Foundry VTT - Scene Elevation Region Module

[polar gazelle]

A Module to create elevated scenes in FoundryVTT inspired by Codex
https://github.com/OmerCora/scene-elevation-region/tree/main

You can find the module in Foundry VTT module list.

Mostly to declutter the main FoundryVTT System channel and keep it focused on the elevation module.
A work in progress, open to any suggestions. 🙂

@forest cedar For the time being best way to work is toggling this one

@forest cedar Elevated shadows definitely broke, thanks for reporting. will take a look

[forest cedar]

Awesome! This module is fantastic, amazing work. Reminds me of some of the parallax stuff we do on Ember, although by a different method.

[nimble latch]

what settings did you use for that demo video? having trouble recreating that effect

[polar gazelle]

Just the "2.5D Parallax" preset and Parallax Strength: Strong, also you can bump the elevation scale to 10 for taller building

make sure you get the latest version, the Default is now the same as 2.5D parallax preset but you might have to click the Reset Defaults button at the top of module settings once to set it up

[nimble latch]

oh yep, was using an old version. thanks!

[gritty sinew]

Is there any way to scale how quickly token scale increases? Because it seems quite extreme for a 1 elevation increase.

[balmy pagoda]

Seriously impressive!

[polar gazelle]

For 2.5D parallax:

• try reducing Elevation Scale
• also Depth Scale to Compressed should give lower elevations in lower heights

[polar gazelle]

New features: Move to offset indicator

Toggle Parallax keybind (default O)

Elevated grid (overrides the foundry system grid)
Notice how elevated grid is moving but surface grid is stationary

[lyric aspen]

• Perhaps a token increment scale setting per elevation up to cap? (re: earlier comment)

• Can we have the option to exempt movement types from height adjustment? (Fly/Burrow), as there may be times players want to maintain a certain elevation when moving around the map.

• Can we consider a set color scale to elevation regions as constants? It may be easier to then filter visually.

I find that I need to turn on Unconstrained Movement for working with the regions, I'm not sure if this is a module item or Foundry in moving between elevations this way. Yet I try to set elevation while "flying" to go on top of a same height object and then hit an invisible wall.

[polar gazelle]

"Can we have the option to exempt movement types from height adjustment? (Fly/Burrow), as there may be times players want to maintain a certain elevation when moving around the map." - This is hard to implement as it will most likely be system specific, still looking into options

@lyric aspen sry i couldn't follow this one: Perhaps a token increment scale setting per elevation up to cap? You mean like a per region scale?

[lyric aspen]

I was referring to Ady's item as the token scale was a tad large. My thought was perhaps an increment of scale by elevation of the token setting. E.g. 1.10 at 1, 1.20 at 2, etc. Using numbers for example more than realism. Where an increase/decrease in elevation of 1 is a 0.1 increase/decrease in token size.

[polar gazelle]

Ah i misread, you guys were saying token scaling.

So if you set this setting at the bottom, it will become that scale at the highest elevated region in the map

and it will scale itself based on other values

[gritty sinew]

Right, so the scaling right now is based on the highest elevation on the map?

[polar gazelle]

yes

so if the highest elevation is 4 and token scaling is 1.5

it will be 1.25 at 2

[gritty sinew]

Ok, fair nuff

[polar gazelle]

will be in the next update

[forest cedar]

Getting this error when trying to update the module

[lyric aspen]

I don't think one was put in the package as is.

Author is also blank.

Till then though there's always: https://github.com/OmerCora/scene-elevation-region/releases/download/v1.0.2/module.json

[polar gazelle]

wait are you trying to update to 1.0.2

[forest cedar]

Ah I was on 1.0.2 but thought there was a new version

[polar gazelle]

lemme see i thought i had it

[forest cedar]

Wouldn't usually get this error though even if there wasn't a new version

[polar gazelle]

yea i havent released it just yet

trying to add fly/burrow

for draw steel

[forest cedar]

Is this how the shadows are intended to work? They move around a lot when I pan the camera

Settings used in video

[lyric aspen]

Just a guess but Shadow Length is set to Extreme.

[forest cedar]

Same happens when shadow length is set to shorter values, except for Off

Might be intentional though. Having the shadow length set to off and shadow type set to texture melded cast produces a lovely effect with static shadows

[lyric aspen]

I'm not sure how to make that system agnostic but I'm guessing movement modes differ or some might have different definitions that could be selected if directors wanted more granular control. I'm a total novice on that though.

[polar gazelle]

yea that looks like responsive mode intended for outline only, try the "Sun at edge mode", and then choose the "Arrow" select mode in the elevation menu

Then you should be able to drag the Sun icon that appears at the edge of the map

but yea shadows are not meant to be fully 3D yet, i just put them initially as depth indicator, i might look into actual shadow casting in the future

[polar gazelle]

Draw Steel only: Fly/Burrow

@lyric aspen While token movement mode is Fly, elevation is retained while moving into lower elevations, you can move up in higher elevation regions, also added a flying animation.
For burrow, you get a brown tint while you have negative elevation

Hope I didnt break anything 😄

sending the update shortly

[lyric aspen]

That looks great, can’t wait to play with it more!

[polar gazelle]

Released v1.0.3, changes:

• Added option to toggle Parallax to make drawing easier (Keybind: O)
• New token scaling mode: Elevation Per Scaling
• Moving tokens on an elevated region now displays an additional offset line which shows exactly where the token will land.
• New Module Setting: Grid Mode, override foundry map grid to occlude grid lines from walls and paint appropriate grids that move with parallax over elevated regions.
• Draw Steel only: Added Fly/Burrow handling for elevation.

[lyric aspen]

I need to keep reminding myself that the Active Effect of Flying is not the movement mode.

[mellow tangle]

Question: There's also a module called Terrain Designer. Do these work together or does one replace the other? It feels like there's overlap but I'm not too sure.

[nimble latch]

Terrain Designer is my module - they both serve the same general purpose but aren't explicitly compatible, and in fact there are a few buggy interactions if you try to use both at the same time.

[mellow tangle]

Lmao, me again. Sorry it's prep day for me. I tried to use this one but the token movement becomes very choppy. Anyone else getting this?

Edit: For whatever reason it's only happening in a specific map. Might be a resource intensive thing? Other maps don't get the choppy movement.

[polar gazelle]

hmm is the map 1 sq per grid

[mellow tangle]

i'm using the second level of the delian tomb (not from the paid module) and it says grid is 140 pixels, is that what you meant?

[mellow tangle]

Distance: 1
Units: sq

[polar gazelle]

Hmm they look fine could you record a video please also showing your scene elevation settings, I can investigate when I get back home next Thursday

[mellow tangle]

I was using default settings, unfortunately in my troubleshooting i deleted the map and it hasn't happened again so i can't replicated (plus idk how to record my screen lmao)

[polar gazelle]

Maybe some setting got stuck from a previous version 🤷‍♂️

[lyric aspen]

Is there a way to place a tile or other item on top of one of the regions and have it be visible?

e.g. fire animation on a burning roof, or a text label.

What I'm finding is that if I use the region, all tiles, text or otherwise is hidden by it as if it is an element in the foreground.

[polar gazelle]

in the tile settings you should be able to modify elevation and then move the tile into the elevated region