Community Created Content

[Jazlizard]

Hello everyone,

I was inspired to start this thread based on how successful another thread by the same name was in previous adventure paths.

I'm DMing this AP for a group of players of mine, using a VTT. Since the maps (as great as they are) are often too small, not detailed enough, or just not aligned properly to the grid, I've gone ahead and begun redoing them to be suitable for VTT play.

I'm no artist and they're nothing super special, however I do have a couple questions.

Firstly is there anything preventing me from posting them and sharing them here? The works are entirely mine, using free use art and a judicial amount of paint textures. However they are obviously a recreation of what is in the books.

Secondly, if I am allowed to share them, would anyone actually be interested in these?

Just wanted to end this by saying thanks to Paizo for a great adventure, and thanks to those who are able to answer my first question.

- Jazlizard

[Jazlizard]

No interest? Oh well then.

Since I'm making them anyways... I'm currently working on the castle; does anyone know how high the cliff is behind the castle by chance? I tried searching but didn't find anything.

Thanks!

[Mort the Cleverly Named]

Can't help you with virtual maps, but I can help with this!

On page 45, in the description of the escape cavern, it mentions that the cliffs are 60' high (at least at that point, and at low tide).

[Jazlizard]

Here is a sample of one of the maps so far:

Swamp

Let me know what you think!

[Mort the Cleverly Named]

Wow! That is really cool. It is nice having furniture and everything laid out in the rooms, as well as a clean, grid-spaced map layout. While I avoid VTT (everything I've tried is either too complicated, or doesn't allow me to easily do the things I want), I would totally print that out and slap a transparency over it.

I don't know about possible infringement issues, but if Paizo doesn't protest, I would absolutely love to see a map-pack in that style.

[Jazlizard]

Well since I posted the downstairs, here is the up:

Swamp Upstairs

As always feedback is appreciated.

If for whatever reason these images violate some sort of copyright from Paizo I will of course remove them immediately.

Enjoy!

[Spiral_Ninja]

Those *are* nice. I like them. I just have the book, not the pdf [not a subscriber], and I find the book maps too small.

I don't know about the copyright/community use issues, though.

[Fraust]

I'm not a lawyer, and I don't work for Paizo, but what you're doing has been done before with no (to my knowledge) retaliation. Infact, I think members of the Paizo staff complimented the people making the maps on their skills.

Not running this AP any time soon (trying to get in on a PbP for it actually), but I'm interested in your work, should you continue. Wish someone was doing this for Carrion Crown though...

[PhineasGage]

I like these. The resolution seems much better than the maps I pull from the pdfs, and you could add in grid lines that actually work for d20pro!

My group'll be starting Night of the Frozen Shadows soon, so I imagine we're a bit ahead of your group, which means unfortunately for me I won't be able to use any of the stuff you create. :(

What program do you use to make these maps?

[Jazlizard]

PhineasGage, glad you like them. I currently use MapTools, which is the VTT program I use to run games. It has OK drawing tools, and I find it sufficient enough to plain textures and drop images on.

As for the grid, I can easily add it on if folks would rather have it that way. The VTT I use automatically overlays one on there, so that is why they don't have em, however they should like up perfectly, the squares are 200pixels.

These are actually a reduce quality version of the originals, although you can't tell so much unless you're zoomed in, or I suppose if you're printing them.

If someone needs a high quality one, I can provide, however due to bandwidth I'd rather not, unless there is a need.

Here is Old Megu's Shack:

Old Megu's Shack

And here is the Licktoad Village:

Licktoad Village

[Eretas]

I'm not a lawyer either, but if you redo the drawing as opposed to copy and added element on a paizo drawing, I believe that's ok with the copyright.

For your drwaing, I really like them and will used them on my "on line" session with the AP.
Thanks!

[Jazlizard]

Another Castle question:

Anyone know if the upstairs break in the outer walls are actually windows or what?

[Zaranorth]

The keep walls? Arrowslits I'd say. If you mean the curtain wall, that's the crenellation.

[Jazlizard]

Yeah in the upper floors, there are a few rooms with little holes in the walls. Can't really tell if it was done for effect, to represent windows, or as you say for arrow slits.

[Zaranorth]

I'm treating them as arrow slits, although now I see that the artist did drawn them different than the definite arrowslits on the first floor. Oh well, arrowslit or window, if the party gets too noisy fighting in the court they might find themselves attacked from above.

[Scharlata]

As I'm to start the AP as the GM next year after concluding Council of Thieves, I like your work and think I can use it. Keep up the good work. Thanx.

[Chernobyl]

awesome maps. I've tried in the past to use things like dunjinni and its a lot of work. Hats off to you!
I wouldn't mind using something like this on a printed map but full sie prints need a plotter and those get expensive to print.
if the guys would mind coming to my place I might be able to figure something out using my big screen (65" DLP) that my HTPC is hooked up to. problem is I live about 40 miles from most of them. :(

[grandpoobah]

For Brinewall, I made a simple Fan out of paper and drew a crude map on it, then labeled it in classic Chineses (mandarin) symbols using google translate.

My wife is a native speaker and she really loved it. I tried taking the message from Rokuru and translating that, but she told me it came out as basically gibberish (but she still liked the effort).

So google translate works for simple things like "Cave" and "Ship" but not entire phrases or letters.

Of course, if there are no native speakers in your group, you can do it anyway and they're none the wiser.

[nomadicc]

Yeah, these are very well done! I'm running the castle portion now, so if you finish them up, I'm definately interested. I use MapTool as well, but I've been cut&paste the map background from a screenshot of the PDF, which is more than a little grainy zoomed in.

[Jazlizard]

My group progresses fairly slowly, despite playing every week. Almost done with the main and upper floor of the castle, so should be able to post that soon, perhaps today. It's by far the largest map I've done so far, but it looks pretty good, possibly the best one.

[Khayin]

Jazlizard wrote:

My group progresses fairly slowly, despite playing every week. Almost done with the main and upper floor of the castle, so should be able to post that soon, perhaps today. It's by far the largest map I've done so far, but it looks pretty good, possibly the best one.

Jazlizard, your maps are stupendous. :) I look forward to your new ones! I just got d20Pro and, man -- what a difference between your maps and trying to pull them from the PDF!

Not that the Map PDF isn't useful -- it's just rather difficult to screenshot them (can't copy them for some reason) and try to match the bizarre grids in the first game while retaining any visual quality at all.

[Terek]

Jazlizard wrote:

My group progresses fairly slowly, despite playing every week. Almost done with the main and upper floor of the castle, so should be able to post that soon, perhaps today. It's by far the largest map I've done so far, but it looks pretty good, possibly the best one.

My group will probably progress even slower than that. They are still in the swamp. I really like your maps. I have extracted the image in the paizo's PDFs and find that their grid's squares aren't all perfect squares, and they aren't all the same size. Makes it difficult to align in D20Pro.

I am wondering what software you are using? I am getting Campaign Cartographer 3 (CC3) for Christmas. I have Campaign Cartographer 2 (CC2) already and your maps look a lot like what CC2 could make. I intend to start making maps too once I get CC3, I really like how their layer effects work.

Thanks for sharing all of your work. If I somehow get past you on making my own maps I will definitely share them.

Terek

[Jazlizard]

I actually use Maptools, which is primarily designed to be a VTT, but I find it works OK as a Paint program, plus since it's what I use to run my games so I know exactly what it will look like, can line up the grid, export it etc.

I'll have to check out CC3, Maptools is limited in the number of layers at the moment, so could make my life a lot easier.

Main and upper levels are pretty much done, I'll try and put the finishing touches and get them up in the next day or so.

[Terek]

Jazlizard wrote:

I actually use Maptools, which is primarily designed to be a VTT, but I find it works OK as a Paint program, plus since it's what I use to run my games so I know exactly what it will look like, can line up the grid, export it etc.

I'll have to check out CC3, Maptools is limited in the number of layers at the moment, so could make my life a lot easier.

Main and upper levels are pretty much done, I'll try and put the finishing touches and get them up in the next day or so.

CC3 is expensive. To do what you want you'd at least need CC3 and Dungeon Designer 3. Also they have more floor textures with Symbol Set 2. However, you can import images to use as it appears you do have a few that are pretty good.

I will try to post the cave in Brinestump Marsh after I make it. Even though I do have "access" to the software now I promised my wife I would wait until christmas to start using it unless I have a really pressing need for it.

Also, a note, it has a semi steep learning curve too but it is really powerful. There are user generated tutorials that I wish were out there years ago when I started learning. You can find the tutorials on youtube with links to them on Profantasy.com (CC3's creator). I'd really recommend the tutorials that get you started with Dungeons. They show how to apply layer effects to make your walls have shadows and your columns have different shadows. Put lighting effects on torches and such.

Terek

[Jazlizard]

Well in that case maybe I'll just stick to what I'm using.

I forgot about the Caverns... here is that:

Brinestump Caverns

Again I reduce the quality on all my maps due to file size. Since I do the maps at 200dpi they tend to be... well large.

Almost done with the castle, just a few little things I need to fix.

[Reebo Kesh]

Khayin wrote:

Jazlizard wrote:

My group progresses fairly slowly, despite playing every week. Almost done with the main and upper floor of the castle, so should be able to post that soon, perhaps today. It's by far the largest map I've done so far, but it looks pretty good, possibly the best one.

Jazlizard, your maps are stupendous. :) I look forward to your new ones! I just got d20Pro and, man -- what a difference between your maps and trying to pull them from the PDF!

Not that the Map PDF isn't useful -- it's just rather difficult to screenshot them (can't copy them for some reason) and try to match the bizarre grids in the first game while retaining any visual quality at all.

If you purchase a full version of Adobe Acrobat (or probably any of the other cheaper PDF software - don't foget you can always try before you buy!) you will be able to save all the pages in any PDF as high resolution JPEGs even of the PDFs are locked preventing extrating pages.

I do this for my maps, drag them into Photoshop and "fog of war" them for the PCs.
Reebo

[Terek]

Reebo Kesh wrote:

If you purchase a full version of Adobe Acrobat (or probably any of the other cheaper PDF software - don't foget you can always try before you buy!) you will be able to save all the pages in any PDF as high resolution JPEGs even of the PDFs are locked preventing extrating pages.
I do this for my maps, drag them into Photoshop and "fog of war" them for the PCs.
Reebo

The problem I have with the pdf's maps is not extracting them from the PDF... It is the fact that their grid isn't always made up of perfect squares and they are not all the same size squares on the same map. Which makes using them with virtual table tops very frustrating. I know some people who stretch the map to make it work as good as they can but those people even say that sometimes they simply can't make a normal grid line up.

Terek

[Eretas]

Jazlizard wrote:

Well in that case maybe I'll just stick to what I'm using.

I forgot about the Caverns... here is that:

Brinestump Caverns

Just in time!

Many thanks

[Overspace]

Hey Jalizard,

Your maps are amazing ! Any chance you could mail them to me with higher resolution if I send you my email adress ?

I will start running JR in the new year !

[Jazlizard]

I might be able to, they are likely to big for most email systems. I'll see what I can do.

[Overspace]

What is the resolution of the ones you post here ? I understand your home ones are 200 DPI right ?

[Reebo Kesh]

Terek wrote:

Reebo Kesh wrote:

If you purchase a full version of Adobe Acrobat (or probably any of the other cheaper PDF software - don't foget you can always try before you buy!) you will be able to save all the pages in any PDF as high resolution JPEGs even of the PDFs are locked preventing extrating pages.
I do this for my maps, drag them into Photoshop and "fog of war" them for the PCs.
Reebo

The problem I have with the pdf's maps is not extracting them from the PDF... It is the fact that their grid isn't always made up of perfect squares and they are not all the same size squares on the same map. Which makes using them with virtual table tops very frustrating. I know some people who stretch the map to make it work as good as they can but those people even say that sometimes they simply can't make a normal grid line up.

Terek

Well I'm doing just that, I turn on/off the grid/numbers then go File-->Export-->Image-->JPEG. It saves all the maps as hi-res JPEGs. You can pretty much do that with the rest of the AP to get all the images (it does require a photo editing program to crop out the images though.

Reebo

[Jazlizard]

These are 200DPI as well, at least as far as size goes, just the quality of the JPEG has been reduced for file size reasons.

I should have the castle posted tonight, working on them now.

[Jazlizard]

Well later then promised, but here is the main and upper floor. Still need to do the dungeon/basement.

I switched to RPG Mapshare for now, as photobucket seems to limit pictures to 1MB for the free version, which I just noticed has degraded some of my previous maps further then I originally did, so I re-posted them on Mapshare also.

Anyways here they are:

Brinestump Castle Main Floor

Brinestump Castle Second Floor

Old Megu's Shack

Licktoad Village

Feedback is welcome. Hope you like em.

[Chernobyl]

Jazlizard wrote:

Well later then promised, but here is the main and upper floor. Still need to do the dungeon/basement.

I switched to RPG Mapshare for now, as photobucket seems to limit pictures to 1MB for the free version, which I just noticed has degraded some of my previous maps further then I originally did, so I re-posted them on Mapshare also.

Anyways here they are:

Brinestump Castle Main Floor

Brinestump Castle Second Floor

Old Megu's Shack

Licktoad Village

Feedback is welcome. Hope you like em.

absolutely awesome. I plan to use maptools for brinestump castle and the caverns, and these look fantastic. much respect sir!

[csdershem]

Any chance you are going to do the dungeon level of the castle as well?

nudge nudge..

[Jazlizard]

Yes I plan on doing the entire AP, well assuming we play through it all.

With the holidays and stuff, we've been pretty busy and haven't had a chance to work on maps for a bit.

Might have some time to start this weekend, but not sure when it will be done.

[Jazlizard]

Well made some progress, got the floors and walls all done, and a couple of the rooms. Will try and get some more done tomorrow and Monday. Till then Happy New Year everyone!

[Jazlizard]

Going through the rooms right now, anyone know who the blue skinned woman on the throne is? The one that is depicted on the wooden door on the metal screen leading to the crypt?

[Jazlizard]

Ok, figured out it was Pharasma in the drawing... helps to read the entire description I guess.

Anyways, ask and you shall receive here is Brinewall Castle Basement

I've uploaded it at a slightly higher quality then the rest. Still playing with how much is bearable for online play.

[Jazlizard]

Oh I forgot to add, if you notice something wrong or missing, please let me know. Sorta did this one in a hurry.

[DM Rennick]

I'd like to contribute, but how do I take a screenshot of a map in mapquest?

[Jazlizard]

If you mean maptools then:

File-> Export->Screenshot as

Then select Entire Map for the first option, Current View for the second, and As GM for the 3rd.

Finally you may have to choose the Image Writer option in the advanced tab if you get errors.

Oh of course you have to pick a directory and give it a name, your map will be saved as a .png.

Hope that helps!

[DM Rennick]

Hahaha, late night last night. I did mean maptools.

and that does help immensely, thanks!

[csdershem]

This is all Superb Quality stuff!

[Jazlizard]

So working on book 2 today. Doesn't seem to be very many maps. However starting with the bridge, is there any information about the cliff leading to the water, or the water itself?

Seems like there is little to no detail about the terrain, which is a shame since it's so varied.

[Overspace]

Hey Jaz,

Starting to run book 1 next week and I'd like to thank you in advance for your great maps, I know they will be a major asset in our game !

[The Dalesman]

I've already plugged Jazlizard's maps into my D20Pro for my upcoming campaign, and they look great!

I hope we can see more of your work for the other chapters soon :)

Many thanks for the great work!

Your Friendly Neighborhood Dalesman
"Bringing Big D**n Justice to the Bad Guys Since 1369 DR"

[Jazlizard]

Glad you like em, I've been super busy so haven't had a chance to make much more. I have the bridge encounter of book 2 done (pretty easy), But haven't done anything else. I'll try and post that soon so you all can tell me what you think.

[Overspace]

I've used your maps in D20pro for my first session and they were of great use !
Thanks a lot Jaz for the hard work !!!!