Starting an Arena - Is this Map ok?

[imp_fireball]

I'm hoping to start an arena using the Gears of War set up I've had for that campaign.

Anyway, does the map appear discernible at all? Is it good enough for pvp pbp?

Constructive criticism appreciated.



Also: It's not quite done yet. Things like weapons laying on the ground depends entirely on what the GM tells the players in accordance to their line of sight (and passive search/spot checks, etc.), so players can't just walk to one area of the map and know where everything is (except in the case of special red spaces).

[Dragon Elite]

So what is red? Seems good though.

[imp_fireball]

So what is red? Seems good though.

Basically a space containing anything the GM wants it to be. Say, a switch or a turret - the player finds out once it falls in their line of sight. Also I forgot to mention on the legend that red spaces are of identical level to adjacent spaces; and if that gets confusing, it's usually level to the most elevated adjacent space (whew).

[Tyndmyr]

In general, I suggest using symmetrical maps for arenas. You can certainly have fair assymmetrical maps, but it's tougher, and more prone to player complaining.

[Grumman]

Anyway, does the map appear discernible at all? Is it good enough for pvp pbp?

No.

First, your legend is a mess. If you're going to use different colours for different elevations, it is essential that they're listed in order, and they should also be in an obvious colour order, either by hue or lightness.

Second, you should take advantage of the fact that you can use symbols. Choose an icon to represent stairs, one to represent walls (or just use the box drawing characters from the character map) and one to represent the special things.

[imp_fireball]

Second, you should take advantage of the fact that you can use symbols. Choose an icon to represent stairs, one to represent walls (or just use the box drawing characters from the character map) and one to represent the special things.

I don't think any of that's available in ms paint.

In general, I suggest using symmetrical maps for arenas. You can certainly have fair assymmetrical maps, but it's tougher, and more prone to player complaining.

What's the difference between symmetrical/assymmetrical?

[Grumman]

I don't think any of that's available in ms paint.

Of course they are. Go to the character map and copy the symbol you want, go to Paint, create a text box and paste the symbol into the text box.

[imp_fireball]

Go to the character map

I don't know what that is.

[Grumman]

I don't know what that is.

Go to Start -> Programs -> Accessories -> System Tools -> Character Map

[imp_fireball]

Thanks.

But I don't think it makes much of a difference over colors. It might help for red spaces though (if I could keep the color and then just overlap a symbol to prevent confusion).

EDIT: Pasting characters into textboxes is horribly inconvenient since I can't fit them into the spaces. Not to mention they don't accept background colors.

[Grumman]

Not to mention they don't accept background colors.

Again, this is incorrect. Select the text option and look at the context-specific part of the toolbox. See how there are two yellow boxes, one of which is overlapped by a white box? Click on the other one, and the white background of the text box will be replaced with whatever image is already there.

[KillianHawkeye]

ms paint

I think this is your real problem. MS Paint is capable of a lot more than what you're currently doing, but it is still seriously limited. Mainly, it's missing some important tools that make doing this sort of thing a lot simpler, such as being easily editable.

Personally, I'd use Photoshop or even a simple spreadsheet program over Paint, but there has to be some free software you could find that has decent functionality. It just takes a little research.

[jokey665]

Gimp. Use Gimp instead of paint. It's like photoshop only it's free.

[KillianHawkeye]

Gimp. Use Gimp instead of paint. It's like photoshop only it's free.

I figured somebody would chime in with a good software suggestion!

[Meek]

You REALLY need bigger squares than that. I can't imagine keeping track of tactical movement when the squares are that small.

[Eloel]

And you should consider learning the program you're using.

You can fit any symbol wherever you want, just change font size and/or adjust by drag-sizing.

I do most my coloring on excel, screenshot-paste to mspaint, and add symbols/details to my likings. It has been working quite good so far.

[imp_fireball]

I know nothing of 'yellow boxes'. MS Paint seems pretty straight forward and content-less as far as I can tell. Maybe providing pictures would help?