Why not a simple whiteboard map system?

[pico]

My players often do unexpected things. Which I think is pretty normal game behavior. At a live table, I'd just grab a wet erase pen and draw some tree trunks and rocks, or walls, etc. and go.

Looking at useful vtt systems out there, neither seem to have a quick and simple whiteboard style battle mat system.

Simple a few basic/bold pen colors and a line width and eraser size selector. Not much more than that.

You may be able to do this with the current map maker, but it's way overly complex for this sort of quick on-the-fly use case.

1. pick a size (should be able to set a default size).
2. pick a pen color and width (again, should be able to make a default preference).
3. draw a few tactically important objects.
4. drop tokens in from combat tracker.
5. go

key to being useful, is fast and simple (no million clicks required to get from step 1-5)

[Trenloe]

All of this is there already. Use the "Paint" option with a map or blank canvas.

[pico]

I don't want to get into a UI/UX debate. But, to me a simple interface looks more like this.
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[Trenloe]

Try this short video of one approach:


https://www.dropbox.com/s/sc3w09rv3duswf2/Whiteboard%20Mapping.mp4

[JohnD]

Yeah that's how I do maps on he fly. I have a compilation of backgrounds I pull from and then draw on them, but quick and dirty to keep the session moving - a few minutes and you're back up and running.

[pico]

You are right, that is quicker than I was able to do it. One thing that bothers me is the color picker. I'm r/g color blind, so I love getting a list of 4 or 5 bold primary colors to make a pen out of. But, although not as simple as I'd like, this works for now.

Thanks for showing me this, it's better than I thought it would be.

[EllivasKram]

You can also subscribe to maps from fantasy grounds and most scenarios are catered for.

https://www.fantasygrounds.com/home/FGUArtSub.php

[Trenloe]

I'm r/g color blind, so I love getting a list of 4 or 5 bold primary colors to make a pen out of.
Storing some specific favourites would be a nice addition.

What I do is use the dropper in the bottom left of the "Pick Paint Color" window to re-use existing colors from the map - helps to get the exact color again or match to existing features on the map.

[Xemit]

I've also used the Order Tab on the Party Sheet for quick sketched maps. When PC and NPC are dragged from CT, it mostly works the same as a regular map.

[bmos]

I'm r/g color blind, so I love getting a list of 4 or 5 bold primary colors to make a pen out of. But, although not as simple as I'd like, this works for now.
There are solutions to this in UI design! Just display a "translated" color wheel when selected via an options menu.
https://uxdesign.cc/color-blindness-in-user-interfaces-66c27331b858

Or better yet, use unity to translate onscreen colors which would make maps and such much more accessible.

[Trenloe]

I'm r/g color blind, so I love getting a list of 4 or 5 bold primary colors to make a pen out of.
Investigating this further - looking at color blind friendly palettes from this website: https://davidmathlogic.com/colorblind/#%23648FFF-%23785EF0-%23DC267F-%23FE6100-%23FFB000

I took a screen grab of the IBM palette (attached) and put that in my <FG app data>\images directory - then I can add that into any of my images from Assets -> Images -> Data. This will allow me to use the color dropper from the "Pick Paint Color" control to select these colors for use in the paint layer.

Refer to this video to see how it works: https://www.dropbox.com/s/if7kr8geob6y8qe/FG%20Image%20Color%20Palette.mp4?dl=0

Obviously not as good as the ability to save your own favorites, but I think this is a useful workaround to allow repeated use of favorite colors.

[pico]

Obviously not as good as the ability to save your own favorites, but I think this is a useful workaround to allow repeated use of favorite colors.

Nice. I'm actually just making a template "whiteboard" map in a couple of sizes with 4 edge squares filled with my 4 colors. So, now I just grab it and drag to create a (Copy) version and go to town.

[Trenloe]

Nice. I'm actually just making a template "whiteboard" map in a couple of sizes with 4 edge squares filled with my 4 colors. So, now I just grab it and drag to create a (Copy) version and go to town.
That's great! If you put that image in the same place as I put the palette in my post above, you can then go to Assets -> Images -> Data and open the preview of the asset, then click the "Create Image Record" button to make a new image in FG using that asset as the base. This will allow you to use it in any of your campaigns quickly and easily.

[bayne7400]

Pico
I got tired of being made fun of by my players so I bought a few of the Smiteworks art packs. It takes a bit of practice and sometimes the auto LOS is wonky but for just drawing a quick map it is great. you can set a stone floor as a brush and a stone wall as the other and it draws rooms really fast.

Here is an (interior only) stronghold I literally drew using SW brushed and assets. I started with a DD image of just a floor and four outer walls and in game we designed it.

56052

The building on the left is the barracks and we added that in game.

[esmdev]

You can also use the masking and unmasking feature to create dungeon walls. Basically just mask the whole map and unmask hall and room areas. Works pretty well for a fast underground / indoor area.

[BushViper]

@Pico

Ya, FGU has a fairly steep learning curve. I've been using it for several years and I still regularly find ways to use it that I wasn't aware of the day before.

[damned]

You can also use the masking and unmasking feature to create dungeon walls. Basically just mask the whole map and unmask hall and room areas. Works pretty well for a fast underground / indoor area.

Thats what I do.