Inconsistent Grids

Josh.P. · February 2017

Hi Team,

I seem to keep facing a reoccurring issue with Grids where the clarity of the grid does not remain consistent throughout the entire map.

This is driving my OCD side nuts. Is there a known fix for this?

Example: https://drive.google.com/file/d/0B_6BXlzLTlj8U2xfTTV6NEdWRXM/view?usp=sharing

Monsen · February 2017

Grid lines are by default zero-width lines, which doesn't give it much weight during rendering. Try changing the width of the grid lines a bit, something like 0.1 or so.

Also check the effects on the grid, transparency and fade effects will also cause it to vary depending on the entities below.

Josh.P. · February 2017

Tried both of these options and still even pre render I'm seeing funky results.

This is live in the tool with the transparency removed and a line width of 0.05

https://drive.google.com/file/d/0B_6BXlzLTlj8OVNyZW4wckotMUE/view?usp=sharing

This is live in the tool with the transparency removed and a line width of 0.1

https://drive.google.com/file/d/0B_6BXlzLTlj8Si1fdnNzYmNsdG8/view?usp=sharing

There's definitely something not consistent with the grid line width.

Monsen · February 2017

Generally, within CC3(+) itself, the zero width lines looks best because they can display consistently at any zoom level, but when rendering to a fixed size (like image or print), a line with an actual width will often give a better result..

Another option which can help is to have a soft glow black on the grid, this makes them stronger and more pronounced.

Note that all this is because of the fact that CC3 doesn't work in pixels. This gives great flexibility and quite a lot of advantages, but it also has the downside that everything needs to be rendered to a pixel format, for screen, for image export and for print. This can cause various forms of artifacts, usually because the number of pixels available aren't evenly divisible by the size of the features in CC3+. Sometimes, a grid line may be centered on a row of screen pixels, making it appear exactly one pixel wide, whil at other times it may be placed exactly in between, causing it to "take up" the pixel rows on both sides, making it appear two pixels wide. This is something that pure raster programs doesn't have to deal with, but it also limits them.

Jayare · March 2019

Bringing this conversation back up as I am struggling with the same issue with Grids. While the Maps are workable in applications like Roll20, some of the maps I created are almost unusable due to the Grids being too small for printout version of the maps.

How are others dealing with this situation, especially for maps needing to be printed?

Monsen · March 2019

Did you try my advice from above, changing the width of the lines or applying a glow to them?

Jayare · March 2019

Yes, It still doesn't come out right. (Lines become so thin that they almost disappear when you convert to PNG/JPEGs).

If I make smaller maps it's not an issue, the problem is when I make a larger map.

Jayare · March 2019

I take it back... played with the blur radius! that worked --- just took time to play with which setting works best!

Thanks!!!

Loopysue · March 2019

It always pays to play with the effects

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Inconsistent Grids

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