Miska Fredman

Captain's Starlog: March 2023

Added 2023-03-02 06:31:55 +0000 UTC

Hi everyone,

It's stardate 202303.02, and it's time to recap the last month's releases and review this month's plans. The recent poll about different kinds of content and features you find helpful proved very useful and was a great reality check for me.

The results helped me to make some decisions I've been considering for some time, and there is also some pretty big news which I will cover in detail below.

Topics in brief:

We are moving back to mainly handcrafted maps instead of Dungeondraft.
Forge VTT content will get more love it deserves.
Alien RPG and Warhammer 40K-inspired maps are coming up next.
Mythos Maps changing focus to dark fantasy with magitek and steampunk elements.
Tier updates are coming up to consolidate the tiers and rewards between different projects.
Poll: Mixed maps vs. Themed maps

February Releases

In February, we published the following maps. The Stealth Ship deckplan did not make it into February's releases, but that will be the first deckplan of March (finally :) ).

We also published a new Foundry VTT module, Sci-Fi Scenes Vol 4, but due to some technical difficulties, it does not have all the latest maps yet. These maps will be included in the next update.

Maps

Foundry VTT Modules

Sci-Fi Scenes Vol 4

Handcrafted Maps + Dungeondraft as a Tool

I've been using Dungeondraft for making maps for around six months now, and while it is excellent at some things and an excellent tool for creating maps in general, I feel that the maps lack something. A human-touch? It's about some minor details and certain restrictions the software has. Using a digital brush gives much more control in creating the map colors, shades, highlights, and and textures.

After much consideration, I have decided to focus more on handcrafted maps and reduce the role of Dungeondraft in making maps.

In practice, this means that some Dungeondraft features, like the editable files, will not always be available, or they do not represent the final version of the map. I might use Dungeondraft for making the base of the map, but I do all the details, texturing and propping on Photoshop or Procreate, for example.

We will keep the Dungeondraft asset packs updated with the latest assets as we create new prop packs.

Foundry VTT Gets a Big Boost

In the recent poll about different types of content and features, Foundry VTT modules got a lot of votes. To be honest, I was not surprised, but this made me realize that I really should put more effort into the Foundry VTT content.

In short, this means I will schedule more time for the Foundry VTT content.

Some goals and plans related to this:

Some maps will you the foreground layer when it adds to the play experience.
Scenes will have related journals with information about the map; some might have descriptions for the rooms/areas.
Some modules or scenes can have actors or rules for specific open systems (Starfinder, Year Zero Engine, Death in Space, and 5E are likely candidates).
Modules will have playlists with audio sources on maps (when available).
Scenes will have weather effects (FXMaster) and transition points at stairs or elevators (Multilevel tokens), and I will look into ways to create other functionalities and effects.
I'm looking into making maps propped with tiles so that all (relevant) furniture, crates, etc., are movable or can be interacted with.

In short, my goal is to bring the Foundry VTT content to the next level. This will take time and require effort, and I will implement these changes and additions gradually. I will start with the latest content and move to older content when there's some spare time. I hope you will start seeing these additions later this month or in April at the latest.

This Month:

This month we have some WIP deckplans and modular space station sections coming up. And after these, we will move to a new map theme - or two.

Next Theme: Alien & WH40K Inspired Maps

In the latest map theme poll, Warhammer 40 K-inspired map theme won, and the Alien-inspired theme came second. Biomechanical structures and Battlefields almost shared third place.

Warhammer 40K/Necromunda-inspired maps and assets are already being worked on, and the first releases should be coming soon. We are also working on some Alien-inspired content. But as usual, we'll keep in mind that these maps might also be used in other settings.

What we have in mind:

WH40K-inspired maps will take place on the huge fortress city of Ferromortis. The city is built like a tall tapering tower, almost a kilometer high. In addition to the part above the surface, underground levels go deep into the planet's crust. This first set of gothic sci-fi maps will explore the lower levels of Ferromortis. Later we might wander outside the city into the wastelands or the lavish upper levels of the city.
We plan to introduce a terraforming or mining colony and some related vehicles for the Alien-inspired maps. Obviously, a xenomorph is involved. Let's see if we could have a Nestor-class space tug deckplan made or some deckplans or battle maps for United Nations Colonial Marines spaceships and facilities.

Tier Updates Coming

As you might know, besides this Patreon, I have two other Patreon projects: Miska's Cyberpunk Maps and Miska's Mythos Maps.

During March and April, I will update (some of) the tiers and their rewards. The goal is to consolidate the rewards and tiers with all projects so that each Patreon has similar levels with similar rewards. So, don't be surprised if you notice at some point that your tier has been moved to legacy status and is not offered anymore.

This is just a heads-up at the moment, and I can't say about the details yet, but as before, I will inform you about any possible changes in rewards per tier. Any pricing changes do not affect you unless you switch your tier.

No action is required from you now or later unless you want to switch your tier.

Mythos Maps Changes

Oh yeah, about Mythos Maps.

After carefully considering it, I have shifted Mythos Maps' focus from Cthulhu Mythos and pulp to dark fantasy with steampunk and magitek elements.

Besides my personal preferences, I believe this change will better serve the Miska's Maps community as a whole and tie in better with other Miska's Maps projects.

Read the full announcement post here.

Mixed Maps vs. Themed Maps

Regarding monthly releases or Foundry VTT modules, would you prefer a mixed set of maps or themed sets?

In mixed sets, one map might be an urban office and another a crashed spaceship on a frontier world.

In themed sets, maps are somehow thematically connected; for example, they might be different buildings of a small colony or locations on a space station.

Vote for your preferred choice by the 10th of March. Thanks!

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That was a longer post than I planned, but I guess there was a lot to tell :)

Thank you for your support, and welcome to the crew for all new patrons!

Take care,

Miska