Meander's Map Question

[SailorLovins]

I am a huge fan of the Meander's modular maps for fantasy grounds. Since these maps are smiteworks DLC I can't think of a way to use the maps to create my own larger scale area. Is there a way I can do this in game by creating a new image and somehow copying and pasting the map portions I want onto a blank grided map? How can I use Meander's most effectively?

[madman]

Buy them from the creator!

https://www.gametilewarehouse2020.com/

[Zacchaeus]

You can't do this within FG Classic. You should be able to in Unity however. Currently you would need to use GIMP or Photoshop or something similar to join maps together and then import the joined map into FG.

[SailorLovins]

Thank you both of you! Man I cannot wait until Unity!!

[gtw2017]

Hello :) This is Kris, Meander Maker. While you cannot currently visually join two maps together seamlessly in FG Classic, partly due to the size restrictions, but also since the mapping only allows single images - you could do as the above gentlemen suggest and buy from GTW to get unlocked access to the maps - but you can also use PINS to simulate continuity of the maps within FG. Meanders are proving popular - but their true potential has not even been unlocked as giant modular terrain in FG due to its restrictive memory and toolset.

However - in the Top-Left hand corner of any image file there is a link button, it will look different depending on which ruleset you have I think - but its always in the same place. Open two maps lets say, desert (Map A) and a desert to forest blender (Map B). We want to join them so what we Can do, is place the two maps side by side and play with the sizing til they match up with one another. Drag map A's pin onto the far left edge of Map B .where the two terrains meet. Now, drag Map B's pin over to the far right middle edge of the Map A. You should end up with two red pins more or less side by side. Now, when you get to the edge of Map A, you just click the pin and it will open up Map B. In this way you can connect as many Meanders as you want - just remember to Unshare them (marked with a white 'P' in your Mapgs/Images scroll down menu) when you don't need them.

All Meanders FG Packs have this tooltip in them too, in Story, section (3), Hot Tips.

Hope this helps you and thank you very much for your kind words and support for my maps - I am very nearly at 1000 now... and zombie, modern and post-apocalyptic sets are only a few weeks away from being ready.

[SailorLovins]

I am a HUGE fan of your material starting with squareware. I beleive we have spoken a bit before. I did not know about your GTW but I will be buying from there from now on. Kris do you happen to have several Science Fiction based maps? I own the token module and I think the Area 51 modular map. But I am looking for something like a high tech dungeon. I am running a spaceships and starwyrms campaign for 5th edition and there is a race of humans called the Veerux. They seed planets with these temple complexes that hold technologifal marvels that are meant to raise that planets humanity to a supreme race. They turn the race into xenophobic dominants and using the tech grant them space age capabilities. I am a terrible artist while at the same time I have very high standards for what maps look like. Your maps are the bar. Would you happen to have any recomendations that you have produced that could fit this description or a very old dungeon description? Thanks brother. And well done!

[gtw2017]

Thanks so much - that's really awesome! if we have spoken before I don't recognize this username so I apologise :)

I have approx 125 Sci-fi Meander Maps sorted into FG packs: Area 51, Planetside, Galactic Cruiser and Spaceport. Sometimes though, I don't have enough maps to make a complete new module (I aim for around 25-30) and some get left out. At the GTW shop you can go to Shop > and a drop down bar offers you categories like sci-fi to look through individual maps.

In terms of a high-tech dungeon I might suggest the Supermax Galactic Prison set (Sci-fi Meanders 37-40)
https://www.gametilewarehouse2020.com/product-page/sci-fi-37
https://www.gametilewarehouse2020.com/product-page/sci-fi-38
https://www.gametilewarehouse2020.com/product-page/sci-fi-39
https://www.gametilewarehouse2020.com/product-page/sci-fi-40


and/or this: https://www.gametilewarehouse2020.com/product-page/mothership-04
Remember that Meanders are modular so they will fit with each other so you can use one map to make a truly massive one and mix them. In photoshop FLIP VERTICAL is also good for adding variation.

For the temples that they raise on the planet surface, you might try this concept - it is a gigantic spaceship which you place meanders inside to customize the area. You can drag the pins from meanders into the sockets instead until you have more memory - or shrink them down on photoshop to fit, export that as a jpeg at no larger than 2000x2000 and re-import it to FG where you can then place the respective pins for the maps in the sockets. https://www.gametilewarehouse2020.com/product-page/meanders-digital-skin-planetside

For a Very old dungeon - I would reccomend my Living Demonic Prison mega-meander - https://www.gametilewarehouse2020.com/product-page/mega-meander-demonic-prison
just remember to make it 2000x2000 or less when you add it to FG.

If you go here > https://www.gametilewarehouse2020.com/meanders-synchable-terrain
And on the left hand column in red and yellow select 'Mega-Menaders' - you'll get some additional sci-fi settings, including massive above planet settings and a spacescape + ships designed for Spelljammer.

I hope to expand the Sci-fi range in 2020.

Thank heaps for your support, hopefully some of these suggestions hit the mark. Happy gaming man :)

EDIT: I do intend a printable book and pdf called the 'Meanderverse' after I hit 1000 meanders to help users find the right map for the right job too.

[SailorLovins]

These work exactly how I would have imagined. Thank you very much Kris. I look forward to loading up my FG Modules with all of your maps and artwork.

[gtw2017]

Hey you're very welcome, thanks for your support and if you or anyone else needs map suggestions I'm happy to advise. No-one knows my range better than I do - so I can often shortcut the hunt.

[Lady Archer]

Hi gtw2017!

I am considering purchasing some of your Meanders Map Packs - specifically the Risefalls. My question is, will my tokens automatically size to the grids on these maps for DnD 5e or will I need to overlay grids and scale each token? Thanks for your help!

[gtw2017]

Hi Lady Archer - the FG Meanders Map Packs provide ungridded maps designed for a 50-60px grid within FG. Inside FG you lay your own grid over the maps using the tools provided by the program - when you size the square to 50px it will give you a grid perfectly designed to match the Meanders Map. Your tokens will then snap to the grid in that default size - however if some tokens are larger than others they should automatically adjust, from memory. Otherwise, it is simple enough to hold your mouse over a token and hold CTRL while you scroll your mousewheel up or down to change the tokens size, and you can tap the mousewheel or middle button and CTRL to return it to default size as a bit of a shortcut as well. Hope this helps :)

[Zacchaeus]

Hi gtw2017!

I am considering purchasing some of your Meanders Map Packs - specifically the Risefalls. My question is, will my tokens automatically size to the grids on these maps for DnD 5e or will I need to overlay grids and scale each token? Thanks for your help!

Tokens are scaled on a gridded map according to the size of the creature. So a medium creature takes one square, a large one 4 squares and anything bigger 9 squares. It doesn't matter what the actual size of the tokens are as long as you have a grid on the map and a size on the creature.

[gtw2017]

Tokens are scaled on a gridded map according to the size of the creature. So a medium creature takes one square, a large one 4 squares and anything bigger 9 squares. It doesn't matter what the actual size of the tokens are as long as you have a grid on the map and a size on the creature.

Thanks Zacc - and as far as I recall you can change the size of the creature and therefore its representative token size from within its NPC sheet.

[Zacchaeus]

Thanks Zacc - and as far as I recall you can change the size of the creature and therefore its representative token size from within its NPC sheet.

Yes, there are multiple ways. The first is to change the creature's size in the NPC sheet; the second is to change its size in the Combat Tracker; and the third is to use the CTRL+scroll wheel on the token directly on the map.

[Lady Archer]

Thanks so much everyone! I am running a module that needed some supplemental maps. I had never added my own map before. I appreciate all your help!

[gtw2017]

You're very welcome - thanks for giving my Meanders a go - hope they do the job :)

[Niles]

Yeah, that works but it also forces you to add the player's tokens again on each and every map you open. I think if you would provide each map as a standalone image so we could piece them together, that would be great. This is in reply to Kris up above that said you can place shortcut pins on each map to open the next one.

[Niles]

Hello :) This is Kris, Meander Maker. While you cannot currently visually join two maps together seamlessly in FG Classic, partly due to the size restrictions, but also since the mapping only allows single images - you could do as the above gentlemen suggest and buy from GTW to get unlocked access to the maps - but you can also use PINS to simulate continuity of the maps within FG. Meanders are proving popular - but their true potential has not even been unlocked as giant modular terrain in FG due to its restrictive memory and toolset.

However - in the Top-Left hand corner of any image file there is a link button, it will look different depending on which ruleset you have I think - but its always in the same place. Open two maps lets say, desert (Map A) and a desert to forest blender (Map B). We want to join them so what we Can do, is place the two maps side by side and play with the sizing til they match up with one another. Drag map A's pin onto the far left edge of Map B .where the two terrains meet. Now, drag Map B's pin over to the far right middle edge of the Map A. You should end up with two red pins more or less side by side. Now, when you get to the edge of Map A, you just click the pin and it will open up Map B. In this way you can connect as many Meanders as you want - just remember to Unshare them (marked with a white 'P' in your Mapgs/Images scroll down menu) when you don't need them.

All Meanders FG Packs have this tooltip in them too, in Story, section (3), Hot Tips.

Hope this helps you and thank you very much for your kind words and support for my maps - I am very nearly at 1000 now... and zombie, modern and post-apocalyptic sets are only a few weeks away from being ready.

Sorry, I'm replying twice. The first time I forgot to put in your quote. Even though we're able to do that with the shortcuts, it forces you to add everyone's tokens on each and every map. It would be great if each pack provided standalone images so we could piece them together in another program.

[Trenloe]

Even though we're able to do that with the shortcuts, it forces you to add everyone's tokens on each and every map. It would be great if each pack provided standalone images so we could piece them together in another program.
FGU allows you to add the images as tile to an existing image. You can create a map in FGU using mutliple meanders images as tiles.

[Niles]

FGU allows you to add the images as tile to an existing image. You can create a map in FGU using mutliple meanders images as tiles.

That's good to know, Trenloe. I'm new to Unity so I don't know how to do that, but I'm gonna give it a try.

[ddavison]

There are a few different ways, but the easiest is probably just to open the Assets window and move to the Images mode. Locate the Meanders pack by browsing or searching, and then open the first image in preview mode. Click the button to make this a campaign image. Then, drag the 2nd image you want to tile next to it into the image layers section and position it however you like. For more info, look at the Tile mode for images. There is a help menu that should take you to the appropriate wiki page for more information on some of the things you can do such as rotating, flipping, scaling, stretching, re-coloring, etc.

[Niles]

There are a few different ways, but the easiest is probably just to open the Assets window and move to the Images mode. Locate the Meanders pack by browsing or searching, and then open the first image in preview mode. Click the button to make this a campaign image. Then, drag the 2nd image you want to tile next to it into the image layers section and position it however you like. For more info, look at the Tile mode for images. There is a help menu that should take you to the appropriate wiki page for more information on some of the things you can do such as rotating, flipping, scaling, stretching, re-coloring, etc.

Thank you Doug, for the tutorial!

[gtw2017]

Sorry, I'm replying twice. The first time I forgot to put in your quote. Even though we're able to do that with the shortcuts, it forces you to add everyone's tokens on each and every map. It would be great if each pack provided standalone images so we could piece them together in another program.

Hey there Niles :) When a map pack goes through Smiteworks it gets encrypted. My understanding is that this prevents the individual files that are contained within the module and intended to be stand-alone, from being accessed. You can buy FG products directly from Game Tile Warehouse if you want an unencrypted product that will allow individual files to be accessed.

Kris

(Thanks for providing additional product support Trenloe, Doug et al)

[Trenloe]

When a map pack goes through Smiteworks it gets encrypted. My understanding is that this prevents the individual files that are contained within the module and intended to be stand-alone, from being accessed.
That is the standard process. However, as the product author you can request SmiteWorks deploy your modules as .mod files in the <FG app data>\modules directory - then users can unzip the module file to access the images. It's a slightly convoluted process to unzip the module file, but it does give users access to the base images; of course, it also makes piracy of the FG modules and the contained images easier. If this is something you want to consider then I recommend you reach out directly to SmiteWorks to discuss.