Demo of how to GM TFT on roll20

[phiwum]

Originally Posted by RobW

I can tell you what I do if it's helpful? When I place a megahex or other image on the map (or GM) layer, roll20 basically ignore the size of the image and scales it to fit within a hex. In some of the example images above, you can see plain hexagons of different colours. They have been scaled by roll20 to fit within a hex (as opposed to fill it).

Roll20 does allow a easy snap-to-grid scaling, which can be used to adjust image size. But this does not help when I'm laying out megahexes , because the megahexes need to fill their megahex, not simply fit within them. Hope that makes sense so far.

So the first thing I do when making a map is drag a single megahex image onto the map, and carefully resize it so that it fills the megahex. This is usually my base white megahex with a boundary. I've got a little bit of technique for this resizing now, once I realised that what I'm really doing is adjust the sides of a square image! I can explain further if useful.

Anyway, once I have the single, properly scaled megahex, it's a copy and paste paste paste operation. Sometimes but not usually the paste puts the megahex just where it should be. But with snap-to-grid on, it is easy to arrange the megahexes. I arrange as I go rather than paste ten times and then arrange 10 megahexes.

Okay, thanks.

[RobW]

A quick video demo of megahex maps (using the megahex images I linked to earlier)
https://www.dropbox.com/s/d3uai9ul08...0maps.mov?dl=0

And another one with a hint or two about multihex figures
https://www.dropbox.com/s/838nu4cs34...gures.mov?dl=0

I don't have a YouTube account, but I imagine dropbox can handle the traffic :) I hope these help someone!

[Stormcrow]

You can tell how big a token will be in Roll20 based on its pixel size.

On each page you can set what unit you are using and how many pixels width and height each unit will consist of. The default is 70 pixels width and 70 pixels height per unit. So if you make a token that is 70 pixels by 70 pixels, it will fit one unit without resizing. So make your tokens the correct size by pixels according to your page scale.

When moving or creating tokens, if the grid is on they will snap to the grid and will tend to resize to fit inside one or more units. To avoid this behavior, hold down Alt when doing things with the token, or turn off the grid to turn off snap-to-grid.

[phiwum]

Originally Posted by Stormcrow

You can tell how big a token will be in Roll20 based on its pixel size.

On each page you can set what unit you are using and how many pixels width and height each unit will consist of. The default is 70 pixels width and 70 pixels height per unit. So if you make a token that is 70 pixels by 70 pixels, it will fit one unit without resizing. So make your tokens the correct size by pixels according to your page scale.

When moving or creating tokens, if the grid is on they will snap to the grid and will tend to resize to fit inside one or more units. To avoid this behavior, hold down Alt when doing things with the token, or turn off the grid to turn off snap-to-grid.

But that only works with tokens, not maps. Even if you make the hexes of the map the same size as a Roll20 hex, you have to resize it for reasons that completely elude me.

[Stormcrow]

I was responding to statements in the Dropbox video that seemed uncertain how and why tokens get resized.

I have found that maps tend to have problems based on the thickness of the grid lines. This will make it impossible to make the map grid and Roll20 grid coincide. If your map has a grid, turn off the Roll20 grid, and vice versa. It's the only sane thing to do.

[phiwum]

Originally Posted by Stormcrow

I was responding to statements in the Dropbox video that seemed uncertain how and why tokens get resized.

I have found that maps tend to have problems based on the thickness of the grid lines. This will make it impossible to make the map grid and Roll20 grid coincide. If your map has a grid, turn off the Roll20 grid, and vice versa. It's the only sane thing to do.

It's not impossible to get them to line up in my experience. You do have to use the alt key to position the map, but I get my hexes to line up quite tolerably well, sometimes perfectly.

I don't turn off the grid because I like using snap-to-grid movement for one hex figures.

Now, one thing that Rob has done that I haven't is that he's provided his own tokens which are perfect for Roll20. This is especially important for multihex figures, since taking the stock photos from Roll20 and resizing them gives one a square multihex figure, when we need triangles or odder shapes. I'm jealous of his multihex figures. They're awesome.

[Stormcrow]

Originally Posted by phiwum

It's not impossible to get them to line up in my experience. You do have to use the alt key to position the map, but I get my hexes to line up quite tolerably well, sometimes perfectly.

You can get them to coincide if the line thickness of the map's grid is the same as the thickness of the Roll20 grid. It is thus important to use a map in its original resolution with lines that are appropriately thick. (I think the Roll20 grid lines are two pixels thick.)

[hcobb]

One of the problems with roll20 is that there is no way to list or search for TFT games, because we can't get on the list of games that exist.

https://app.roll20.net/forum/post/7033423/slug%7D

[RobW]

True, maybe we should use this forum instead

[Nils_Lindeberg]

In the example pictures I see you are using the official tokens. Do you have a resource file with those as well or do I have to copy and create my own tokens? Or were they part of the Legacy Kick starter downloadable files (I probably have them somewhere if they were).

I also like the nostalgic feel of the TFT counters, even though it is not that hard to create your own.