PDA

View Full Version : Basic Starfield Map



defiNately
November 10th, 2018, 07:11
All,

I've done some searching, but can't find a solution to my problem. I'm working on building my first module and one of the last things for me to complete is the maps. I've imported a few maps and lined up the grids so that they are ready for play. I'm even starting to do some masking for fog of war. When I attempt to import the basic starfield map the quality of the file seems to really go down a lot compared to what I'm seeing in the other apps I have open. Is this due to the size of the map and I need to shrink it down more to keep FG from trying to do it for me?

Thanks in advance,
Nate

Trenloe
November 10th, 2018, 07:58
What is the resolution of the map?

Maybe post some screenshots to show what you mean by the quality going down a lot in FG.

An a FYI - try to keep maps to a maximum of 2048x2048 resolution (keeps limited FG memory use at an acceptable level) and the file size to 1MB or less (keeps share time to players at OK levels).

defiNately
November 10th, 2018, 08:10
The resolution was much larger so I reduced it and when saving the file using Paint.net I made the quality as high as possible while keeping the file at less than 1MB. I took a snip of the file open in Paint.net and FG side-by-side.

25266

Thanks,
Nate

Trenloe
November 10th, 2018, 08:59
The resolution was much larger so I reduced it and when saving the file using Paint.net I made the quality as high as possible while keeping the file at less than 1MB. I took a snip of the file open in Paint.net and FG side-by-side.

25266
So the issue is that the quality output from Paint.net is not great? If you open the saved image outside of FG it looks the same quality as in FG?

Also, I’d recommend using JPG for maps - you can usually get higher quality at lower file sizes.

defiNately
November 11th, 2018, 04:28
Sorry for not clarifying. The image on the left side is Paint.net. The degraded one on the right is in FG. In my process of troubleshooting I've been switching between the two formats to see if there was any difference.

damned
November 11th, 2018, 06:01
what happens if you open the image in chrome or whatever pucture viewer your OS has installed?

Trenloe
November 11th, 2018, 11:53
Open the image you have in your FG campaign images directory in something other than Paint.net.

defiNately
November 12th, 2018, 01:36
I have opened the image in Firefox, Paint, Paint 3D, and Photos. All of those applications show the image as expected. Is there maybe a pixel density difference when viewing in FG? For now I'll replace with a starfield image and just apply a hex grid to it. I'm happy to continue troubleshooting though.

Thanks,
Nate

Trenloe
November 12th, 2018, 10:01
Here would only be a difference in pixel density if you zoom in.

Attach the image you’re using in FG here. Also attach a screenshot of FG showing the issue - with the whole image window shown.

Andraax
November 12th, 2018, 13:17
Also, don't put the grid on the image - let FG handle laying the grid down.

TheFitGM
November 12th, 2018, 16:57
If you like, you can use a Starfield that I created myself in Photoshop. Just throw a hex grid over it.
25277

defiNately
November 13th, 2018, 05:02
Images attached. Not sure I understand about letting FG put the grid on the image by itself. The image has a grid on it already. Don't I need to place a grid within FG so that the built-in mechanics will work?

Thanks again for the support!
Nate

25281
25282

Trenloe
November 13th, 2018, 10:33
Images attached. Not sure I understand about letting FG put the grid on the image by itself. The image has a grid on it already. Don't I need to place a grid within FG so that the built-in mechanics will work?

Thanks again for the support!
Nate

25281
25282
Loading that into FG looks OK for me (see below).

I notice that your screenshot of FG shows that the image has been zoomed (the little magnifying glass in the top right of the image window). This can cause the issue you're seeing as the current image processing of FG doesn't do any advanced processing when it needs to fill in pixels when an image is zoomed in. However, your image does seem to be worse than most I've seen.

Do you using any FG UI scaling? Click the "Settings" button on the main FG launch screen - what is the General -> UI Scale setting?
It looks like you may be running on a 4K monitor (based off the height of that screenshot you provided) - are you using any window based scaling for that monitor?

One thing to try - right-click on the image and select "Resize" -> "Original Size" - how does that look? Then size the window how you want it to be in one direction and then use "Resize" -> "Adjust Horizontal" or "Adjust Vertical" to resize the other dimension. e.g. Set the height of the image window that you want and then use "Resize" -> "Adjust Horizontal" to adjust the horizontal size of the image to match the vertical. See if this helps re-align the image view and improve quality.

https://www.fantasygrounds.com/forums/attachment.php?attachmentid=25284

Andraax
November 13th, 2018, 13:20
Not sure I understand about letting FG put the grid on the image by itself. The image has a grid on it already.

Don't put a grid on the image itself. Just load the image without a grid into FG. Then, after you've loaded it, select a hex grid in FG and let FG draw the grid itself.

defiNately
November 16th, 2018, 21:33
Loading that into FG looks OK for me (see below).

I notice that your screenshot of FG shows that the image has been zoomed (the little magnifying glass in the top right of the image window). This can cause the issue you're seeing as the current image processing of FG doesn't do any advanced processing when it needs to fill in pixels when an image is zoomed in. However, your image does seem to be worse than most I've seen.

Do you using any FG UI scaling? Click the "Settings" button on the main FG launch screen - what is the General -> UI Scale setting?
It looks like you may be running on a 4K monitor (based off the height of that screenshot you provided) - are you using any window based scaling for that monitor?

One thing to try - right-click on the image and select "Resize" -> "Original Size" - how does that look? Then size the window how you want it to be in one direction and then use "Resize" -> "Adjust Horizontal" or "Adjust Vertical" to resize the other dimension. e.g. Set the height of the image window that you want and then use "Resize" -> "Adjust Horizontal" to adjust the horizontal size of the image to match the vertical. See if this helps re-align the image view and improve quality.

https://www.fantasygrounds.com/forums/attachment.php?attachmentid=25284

FG scaling was set to 100%, but I did go in and change my windows scaling. The result is a much larger desktop area within FG, but the image is still fuzzy. The image I'm using is the Starfield map from Paizo so it came with a grid already on it. I'll download a image from NASA and use that as the starfield background. Then I can move on to other more constructive stuff like getting my completed module exported and ready to play. :)

Thanks for all the help. I learned a lot in the process and even got Paint.Net, which is going to prove very helpful for everything else I need to do.

msbranin
November 23rd, 2018, 17:13
I think you guys are not understanding him... The default space map in fantasy grounds.. The one that comes with it ... Opens up grainy as all get out... The map in his image on the right, the grainy one... Is in fantasy grounds. It looks horrible.. Its certainly useable but it looks bad.

When I start a new campaign with only the core rulebook installed and the temple of the twelve AP and Open the default space map. its looks exactly like his.


Spoke too soon with out reading the rest But the results are the same.. Open the default FG space map Normal resolution of 1920 x 1080 and the map looks grainy.