TerraScriber
  • Welcome to TerraScriber
  • Getting Started
    • Quickstart
    • Shortcut Keys & Controls
    • Effects Examples
  • CREATING MAPS
    • Creating/Loading Maps
    • Editor Overview
    • Editing Layers
    • Editing Items
    • Effects & Settings
    • Resizing Your Map
    • Exporting Your Map
  • CREATING CONTENT
    • Creator Quickstart
    • Importing a Content Pack
  • RELEASE NOTES
    • v1.1.X
    • v1.2.X
    • v1.3.X
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  • Create A New Map
  • Editing Your Map
  1. Getting Started

Quickstart

A quick overview of how TerraScriber works.

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Last updated 4 months ago

TerraScriber makes it easy to create attractive maps for your virtual or tabletop gaming session! This page summarizes the overall workflow to create a map.

TerraScriber uses a grid-based system for creating maps that works nicely with most grid-based tabletop games. The default content that comes with TerraScriber assumes that a grid square is approximately five feet.

Create A New Map

You can create a new map on the main title screen. Once created, the new map will automatically be given a filename and saved to disk. The new empty map will show up in the list of maps and will be available for editing.

Editing Your Map

Layers define the main "geometry" of your map and are grid based - things like floors, walls, pathways, rooms, and waterways.

Items are decorative map elements and are not grid based - things like tables, chairs, signposts, trees, and virtually anything else can be placed as an Item.

Items always render on top of Layers.

Camera Control

Use the mouse wheel to zoom in and out. The current zoom is shown in the bottom left status bar.

Press middle mouse to drag/pan the map.

Holding the space key will also drag/pan the map if you are using a touchpad or do not have a middle click.

Saving Your Map

Once you create a map, it will automatically be saved constantly as you edit. Drawing Layer tiles, placing, duplicating, or repositioning items, and similar activities trigger a save.

At this time, TerraScriber does not have undo functionality. Changing the name of your map in the Map Settings panel will save it to a new filename on disk and is the only way to make big changes safely. This is something we plan to address in a future version release.

Changing Map Effects

The resizing feature is coming soon and will appear in the Map Settings panel.

Exporting Your Map

TerraScriber divides editing into two main modes: and .

Check out the page for all shortcuts!

You can change the map name and apply effects to the overall look of your map in .

You can export your map at different scales using the .

Layers
Items
Shortcut Keys & Controls
Settings mode
Export mode