Resizing tokens

[scytale2]

I am using Paint.net to resize my tokens, but I am finding that they go all jagged, when they are made smaller.

Does anyone have any ideas how to avoid this?

[ShadeRaven]

Scytale2, I started using images to create my own token yesterday and am using Paint.Net as well.

What I found worked best was to use 100x100 (for medium) Pixels as the base size for the tokens. When I resized them any smaller (tried 50x50 at first), they did lose a lot of detail.

I still use 50 pixels as the Grid size, though, so when I load my maps, I put in a test token, zoom in to when the token is fit right on the grid, then lock the token scale so it resizes with the map.

After that, you can zoom back out (or further in, whatever) and the tokens remain in scale to the grid plus you get to keep a lot of the definition of a token with a better pixel count.

Hope that makes sense/helps!
SR

[scytale2]

Yes, well I hadn't thought of having a definitive grid size. When there is an existing grid, that you have to overlay, is there a way of making sure the grid is 50 pixels?

The other issue is that most of the tokens I have are 400 x 500 approx and they are the ones that go jagged. I do use 100 approx as a base size, not to lose definition, but am I asking too much to expect that these 100 pixel tokens look like a miniature of the larger versions?

[Tenian]

From this site (https://www.getpaint.net/doc/latest/en/ImageMenu.html)


Resize

This command lets you change the size of the image. In so doing, the image is either stretched or shrunken to the size you specify. You may specify a relative percentage to resize the image by, or you specify the absolute pixel or print size that you desire. If the "Maintain aspect ratio" option is checked, then typing a new Width value will maintain a proportional Height value, and vice versa.

If you choose to modify the print size of an image, the pixel size will be based on the resolution, which defaults to 96 pixels per inch, which is the same as 37.8 pixels per centimeter. For example, if you specify the image to be 1 inch wide, and the resolution is 96 pixels/inch, then the image will be resized to be 96 pixels wide.

You can use this dialog to affect the print size of an image by adjusting just the resolution. Note that if you only modify the resolution of the image, the pixel size will remain the same and no resampling is performed.

There are multiple types of resampling that you may choose. "Resampling" is the process of computing what the new pixels should be based on what the old pixels are. Some algorithms produce better looking results, but take longer to complete. It is recommended that you use the default option, "Best Quality," unless you have a specific need for and understanding of the other choices (Bilinear, Bicubic, and Nearest Neighbor). Best Quality will automatically choose either Bicubic or Super Sampling depending on the new size that you specify.

It seems like you might be able to get better results by playing with the Resampling. I don't have my Paint.NET machine up right now or I'd try experimenting with it.

[ShadeRaven]

Those are pretty big token to resize. Hm. Others may be able to help you on that, but I have had better luck finding images that aren't so large to start. The images I have that are that large are for larger creatures, so I am only having to resize them down to, say, 200x200, which seems to help them retain much of their detail.

I don't know enough about the various "paint/photo" programs to give you any advise on how to deal with resizing images that are that large into 1/4 their size.

[Blue Haven]

I´m making tokens for warhammer from the minis and i use 200x200 pix and they look great on FG...then you can use the combat tracker to reduce them and they still look great...

[Griogre]

You will save yourself a ton of resizing of tokens if you have a consistent scale for your tokens - ie all mediums are 50x50, larges are 100x100, ect. The actual scale isn't really important except for esthetics but it allows you to drop you tokens down and not have to resize them - you can just resize the map and all the tokens remain in proportion to each other.

One of the problems with using WotC’s mini gallery is the images are not set to a consistent scale. The photographer just filled his picture frame. The other constraint is you don’t want to have to scale an image up – larger than the size on the site since that usually badly hurts the quality of the image.

If your primary focus is “pretty tokens” then the 100x100 for mediums suggested by ShadeRaven is good. You won’t be able to really use the figures with big two handed weapons held straight over their head because they will need to be scaled up (or look like midgets compared to the other mediums) which will generally ruin the quality – but most everything will look good. However this implies you don’t want your map scale to have 5 foot squares of smaller than 50 pixels or you just wasted a bunch of time making “pretty tokens” that aren’t going to look “pretty.”

This is the pretty tokens vs. map area trade off. If you want to show more map in the same amount pixels the map scale needs to be smaller which adversely effects how the token’s look.

On the pixelization when you resize try using 96 pixels as Resolution. What are you using when you resize?

[Xorn]

My game shop owner mentioned he might let me borrow the posters of all the minis sets (that has a display of the minis at actual size...). :)

I don't have anything meaningful to add to what Griogre said though. I'm a fan of 100x100 = medium tokens because the 50x50 can lose a lot of definition if there's much going on with the token. But picking a size standard and sticking with it is definitely the most important.

[Griogre]

I will mention one thing I do is change the size of the background in Paint.NET to rescale or move the alignment minis off the WotC site. In Paint.NET you can change the canvas size. Thus if you want a short halfling compared to an elf or human then make the canvas height taller before you resize the token down. Personally I like my tokens feet to be on the bottom of the square but if you have a token that is wider than tall this tends to pull the bottom of the token towards the center of the square. To stop that type of thing on tokens like that I add enough height to the canvas so the token is square.

This may also allow you to avoid having to resize some figures up as much. For examle, Orcus - who should be 4 squares x 4 squares - if you use Xorn's scale of 100x100 for mediums then he should be 400x400 but the image on the site is about 200x200 (though he does rescale up pretty well).

[The Overlord]

I also am using Paint.net, and when resizing my tokens, they always lose their definition. I tried resizing up and down, and even decreasing the size by one pixel makes the token blurred. Is there a method, or another program that can maintain the definition while adjusting the size? Thanks in advance!

[gmkieran]

I'm afraid any re-sizing you do, no matter what tool you use, is going to degrade image quality (unless you drop $500+ on software that can do interpolative image enhancement). That said, I've always just used the image resizer powertool for Windows, but I don't generally start with images as large as the WotC ones, so I don't see as much drop-off; it has the advantage of being able to mass update. TokenTool might be an option for individual tokens, but I don't know that it would be any better than Paint for resolution issues.

Luck!
GMK

[Zeus]

Hot tip: Check out ImageMagick (https://www.imagemagick.org/script/index.php) (freeware).

It supports interpolation (determining the colour of a pixel from surrounding pixels) by way of its -interpolate flag including the following types:

integer The color of the top-left pixel (floor function)
nearest-neighbor The nearest pixel to the lookup point (rounded function)
average The average color of the surrounding four pixels
bilinear A double linear interpolation of pixels (the default)
mesh Divide area into two flat triangular interpolations
bicubic Fitted bicubic-spines of surrounding 16 pixels
spline Direct spline curves (colors are blurred)

as well as custom filters and can be used alongside the -resize % flag. :)

I often use ImageMagick as its great dealing with batch workloads i.e. resizing batches of tokens. I tend to use the bicubic type when reducing image size, its slower but does a better smoother job of pixel colouring. Its available on Windows, Linux and OSX.

[The Overlord]

I'm afraid any re-sizing you do, no matter what tool you use, is going to degrade image quality (unless you drop $500+ on software that can do interpolative image enhancement). That said, I've always just used the image resizer powertool for Windows, but I don't generally start with images as large as the WotC ones, so I don't see as much drop-off; it has the advantage of being able to mass update. TokenTool might be an option for individual tokens, but I don't know that it would be any better than Paint for resolution issues.

Luck!
GMK




Hot tip: Check out ImageMagick (https://www.imagemagick.org/script/index.php) (freeware).

It supports interpolation (determining the colour of a pixel from surrounding pixels) by way of its -interpolate flag including the following types:

integer The color of the top-left pixel (floor function)
nearest-neighbor The nearest pixel to the lookup point (rounded function)
average The average color of the surrounding four pixels
bilinear A double linear interpolation of pixels (the default)
mesh Divide area into two flat triangular interpolations
bicubic Fitted bicubic-spines of surrounding 16 pixels
spline Direct spline curves (colors are blurred)

as well as custom filters and can be used alongside the -resize % flag. :)

I often use ImageMagick as its great dealing with batch workloads i.e. resizing batches of tokens. I tend to use the bicubic type when reducing image size, its slower but does a better smoother job of pixel colouring. Its available on Windows, Linux and OSX.



Okay, manythanks to you both for the quick reply. I will try imageshack. If you need an extra 3.5 player, let me know, just throwing that out there:D