Removing hint text from shared prep maps

[Prethen]

As anyone who has done any GM'ing (and I'm still very new), you'll find that some of the uploaded maps to be used by the GM's for online games have letters, numbers, etc. on them indicating where creatures need to be or the area number, etc. I took the time to clean up these maps for one scenario (We Be Goblins Too!) and uploaded it to the shared prep site. For the most part it wasn't too hard and was kind of fun.

I wouldn't mind tackling other maps that need to be cleaned up in the prep site (but please note that it might take me awhile as I'll pick them up whenever time allows). Let me know what scenarios have maps you'd really like to see cleaned up and uploaded (I put the label of "-No Hints" in the file name to indicate that it has been scrubbed). I can't promise miracles. If the map has massive amounts of text or other things going across it, chances are it will be too hard to do and look good.

The first maps I'll attempt will be ones I've played already since I prefer to play the game before GM'ing it and/or spoiling the game ahead of time (and, as with anything, this will change in time as I GM more often).

[redward]

Please be aware that maps are subject to the community use policy:

Community Use Policy wrote:

You may use any of the text or artwork published in the Paizo Blog at paizo.com/paizo/blog, with the exception of excerpts of Planet Stories publications, Pathfinder Comics, and any logos and icons that aren't also in the Community Use Package. You may not use any photographs published in the blog (because those rights are usually not ours to offer). You may not use artwork, including maps, that have not been published in the blog, although you may create your own interpretations of material presented in our artwork and maps, provided that your interpretations don't look substantially similar to our materials.

So unless you are recreating the maps, and those recreations are substantially dissimilar in appearance to those in the scenarios, they'll have to be pulled down.

[Prethen]

Only difference is you'll be missing those "1" and "2" and "[X]" all over the map that you don't really want the players to see. Take a look at them for yourself.

[Jeff Merola]

Yeah, none of that stuff is supposed to be available on the Shared Prep, due to it violating the Community Use Policy.

[Prethen]

If that's the case I'm happy to pull all my stuff down. I was only improving upon what was already there. I thought the Shared Prep was exactly there for the precise reason of providing these maps for online play. And, I seem to recall reading stuff on these board (and I think from Paizo staff) stating that that type of support is cool and in the spirit of how the materials can be used (assuming the GM already has gained proper access to the actual PDF or paper version).

[Johnny Destroyer]

This sort of thing is massively problematic from a GMing point of view. I would prefer to use the published artwork and maps and show them to my players but I then need to put little patch post-its all over the place or have people say "I go check out what's in building number seven!" It seems like more that only the GM sees or knows about and not the players.

Years ago, didn't wotc offer marked and unmarked maps? Is such a thing not possible?

[Alex McGuire]

Usually you can just click on the maps in adobe and copy them over to paint and the maps won't have GM only stuff. It only works for PFS scenarios though.

[Purple Fluffy CatBunnyGnome]

Hey guys,

At one point, we could upload maps to the shared drive, however, it has been stated (and I think posted on the new website for the prep drive) that maps fall under copyright material(I'm sure someone can explain it better) and unfortunately we are not allowed to put maps up on the shared drive website anymore.

It would be advisable to email the admins for the drive website and let them know which scenarios had maps added so they can remove them

[GM Lamplighter]

Several of us are slowly uploading the maps we created for various scenarios, which are legal to post and use.

[Prethen]

Wouldn't the maps that are unique to the scenario be legal to upload since they're not ones that could be purchased anyway? As an example, Fangwood Keep, which by the way has the secret doors marked on the copy of the image. I spent the time to clean that up (for my own campaign) for the player version of the map and it looks as if they were never there. It's a shame I can't share that map for other GM's to use.

[TetsujinOni]

Nope, Prethen, go read the Community Use Policy quoted upthread.

Recreating a similar map is kosher, though. Lamplighter and my wife have both done some work on that front. (Bonekeep 1 looks a lot different for some of us, or Feast of Sigils :D)

[Pirate Rob]

Here is the relevant text from the community use policy:

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You may not use artwork, including maps, that have not been published in the blog, although you may create your own interpretations of material presented in our artwork and maps, provided that your interpretations don't look substantially similar to our materials.

---
So a map that you created that is functionally the same but isn't mistakable for Paizo art is probably fine.

An original or edited version of a map from a scenario, even when it's unique to that scenario is not.

[chris manning]

I can extract base level maps from scenarios, which usually removes any text layer, secret door info - also I'm fairly adept with photoshop and can cover any details that remain in maps.

If the map is for VTT use i can extend maps to an exact number of squares so they are easy to align to the VTT grid

I'm happy to assist people who dont have the relevant skillset/tools (my time permitting)