Are you ready to take your adventure to the next level with Dynamic Lighting? Every adventure starts with a step. The first step for using our Dynamic Lighting feature is the Settings page.
“How do I get started?”
Toolbar Quick Access (Available in Jumpgate Only)
Your settings are now accessible quick and easy from the toolbar on the left-side of the tabletop! Scroll down the icons until you land on the Dynamic Lighting icon and click it to bring up the Dynamic Lighting options.
This modal interface lets you adjust options for the page as well as verifying the count of your light sources and number of tokens that have vision.
The Classic Method (Page Settings)
To start, click the page icon in the top right corner of the tabletop to open your Page Toolbar. In the Page Toolbar, you’ll see a chronological list of all the pages in your game.
If you hover your mouse over a specific page, a cogwheel icon will appear on the page's right side. You will see a tab labeled “Dynamic Lighting.” Under this tab, you can browse the various Lighting Settings.
Under the Dynamic Lighting tab, the first toggle you’ll see is also called “Dynamic Lighting.” That toggle needs to be turned on for any of the following features to work.
How to set up Dynamic Lighting (Classic Method)
In this tutorial, we explain to you how to set Dynamic Lighting on a map for your virtual campaign. You can use the Dynamic Lighting feature, if you have a Plus or Pro account subscription on Roll20.
"What are the 'Dynamic Lighting' Settings?"
Explorer Mode
- The explorer mode allows players to see areas of the map that they’ve already explored in grayscale.
- Note: If Explorer Mode is turned off, players can only see what's visible to their token based on the token´s vision and the available lighting.
Exploring, Hiding, and Revealing areas from the Toolbar! (Jumpgate)
- Explorer Mode can be enabled from the Dynamic Lighting section of the toolbar.
- To reveal or hide areas of the map, click on "Edit Explored Areas"
- Clicking on Reset will remove any explored section of the map.
- Toggling Explorer Mode does not remove explored areas and they will be remembered the next time it is enabled!
Resetting Explorer Mode and combine Hide/Reveal tool (Classic Tabletop)
In this video, we explain Explorer Mode in detail, go over the Dynamic Lighting Hide / Reveal Areas tools, and how to reset explorer mode. Dynamic Lighting is a feature for Plus and Pro accounts.
Daylight Mode
- The entire map can be illuminated using the daylight mode.
- You can adjust the brightness between bright as day, or set it up as dim morning mood lighting.
- Note: The daylight mode can also be useful when you want to still have barriers (like the walls of a house) but do not want to set up individual light sources (like torches)
Use Daylight Mode with Hide/Reveal mask
Easily adjust which areas are revealed to the party...
...and quickly hide away areas not meant to be!
(The following video is outdated to the current interface but still goes a good job of explaining the process.)
This Dynamic Lighting feature can be used to hide areas from your players and then reveal those areas at the perfect time. Dynamic Lighting is a feature for Plus and Pro accounts
Update on Token Drop
(Watch the video below for a more narrated experience. Please note that the Page UI has changed since this was recorded.)
Dynamic Lighting updates line-of-sight for players in real-time. Thus creating games that are tense, immersive, and tactile.
- Dynamic Lightning allows you to drag a token onto the map without revealing anything before the token has been placed.
- Note: This option is outstanding for GM's who want to move their player's token's and not have the Players see secrets or spoilers during the movement.
- Example: If your party's Wizard needs to teleport to another room, you can move their token there without revealing anything else. The only information shown would be where the token came from and where it was dropped.
GM Darkness Opacity
In the loop below, you can see the action of adding a hide mask and adjusting the opacity.
In this video, we show you how to adjust opacity on the Dynamic Lighting layer. This can help you better understand what your players are seeing.
- This setting allows you to adjust the opacity of the darkness to your own personal taste without revealing anything to your players. You can adjust the opacity to be very dark, very light, or somewhere in between, depending on your preference.
“Are there any other features?”
Restricting Movement
For additional control, you can use Restrict Movement. You'll find this option in the Page Details tab, which is located on the left side of the Page Settings pop-up. It can also be quickly enabled from the Dynamic Lighting option from the toolbar on the left-side of the tabletop!
Movement restriction uses a token's Bounding Box to block player-controlled tokens from crossing Dynamic Lighting barriers. This prevents accidental map reveals in areas that the player's token cannot normally see. The Bounding Box is shown in the picture below. In other words, Restrict Movement can help you set up hit detection for players’ tokens.
Overlay for Darkness
There are now multiple options for the darkness that players experience from unlit (even explored!) areas. In addition to the standard simple dark, there is a Dark Fog, and Pale Mist option.
With explorer mode on, this will display slightly different for revealed areas.
| Free | Plus | Pro | |
|---|---|---|---|
| Dynamic Lighting |
Looking to set up Dynamic Lighting quickly, or need to double check your work?
You can visit the Dynamic Lighting Checklist for a quick and easy walkthrough!