Massive Dimension Image Map

[derDan]

Hey guys, i've created a massive and beautiful campaign map with the epic dimensons of 14.000 x 10.000 pixels and i would like to use it if possible but everytime i try to open it from the image window fg crashes. I know, normally the best idea is to make the map smaller or make many maps out of it but maybe someone of you knows how to make it work. I hoped that the size of the image (in megabyte) shouldnt be a problem, because I planned to share my cache with the players and to take the time it needs for the first sharing of the image a day before we play. I also already opened big sized files with smaller dimensions and it worked without problems. Could someone of you please help me to share the beauty of width of this two-dimensional world with my players, that would be awesome :)

[Trenloe]

What size (in MB) is the map file?

You can probably reduce the size to 3-4MB (not ideal, but it will work - just take a long time to load) by saving as JPG with quality between 40-60. Do some experimentation. The main thing here is not to use the PNG file format and get size of the file as low as you can without losing too much detail.

[derDan]

Thx, you are right :)

But something is strange: As a Test version I used a blank sheet JPG with the mentioned high dimensions and a size of 2.38 MB: It worked only after a couple of minutes loading. In comparison with that, if I open a 40 (!!!) MB PNG with the dimensions of 5.000 x 4.000 pixels, the image loads almoast immediately. Does this mean that the dimensions of an image is rather to be considered as a bottleneck then its size in MB?

[kylania]

Just host it on the web somewhere and send them a link. If it's just a world map no reason it needs to be in FG since you won't really be interacting with it.

If you want one to interact with save it at 10% size or something, enough to tell rough placement but not enough to kill the client and refer to the web based full resolution map for details.

Maybe make on the fly zoomed maps from it if you need more in game stuff. Snipping Tool might be good for that.

[derDan]

What a nice forum. Such kind and quick help :)

I've made a test with a smaller version of the original file and it worked and looks fine, even better than my own try with that bigger monster PNG.

The idea with the web link sounds also very interesting for more beauty, I'll give it a try.

After I've spend that much time to build that map and after I almost thought it was all in vain you helped me out. Thx a lot guys, you've made my day :)

[seycyrus]

Your test comparing image pixel size and image file size is interesting. Were you able to duplicate these results?

[Nylanfs]

IF this is a world map, and you won't be making any changes realistically it shouldn't matter. It's the big combat maps that you push during the middle of the game is what drags it to a halt. This one would just be the upfront load before everyone starts playing the first time, and then only once unless the players would need to build their cache again.

[Ken L]

I also noticed large dimensions seem to take a longer time loading, takes even longer if you have a grid on it which you shift.

I usually have my maps at 70x70 pixles per unit, and 60x60 units. a map of that size, seems to have difficulty with the grid even if the map is small in size byte-wise. I'll check later this week if I have the time.

[derDan]

@ seycyrus: I've run a few tests and it seems to be the case that as soon as one size of an image covers more than about 5000 pixels it causes more problems to open it on my own computer than a file with a size up to 5000 pixels even if that smaller image has a multiple size in MB. Not sure if this is exactly the case for other people with other PCs but yeah, I was able to duplicate these results.

@ Nylanfs: Thx. Good to know. I'm soon about to start my first campaign with FG so I definately will consider this for my combat maps. Fortunately I started with the campaign map, so you saved me from some future trouble :)

[Trenloe]

@derDan - that makes sense as FG, when displaying an image, has to extract the image data into memory and that will be the same no matter what the base image file size - which will be based on image pixel size and the colour depth used on the graphics card.

Where file size comes into play is sharing from the GM to the players - you want to keep this small as it is the actual file that is transferred to the players, and then FG extracts the image data from the file into memory. The smaller the file size the less time the players spend waiting for the shared image to arrive.