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dmw71
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Google Drive

#1 Post by dmw71 »

I've been using it to great success so far in my current game: 'Resurface!.' Not only did I create the map I'm using for the game in a Google Spreadsheet, but it's so easy to add notes (e.g. monster hit points, initiative rolls, etc...) in the spreadsheet as well.

I'll share the link to my entire spreadsheet once the game is completed, but here is how I've been using it so far:
1) First, I created the map. The complete, keyed map. For this overview map, I set the row size and column size each to 10, and used "light cornflower blue 1" for the background color. I renamed the worksheet with this fully keyed map to "DM's Map."
2) I created a copy of this "DM's Map" and named it "Player Map." I deleted all the key information (e.g. room numbers, trap locations, etc...) so it's just a blank overview map.

Here is my actual room #1 from my "DM's Map":
DM-Rm1.png
DM-Rm1.png (5.21 KiB) Viewed 6764 times
Here is the same room #1 from my "Player Map":
Player-Rm1.png
Player-Rm1.png (5.62 KiB) Viewed 6764 times
Note: The above isn't the greatest example because all that was removed between the two was the room number, but if there was a trap or other special notation on the "DM" map, it would be removed on the "Player" map.

3) I created a new worksheet for each room on the complete map (e.g. 1, 2, 3....). In each room worksheet, I would copy the room details from the "Player Map" and paste it into the appropriate worksheet for that room. I doubled the size of the row and column (from 10 to 20) to allow notes to be added on the map (e.g. character and monster markers, etc...) without the squares resizing automatically.
1-Rm1.png
1-Rm1.png (32.61 KiB) Viewed 6764 times
Not shown on the above screen capture are the other copies of the same map for the room in question, updated to reflect any character/monster movement.

Note: You can also see, off to the right of the main map, where I was adding notes specific to that room. I added a direct link to the surprise roll for the encounter, the number of hit points the monster had (with a link to that roll in the die roller), etc....

4) I also froze the first five rows (View > Freeze rows > Freeze 5 rows) and added a header where I keep frequently needed information.
Header.png
Header.png (24.56 KiB) Viewed 6764 times
How I use this header is still a work in progress, but even just knowing the class, hit points and armor class for each character has been enough so far.

Here is a quick snapshot of the various worksheets:
Worksheets.png
Worksheets.png (7.43 KiB) Viewed 6764 times
The first tab, labeled 'Key', is what I set up originally to consolidate a brief set of notes about each room (the numbers in black (e.g. '33') represent the number of Comments saved on that worksheet). I do refer to it occasionally, but have found now that the game is officially underway, I'm copying most information from it into other worksheets (see step 3, above).

It's still very much a work in progress, but I have found Google Drive to be an invaluable tool in helping keep track of all the various administration tasks required of a DM.


It's also worth mentioning that you do not need to have a Gmail address to use Google Drive (though, why wouldn't you?).

See: Create a Google Account Without a Gmail Address
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thirdkingdom
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Re: Google Drive

#2 Post by thirdkingdom »

Yeah, Google Drive is pretty awesome. I especially like that it can be edited by multiple people. So, you are nicer than I am and map for your players; if my players want dungeon maps they have to do it themselves, and letting everyone edit is a good way to ensure that no one person has to share the burden.

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dmw71
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Re: Google Drive

#3 Post by dmw71 »

My 'Resurface!' game just came to a successful end, so it's now safe to share the actual, unedited map I used every day as part of it: Resurface!

Now that the game has concluded and I've had a chance to put a Google Spreadsheet through its paces, I also shared a few afterthoughts in response to player questions:
dmw71 wrote:"Though, I will probably make a few changes from what I have in this one.

1) While it was really only a matter of creating the fully keyed DM map, copying it, renaming this copy to 'Player Map' and stripping away all the keyed information; having the separate 'DM' and 'Player' map really wasn't necessary and I probably won't bother next time. I quickly found how incredibly easy it is to get what I need and revise as necessary on the fly. More on this in the next point.

2) I also probably won't bother creating a separate worksheet for each room in advance. Some room inevitably won't be explored, so they won't be necessary. Because of how fast it is to copy what you need from the main 'DM' map, having the 'DM' map and an extra open tab or two that you can paste what you need into should be enough.

3) Also, a lot of mapping is required of hallways/passages -- maybe more of that than the rooms themselves -- and I didn't consider that originally. If I had, I probably would have created isolated maps of every single hallway in advance as well. It's just too much unnecessary work. It's exactly like my second point above.

Create a master map and just copy and paste what you need from it as it's needed.

That's really all I can think of at the moment, but feel free to ask any questions and I'll be happy to share.
"
dmw71 wrote:"It was so easy to use. It took some work up front to put together, but it was incredibly easy to use in-game. Copy what you need, paste that section into a blank area somewhere, make the necessary changes (e.g. monster placement, character movement, etc...) and you're good. It will be my defacto mapping system going forward without question."
dmw71 wrote:"One thing I didn't do, that I might in future games, is somehow mark the players' progress on the map itself."
Now, after using them for an entire (albeit, short) game, I still highly recommend Google Spreadsheets for mapping and/or tracking DM information.
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ToniXX
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Re: Google Drive

#4 Post by ToniXX »

I just played around with this and it works great! This is an excellent system you've devised!
Do you post an image of the current map for the players?
I looked at your campaign and answered my question. What did you do to get the PNG images? Where did you host them? I've been using Flickr, but I'd like to use drive instead.

I recently added the ability to embed docs spreadsheets. You could post individual maps with that system, without having to make PNGs and host them somehwere. But you'd have to have many spreadsheet files or many sheets in one or two files
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dmw71
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Re: Google Drive

#5 Post by dmw71 »

ToniXX wrote:I just played around with this and it works great! This is an excellent system you've devised!
Thanks. I think the maps for this game were waaaay better than my Foxmoor maps, and were much easier to build and maintain. I fully intend on using this system for all future games I run as well.
ToniXX wrote:What did you do to get the PNG images?
Good question. I actually use a screen capture application -- SnagIt (paid) on my personal laptop and Jing (free) on my work computer.
ToniXX wrote:Where did you host them?
The captures are actually saved to my computer, then I upload them as attachments and use the 'Place inline' option to place them where I want in the actual post.
ToniXX wrote:I've been using Flickr, but I'd like to use drive instead.
I rarely host images and use the 'Img' tag, but I use PhotoBucket when I do. For instance, the character image for Lenore, in your new X1 game, is hosted on PhotoBucket. Every single image in 'Resurface!' was a screen capture uploaded as attachments as described above.
ToniXX wrote:I recently added the ability to embed docs spreadsheets. You could post individual maps with that system, without having to make PNGs and host them somehwere. But you'd have to have many spreadsheet files or many sheets in one or two files.
I did notice that you added that ability, which is cool, but it didn't really work with my "system" as I never actually shared a complete map.


If you have other questions, definitely feel free to ask.
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ToniXX
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Re: Google Drive

#6 Post by ToniXX »

dmw71 wrote:Good question. I actually use a screen capture application -- SnagIt (paid) on my personal laptop and Jing (free) on my work computer.
I've been taking screen captures with the built in windows capture: [CTRL]-[ALT]-[SHIFT]-[PrtScr]
Then I paste it into photoshop cs3 and crop appropriately. I know, photoshop isn't cheap, but I have it and know it :)
dmw71 wrote:The captures are actually saved to my computer, then I upload them as attachments and use the 'Place inline' option to place them where I want in the actual post.
Got it. I always forget about that feature :lol:
dmw71 wrote:I did notice that you added that ability, which is cool, but it didn't really work with my "system" as I never actually shared a complete map.
Here's one of your maps, pasted into a spreadsheet in my Drive. I published just the first sheet of the spreadsheet (you can specify that in when you originally share the spreadsheet.

I might use this and just edit the map with each round or turn that passes... but that doesn't maintain history. The previous embedded map would be updated as well... HMMMM. One would also have to use a different sheet to track the other stuff that you don't want players to see. You couldn't do it on the same page as the current map.

At any rate, this is a great system you've devised and I'll put it to use in some fashion for sure! Thanks for sharing.

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dmw71
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Re: Google Drive

#7 Post by dmw71 »

ToniXX wrote:Then I paste it into photoshop cs3 and crop appropriately. I know, photoshop isn't cheap, but I have it and know it.
I wish I knew Photoshop -- no doubt it's be really helpful! Isn't CS3 where you have to pay monthly?
ToniXX wrote:Here's one of your maps, pasted into a spreadsheet in my Drive. I published just the first sheet of the spreadsheet (you can specify that in when you originally share the spreadsheet.
Oh, you can specify to display just a worksheet? Hmmm... that might be something I'll have to look into it (though, I tend to place a lot of notes and "stuff" in the same worksheet I'm using.

Hey, the point is to get people using Google Drive. How they use it... that's up to them. ;)
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