*Market Release* Sceneficant Maps: Ranger's Folio

<a href="https://marketplace.roll20.net/browse/set/563/scen" rel="nofollow">https://marketplace.roll20.net/browse/set/563/scen</a>... Hello everyone! I'm a new creator here so I thought I'd introduce myself and my released set! This set contains eight encounter maps with a focus on hand-painted elements and tactical terrain fully integrated into the map. The impetus for this set was going through the D&D Ranger's class and looking at the list of favored terrain. I wanted to bring a kind of "globe-trotting" adventure theme to my first set as a good introduction and to bring to the horizon a glimmer of hope for "coastal"-specialized rangers. Towards the future, I'd like to continue to produce 'hero' maps that would be difficult to pull off using normal modular or tileable methods, with stronger themes, integrated map features, and with all the fixens to inspire both DM and player. Some specific notes and Q&A: Q- "Why is &lt;this feature&gt; on your map? I don't need it." A - I strongly disagree that less is more here. Particularly when it comes to combat maps, its too easy for a player to assume everything placed on the map is important (since the GM put it there under constraint of time and energy). I feel its healthier when the GM gets to decide what is important, less important, and set decoration. I encourage GM's to insert treasure that the encounter would have in little pieces of the map instead of simply on the bodies of the creatures: Have a pile of gems appear in the faerie circle as the fae reward the characters for getting rid of the trolls in the forest. Have a forgotten chest hidden away in a tree follow. Maybe that cave is shallow and an armored skeleton is found, riddled with arrows but clinging to a softly glowing sword. OR have the features be active during the encounter, maybe the faerie circle alternatively blesses/curses creatures who enter it. Maybe the tree bites at the nearest creature. Maybe the cave is wear the stream of goblins come from. The featurettess should give plot, interaction, or flavor. Q - "Why are your map files .png?" A - While 24-PNGs are massive monsters that will wreck everything, my files are actually 8-PNGs, a gentler kinder monster on internet connections. Because of the way roll20 processes images, I've elected to reduce image dimensions saved at the better compression-type of PNGs. My images are sharper at normal-play viewing distances, with the loss of some ability to hold up when being zoomed in on (who does that anyway?). A JPG would do a decent job at both, but must be twice the size and at 1.5x larger file size. Q - "Whats with your price?" A - I felt like I wanted to take this risk to drive more robustness in the marketplace. There is a large range of quality in the marketplace and as more and more sets are added, certain contributors will likely start being crowded out when everyone is pricing at the minimum. There is literally no way to be the cheaper option as the marketplace starts to attract stronger talent. I hope buyers will contribute to the health of the market by agreeing there should be a better pricing paradigm than the 50¢ over the minimum price a seller currently feels pressured to price at. Thanks for being a great community and hope to hear your comments and suggestions!

A quick explanation of the assets included in the pack as the thumbnails are sometimes not kind to some of the smaller detail: Arctic Map - Map with height variation and a raised rock bridge/arc that leads to a platform with a blue gemstone inlaid into it. Ice allows passage over the river that runs vertically through the map. Coastal Map - Waves crash into rocks and cliffs along a sandy shore. The mountain cliffs reveal three cave entrances, two of them requiring a climb and possibly the crossing of a salt-eaten bridge. Desert Map - An (abandoned?) mine beckons with a half-buried cart rail. A excavation site protected with sheets and boards is quickly being buried in the sands, possibly to disappear in a few days to hours. The dunes might hide an ambush set for inquisitive-minded adventurers and archaeologists. Forest Map - A bubbling stream passes by a hidden hut buried in the woods. A faerie ring glows brightly just outside of the house; Where are the inhabitants? How long has this ring been active? Magma Forest - Lava has bubbled up onto the surface and now rides down the river valley, the forest that once drank from the stream's water is suddenly set ablaze by this (natural/unnatural) disaster. Caravan Path - With a camp set high and out of site and a ruins with a bloody ring, no merchant feels safe here. Or perhaps its the heroes making use of the camp site as they look on to explore the ruins in the morning? Swamp Map - The lilies belay the stink of the marsh, does the ancient tree in the center share the sensibilities of the delicate lilypads or the rotting bog? Underground Grotto - This underground, underwater grotto enjoys the sun as the roots of trees above has come down for a dip. What has followed the tree roots down in this otherwise earthy cave?

Those are gorgeous, but not a fan of the grids :( If you continue making packs, you might want to consider having grid and gridless variants in the same pack (I dont know if that requires much work from the artist...). I dont know if it'll affect your sales, and I did read your FAQ so basically I am ignoring your first point and typing this regardless! Haha. But seriously, good job. Clean and easily used for anything.

Thanks for the suggestion, in my head it gave me more opportunities to float objects above the grid and play with certain features that was obscured. But I'll admit its pretty subtle for what possibly makes the pack less flexible? Is it an issue where you want to use it with a certain type of grid or color?

Maybe its a user issue on my end, but I usually just use the innate grid on Roll20. When there is a second grid, or if they aren't lined up, it looks goofy. But if there are both versions it might appeal to more people.

It's a scale issue as well. If I want to scale up the map to be a larger area I don't want a grid on the map itself.

Ah, well, I've removed the grid on them, if you've bought the pack and would like the gridless versions let me know. I've already sent you a link Jake.

Well... I didn't buy the packs though D: I guess I dont need to eat lunch tomorrow! haha ... Okay, bought them.

Haha, oh gosh, I didn't mean to bully you into buying the pack, though I'm happy you did. The tone of your first post made it sound like you had purchased them and were reviewing. :S

Its no problem! Already uploaded and put them in my campaign so if I need them, they are there. Also, strangely enough, the grids were done very well and I just used those versions as they fit exactly the size i needed &gt;.&gt;