[questions] map module/atlas

I want to create a map module/atlas for my campaign. Ideally I have one large world map - with pins leading to region maps - with pins leading to city/location maps - with pins leading to floorplans/battlemaps. I know how to do this. (Yay) But I have some questions.

(1) The large map.
It currently sits at 1.21mb and ~ 2100x2800px. I know that this is larger than the recommended max map size. I gather that at that size sharing takes some time.
Would it be an option to distribute the map module to my players by sending them the module file?

(2) Different information on same map.
I want to link different kinds of information from the same map. Say I have regional map; I want to link the depicted cities to a) a map (image) of the city, b) a description (story) of the city and c) a logentry (story) of the PCs exploits in said city. I know I could place three pins next to eachother, but that will clutter the map pretty fast. I could use only one pin to link to a story entry with links to the different kinds of information, but this feels clunky. I could include the same, relabeled map multiple times and use the different maps for the different kinds of information, but this will bloat the size of the module. Is there an option that allows me to use one map with different pins? Maybe multiple layers?

(3) GM information.
While the module is intended to be a player resource, I want an additional information layer with GM notes. Do I need to create another module for my notes or is there a way to include that information without my players having access?

I prefer not to do this in xml but if that's the only way I am willing to learn. Any hints/tips/workarounds are appreciated.

In order of asking

1. That sized map is fine. The recommendation is just that - a recommendation. It isn't fixed. And that sized map isn't that big anyway. And no, don't send them a module since in order ffor the players to interact properly with the map you need to share it and sending a module isn't sharing it.

2. Multiple layers won't help since map pins are visible in all of the layers (but then can only be interacted with on one of the layers). I would create a story entry with the information for that area and links to further information or maps from there.

3. Pins, by default, are not shared with players even if the map is. You can share individual pins with your players (right click on them and select share) and the pin will become green. If you share the material linked to that pin then the players can also then access that information. So, you don't need a different map/module you can do it all on the one map. The red default pins for the DM and the green shared ones for players.

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Originally Posted by sondermann

(1) The large map.
It currently sits at 1.21mb and ~ 2100x2800px. I know that this is larger than the recommended max map size. I gather that at that size sharing takes some time.
Would it be an option to distribute the map module to my players by sending them the module file?

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Map file size affect sharing time - 1.21MB is OK, and will probably take 10-30 seconds to share (depending on your upload speed, player download speed and number of players connected).

Map resolution effects the amount of memory used - FG is a 32-bit application and so has limited resources, even if your computer has lots of memory. It's OK having one or two maps a little over the 2048x2048 recommendation, but don’t have maps much larger than this and don’t have lots of maps over, but close to, this resolution.

I would create a second GM module. So create the player module (and pick the Player option when exporting). Then create a second development campaign, load in the player module, and then enter all the GM information and export that as a GM module. That means you can share the entire player module with the players, but it also means that as the GM you will have to load both the player and GM modules. Annoying, but it means if you update the player module, you do not have to (necessarily) have to update the GM module.