How to Upload a Map on Roll 20
A Beginner's Guide to Roll20
What follows is a brusque guide to using my 2-Minute Tabletop maps, avails, and tokens with the Roll20 virtual tabletop.
This guide will only comprehend the very nuts required to get y'all started with my content, and is designed for those new to the platform who might be paralyzed by the many tools and features on Roll20 and desire to know where to first.
I have separate this tutorial into iv sections to encompass each of the main kinds of content that I create; battle maps, map avails, tokens, spell templates, and set pieces. Let's become into it!
Importing Battle Maps
Some of my most user-friendly pieces are boxing maps, exciting peak-down scenes fit for a combat encounter or skill claiming. Click hither to scan my battle maps – you may want to download one for costless and follow along.
Setting up a new page
- Create a new page in Roll20 by opening the Page Toolbar (in the peak-right of the map canvas) and clicking Create New Page.
- Ready the Page Settings by hovering over your new page in the Folio Toolbar and clicking the blue cog. Change the Width and Height to match the battle map yous wish to import.
- For my newer maps, the map dimensions are alleged in their file name, such as
"Meadow Ruins – Grassy – Day – 22×16.jpg" - Older maps are by and large 23×16″ but you tin can check past opening the map'south PDF, enabling a square grid, and counting the grid squares.
- All this said, feel free to create a large page and simply estimate the size of the map – the exact scale is usually not too important.
- For my newer maps, the map dimensions are alleged in their file name, such as
- (Optional) Give your new folio a name by clicking the "Untitled" proper name field in the Page Toolbar.
- Click your new page to navigate to information technology.
Uploading a battle map to Roll20
- Download and unzip (if necessary) your desired boxing map to your calculator. A battle map is a JPG or PNG file (the PDF files are for printing, not for virtual tabletops).
- Switch to the Map & Background layer (see image).
Assets placed on this layer will appear beneath Roll20'southward filigree overlay, which is exactly what we need for a battle map. - Elevate-and-driblet the battle map from your hard drive into the Roll20 browser window to import information technology onto your electric current page and layer. An "Uploading" popup will momentarily appear, and the battle map volition appear on the folio, but likely at the wrong scale;
- Ready the map dimensions past right clicking the image and navigating to Advanced > Set Dimensions in the menu that appears. Select "Units" instead of "Pixels" and enter the desired width and height. Click "Set" to confirm.
- Refer to step 2 in Setting up a new page if you are not sure what a map's dimensions are.
- Click-and-drag the resized map so that information technology fits inside the confines of the folio.
That's all it takes to import a fresh battle map into Roll20. If yous are interested also in importing map assets and tokens, please proceed reading…
Importing Assets and Tokens
All of my assets, tokens, and other resources are uploaded and used in much the same style, so I will explain what they take in common and and then I will break downwards their unique differences. I will refer to map avails, tokens, and spell templates simply every bit "assets" when the type is inconsequential.
Uploading to the Art Library
- Download and unzip an nugget pack to your reckoner. Assets are PNG files and are normally organized within a folder labelled as such.
- Navigate to the Art Library (see image) and to My Library therein.
- Printing Upload and, following the prompts, upload as many assets every bit you desire.
The assets will upload and appear in your Art Library, set up for employ on your folio.
Adding Art Library assets to the page
- Cull your page layer in Roll20;
- The Map & Background layer is for assets which volition appear under Roll20's filigree overlay, and is the better pick for static assets which you do not need to move during play, such as trees, buildings, and furniture.
- The Objects & Tokens layer will place assets on tiptop of the grid, but these volition be clickable during play when you have this layer selected (which is most of the time). Avails on this layer may become in the style during play, so reserve it for objects that demand to move, such as tokens, spell templates, and interact-able map assets.
- Drag-and-driblet your desired nugget from the Art Library onto the folio. It may help to utilize the search bar if you have a cracking many. It volition appear where you drop information technology, though at a hard-coded dimension.
- Transform the asset; change the position, scale, and rotation using the transform controls that appear when yous click the asset. Be sure to hold down Alt to avoid snapping to the filigree.
- (Optional) manipulate the render lodge. Occasionally yous will find that two avails overlap in an nonsensical way. Right click one of them and select either "To Forepart" or "To Back" to change its position relative to other assets on its layer.
- If you need a duplicate of this asset, it is easier to copy and paste it than to repeat these steps each fourth dimension. You lot can do this with the correct-click menu or past selecting information technology and pressing Ctrl+C and Ctrl+Five.
Map Avails
Though I don't recommend creating entire custom maps in Roll20, it is very easy to brand meaning additions such as adding a few extra trees, a campsite, or ravenous, deadly flames. You can click here to browse all of my map assets.
In full general, the scale of these avails is not of import. I recommend going with any looks right and fits the grid conveniently, and placing them on the Map & Background layer unless they are something that volition probable motility, such equally a railroad vehicle or trap.
Actor and Monster Tokens
Creature tokens are an integral function of any map, every bit they correspond the all-important heroes and villains doing battle! You tin click here to view my pre-made tokens, or your tin can click here to visit the 2-Infinitesimal Token Editor.
In general, these tokens are designed to snap to the grid and should be resized to some number of filigree squares, but you may wish to tweak them by holding Alt while resizing them.
Assigning a token to a Character
To save a token's dimensions, other settings, and (optionally) to requite another player control over it, y'all tin can assign it to a Character.
- To create a new character, navigate to your Journal (in the top-right menu) and press "Add" so "Character."
- Edit the Character by clicking its list entry in the Journal and clicking "Edit" in the window that opens.
- Assign a token to the grapheme by first clicking the desired token on the page and then clicking "Use Selected Token" in the Edit Character window. The token image volition appear in identify of the push.
- (Optional) Grant ownership of this token to a player by entering their proper noun in the "Can be edited and controlled by" field.
- Printing the "Save Changes" button.
After y'all accept set up a Grapheme in this way, yous can elevate-and-drop it from the Periodical and onto the page just like whatsoever asset from your Art Library. However, a Character will relieve its dimensions and other settings no thing the page, dissimilar an Art Library asset. Handy!
Spell Templates
Spell templates are a convenient tool for aiming your area-of-effect spells, and they look super absurd to boot! You tin can click here to browse my spell assets and so far.
Since the dimensions of spell templates are so important and you likely want your players to be able to motility and position them, I recommend creating a drove of "Characters" in your Journal for them past following the "Assigning a token to a Character" guide to a higher place. Your wizard thespian will so be able to drag-and-drop his Fireball "Grapheme" from his Journal onto the map whenever they delight!
Set Pieces
Equally a final nugget type, in that location is the map/asset hybrid that I call "set pieces" which includes buildings, boats, and other battle maps with a transparent groundwork designed to exist placed over some other battle map. Y'all can click here to scan my set piece collection.
The dimensions of fix pieces are usually important, as they incorporate walls and obstacles that conform to the filigree. The intended dimensions will exist listed in the filename of the asset, which includes the transparent padding around the edge.
Yous can set up the map dimensions in the same way we did for the battle map; by correct clicking the nugget and navigating to Advanced > Ready Dimensions in the menu that appears. Select "Units" instead of "Pixels" and enter the desired width and superlative. Click "Gear up" to ostend.
Earlier Y'all Become
If y'all enjoy my content, you'll want to be notified when I upload something new. Please come join united states on social media, or subscribe to my email newsletter! I aim to make a new map or asset pack one time a week. 🙂
For exclusive map variants and fifty-fifty the PSD files, consider joining the amazing customs that makes these maps possible:
That'southward all for now. I hope this guide has been useful to y'all! Please leave any feedback or questions in the comments below and, if you are interested in more of our content, please bask some of our recent articles below. Farewell!
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Ross McConnell
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Source: https://2minutetabletop.com/beginners-guide-to-roll20/