Using Existing Maps - OG Myth-Weavers

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Using Existing Maps

   
Using Existing Maps

I'm sure there are 101 ways to make your own maps, and just as many to simulate the experience (ie Google Document Spreadsheets). What I'm interested in at the moment is a hosted service online that would allow you (for free) to upload existing images (such as battle maps with the squares predrawn) that would allow you to add pins / stamps / stickers to it that could be edited, resized, or colored. Something like this would be impossibly useful for any PbP D&D game, especially for combat tracking, however I can't seem to find one.

I figure you respectable GMs may have come across something similar in the past. Thoughts?

I use dabbleboard. It can be a bit tempermental at times but it gets the job done. You can take a peek at the dabbleboard set up for the game I'm currently running here, but please don't mess with it too much or save anything.

There are beautiful maps available for overmaps, too, especially high-detail reverse history projections of the Earth. See here

Have a look at siege's tool.

I first found out about in his reply to my question about inline maps here.

Just a note that siege's map tool works like a charm once you work it out.

A test map from my delve using the base map and a single one of the PC counters.

Edit: Sample map image deleted.. link no longer active... check Siege's links for examples...

Cyco - thanks for being my first test subject! You've discovered how the whole thing is meant to work on your own, which is great! And you are entirely correct about usage. Sign up for an account, upload your images, and go.

BUT a word of caution... the version of the site you're using is prefixed with "dev" for a reason: I'm still developing it. That's why there's so little in the way of instructions. It's meant to be intuitive (as evidenced by the fact the Cyco was able to figure it all out), but I do realize there's a need for directions. The dev version is a major update to the original version of the site which had no ability to upload images, and had a lot fewer features in general. I've really just begun to show it off and solicit feedback, but my hope is that other GMs will eventually decide to use it for their games.

If you'd like to see how I use ditzie for a PbP, I encourage you to sign up for my demo game. I'll run multiple instance of the game to accommodate as many players as I can. Yes, it's DnD 4e and I realize that doesn't appeal to everyone, but it can be less about the game and more about using the mapping system, if that's what you want to make of it. 4e is a pretty tactical but easy-to-play game, so I think it's ideal for what I'm doing (and, personally, I like it).

If you don't actually want to play, feel free to look through my other two games to see how my players and I use the tool.

Also - I will probably set something up on my personal forums soon to solicit feedback for ditzie. I don't feel comfortable using MW to develop and debug a personal website I'm building, and I don't want to overstep my bounds as a member of this community.

I'd suggest using maptool to make some basic maps and just take screenshots of them and upload them to a image server, or directly onto the thread here on MW. Should work well enough. Maptool also lets other people connect to view the map and works as an RPG table. very nice resource imo.

Siege, that app looks really nice! What I like about it is its simple and intuitive approach. I have applied for a membership and will be pleased to use it when I get my game up and running again. Is there a particular reason why you wish to have real names for registration? Not that I have anything to hide, but I don't like giving out my name over the internet on general principles.




 

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