Trick: use anti-alias overlays c/w drop shadows in Tokentool

Thoughts, Help, Feature Requests

Moderators: dorpond, trevor, Azhrei

Post Reply
User avatar
AidyBaby
Dragon
Posts: 383
Joined: Tue Feb 07, 2006 12:55 pm
Contact:

Trick: use anti-alias overlays c/w drop shadows in Tokentool

Post by AidyBaby »

Ever wanted to be able to use Tokentool to create anti-aliased token borders with effects such as drop shadows?

With a simple trick, it is easily done - here's how.

First you need to find or create a nice border of the right size with a drop shadow: here's the one I use for my 4th edition campaign (256 pixels square):
Image

Then create a simple 'trimming' border to chop out the picture prior to using the above nice border (256 pixels square):
Image

1. Add both to the Tokentool overlays.
2. Choose the trimming overlay and drag your desired picture into the Tokentool window. Save the token. This creates a round picture with transparent surrounds.
3. Change the overlay to the final border version and drag the newly saved 'trimmed' token into the Tokentool window and position so the edges of the trimming guide are hidden. Ensure the 'Solid Background' option is not checked and then save this token:
Image

So with the minor task of doing it twice you have now got tokens that can have pixels outside the token layout edge that are not 100% opacity, i.e. anti-aliased edges and/or a drop shadow.

Hope this is useful to some.

-- AidyBaby --
D&D qualities are related inversely to those of Poker... and I love both.
http://www.yorkpoker.co.uk


Nonsapient
Cave Troll
Posts: 90
Joined: Thu Apr 23, 2009 6:37 pm

Re: How to use anti-alias overlays c/w drop shadows in Tokentool

Post by Nonsapient »

Makes it look really awesome, and also tells me that I need to go steal some portraits from BG and IWD for token use.

That IS where the above token is from, right?

User avatar
AidyBaby
Dragon
Posts: 383
Joined: Tue Feb 07, 2006 12:55 pm
Contact:

Re: How to use anti-alias overlays c/w drop shadows in Tokentool

Post by AidyBaby »

Ahem, drew (drawed?) it myself, governor! Honest, would I lie to you, er, someone sent me it and I've lost their email and forgotten their name. Um, what's BG and IWD... :wink:
D&D qualities are related inversely to those of Poker... and I love both.
http://www.yorkpoker.co.uk

User avatar
Rumble
Deity
Posts: 6235
Joined: Tue Jul 01, 2008 7:48 pm

Re: How to use anti-alias overlays c/w drop shadows in Tokentool

Post by Rumble »

Interestingly, if you fiddle with this approach, you can use it as a token base and Devin's tokens, and make something that almost looks like a miniature standing on the map.

dorpond
RPTools Team
Posts: 5534
Joined: Thu Jun 01, 2006 2:05 pm
Location: Buffalo, NY

Re: How to use anti-alias overlays c/w drop shadows in Tokentool

Post by dorpond »

Very cool trick! I will make this a sticky! I will rename the thread by adding Trick: to the front.
How to use my bundled artwork (MT1.3B60+): http://forums.rptools.net/viewtopic.php?f=8&t=11759

Engineer91
Kobold
Posts: 5
Joined: Tue Mar 01, 2011 2:13 pm
Location: Mid-West

Re: Trick: use anti-alias overlays c/w drop shadows in Token

Post by Engineer91 »

This is very cool! It's so easy and useful. I was really wondering about all the different tokens I wanted to use in-game. This solves the problem elegantly! And I really do get a 3-D feel from the effect!
Master of the universe

User avatar
AidyBaby
Dragon
Posts: 383
Joined: Tue Feb 07, 2006 12:55 pm
Contact:

Re: Trick: use anti-alias overlays c/w drop shadows in Token

Post by AidyBaby »

Glad you like it. I knew I could make it work somehow with token tool, it just took me while for the solution to click. I dunno if there's many aware of this technique but if you're like me and like polished graphics (after all I did make all those states) then this does the trick quickly and easily.

-- AidyBaby --
D&D qualities are related inversely to those of Poker... and I love both.
http://www.yorkpoker.co.uk

jewel86
Kobold
Posts: 1
Joined: Tue May 08, 2012 11:08 pm
Contact:

Re: Trick: use anti-alias overlays c/w drop shadows in Token

Post by jewel86 »

AidyBaby wrote:Ever wanted to be able to use Tokentool to create anti-aliased token borders with effects such as drop shadows?

With a simple trick, it is easily done - here's how.

First you need to find or create a nice border of the right size with a drop shadow: here's the one I use for my 4th edition campaign (256 pixels square):
Image

Then create a simple 'trimming' border to chop out the picture prior to using the above nice border (256 pixels square):
Image

1. Add both to the Tokentool overlays.
2. Choose the trimming overlay and drag your desired picture into the Tokentool window. Save the token. This creates a round picture with transparent surrounds.
3. Change the overlay to the final border version and drag the newly saved 'trimmed' token into the Tokentool window and position so the edges of the trimming guide are hidden. Ensure the 'Solid Background' option is not checked and then save this token:
Image

So with the minor task of doing it twice you have now got tokens that can have pixels outside the token layout edge that are not 100% opacity, i.e. anti-aliased edges and/or a drop shadow.

Hope this is useful to some.

-- AidyBaby --
Thanks for sharing. It's really easy. Very useful ^^ Tks alot :D

Post Reply

Return to “TokenTool”