New Maps Options

[Method]

Yakuza Den

Small Private Airport

[Bashfull]

Method, could you knock up one of the new Stuffer Shack? Your work is awesome. And any chance you could get a night-time satellite shot?

[Ed_209a]

Method, it's always a joy to look at your floorplans and plot against my future players.

[Demonseed Elite]

That's some very nice work there.

[Method]

Method, could you knock up one of the new Stuffer Shack?

You have seen my rendition of the classic Stuffer Shack right? Were you asking for a treatment of the new map in the SR4 Quickstart rules? I imagine I could look into it.

And any chance you could get a night-time satellite shot?

Unfortunately there's not a lot of night imaging available. I don't think its commonly done- it really isn't worth the resources because you wont see much anyway. But if I ever find a good source of night-time images, I will certainly use them.

[Ed_209a]

Unfortunately there's not a lot of night imaging available.

How hard would it be to darken the image in Photoshop/GIMP and airbrush in the lighting from buildings and street lights? Seems like that would be close enough for dice chucking purposes.

I would try it myself and let you all know, but at my level of expertise, EVERYTHING is hard... (IMG:style_emoticons/default/wink.gif)

[Bashfull]

Thanks, Method. I have seen your classic Stuffer Shack map, and I've got it saved for a future date (because Stuffer Shacks are similar, but not identical). I've also found someone else's two-storey Stuffer Shack map somewhere else (now where did I put that?). But I'm keen to run the Quickstart skirmish, and wanted to use the new Stuffer Shack.

I know your images are largely daytime; I was taking a chance, since the skirmish is set at 4am. I'm sincerely grateful for everything you produce on here.

[Method]

Bashfull: Be careful what you wish for...

As far as night maps go, I did some experimentation this morning and I wasn't very pleased with the results. I think lighting effects may be better handled via game mechanics. Just tell the players its 4 AM, make them roll Perception Tests and use the visibility mods in the BBB.

Have fun.

[Bashfull]

You, Sir, are a genius. I've been looking for something like this for the best part of a week. I've downloaded floorplanning software, been on numerous websites (including DJ and Cartographer's Guild) and you've produced in time for my session. If I was not such a manly man, I would cry like a baby.

Thanks, Method. You da man!

Edit: By the way, Method, what are the dimensions for printing? Can I use it as a battle map?

[Method]

They are all 8"x 10.5" so they fit on a standard sheet of printer paper. Each 1/4" square = 1 meter for the interior. You can estimate the scale outside by comparing the grid to the cars. The average length of a car today is 4.97 meters, but I assume cars in 207x are slightly smaller making the scale 1/4" = 2 meters for the small area map and 1/4" = 4 meters for the large area map.

[Necro Sanct]

Most battle maps for mini/token use usually end up bigger than your average sized printing paper depending on the scale. Some of the maps I have in the works right now (using Dundjinii/Photoshop) are based on a 1 inch = 1 meter scale. Something like the Shack, around 25x20 for just the interior, would require multiple pages to print. I usually prefer to just keep them on screen due to the ink requirements. If the costs for full size color prints weren't so steep at a copy shop like Kinko's I would probably use that option. I for one wouldn't mind seeing a full color, properly scaled, Shadowrun Tile set with some of the more common locations put out by someone.

[Method]

That is exactly why I have chosen this format. I don't use minis. I don't think they add all that much, which makes them more trouble than they're worth.

I make my maps fit on a standard printer sheet because I can print a single high quality map that I slip into a clear plastic dust cover and mark with dry-erase markers. Alternately, for a few bucks I can print a color copy for everyone at the table. And of coarse, my players with laptops (which is usually all of them) can pull up the image on their screens and follow the action. The small print size has the added advantage of not taking up the better part of a large table.

And Dundjinii is a pretty cool program. I've been considering purchasing it, but the I don't want to pay for all the fantasy content I won't really use. I'd love to see what you come up with tho... Do share.