So I've read multiple methodologies used here to scale a map image and grid for use in Maptool. I thought I'd contribute how I go about doing it. To date, I have yet to find a map image that I could not get to line up exactly with the grid in MapTool. I haven't really seen an exacting level of detail in how to adjust a map image to fit the grid in MapTool, but still, I hope I'm not duplicating efforts here.
Tools Used:
1.) Gimp
2.) MapScaleTool v1.01
Steps to configure map:
1.) Start up Gimp and open the map image file for editing. File --> Open [Browse and select your image]. Take note of the size (Width and Height) of the image file. It will be displayed in the title bar of the image window.
3.) Open the MapScaleTool v1.01 workbook and enter the size of the original image (that you just opened in Gimp) in the Step 1 box 'Original Image Dimensions'.
4.) Zoom the image (using the + or - key to a size that is comfortable for you to view and count the squares on the map.
5.) Select the Measurement tool from the Gimp Toolbox
. The default setting for the Measurement Tool is in Pixels. Do not change this setting.
6.) Using the Measurement Tool, start at the leftmost square of the
map itself, press and hold the left mouse button and draw a line to the rightmost square. The total pixel count (i.e., the measurement) will be displayed at the bottom of the Gimp image window when you let go of the mouse button. Record this number in Left-to-Right box of Step 2 (in the MapScaleTool workbook).
NOTE: This line must be straight. If the leftmost and rightmost squares are diagonal from each other you will still need to draw a straight line. You'll have to estimate the position of one of the squares. In addition, as soon as you start to draw one measurement, the previous one will disappear.
7.) Do the exact same thing that you just did except this time draw the line from the topmost square to the bottommost square. The same caveats apply.
8.) Now, following the same line you just drew to make the measurement, count the number of squares. Do this for both the Left-to-Right and Top-to-Bottom lines. Record each value respectively in Step 3, 'Squares Counted', of the MapScaleTool workbook.
9.) In the Step 4 box of the MapScaleTool workbook, 'Desired Grid Size', pick the size of the Grid in pixels. The default size in MapTool is 40. After you choose the number of squares you will see a value appear the Green 'Resize to These Dimensions' box.
10.) In the Gimp image window navigate to: Image --> Scale Image
11.) Click on the chain link icon to the right of the Image Size Width and Height values. This will prevent Gimp from automatically adjusting the either the Width or Height of the image as you input values. Keep the default of pixels.
12.) Enter the values derived in the MapScaleTool workbook into the Gimp Scale Image window. Click Ok. You should now have a newly scaled image of your map. Odds are the image will be larger than the original. Now it's time to adjust the Gimp Grid to work with the Maptool grid.
13.) In the Gimp Image window click on: View --> Show Grid
14.) In the Gimp Image window click on: Image --> Configure Grid
The
Spacing section is equivalent to the 'Desired Grid Size' you selected in the MapScaleTool workbook. The
Offset section allows you to adjust (either dynamically or individually the Height (Horizontal line) or Width (Vertical line) of the Grid. Keep the default of Pixels.
NOTE: VERY IMPORTANT! These are the values that you will ultimately use when you bring the map image into Maptool.
15.) In the Spacing section enter the number that you used in the 'Desired Grid Size' box in the MapScaleTool workbook.
NOTE: After you enter value in the Grid Configuration window you can press the Tab button on your keyboard. You will move the cursor to the next field, but more importantly you will see the grid automatically adjust to take into account the new value you entered.
16.) Now, just as you did when Scaling the map image, click on the chain link icon in the
Offset section. You do not have to click on the chain link icon in the Spacing section.
17.) You should now have a visible grid that is pretty closely aligned to the Scaled map image. You will now tweak the individual grid lines using the Offset values in the Configure Grid window.
A.) With the chain link 'broken' (you did click on it as directed in the Step 16 of this guide, right?) Begin to enter values into the Width field. Positive values with move the Vertical grid line to the right. Negative values will move the Vertical grid line to the left. Once you have aligned the Vertical grid line to your map image. Make a note of the final value. You will need to enter this value into the MapTool grid adjustment window.
B.) Do the exact same thing with the Height field. This will move the Horizontal grid line on the map image. Again, note the final value.
You should now have all the elements and information you need to bring the map image into Maptool:
1.) A properly scaled image.
2.) The Desired Grid Size value (basically the number of squares that will appear on your map)
3.) The Width (Vertical) and Height (Horizontal) Offsets that will determine the final positioning of your grid
18.) Start Maptool and open the scaled map image file: Ctrl-N --> [Select the map image from your Resource Library or click on the Filesystem button in the bottom left corner and navigate to your scaled map image file].
19.) Press Ctrl-Shift-A to bring up the Adjust Grid window.
A.) Enter the value you used in the Spacing section of the Gimp Configure Grid window in the Grid Size field.
B.) Enter the Width (Vertical) value you used in the Offset section of the Gimp Configure Grid window in the Offset X field.
C.) Enter the Height (Horizontal) value you used in the Offset section of the Gimp Configure Grid window in the Offset Y field.
Click the Close button.
Well that should do it. You should now have a nicely aligned grid in the MapTool application.
Useful Tip: Most likely the initial grid you are using in MapTool has been configured in a 1:1 ratio. Meaning that you have exactly aligned one grid square to one square on the map image. If you want to double or quadruple the number of squares on the Grid, and thus allow you to use more tokens while still keeping the overall grid aligned, simply decrease the Grid size in the Adjust Grid window by half. If your grid becomes misaligned you can simply go back to Gimp and repeat steps 16 and 17 to derive the new Offsets (X & Y).
Hope this was useful. It may seem like a lot of steps...ok, it is a lot of steps
, but once you do a couple of maps it is actually quite intuitive and easy to pull off.
Yad