MapTool 1.1 Development Release Build 19

[trevor]

The design team and I have come up with an improved way of working with stamps/backgrounds.

I went ahead and started the implementation of it, and wanted to get it in front of you guys to see what you think.

There were also one or two critical bugs that needed fixing.

So, here's build 19:

Build 19 (9/23/06)
* Fix visibility bug when using non strict token management
* Tokens with visibility toggled off are only visible to GMs (invisible flag to be added layer to support player visible)
* Create Stamp/Background popup menu
* Remove Stamp/Background from token property "Shape" dropdown
* Fix token tree panel bug where Visible isn't showing up if there are no visible tokens
* Add a Stamp tool that works like the pointer tool but only works with stamps and backgrounds

STAMPS/BACKGROUNDS:

To change a token into a stamp, you can select as many tokens as you want, right click->Change To->Stamp/Background.

The token tree panel no longer determines which layer you are working on. You work with tokens with the pointer tool, and work with stamps/backgrounds with the new stamp tool located to the right of the pointer tool.

Use the option box to select which layer to work with.

[trevor]

Oh yeah, and I changed the resize black square (on free-size) to be an icon. If someone can draft up something prettier, I'd be happy to integrate it.

[Styles2304]

Hahaha, wow, I hadn't even downloaded 1.8 yet!

[Emryys]

Hahaha, wow, I hadn't even downloaded 1.8 yet!

Difficult to keep up with the Road Runner... *beep* *beep*

[IMarvinTPA]

I need to check release 19, but if you use large or bigger tokens on a map with 20 pixel squares and 6 pixel offsets, when you move a token, it doesn't behave properly with regards to the offset. It is sort of an exagerrated "pick up" view of the token.

IMarv

[trevor]

Weird. I'll take a look and see what's up. I'm assuming you are using snap to grid on the token ?

[dorpond]

The design team and I have come up with an improved way of working with stamps/backgrounds.

I went ahead and started the implementation of it, and wanted to get it in front of you guys to see what you think.

Great! I can't wait to test it out! Here we go..
OK, I am back and these are my quick thoughts:
1. The tool - it has the same name as the other pointer. I think we are talking about the same tool.
2. I am a bit confused at first glance so that alone makes me think there can be a more user friendly way of doing it.

Thoughts after testing:
1. Still confused on the differences between the tools because it seems like I can still do the same things with both of them.
- Open Maptool
- Dragged a couple images to desktop.
- noticed by default that they are "visible"
- Clicked on background under the token list and dragged more images to the map.
- Noticed that they are now background images.
(My immediate though is why do I need another tool?)
-While still under the pointer tool, I dragged a box around all my images that were just placed on the map but I had the Background layer active.
(Notice that only the background images are selected)
-click on the visible layer and draw a box around all the images on the map.
(notice that only the visible images are selected)

So far, this is just as I would expect it to work - user friendly. But I have not even used the new tool yet.

- Now I click on the other pointer tool (which again has the same name as the other)
- I see the layer window come up
(My thoughts are why?)
- I click on background and then I draw a box around the images on the map and notice that only the backgorund images are selected.
(my thoughts are why have another pointer when I did the same exact thing above by just selecting the layer with the regulare pointer)
- I notice that this pointer works the same way as my first test above except that I don't have to pick the layer on the left hand side but both options work.

So here I am wondering why we need to have it this way. The original pointer does me just fine when I select the layer on the left side first.

The token tree panel no longer determines which layer you are working on. You work with tokens with the pointer tool, and work with stamps/backgrounds with the new stamp tool located to the right of the pointer tool.

Use the option box to select which layer to work with.

From what I have seen, the token panel does still determine what layer I am working on. I simply click on visible and drop down tokens and they go under visible. if I click on background and drag images, they go under background.

So I guess I am a bit confused Trevor.. Seems like both options are working atm.

[trevor]

Hmmm, the token tree shouldn't be.

The general premise is to make it more obvious what layer you are working on, where generally speaking will only be tokens. Then when you need to work with the background, you put yourself into a sort of map-making mode.

[Styles2304]

Aside from the lack of obvious need for an extra tool and the fact that it's named exactly the same as the pointer, I love the background/stamp! I'm not quite sure what the stamp is for but the back makes placing traps ALOT easier than using other tokens. Good job!

[Dracorat]

If the one pointer is for pogs and the other is for map stuffs, selecting the map stuffs pointer should make pogs translucent.

And as for resizing on freesize. Ill try to figure it out myself, but in case I fail, how does one resize while on freesize?

[trevor]

making the tokens translucent is a good idea. I had thought about removing them entirely, but that didn't feel right either.

When you set a stamp/background to freesize, when selected a resize icon will show up in the bottom right corner, just click and drag. Hold CTRL to snap to cell sizes.

[lichking]

Trevor
I can't keep up with you guys. I manage to test b18 on Sat night with one of my players to make sure there was no problems, eg routers, firewalls, etc. It wouldn't connect via rptools but direct connected perfectly. The main issue we had was the "not visible" tokens and their properties could be accessed by the player.
Within an hour after test my daughter got sick, we went to hospital, she spent 36 hours on drip, we come home, have sleep. When I get on the computer to let you know on Mon night, you have pushed out new build that solves issue without me letting you know.
This is really great service, but I must let you know I feel a little robbed, as everytime I have some feedback to contribute, I find that there is a tracker already for issue or the problem is solved.

[Big_Mac]

Hopefully your Daughter is okay now. My second daughter had something like that happen to her once it is not fun 3 days in the hospital.

The challenge of being 1/2 a world a way. Do not take it as a slight. Trevor will still take your info you may have something else found that may be missed. Trevoe does not seem to dislke lots of testing infomation results. Good and Bad.

[dorpond]

Hmmm, the token tree shouldn't be.

The general premise is to make it more obvious what layer you are working on, where generally speaking will only be tokens. Then when you need to work with the background, you put yourself into a sort of map-making mode.

I understand where you heart was with this one. If anything though - it may confuse the user even more as it currently is in 19. You might want to release a quick fix update just to make the original pointer function as you thought it was. Perhaps change the name of the new pointer too - this way we can test it as you wanted us to do.

I think in theory though, this may make things easier for everyone.

I still am a fan of clicking on the layer I want to be playing in though - does anyone else have that Photoshop mentality or is it just me? On the same hand, I really want to tool that I can use just for dropping stamps and background images.

I guess I won't really know until I have a test version as you see it Trevor.

[trevor]

my daughter got sick, we went to hospital, she spent 36 hours on drip

That's no fun Hope everyone is better now.