Multi-layer maps

[Deprecated: see below] It occurred to me that most maps, even simple ones are multi-layered. Let's take your basic outdoor map. Let's say the map is layer 1/0 with 1 being ground level and 0 being things like ditches, trenches, holes and waterways. Now let's assume you plop down a token on the map layer. The map is on 0 and the token is on 1. Okay great. As it stands that token is on the map layer, on top of the map, and the player is on top of it. But let's say you want some treetops. Those would still be on the map layer but would be above the player. Now let's also suppose there are tree trunks and those are built into the map. How do handle this? Okay, let's say we had a paint tool. This tool could paint elevations. In addition, tokens could have elevation properties. Let's take a few examples: bridge (begins: L1 ends: L1 opacity 100%), tree trunk  (begins: L1 ends: L2 opacity 100%), treetop (begins: L2 ends: L3 opacity 20%). balcony (begins: L2 ends: L2 opacity 100%). Supposing our GM had a map with a river on it and he placed a bridge token over that river. As said before the bride would be on layer 1 and the river under the bridge would be forced to layer 0. Now, let's say you have a troll and put the troll on level 0. You could place the troll anywhere on the map and that would be fine but placing him at the bridge would put him under the bridge and out of sight. Now let's say Dar decides to fill his canteen at the river. The GM knows this puts Dar on level 0 and puts him there. Dar will then see the troll but his two companions on the bridge would not, at least not until the troll comes charging out to eat Dar.  That sounds good but isn't having to manually move creatures from one layer to another a pain? Yep. This is where the paint tool comes in. The GM takes the fuzzy paint tool and paints the river down. This makes the river level 0 with gradient sides sloping upward. Any PC or NPC placed in that location would take on the level 0 property.  This would make it easy to reveal things to levitating players who can see into 2nd story windows, items/creatures hidden by terrain, etc. 

It occurred to me that you could place tokens on the map at a layer above the player level and set those tokens to go transparent when the player or something of interest is under them. By this I mean that trees would have treetops but those would go transparent when the player moves under them. Likewise, a building could have a roof until the player looks in or enters the building. Areas of the building the player can't see could be covered by a roof rather than just dark.

So it looks like this idea is similar to mine. I'm going to let this one go and throw my hat in that ring. I'll copy and paste the above in that thread.

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