Looking for VTT Maps

[demlin]

Since Paizo isn't interested in making money by selling JPEG/PNG maps for VTTs, is there anyone interested in running it and creating maps in DungeonDraft/Wonderdraft, maybe even banding together?

[Onkonk]

Narchy has done several map remakes for VTTs and also Foundry specifically. He might go for QftFF when he feels like it.

[CULTxicycalm]

Narchy’s maps are inferior to the originals. Too dark, brownish, gray, with dull elements. They are depressing to me. Just buy the games on Fantasy Grounds.

[Grankless]

That's your opinion. And some people don't have 200 bucks to buy FG when the issue of hi-res maps *could* be solved on Paizo's end.

[demlin]

Running FoundryVTT so FG is not an option. Also buying fantasy grounds modules just for the jpeg maps seems insane to me.

I'm fine with them not looking extraordinarly pleasing, I just don't want to buy the PDFs on top of the softcover AP just because I want the map on my VTT.

TBH I find it incredible how disconnected Paizo is from their actual customers in that regard.

[RexAliquid]

Yeah, it’s worth subscribing to get the PDFs included.

[Tonya Woldridge]

Removed a post that was personally harassing of a creator.

[demlin]

RexAliquid wrote:

Yeah, it’s worth subscribing to get the PDFs included.

Not an option in Europe at least. Would have subscribed 2 years ago if it wasn't for the shipping costs. Another one of my pet peeves :)

[demlin]

Onkonk wrote:

Narchy has done several map remakes for VTTs and also Foundry specifically. He might go for QftFF when he feels like it.

Checked with Narchy btw and at least for now he's not going to create maps.

[Dalvyn]

It's really disappointing that the maps included in the Paizo PDFs are not high quality enough to be used on a VTT (especially now that VTTs are much more common).

One shouldn't have to buy an adaptation of the PDF on one of the pay-again VTTs providing them (like Roll20 or Fantasy Grounds) just to get usable maps, in my opinion. I'm not sure whether it's due to a technical limitation / a current lack of know-how, or a deliberate decision to incite players to "buy again" in order to get a quality map (which wouldn't really fit with Paizo's history of being "fair" towards their customers).

That being said, like other posters above, I generally find Narchy's maps much more immersive, high-quality... and free (though you can tip Narchy on his ko-fi account). They are also available both as stand-alone images (thus easily usable with any VTT) and as Foundry modules (with walls and lights already set - and boy, does Foundry provide good options for walls and lightning!)

Edited, because I've just seen the previous post

demlin wrote:

Checked with Narchy btw and at least for now he's not going to create maps.

Other people in the community might rise to the challenge, hopefully. It's one of the greatest advantages of this forum in my opinion: all the "let's share our creations/ideas and enhance everybody's games" threads.

[demlin]

100% deliberate decision. They've got high quality images for VTTs and they also ship high quality ones for the flip mats. Not sure if it's to force people to buy the PDF again or just them completely misjudging the market.

Pricing VTT assets at 5€ per AP book would kinda kill the custom map scene since it's so affordable that everyone would just buy the original ones. I think Steam said something like pricing a PC game at 5€ creates the most turnover since a lot of people are willing to buy.

[Grankless]

Having cracked this book open: it's unfortunate that it has a problem I only usually saw in 1e APs, of numerous locations having discrete maps but all of them have to be squeezed in to one page. I'm surprised the interactive maps are also a bit cramped. Paizo has previously announced initiatives to try and get HQ jpegs out of most maps, but it's been slow going for Many Reasons and is generally probably hard (think about how many old APs just don't have those original images laying around).

[demlin]

Bought the PDF today because I get to run it earlier than expected (Europe lags 1 month behind with regards to physical products).

The maps included in the AP are awful. Super low resolution (even in the maps PDF), mistakes on the hexploration map and the color palettes/details look awful. What a disappointment.

[yellowpete]

How am I supposed to use maps with hidden elements in them? Like the first map of book 2 – I seem to be unable to remove the visuals from the interactive PDF, which is going to be a pretty big giveaway to my players.

[Bast L.]

Yellowpete, I don't have book 2 yet, but I think acrobat reader might work for the interact buttons on the map pdfs. I know Sumatra doesn't, but I don't care, because I use the Foundry import function. I did try dragging the pdf of book 1 to chrome, and it didn't have any tags, though some of them lost the grid too.

[dharkus]

just finished reading ch2 of Bk2 - we're missing maps for the following encounters: B3 (Griffon Roost), B8 (Chimera Cave), B12 (Forest Patrol), B14 (Dark Camp), B19 (Blood Geyser), B22 (Windswept Hill), B24 (Battlefield), B26 (Cold Spot), B27 (Corrupted Tree), B29 (Corpse Field), B31 (Caravan Route), B34 (Deadfall), B35 (Bloody Fork), B36 (Hunter's Camp), B37 (Venexus Shrine), B45 (Corpse Clearing), B51 (Venexus Shrine)

if anyone wants to make some anyway - those should be the priority i think