Isometric z-sort issue

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xavram
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Isometric z-sort issue

Post by xavram »

This might be by design but if it is, I think its a problem.

The stairs and the character are both figure type tokens. Stairs is Large and on the background layer, figure is medium and on the token layer.

This looks good...

Image

...this does not...

Image

Now if these were both on the token layer, I would get why this happening. I'm not entirely sure I agree with it, I think a Med token on the left/right corners of a Large token should be in the foreground but since this wouldn't happen too often (since typically you can't be in the square of another creature), I'm not too worried about it.

But, the stairs in this case are on the Background layer, so anything on the token or object layer should be in front of it. I'm assuming this is something about the Figure token type but is this a bug or was this intentionally coded this way...and if so, why?

I know that the "easy" answer here is to change the stairs token to a "Top Down" token but if I do that, then the VBL/Fog for the walls will cover up part of the stairs, where it extends past the VBL lines. And worse, you'll see part of the stairs if you're outside of the building.

Entirely possible I'm doing something wrong here but that's what I'm seeing....heh

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Jagged
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Re: Isometric z-sort issue

Post by Jagged »

Well that is how figure tokens are designed to work. The sole purpose of figure tokens is that exact behaviour.

However I have some good news for you. The "always show" is coming to normal tokens as optional behaviour. Soon you will be able to specify a token as always on top and it can both block line of sight and always be visible.

You will also be able to draw vbl onto the token and it will move when you move the token.

It will be great :D

xavram
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Re: Isometric z-sort issue

Post by xavram »

Can you explain that "always show" a little further? In the screenshots I showed, would I just take the stairs token, change it to Top Down, and set that "always show"? A little confused by the terminology because I don't want it to always show; from outside the building, I don't want to see the stairs (VBL should block).

FYI, I also found this kind of bad behavior if you tried to make a door token, using Figure, and set it to "Large" size, to either be a giant sized door or maybe a set of double doors. If a player token is standing on the right/left corner squares of it, the door shows on top of the player token...and that really isn't right, if the player is in the "foreground".

Does this "always show" flag account for things like that? Let me know if you need a screenshot to make sense of what I'm saying here regarding a large door.

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JamzTheMan
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Re: Isometric z-sort issue

Post by JamzTheMan »

Well, Always Shows means the token will show over FoW. But that also means the token is rendered "last" regardless of layers.

MapTool renders Background tokens/stamps, then Objects, Hidden, the Token layer. Next it rerenders any "Figure" tokens if they can be seen (I believe it relies on 5/9ths region check.

Finally, any token marked as Always Shown gets re-rendered. So if you have it on, say, a roof, it's going to cover any tokens under it. Whether that's good or bad depends on your implementation.

*Note, this always show option is used regardless of token vbl. But if combined, you get a token that blocks los & is still shown even though it's effectively covered in VBL. Good for doors, roofs, columns, statues, etc.

No with that said, Not sure it will solve your stairs issue. Does those stairs have to me marked as "figure" tokens though? What if you mark it as "Top Down"? It should then not render over PC "Figure" tokens.
-Jamz
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xavram
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Re: Isometric z-sort issue

Post by xavram »

I will get the development build this weekend and play with this. If I'm understanding your deco of the functionlaity correctly, I think it will solve the stairs issue, since a player would never go behind them.

However, I think large/double doors are going to be a problem
I will post screen shots here of any issues I encounter.

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Jagged
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Re: Isometric z-sort issue

Post by Jagged »

Getting doors to work as you expect is all down to positioning of the graphics within the larger transparency.

If you make something a figure token Maptool assumes a certain shape and proportion. It has to do this as there is no real 3D data for it to use.

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JamzTheMan
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Re: Isometric z-sort issue

Post by JamzTheMan »

Would it help if you create the doors as isoMetric outside of MapTool then just place them as normal top-down tokens (not figure tokens) then mark them as "Always Visible"? (and add token VBL to them)

That might do the trick.
-Jamz
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xavram
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Re: Isometric z-sort issue

Post by xavram »

I meant to post screenshots of the issue this weekend some "real life" issues have popped up which put this on the backburner. Hopefully I can post something at the end of the week.

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