Scene Additions - Set 6: Caves; Set 7: Castles - are now live

The latest Scene Additions sets, set 6: Caves & set 7: Castles, have been submitted to the marketplace for approval. Click on the individual pictures to bring up the sets on Roll20's marketplace.

(/1/2015 update: We are qued, waiting approval!

Testing set 7: Castles in Scene Additions style

Testing Scene Additions Set 7: Castles this past evening, and quite happy to see it working pretty flawlessly in Tiled. Now to test the design elements in Roll20 and get ready to upload for approval.

Hmm...I may have to do a few more ruin tiles...broken window, door on floor, and the cut stone column...and maybe break apart a few of the upper walkway pieces as well. As always, once you see one thing, there are ten more things you can add to a set. hahaha

Old World Style in Tiled Lesson 2: Using set 3 as an alt continent base

Old World Style set 3: Cracks & Contours is a bit of a sleeper hit. It is complimentary to the other sets, seems a bit boring on its own, but when used in connection with other Old World Style sets, can add a whole other level to your map making.

Creating a map using Old World Style: Lesson 1 - setting up the land masses and ocean from set 1

Using Tiled, from mapeditor.org, an open-source map editing program that we have been a patron sponsor for nearly a year now, this tutorial begins with laying down the continents using Old World Style set 1: World View from tilesheets.

Introduction to Tiled (video)

Trying out CamStudio to record video tutorials

Everyone once in a while, I get requests on what types of programs are used when creating maps from my various sets. While I do use the map editor in Roll20 in playing online, and for testing my work, I also like to create maps and scenes off line; and unfortunately, you cannot save your maps and such in the VTT to a jpg or png format for easy changes later. Roll20 has a ton of fantastic features in their map editor and VTT, but like many I have found through the site, it is good to also work on your ideas off line at times at a reasonable pace, without worry of server lag or just because you want to be off line for a bit.

A couple years ago, I found Tiled from mapeditor.org. One of the greatest features is the layering capacity the program has for building maps and scenes. Originally intended for the video game world, Tiled is a great tool and easy to use.

I have several tutorials on here for using Tiled, and now have found CamStudio to attempt to create video tutorials to make the process (hopefully) even easier.

So bear with me, as there are mistakes to be made, flubs to be said, and hopefully some useful information to be given.

And now, I'm off to record some beginning tutorials!

EDIT UPDATE:

Ok, my first attempt with no sound:  Introducing Tiled

Combining various artists' design elements

Since being involved with the Roll20.net artist community over nearly the last two years, I've come to enjoy seeing how various styles can work together. In my eyes, this may assist folks to see how they can really stretch their purchasing dollars of new found art in the marketplace, and expand their mapping skills.

The latest piece is a combination of design elements largely from Melanie Paterson and myself, but also throws in some key pieces of Gabriel Pickard and Vhey Preexa, also on the Roll20 marketplace roster of artists.

The rock and cave textures and several of the smaller plants are found within the latest Caves set of Scene Additions (soon to be released), while larger jungle flora adorns the  majority of the cave entrance by Melanie Paterson. The logs, broken gates and cannon are from Gabriel Pickard's work. And the tipped over mining cart from Vhey Preexa. 

Want to see more? At Roll20.net's marketplace:

Russ HapkeGabriel PickardMelanie PatersonVhey Preexa