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Evil Lincoln wrote:

Note that you can use one of the advanced tools in the right-click menu on the map layer to "Align to Grid". All you have to do is select a 3x3 grid area and it resizes the map image very nearly exactly. I still have to do a little cleanup, usually, but that first step saves a lot of time.

If you're using a Mac and have a pro version of acrobat or even Reader v8, you can simply copy and paste images out of paizo PDFs with transparent backgrounds. Since the map text is on a different layer, this obviates the need to "clean up" any map image.

Also note that if you are a paying supported of roll20, you get access to some awesome additional features. Dynamic Lighting is especially impressive. They have a special supporter podcast too, and they really do weigh your feature requests more heavily if you're a supporter.

Thanks for the tip about the grid alignment!


kinevon wrote:
labocca337 wrote:
Awesome, thanks for the link. Btw- im loving roll20. Its free and the interface is very easy. Check it out (DID I MENTION FREE!)

So, how do I import a map into it at the correct size?

I will be trying it as a player tomorrow, but, as a GM, it has already given me a bit of a headache, since I had pulled a map form a scenario, re-sized it to 1" squares, but couldn't get it to import except at sub-miniature size, where the whole map was 2"x3", at best, with no options to edit it or manage it to the correct size to use as a map....

I use the snapshot tool in adobe acrobat to extract the image from the digital module. I then paste it into paint. The most important step is to crop the image so that the edge lines us as perfectly with the grid lines as you can get. Save as your favorite image format then drop into roll20 and stretch until the grid lines in the image match up with the grid on the virtual table. It takes a little practice.

It's importing as a very small image because you are in the token/object layer. On the left is a column of buttons. One of them gives you the option to switch to map layer. That should fix it.


I started a new thread with some tips. I've only ran one, three-part module, but I feel we're having good luck with roll20.

http://paizo.com/threads/rzs2p3rq?tips-for-using-roll20net#1


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Some friends and I started playing online sessions of Pathfinder. We recently ran Crypt of the Everburning Flame to test out roll20.net. I've also started prepping a few scenarios for upcoming weeks.

I really liked this virtual tabletop for the following reasons:
- FREE
- web-based, no software to download
- simple interface with only a few buttons. Easy is better.
- allowed to upload your own content (maps, tokens)
- everything build into one design, no need to run chat on a separate service.

So, here are a few tips I've figured out so far. Overall, I think the online game takes about the same amount of time to play as a "real" face-to-face game. However, it does take a bit of prep work.

Preparation:
- I used Adobe Acrobat to open the PDF copy of the module, I frequently used the snapshot tool to extract items from the module. I then used the paint program to clean it up. Saved the image as a JPG then dragged and dropped into roll20. A little bit of resizing on the grid and I was good to go!
- I created a "page one" with a small image of the module cover. I then added "the story so far" and other background fluff I wanted revealed to the players at the onset of the adventure. Players could then log in any time through the week and get the general setup for the adventure. That allowed us to get right to the action once the session started.
- MAPS. I had one person on this message board ask about how to line up maps correctly. It is a little tricky. Snapshot the image out of the PDF then past into paint. Then "trim" the image so the edges line up as perfect as you can get with the grid lines. Then, when you import the image, grab the corner handle and stretch it until it lines up with the grid. This takes a little practice. You sometimes need to expand the size of the tabletop in the page settings menu. 45x45 is the biggest I've needed so far. (I'm sure a digital photo guru would laugh at my caveman instructions.)
- MAPS pt 2. Make sure you are on the "maps" layer of the table and not the token/object layer. Also, if you have a light-colored map (snow terrain) you can change the color of you grid map in the page options.
- Tokens: roll20 has a token library, put you can also drop and drag in your own images into the token layer and they become instant tokens. Try to keep your images mostly square, because it will be fitted into a grid square. I like to snapshot the NPC images from the module, use the eraser tool in paint to remove the surrounding text, then use it as a token. Then in game, you can grab the token, stretch it out so the players can see the image, then shrink it back down to 1x1 and game on. For instance, I did this in Everburning Flame with Asar.

This sounds like a lot, but I just prepped "The Frostfur Captive" a one-session scenario and it took about 30 minutes to extract, edit and upload a few maps, a few named NPC tokens, add some non-special enemy tokens from the built in image library and I'm done. You could of course do way more, but this is bare minimum for running a scenario/module. As many of us rapid fire these rounds, I'm trying to avoid getting bogged down in details.

Running the Game
- You need Google Chrome or Firefox to run roll20. It's been glitchy on Chrome lately, but I tried Firefox today with no problems.
- The video capability is honestly a novelty. It's fun, but after a couple sessions we all turned off our video so save on bandwidth (and no doubt to play in our underwear...)
- Jukebox is also a novelty. I've found a few very ambient sounding tracks and I just let them loop. There is usually too much going on to also play DJ.
- I use my laptop microphone with some headphones to avoid feedback echoes. Don't really need any high-end headset.
- Etiquette: We've set up some guidelines to help keep things moving, such as keeping table talk off the voice channel. Most of the "chatter" occurs on the chat screen or through whispers.
- Fog of War is great, especially when doing a dungeon crawl. I use it on almost every map.

Got to cut this short for now. But post if you have any questions or made any discoveries of your own.


Awesome, thanks for the link. Btw- im loving roll20. Its free and the interface is very easy. Check it out (DID I MENTION FREE!)


Been out of organized play for about three years. Recently got into pathfinder and headed to cogcon with my third lev hero. Good times, great event and well organized campaign.


Anyone running online society games with any regularity? Ive ran a few for long distance friends using roll20.net with good results. Just wondering if there is a more commonly used platform or online place to get "marshalled" into a game?