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Derelict
July 14th, 2008, 04:39
Howdy!

I'm trying out several online mapping products, to select the one that best fits my group / needs. I'm currently playing with FG2, and I'm liking it! However, the demo version may not be letting me do what I want to check out, OR it may not function that way. In case 1, I'm ok with it. In case 2, I'll have to give FG2 a pass.

I'd just like to know how (if possible) in the demo I can import a JPG as a map. I have a ton of scanned / computer created maps, and I'm trying to fool around with them and see how they'll work in FG2. Is it possible with the demo?

If not, can some GMs who uses FG2 reassure me and tell me how easy it is to import and/or set the grid correctly on a pre-created map?

Thanks much for your time!

D

Foen
July 14th, 2008, 06:04
You 'import' maps by copying the image into a folder called 'images' in the campaign directory. They are then available from within FG.

Setting the grid is straightforward, using the radial menu (right-click on the image in FG to access this menu). If the map already has a grid on it, then you might find it difficult to align the two precisely: although FG works down to the pixel level, a scanner may not be pixel-perfect or the grid may not be a whole number of pixels across (and hence the two will creep out of synch).

Foen

Griogre
July 14th, 2008, 17:55
In answer to you guestion, I don't think you can import maps in the demo - unless they changed it the data in the demo is "frozen." However in the full version of FG you can just drag and drop you map file into the images folder of the campaign to add it.

You are best off not having a grid on the map if you are going to use FG's grid. It's not a crisis if there is a grid but because, like Foen said, of pixel drift on a scan or resize or because the grid size of a scanned map is not an interger value it can be hard to perfectly match grids.

However you don't have to use FG's grid - I don't on a lot of maps I have that already have a grid. If I don't like a grid on a map and want to use FG's grid instead I leave the map masked (which helps hide the grid on the map) and just trace the map as the party explores. Its just as fast as unmasking - and far more forgiving and means you don't need to make a player map or show just show the players a map that has all the DM info in it. I talked about doing that in the thread here: https://www.fantasygrounds.com/forums/showthread.php?t=7126

So the adding of maps is dead easy, just drop them in the right folder. The grid issue is not so easy but you have a number of ways to make it work including just putting the FG grid on top of your grid and then reseting the FG grid every once in a while when they get too out of sync.