"Pre-assembled" skirmish maps

By ibsh, in Star Wars: Imperial Assault

Ibsh, would you consider doing a version of the images without the black background?

I did take a look after the last time it was discussed on thread, but it's a bit of a ball-ache to be honest. It's just not how I prepped the tiles. So you end up with funny black bits all over the place, which are hard to deal with elegantly.

You could use the colour-select tool in PS or GIMP or whatever to select (and delete) any contiguous areas of pure black; it would screw up the text though.

Ibsh, would you consider doing a version of the images without the black background?

I did take a look after the last time it was discussed on thread, but it's a bit of a ball-ache to be honest. It's just not how I prepped the tiles. So you end up with funny black bits all over the place, which are hard to deal with elegantly.

You could use the colour-select tool in PS or GIMP or whatever to select (and delete) any contiguous areas of pure black; it would screw up the text though.

Ok I'll have a fiddle

First prototype run is back from printer!

More complete review on BGG (I can't work out the "Gallery" etc on these forums):

https://boardgamegeek.com/article/20332941#20332941

Let me know what you think here or there...

PedroK - awesome work by you and ibsh - so we now need to share the large file that you compiled from ibsh's images? and then people that are interested can get printing them?

I can add it to the files section of BGG, I need to get it uploaded... I have it in two scales:

1/2 and 1/4 depending on the printer you use...

Full size render is totally unwieldy and comes in at around 2GB...

Edited by PedroK

I can add it to the files section of BGG, I need to get it uploaded... I have it in two scales:

1/2 and 1/4 depending on the printer you use...

1/2? 1/4? What do you mean? Surely we want it in full scale? Or I'm confused...

Usually when publishing documents that are larger than 6meters, you design to scale.

For example, Quark will not even allow you to create a project size larger than 6 meters.

So with these 14 maps, the finished project is big! ibsh's original pics are at 300 dpi, at half scale they will come out at 150 dpi when printed at 1:1 scale. These ones I printed were from a 1/4 scale document enlarged onto actual size canvas, so effective dpi is 75. The result was in itself very good. If the pictures were created at 600 dpi, then you could create a published document at 1/2 scale, that when scaled up to fullsize for printing would maintain 300 dpi resolution...

But 600 dpi images would be big... it all gets a bit painful the larger you get

Edited by PedroK

Oh ok - basically I want to print the images as you have done - £40~ for all 14 maps is a really good deal - how do I go about doing that?!?!

I think I'm correct in saying you used this site ?

Yeah that's the company... or you can take this one at a discount ;) :P !

If you want to be 100% sure with print companies, you can pay for an "image check" where someone on their team will check it out before printing

Yeah that's the company... or you can take this one at a discount ;) :P !

If you want to be 100% sure with print companies, you can pay for an "image check" where someone on their team will check it out before printing

So you're willing to part with the ones you made? Why?

Also I'm correct in saying they're ibsh's images that aren't *quite* tournament legal/completely true to the skirmish maps?

Yeah that's the company... or you can take this one at a discount ;) :P !

If you want to be 100% sure with print companies, you can pay for an "image check" where someone on their team will check it out before printing

So you're willing to part with the ones you made? Why?

Also I'm correct in saying they're ibsh's images that aren't *quite* tournament legal/completely true to the skirmish maps?

Because I want to make some personal modifications and try something new, but can't afford to just keep testing stuff at full price!

They are NOT tournament legal because FFG didn't make them. These images are however the complete map images that ibsh kindly created in addition to his "slimline" maps...

Edited by PedroK

Maps received - thanks! - good luck with the next experiment - what are you planning?

Hey all. The maps from Wave 3 (is it 3? I lose track) are finished and uploaded .

Oh, I also updated the rules on Chewie's map for the new FAQ.

thank you for all the great work

Ibsh, you are amazing!!

This game would simply not be viable at my school wargaming group without your efforts. I have already printed out three of your glorious maps for the kids to use, amended so that each square is 2 inches across rather than 1 inch (which I found horribly constricted when I first assembled the game's original cardboard jigsaw maps).

A lot of kids are getting a lot of pleasure out of your hard work, be assured.

Cheers,

Matt

Edited by hismhs

That's good to hear, Matt. Very pleased that they're useful.

These would be great for tournaments and things wonder if FFG will do some play mat style maps like x-wings star-fields.

These would be great for tournaments and things wonder if FFG will do some play mat style maps like x-wings star-fields.

I can't see a way of them doing it that's commercially viable for them and financially viable for consumers. There's what, something like 17 maps currently, and every single expansion comes with an additional map.

That's good to hear, Matt. Very pleased that they're useful.

Even more useful than you think. Your work is awesome.

These would be great for tournaments and things wonder if FFG will do some play mat style maps like x-wings star-fields.

I can't see a way of them doing it that's commercially viable for them and financially viable for consumers. There's what, something like 17 maps currently, and every single expansion comes with an additional map.

Yeah I agree. In many ways the jigsaw board is genius; I always liked it back in the days of Advanced Heroquest as well. It makes sound commercial sense, but is a bit impractical when you consider how quickfire a Skirmish game is. Probably fine for Campaign but that's not my jam.

FFG might end up selling playmats like the one they announced as a prize recently (for Worlds IIRC?) but it surely won't have a map on it; it just wouldn't make a lot of sense.

These are fantastic I absolutely love them and print them out for our tournaments. Everyone loves them it speeds everything up significantly!

These are fantastic I absolutely love them and print them out for our tournaments. Everyone loves them it speeds everything up significantly!

That's true. None of us will play a tournament without them. :lol:

These are fantastic I absolutely love them and print them out for our tournaments. Everyone loves them it speeds everything up significantly!

That's true. None of us will play a tournament without them. :lol:

Heh. Also nice to hear. What printers are you all using? I tried to find a printer near my new place in CA, to do a PVC banner print similar to the one PedroK got. But the nearest guy says he's not sure about how hardwearing the print will be, and he's also very expensive.

These are fantastic I absolutely love them and print them out for our tournaments. Everyone loves them it speeds everything up significantly!

That's true. None of us will play a tournament without them. :lol:

Heh. Also nice to hear. What printers are you all using? I tried to find a printer near my new place in CA, to do a PVC banner print similar to the one PedroK got. But the nearest guy says he's not sure about how hardwearing the print will be, and he's also very expensive.

This: Prixartprinting

To Spain, it is very, very cheap