-chik]
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The Aaron
Pro
API Scripter
Russ H. said: Thank you Aaron! Time? What is this 'time' thing of which you speak...? lol I feel like I haven't written a decent script since November. Pretty soon, someone will be asking me to turn in my Arcane Scriptomancer card. =D
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vÍnce
Pro
Sheet Author
The Aaron said: Russ H. said: Thank you Aaron! Time? What is this 'time' thing of which you speak...? lol I feel like I haven't written a decent script since November. Pretty soon, someone will be asking me to turn in my Arcane Scriptomancer card. =D Slacker
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The Aaron
Pro
API Scripter
=D
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Russ H.
Marketplace Creator
NOVEMBER?!?!? [shuddered gasp]...nawlp...turn in yer card...hahaha - Know what ya mean. I've been working on and eighth set in the OWS series and about 120-130 tiles into it, and doing lots of other things when I should be finishing that up. Aaron, do you have a link to your stuff on here? Would love to read some!
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The Aaron
Pro
API Scripter
Ironically, I do, but not one I can readily share! It's my followed topics list. =D Let me see if I can pull the links from it... ... a short bit of javascript later in the console... <a href="https://app.roll20.net/forum/post/907343/script-my" rel="nofollow">https://app.roll20.net/forum/post/907343/script-my</a>... <a href="https://app.roll20.net/forum/post/920764/script-is" rel="nofollow">https://app.roll20.net/forum/post/920764/script-is</a>... <a href="https://app.roll20.net/forum/post/931415/script-tu" rel="nofollow">https://app.roll20.net/forum/post/931415/script-tu</a>... <a href="https://app.roll20.net/forum/post/949734/script-wa" rel="nofollow">https://app.roll20.net/forum/post/949734/script-wa</a>... <a href="https://app.roll20.net/forum/post/950142/script-we" rel="nofollow">https://app.roll20.net/forum/post/950142/script-we</a>... <a href="https://app.roll20.net/forum/post/1033747/script-t" rel="nofollow">https://app.roll20.net/forum/post/1033747/script-t</a>... <a href="https://app.roll20.net/forum/post/1034829/script-a" rel="nofollow">https://app.roll20.net/forum/post/1034829/script-a</a>... <a href="https://app.roll20.net/forum/post/1058503/script-m" rel="nofollow">https://app.roll20.net/forum/post/1058503/script-m</a>... <a href="https://app.roll20.net/forum/post/1066916/script-g" rel="nofollow">https://app.roll20.net/forum/post/1066916/script-g</a>... <a href="https://app.roll20.net/forum/post/1067109/script-c" rel="nofollow">https://app.roll20.net/forum/post/1067109/script-c</a>... <a href="https://app.roll20.net/forum/post/1104897/script-t" rel="nofollow">https://app.roll20.net/forum/post/1104897/script-t</a>... <a href="https://app.roll20.net/forum/post/1143437/script-u" rel="nofollow">https://app.roll20.net/forum/post/1143437/script-u</a>... <a href="https://app.roll20.net/forum/post/1144568/script-t" rel="nofollow">https://app.roll20.net/forum/post/1144568/script-t</a>... <a href="https://app.roll20.net/forum/post/1257490/script-t" rel="nofollow">https://app.roll20.net/forum/post/1257490/script-t</a>... <a href="https://app.roll20.net/forum/post/1273423/script-t" rel="nofollow">https://app.roll20.net/forum/post/1273423/script-t</a>... <a href="https://app.roll20.net/forum/post/1319616/script-e" rel="nofollow">https://app.roll20.net/forum/post/1319616/script-e</a>... <a href="https://app.roll20.net/forum/post/1337473/script-w" rel="nofollow">https://app.roll20.net/forum/post/1337473/script-w</a>... <a href="https://app.roll20.net/forum/post/1353021/script-m" rel="nofollow">https://app.roll20.net/forum/post/1353021/script-m</a>... <a href="https://app.roll20.net/forum/post/1380961/script-s" rel="nofollow">https://app.roll20.net/forum/post/1380961/script-s</a>... <a href="https://app.roll20.net/forum/post/1456537/script-b" rel="nofollow">https://app.roll20.net/forum/post/1456537/script-b</a>... <a href="https://app.roll20.net/forum/post/1460717/script-m" rel="nofollow">https://app.roll20.net/forum/post/1460717/script-m</a>... That's all the followed topics I have that start with [Script]. (if anyone is interested, here's the javascript to dump all the scripts from your followed page: _.chain($('a')).filter(function(o){return o.innerText.match(/^\[Script\]/i);}).map(function(o){return '<a href="https://app.roll20.net'+o.getAttribute('href');}).value().join('\n" rel="nofollow">https://app.roll20.net'+o.getAttribute('href');}).value().join('\n</a>'); )
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The Aaron
Pro
API Scripter
It has just occurred to me that you might think I meant story scripts... =D Well, anyway, there some API scripts I wrote. =D
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Edited 1422276883
Russ H.
Marketplace Creator
WOW! I understand it!...ok, well, recognized parts within and the structuring...things marked with the '.js'...I understand the Turnmarker one so far! Going through this morning and 'reading' them. Very cool! And yeah...I had no clue. ha ha ha. Very cool to learn something new! And please forgive my ignorance on this Aaron, but the API scripts...now are those integrated by the team for the whole process, or are these tweaks players/GM's implement for game play to modify for their personal experience. Early last year, I made a list of the tools within the map editor, and so the focus for me has been designing elements to try and showcase that feature of the site and push a little further each time, and with another job...little time for much else - so hence, very ignorant of several other areas. Inquiring mind wants to know. [annn Pssst...where do I post a suggestion about adding visible layer features within the map editor. The editor layers beautifully, just would be nice to actually work within the layers...suggestions forum?]
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The Aaron
Pro
API Scripter
:) API scripts can be added to a campaign by GM's that have a Mentor level subscription. They can do all kinds of automation. Stephen S. has one that builds an entire map out of Geomorph tiles. The API can react to various events: moving a token, changing an attribute, switching maps, etc. Primarily, they react to API commands, text typed in the chat starting with a !. Layer suggestion you say? Maybe you want to add your John Hancock to this suggestion: <a href="https://app.roll20.net/forum/post/1241955/foregrou" rel="nofollow">https://app.roll20.net/forum/post/1241955/foregrou</a>...
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Russ H.
Marketplace Creator
Thank you kind sir! Did, saw, done! ...and way cool on the scripts!
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The Aaron
Pro
API Scripter
Thx! =D It's the art *I* know how to do. =D BTW, the Suggestions Forum is a voting forum. You have 1 vote per full year you've been a member of Roll20, +5 for being supporter or +10 for being a mentor. Votes are returned when a suggestion is completed, or can be moved at any time. There is a little grey up button at the left of the title that you can click to put your vote on something.
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Russ H.
Marketplace Creator
[...hangs head in shame...] ha ha ha, thank you again Aaron. Durrr...ok, cast my vote...for real this time. At times I can be quite computer challenged...they're not plants, they don't grow, they got all them sparkly colors and whirley sounds...confusafyin' I tell ya. Thank you again. I am always trying to keep moving in the right direction, so it is greatly appreciated. And from the comments, because I'm not a programmer, you obviously do it extremely well! I'm in awe of that ability.
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The Aaron
Pro
API Scripter
No worries. =D I know exactly what you mean because I have the same feelings when I look at your artwork. =D
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Russ H.
Marketplace Creator
Thank you! This morning, went into the editor and tried out also a double matting on some work using the Chronicles set. I enjoy going in there from time to time and just experimenting, seeing what I can do with this editor...trying new things... Once again, using a scene from Gabriel Pickard's WIld Woods set 1 , I set up a double matted frame for fun. The picture and inner frame are on the grid. The outer frame was created at the same size as the first to the side, grouped, then using ctrl+alt was resized off grid and put on the front layer.
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PaulOoshun
Marketplace Creator
This is such a great thread, really shows how Roll20 allows players a lot of cool things to breathe extra life into their games. I know a lot of folks prefer the old school basic visuals and I respect that too, but if you want to spice things up there's incredible options at your fingertips, both in terms of graphic art and the elegant lines of API poetry.
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The Aaron
Pro
API Scripter
+1 to Alan! =D
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Russ H.
Marketplace Creator
Agreed! +1 to Alan! And Aaron, in going through, continuing to read about your API's (as well as hopping over to the repository to look at a list of the others) - had to laugh my ass off at the 'tracking for spell use' API. It's nice to know that's a universal "No, no...I've only cast fireball three times..." ha ha ha. Favorite so far - <a href="https://app.roll20.net/forum/post/1104897/script-torch-a-simple-script-for-giving-lights-to-tokens-and-turning-off-and-on-dynamic-lighting#post-1467060" rel="nofollow">https://app.roll20.net/forum/post/1104897/script-torch-a-simple-script-for-giving-lights-to-tokens-and-turning-off-and-on-dynamic-lighting#post-1467060</a> - so cool!
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The Aaron
Pro
API Scripter
=D
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Russ H.
Marketplace Creator
The Aaron said: Russ H. said: Thank you Aaron! Time? What is this 'time' thing of which you speak...? lol I feel like I haven't written a decent script since November. Pretty soon, someone will be asking me to turn in my Arcane Scriptomancer card. =D Challenge accepted sir and sent! ha ha ha ha I look forward to seeing this!
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Gabriel P.
Pro
Marketplace Creator
Its really great getting to see other people art combined, usually I'm just staring myopically at my own. Those borders really make things jump out. For a tiny bit of extra work you get a heaping ton of additional production value to wow your players with. Thanks for sharing Russ!
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Russ H.
Marketplace Creator
Gabriel, I really appreciate you letting me post the combination! Your work makes it easy to wow folks! It's beautiful! I hope to soon ask for making more examples to show them together. Thanks again!