Roll20 Resource Question

[Defile959]

Hey folks! While I've been playing CoC off and on since the 80s, I am a relative newcomer to the VTT world. I just started using Roll20 in May as a player, and in June as a Keeper. I'm part of a couple of regular ongoing games using the Roll20 platform, and for the most part I've been pretty happy with it. I would love to see Roll20 add some additional rules sets, scenarios, and campaigns - but that's another discussion.

I was wondering if any of you have go-to sources you use for additional resources to use in Roll20, either for existing modules on the platform, or for building out things that haven't been added yet. The group that I'm acting as full-time Keeper has played through several of the Roll20 modules and have a couple more to go - though before long I'll be putting these together for other modules and eventual campaigns. For those of you with a little more experience on the platform, are there sites or resources you use to help build out scenarios (or add to existing ones)? I'm thinking about things like additional maps, graphics, character portraits, etc. I suspect that a lot of things could be pulled from the official PDFs and used - though if there are other things I'm not yet aware of, I'd love to hear about it.

 

Thanks!

[Umpherous Vermillion]

Hi again @Defile959. I tend to go a bit overboard on adding extra elements to my Roll20 games: maps, handouts, sounds...  Some of my favorite games as a player have been 'theater of the mind', but I like the challenge of creating digital environments that create a mood. In fact, I often use Roll20's dynamic lighting for effect. I've posted elsewhere on the forums where I show the view of the token with limited lighting. Add the API script for torch effects and it creates a very eerie feeling, especially with sound effects or subtle music in the background. Perfect for CoC. In a recent game, the players were camping and I had them set up their camp with tents and the campfire on the Roll20 desktop map. Then I added the dynamic lighting with the API and they players really enjoyed the flickering effect as something was moving in the shadows just beyond what they could see. Just by luck, the background music  reached a crescendo at the perfect place in the action.

But to answer your question, I make maps in GIMP (the free, open source version of Photoshop).  I try to mimic the style in the new Masks books so my home brew maps look the same as the ones I cut and paste in.  That is, I use the same color scheme, simple walls, doors, and windows, and try to make it look like it's printed on old paper.

GIMP, like other visual editing software, has a bit of a learning curve, but if you look around Cartographer's Guild, you can find some excellent tutorials for making dungeon maps. If you think in layers and work one element at a time, it is not that hard to do. Just remember that Roll20's unit is 70 pixels. So if you want a 20x20 room that would be a 1,400 W x 1,400 H pixel image size--then it's easy to upload and scale in Roll20. If you want more tips, I can try to explain it better.

For Masks, I have been using the PDF maps, cut and paste into Roll20, and then try to get the scale about right. Luckily CoC is not about precision in combat so if it's not perfect, it's not a problem.  Unfortunately some of the locations for Masks are not included, so I have to make my own maps. For example, we're on the Cairo chapter and I need a map for a very large chamber (you'll know what I mean if you've GM'd that chapter).  The included map is too small to use so I had to create my own based on the dimensions on original map.  I can send you a copy if you want to see what I've been up to.  For this particular map, I want the players to experience the part of the map slowly as the explore the chamber with their limited light. It's a giant map 75 units by 96.

Finally, as for portraits, I have a GIMP file with the background in place so I just copy and paste in portraits from the module or I find labeled for free use, often movie stars from the 30s and 40s. Or I might use icons to represent a profession. For example: Alister Crowley, Orsen Welles, a Biologist, and a College Student.

Good luck with finding elements; I'm happy to help if you need something specific.

 

 

[Defile959]

This is cool - thanks for all the info! I've only logged about 50 hours on Roll20 so far, with it split pretty equally between being a player and a GM. Up to this point, I've been using some of the modules already prepped for the platform (Paper Chase, Edge of Darkness, Crimson Letters, getting ready to run The Lightless Beacon and The Haunting). I know that before too long both I and my players will be ready to move on to scenarios or campaigns that aren't on the platform.

I've played with the dynamic light a bit, though I haven't used the torch light API.

I use Photoshop for my job fairly regularly (and have done so for over ten years), so hopefully the learning curve with GIMP won't be too steep. 

I'll look into the Cartographer's Guild, and will let you know if I come up with any other questions. Thanks again for sharing all this!

[Umpherous Vermillion]

If you know how to use Photoshop, GIMP will be a snap.  If you want, I have a map I made for Lightless Beacon. That's a good one; my players enjoyed it! The maps provided were fine, but I wanted the building and the island on the same map. This was especially helpful when the players split the party (GASP!).  I made it on the fly--so not my best work--but you are welcome to look at it. Let me know and I'll send via message to avoid any spoilers here. Or if you're good with the provided maps, no problem--they work too.

[Defile959]

That would be great! I'd love to check it out. Our first session with TLB starts Sunday afternoon, so I'm getting all my proverbial ducks (and deep ones) in a row...

[Umpherous Vermillion]

Sent you a message. Let me know if anything about map setup is a problem.

Enjoy!