Best way to handle squares on fire?

[Futzy]

I'm trying to figure out the best way to handle squares on a map being set on fire. In my first game, I found a fireball graphic, and just dragged it on the screen like it was a token. This worked OK, but when other tokens were in the square it was a problem, because you could only really see whichever token was on top. I think I would rather have a way to just paint the squares red on a layer under the token layer, but so far when i do that, i haven't been able to find a way to get rid of the red if the fire gets put out. Any suggestions?

[Naryt]

I'm trying to figure out the best way to handle squares on a map being set on fire. In my first game, I found a fireball graphic, and just dragged it on the screen like it was a token. This worked OK, but when other tokens were in the square it was a problem, because you could only really see whichever token was on top. I think I would rather have a way to just paint the squares red on a layer under the token layer, but so far when i do that, i haven't been able to find a way to get rid of the red if the fire gets put out. Any suggestions?

Handle squares on fire with fire retardant gloves or, even better, metal tongs.

I would suggest using GIMP or something similar to make your fireball image mostly transparent and make sure it is always on top, that way the tokens below it will show through.

[Lindharin]

If you have a fireball graphic you like, drag it out onto the "object" layer instead of the "token" layer. It is easily resizable and removable, and is always at a lower level than tokens.

[kat2cute]

You can do flames in several ways. The prettiest and most versatile is just to make a semi-transparent fireball object because you can move it around and easily delete it. However, you have to delete the whole thing, or resize it. Another good alternative is to just get a good fire texture and draw the area your fireball covers. That way if someone puts it all out, it is a simple Ctrl-Z to erase. If it spreads, it is real easy to add some more fire. However, if someone puts out only part of it, it is slightly harder. Ctrl-Z erases the last thing drawn, so unless you know exactly what order the fire is going to be put out in, that doesn't work. There is an eraser tool in the drawing pane, and that works well IF you didn't have a special floor texture other than the default for the map (because it would erase that too). If you did have a separate floor texture, the way to do it is to select that floor texture and then just draw over the previous flame drawing in the appropriate places. Not a perfect system, but it works. And as long as you are drawing on the background or object layer, your players will appear above the fire, easily visible.

Here is a flame texture to mess around with.