Map Layers for GMs

[bigbluepaw]

Hey folks. Hope you are all well.

I'm developing an adventure that will use an overland map. There is information I want the map to communicate. However, there is also information that only I should access.

For example, I want the players to see terrain such grassland, forests, hills and high mountains. Another view of the map, one that only I should see, is territorial boundaries of different groups like goblin tribes, bandits, kingdoms and the like.

As the players make choices about how they want to navigate their way across the land, moving their token, they can see and plan for terrain changes. I, however, also want to see what territory they are passing through as this changes their encounters.

I looked into the manual. I know you can mask maps and reveal them. I know you can draw. However, can you have a map layer that the GM can turn on and off and that is only viewbale by the GM?

Thanks for any help.

[Bidmaron]

There is no built-in capability beyond the masking. However, if you use the image layer extension here, you could potentially do some of what you want using tokens.

[bigbluepaw]

Thanks Bidmaron. Unfortunately, that doesn't do what I need it to do. I'll have to figure something else out.

[JohnD]

I usually have two versions of the same map; Player and DM.

[Trenloe]

There's not a way of having two images overlay onto the same map window. The best you could do is setup token/s and make the tokens invisible to the players (but these will be shadows to the GM). You're best having a separate GM map and player map and refer to the two.

[Ken L]

There is no GM layer like in r20. Currently only R20 and d20pro have something like this (though d20pro is token only).

[bigbluepaw]

Thanks for all the answers folks.

[SpiritofFire]

Here's hoping this will be included in the unity build. Voted for it on the wishlist.

[BluHornet]

So this may not have been a thing back when this was ask but why not put a link on the map and just not share it with the players?? They cannot see the red pin but the gm can and he can mouse over to see the note title. That is how i handle this. This extension is great though. One big application i will use it for is dead bodies. In my 5e games i add a little spice by making dead bodies (enemies and players) hindering terrain. It makes moving through the horde of goblins a little harder. I make a body token so players knew where slain enemies were. the problem is they could move the tokens when trying to move their own. also entering a square that had a token sometimes the body token was placed over the player's. I can now place the bodies on the features layers and the players don't have to worry about this issue at all. Great Work!!