FEATURE: Isometric Map - BETA

[JamzTheMan]

Is 2+2 still 4? Just checking...

[Jagged]

One thing though is it appears that while you have done the projection of the cone correctly the grid cell that the token is in is not yet quite right. The parts of the area that do not open to the cone (i.e where the line of sight isnt) should match the grid that the token is in.The area is union of the cone and the grid cell that the token is in (if that makes sense).

Upon looking some more, I notice that Hex grid behave the same way. I guess because Sight uses getBounds rather than cellShape.

[Jagged]

Making slower progress now that I am having to dig deeper into the core of Maptool.

Now that I have done the basics of the grid, I have to make subtle additions to ZoneRenderer to display tokens the way I want. I still haven't started work on an Isometric token type (got to have better name too), but I have adjusted how square and circle tokens render on an isometric grid.

tokens.jpg (129.16 KiB) Viewed 666 times

[Craig]

Making slower progress now that I am having to dig deeper into the core of Maptool.

Now that I have done the basics of the grid, I have to make subtle additions to ZoneRenderer to display tokens the way I want. I still haven't started work on an Isometric token type (got to have better name too), but I have adjusted how square and circle tokens render on an isometric grid.

tokens.jpg

Brilliant.
As you mentioned isometric tokens, one thing you may want to start thinking about is the problem that has plagued isometric games since well there were isometric games, how do you display/interact with an object that from the point of view of the viewer is behind another object.

[Jagged]

Within the bounds of Maptool I don't think there is a great deal I can do. But I am hoping that I might be able to work it so that you can temporarily overcome the isometric Z order (using the bring to front, rear commands) then it restore when you move.

[wolph42]

You could check layers and coords and temporarily change the z order based on that.

Edit: actually: no not temporarily. Z order should always be dependent on coord (and layer?)
Assume you have several 100 tokens on the map, then they should all have a z order based on their coord their intrinsic z order should only be relevant if they occupy the same space

[Jagged]

Okay, I have added a new Token Shape called Figure. A figure token stands in its cell, rather than being bound by its cell. Therefore it is scaled to just the width of the cell not the width and height It is also positioned on the bottom of the cell not in the centre.

tokenShape.jpg (48.31 KiB) Viewed 643 times

At the moment I am of two minds, whether to adjust the token bounds to be one cell wide and two cells high, or for height to be solely based on the token image height.

Still not done anything about Z-Ordering, but I am not worried about that yet

figureToken.jpg (137.27 KiB) Viewed 644 times

[aliasmask]

Very cool. I've been wanting to do this for awhile. Is the shape of the iso square set or can you specify height and width? For example, you could have a diamond shaped iso square, where it's just a square but oriented as a diamond.

Does the iso square have a footprint like the other grids? Is it rectangle shaped? Where is the x,y reference point compared to center of iso square?

I think the 1 wide, 2 high is good for figure image. May help in stacking.

[Jagged]

Is the shape of the iso square set or can you specify height and width? For example, you could have a diamond shaped iso square, where it's just a square but oriented as a diamond.

No, the grid ratio is fixed.

Does the iso square have a footprint like the other grids? Is it rectangle shaped? Where is the x,y reference point compared to center of iso square?

Yes, top left like a square grid.

bounds.jpg (96.58 KiB) Viewed 636 times

Also if you go from a square grid to an iso without changing the grid size, every other top left square vertex match the top of a diamond. In the diagram below, the top left of the square token is at coordinate (0,0) and shows the effect of swapping from square grid to isometric.

bounds2.jpg (101.67 KiB) Viewed 636 times

[Jagged]

Onto some of the fun stuff now Making it so that Figure tokens don't get clipped in the same way that normal tokens get clipped. I am not trying to do anything clever, just setting it so that if you can see part of the figure token, you can see all of it.

This picture is a player's view of their character in a dungeon. The walls are all solid vision blocking so normally the top half of the archer would be invisible. If you look carefully, you will see its partly outside their vision area.

vision1.jpg (139.02 KiB) Viewed 630 times

Then we move to the doorway and a doppleganger appears. This would also normally be clipped, but we can see the whole figure.

vision2.jpg (135.8 KiB) Viewed 630 times

[aliasmask]

I didn't have much in that style of iso but I do have the template I was using to make them. I converted it to a psd file so you can make your own.

[aliasmask]

I mentioned this before, but to get things to work well with vbl is to only show tokens if you can see the base. Since the base is an over sized rectangle that overlaps other squares then that may be a challenge. That is unless you do to the footprint what you did to flatten images to iso shape. That way the footprint sticks to the bounds of iso square.

What kind of ISO dimensions are you using. 30 degrees (3/4 ratio, 4 wide, 3 high) to the plane or where it's 1/2 ratio (2 wide, 1 high)?

[Jagged]

I am using Fake "Computer Game" Isometric rather than true isometric, so twice as wide as high and 27 degrees instead of 30 for the angle of the slope.

Whether or not a token is visible is based upon the footprint, which is in turn based upon the cell or cells area. In the case of my isometric grid, that means a diamond.

I am currently displaying the whole token, if any part of the base is visible. No doubt this will create some odd situations but has the primary advantage of being quick.

PS: Thanks for the tokens

[aliasmask]

I am using Fake "Computer Game" Isometric rather than true isometric, so twice as wide as high and 27 degrees instead of 30 for the angle of the slope.

Whether or not a token is visible is based upon the footprint, which is in turn based upon the cell or cells area. In the case of my isometric grid, that means a diamond.

I am currently displaying the whole token, if any part of the base is visible. No doubt this will create some odd situations but has the primary advantage of being quick.

PS: Thanks for the token

That sounds good and is the way I was hoping you do it.

[Jagged]

I am currently displaying the whole token, if any part of the base is visible.

Well, testing reveals its not quite working yet, but this is the plan