What's the cheapest, easiest way to print and use maps? They save as JPEG files when I right-click on them and open in new screen, and I can print 8.5/11 etc but I want poster sized (24/30) maps suitable for using pawns / minis.
I'm ok with breaking it up into 8.5/11 sheets and taping together, but don't know how.
I know I can send to printer (tried a few for quotes ups store, staples, etc) and very expensive $40-$50 for one poster map! Not gonna happen that's too much.
Any tips / tricks appreciated I'm not the most techy sort but can usually find my way around!
Here's how I do it (using photoshop but it should work with free software too).
Download the full resolution map
Open it in photoshop*
Set the ruler scale to inches
Measure the length of a grid side
Calculate the scale factor; 100/L where L is the length of a grid side from step 4. (note, this is for 1 square = 5 feet. For 1 square = 10 feet, use 200/L)
Adjust the images scale up (or down) by the figure you get from step 5
Remeasure a grid side to check it's now 1 inch (2 inches if 10 feet per grid square)
Save the image out as a PDF
Open in adobe reader
Set the print mode to poster. This will give you overlap edges and cut markers.
Print one page and measure the squares to check they're the right size
If this works, print everything else (I recommend black and white/greyscale, with low quality)
For Step 4; find the measurement/ruler tool (shift+M) and then measure along a side of one of the grid spaces. Assuming your ruler setting is in inches, this will tell you how big the map will currently print. For example, if you measure the side of a grid line and it's 1/4 inches, you'll know that you need to make the map 4x bigger (400%)
well it wasn't perfect but I think I got it sorted out, wasn't precisely one inch but close enough - thanks for your help!
Oddly the Amber Temple scale is 1 square = 10 feet? Some of the rooms are small so all the effort of printing was kind of a waste . . . with all the minis in the room it's almost necessary to hand draw it anyway with 5 foot scale. Otherwise the room is a little crowded and pretty much like not having a map at all..!
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What's the cheapest, easiest way to print and use maps? They save as JPEG files when I right-click on them and open in new screen, and I can print 8.5/11 etc but I want poster sized (24/30) maps suitable for using pawns / minis.
I'm ok with breaking it up into 8.5/11 sheets and taping together, but don't know how.
I know I can send to printer (tried a few for quotes ups store, staples, etc) and very expensive $40-$50 for one poster map! Not gonna happen that's too much.
Any tips / tricks appreciated I'm not the most techy sort but can usually find my way around!
Here's how I do it (using photoshop but it should work with free software too).
Find my D&D Beyond articles here
Thanks, got GIMP trying it out but not sure what you mean step 4. Will play around with it and see.
For Step 4; find the measurement/ruler tool (shift+M) and then measure along a side of one of the grid spaces. Assuming your ruler setting is in inches, this will tell you how big the map will currently print. For example, if you measure the side of a grid line and it's 1/4 inches, you'll know that you need to make the map 4x bigger (400%)
Find my D&D Beyond articles here
well it wasn't perfect but I think I got it sorted out, wasn't precisely one inch but close enough - thanks for your help!
Oddly the Amber Temple scale is 1 square = 10 feet? Some of the rooms are small so all the effort of printing was kind of a waste . . . with all the minis in the room it's almost necessary to hand draw it anyway with 5 foot scale. Otherwise the room is a little crowded and pretty much like not having a map at all..!