RPG Virtual Tabletop
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Using Campaign Cartographer to create tokens for RPG Virtual Tabletop games by Valarian
Required:
- Campaign Cartographer 3 (CC3) from ProFantasy Software Ltd.
- Dungeon Designer 3 add on (optional, but assumed in the tutorial)
- Symbol Set 2 add on for the skirmish symbols
- A drawing package that can handle transparencies (e.g. Photoshop)
Opening up the Canvas
To start, open up Campaign Cartographer and
select the New map option from the File menu.
Select the option to create a new dungeon.
To start, open up Campaign Cartographer and
select the New map option from the File menu.
Select the option to create a new dungeon.
Select SS2 Vector as the Dungeon
Style
Style
You want to set the canvas to a decent size,
but not too big. For the tutorial, I’ll be setting
the canvas to 100’ square. This makes the
calculations for scaling easier later.
but not too big. For the tutorial, I’ll be setting
the canvas to 100’ square. This makes the
calculations for scaling easier later.
Give your map a plain white background and name the map file. You should then have a plain background for your
symbols.
symbols.
Once you have this, a few checks should be made
to ensure you have the correct scaling set up for
Campaign Cartographer. In the File menu, select
Drawing Properties. Ensure that the default
symbol scale is set to 1.
to ensure you have the correct scaling set up for
Campaign Cartographer. In the File menu, select
Drawing Properties. Ensure that the default
symbol scale is set to 1.
You also want to check that the Grid settings are
correct. From the Tools menu, select Snaps and then
Grid Settings. You want to set up a 5’ grid to fit with the
standard d20 scaling.
correct. From the Tools menu, select Snaps and then
Grid Settings. You want to set up a 5’ grid to fit with the
standard d20 scaling.
Adding your symbols
Add symbols from the Campaign Cartographer symbols catalogues to your map. Ensure that when adding the symbols,
you leave enough space around them to cleanly cut a square area around them later. Just spread them out across the
canvas. Place all the symbols at the same scale, 1 unit to 5’.
Add symbols from the Campaign Cartographer symbols catalogues to your map. Ensure that when adding the symbols,
you leave enough space around them to cleanly cut a square area around them later. Just spread them out across the
canvas. Place all the symbols at the same scale, 1 unit to 5’.
Once the symbols are placed, you should export the map.
Go to the File menu and select Save As. The map should
be saved as a PNG Bitmap File. The whole of your map will
be exported using this option. Before saving the map, you
need to set the save of the export in the options. This part
is where you decide the scaling of pixels to every 5’.
100’ map = 20 x 5’ squares.
50 pixels per 5’: 1000 pixels (50 pixels x 20 squares)
70 pixels per 5’: 1400 pixels (70 pixels x 20 squares)
Now save the map.
Go to the File menu and select Save As. The map should
be saved as a PNG Bitmap File. The whole of your map will
be exported using this option. Before saving the map, you
need to set the save of the export in the options. This part
is where you decide the scaling of pixels to every 5’.
100’ map = 20 x 5’ squares.
50 pixels per 5’: 1000 pixels (50 pixels x 20 squares)
70 pixels per 5’: 1400 pixels (70 pixels x 20 squares)
Now save the map.
Creating the tokens for the Virtual Tabletop
Open up your drawing package (in the tutorial, I’ll be using Photoshop). Open your saved Skirmish symbol file and
cut around the symbols. Copy and Paste them in to new images.
Open up your drawing package (in the tutorial, I’ll be using Photoshop). Open your saved Skirmish symbol file and
cut around the symbols. Copy and Paste them in to new images.
In order to use the symbols as tokens in your Virtual Tabletop, you need to make the background
transparent. This is so when you add your token to your maps in the Virtual Tabletop, your map background
shows through. Adobe Photoshop Elements has a handy tool in the toolbar to accomplish this. It’s the
Background Eraser tool. Set your background to the same as your Skirmish file background (white), and then
use the tool to remove the background around the symbols.
transparent. This is so when you add your token to your maps in the Virtual Tabletop, your map background
shows through. Adobe Photoshop Elements has a handy tool in the toolbar to accomplish this. It’s the
Background Eraser tool. Set your background to the same as your Skirmish file background (white), and then
use the tool to remove the background around the symbols.
Once the background for the symbols has been converted in to a transparent layer, then you should save the symbols
as separate PNG token files. These will then be ready for use in your Virtual Tabletop.
Using the Tokens
Once you’ve created your tokens, you can use them in your Virtual Tabletop games. Scale your maps to the same 70
pixels to 5’ and your tokens can be placed as you wish. It’s useful to create furniture and fittings for your maps as tokens,
allowing you to have a selection of rooms and settings for every encounter.
as separate PNG token files. These will then be ready for use in your Virtual Tabletop.
Using the Tokens
Once you’ve created your tokens, you can use them in your Virtual Tabletop games. Scale your maps to the same 70
pixels to 5’ and your tokens can be placed as you wish. It’s useful to create furniture and fittings for your maps as tokens,
allowing you to have a selection of rooms and settings for every encounter.
Trouble on awakening … the PCs spend the night in a small croft. However the evil dragon, Skaarthyr and his minions
have traced their resting place.
have traced their resting place.
Murgh Bpurn 17/12/07