Facebook for Roll20, Blog for Tiled

The last week or so, I've been creating specific lesson plans and graphics to show off the map editor at Roll20. I've decided to keep the Gaming Geeks Facebook fan page dedicated primarily to Roll20, and how to use our sets on their site. That being said, this blog will house the thoughts and lessons to using another favorite map editor: Tiled.

There will be some minor crossovers here and there, but I think separating lessons from the two editors will be useful for folks.

I do hope you all agree.

Crossing over in sets again

Crossing over in sets again, this time using the Chronicles set and some tiles from set 5: Other World

A snapshot using the map editor at Roll20, the small torn piece of paper that overlaps is slightly tilted to add to the layer.

Ancient Scribes Set 1: Petroglyphs has arrived!

Roll20's marketplace has just added our twelfth set - Ancient Scribe Set 1: Petroglyphs

Going back to my archaeology roots, we created this set with over 220 design elements...229 to be exact. Two types of backgrounds, two types of moss, and dozens of petroglyph design elements. Here below is an example using Roll20's map editor and taking a screenshot while playing with elements:

We gave suggested element names for the glyphs, but GM's are more than welcome to come up with their own meanings behind the glyphs. As with all of our sets, we hope everyone enjoys creating! Use on grid and off the grid to create a more organic feel.

Chronicles has arrived!

What a wonderful day! The seventh in a series of sets, Old World Style Set: Chronicles, has been put up at the marketplace!

There are actually 261 elements in the set, but I don't usually count the scroll frame elements since they are repeated in every set. I went in this week and played with the set to make some samples, and took some screenshots while in the Roll20 editor:

First up, the vine edge:

Next up, a random assortment using the white frame edge.

And finally, after a MASSIVE brainfart, I realized I could also use existing elements from other sets! I was so focused when making the set to create an abundance of new elements, I'd completely forgotten the possibility of using elements from past sets. And, using the Contrail font the site provides, added some text; and also put in a very minute sneak peak of the next set.

Taking for a test spin

Every now and then, I like to throw the new tile designs into a tilesheet and pop them over into the map editor. It helps to continually do random checks while designing, as at times we can tend to get too close to our work and not see flaws. I think it's also fun just to throw some random tiles together from different sets just to see how they flow.

Here is from the latest set:

Can you spot the new token tiles versus the old ones? This time around, it's all about going a bit more exotic! Mixed in with the new tiles are tokens from almost every past set, even some of  trees from the world view (set 1). It is quite enjoyable seeing how elaborate a scene can be created. Even after a couple thousand tiles, it's always about simple on simple makes for complex...

Of course, once I saw the jungle trees in the first picture being way too flat as a background, so that HAD to change: 

Ahhhh...much more better... The additional random foliage works in nicely as well!

The Ebb and Flood of Social Medias

I should be working on more digital tiles...I SHOULD be; but instead, I've taken this morning to review social media trends to see where we should be focusing our efforts as we move forward. It is mind-boggling how fast sites come in and out of favor with the public, how much people are veering towards visual medias once again, how much people do not actually read posts past the first line...

The old motto, "A Picture is Worth a Thousand Words," still rings true; in fact, truer than ever it seems. And thus, so it is true when revealing new artwork. We want to give teasers, but not the whole story. We want people interested, but the idea that only giving a taste so people will want more is falling out of favor. When purchasing artwork, and in my case at the moment - digital tileset art, people want [and rightly so] to know all of the pieces involved in their purchase. As artists, we want to be protected, to not be instantly right-clicked and saved, but we have that inner urge to share our work, for better or worse.

The banner is up!

Woohoo! The new banner is up at Roll20's marketplace:

The new banner has six of the seven sets within the Old World Style mapping set series. The one prior had only four listed. With this one, I tried to show just a smidge of examples from each of the six mapping sets.

The seventh set?  The seventh set - Old World Style: Chronicles, has a bit of a different flair...

We are offering this one at Roll20 at 72dpi, but at the Gaming Geeks it will only be offered at the 200 dpi resolution. We [my group of geeks] are quite old school, enjoying the tactile feel of printed out pieces and such. As a result, Chronicles on the Gaming Geeks is geared more towards that individual who  wants to create more of a storybook for their group or adventure. We hope folks like it!

Annnnd once again

So, a bit of a snafu this week on the website as the current contract we were under I was informed will be no longer working at the end of this month. On an up note, Regina in the Cancellations department was excellent in helping me get things straightened out a bit. The biggest hurdle was that everything within the old shop would be deleted, and that meant the website would have to be redone.

It could have been much worse I suppose. And, all in all, the new website builder format is much easier to work with in the set up, once you get used to it. As most may know, although I can figure my way around computers and programs, they are most definitely not my forte. Even with the learning of the new system, the site set up is going about five times faster than originally with the older one...so that is a big plus and one that keeps the frustration headaches well at bay.

With hopes high and fingers crossed, the site will be up and running within the next day...maybe two days. Considering the first time took over two weeks to get everything done, this three day comparison is phenomenal.

I do believe there is a little school girl squee of joy coming on...[ahem]... SQUEE!

Pencil and Paper

I use the computer a lot. It's fun, easy to erase, easy to manipulate; however, I find some of the best tools for creativity are still the good old fashioned pencil, marker and paper...and a kneaded gum eraser. There's really no substitute.

You can take it anywhere. The batteries don't die, unless you've not eaten that day. And I find it allows you to explore a lot more, developing more of that subconscious creativity. Oh how often has a new illustration or design emerged from just a few random scribbles. Notes can be scribbled on the edges, often wrapping 360 degrees around a new drawing or sketch.

Now available through The Gaming Geeks in a 200 dpi set, and available soon at Roll20 in a 72 dpi set: