Creating your own tools

Topdecker

I would like to create my own floor tool. Sadly, beyond having created the graphics, I don't really have a clue about how I build my own tool inside CC3+. If there is a discussion, tutorial, or document explaining this, I sure would appreciate being pointed to it.

Thanks!

Top

Loopysue

Remy Monsen covers it in a general way here in his blog about making new styles:

http://rpgmaps.profantasy.com/?p=4406#more-4406

A more detailed breakdown of everything can be found in the Tome (if you have it) on page 118

Topdecker

Thanks, Loopysue! I have the tome, but could not find a search term/topic to locate it.

Top

Loopysue

You're welcome

Where the Tome is concerned, I usually browse the index, or CTRL+F and a single word, then click next till I get one in the right context.

The bookmarks also work well if you work down through the hierarchy in a logical fashion.

Topdecker

Here comes a few more questions that I can seem to find an answer to...

DPI settings. I have scaled all my image work to 72ppi/dpi. Does CC3+ care? If so, what dpi/ppi settings are needed? I've already had plenty of frustration with this

The 4 image resolutions. I read that CC3+ will take your source image and create the lower resolutions automatically which is fine. However, it doesn't really explain what scale to use initially. 40 pixels per foot is what I am working with for dungeons, but upon reflection, it may not be enough. What is a sufficient pixel density for battle maps and such?

Thanks in advance!

Top

Monsen

Posted By: TopdeckerDoes CC3+ care?

No. The DPI of images are really only meaningful when printing them.

What is a sufficient pixel density for battle maps and such?

The default used by ProFantasy is 100 pixels/foot for floorplan resolution maps.

Topdecker

Playing around with floor tiles...

Top

Topdecker

Thanks, Monsen. I will up the size of my output accordingly.

Top

Loopysue

If those are seamless tiles you are making, you might find it a bit easier in Krita. Another free bitmap app with one very crucial difference.

If you create a file the size you want for your tile, then hit the W key, the tile becomes an infinite plane of tiles of itself, and every mark you make on it is repeated on all the adjacent tiles - lines and marks that cross the edge do so seamlessly. It takes a bit of getting used to - seeing a straight line coming back to join with the end you are still drawing, but its far better than all these other 'make seamless' operations I've seen in apps like GIMP.

When the infinite sea looks about right you can hit the W key again and be left with the perfectly seamless tile you have just drawn.

Topdecker

I do have an interest in seamless tiles, so thanks for the tip, Loopysue. This will end up being a stack of 20+ similar, but completely different floor tiles that are 5' x 5'.

Top

Topdecker

Another quick question... VH texture fills appear to be 1000x1000 pixels though I have found some that are 500x500. Is 1000x1000 the desired size? Or does this again depend on the type of map?

Also, is the goal of texture files generally to act as seamless tiles?

Just trying to learn the ground rules before I invest more time and effort

Thanks

Top

Monsen

Most common is 1000x1000, but there are nothing wrong with other sizes, but smaller sizes will obviously repeat more often (depending on how they are set to be scaled in CC3+ of course). And yes, texture files are almost always seamless tiles. That's the only way they can fill an arbitrary sized and shaped polygon properly.