JL @ TileForge

NPC Challenge

With the upcoming public launch of the NPCTool we're thinking about ways to stay more connected with our supporters and more importantly - ways for you to connect with one another.

The idea is simple - Each week (or month?) we put out a category (e.g. villain, shopkeeper) and a theme (e.g. horror, high fantasy) and invite anyone who wants to participate in creating an NPC. Everyone shares their creation and we can give feedback/support/ideas.

Before we put any effort into organi...

Hot Fix: Texture Loading Bug

Hey everyone,

Over the past month people have reported an issue with textures not loading in properly. This was happening on high density screens since the switch to spritesheets. A fix was pushed this morning that should resolve this issue.

Happy map-building!

P.S. I haven't forgotten about the new art drops, they are ready. I needed to build out a better filtering system so that the fantasy and sci-fi tiles don't get mixed in together.

Hot Fix: Load Times

If you logged into the app in the last few weeks, you may have noticed a serious slow down in the time it takes to load in on the first try.

This release fixes this issue by reducing the number of textures that need to get fetched (and requests that get sent out). I've timed it on all of my devices and used 2 different networks and the initial load reliably takes about 10-15 seconds. After that it loads in in 2-4 seconds.

You'll also see a new loading progress message that shows y...

October Art Poll

It's time we got back to regular art releases. And with that, I need your input. Below are a list of themes that could help guide the direction of the new tiles for this month. Pick your favourite or comment a different idea/theme in the comments below.

I'll be putting together 10-12 new tiles based on whatever theme wins. After the theme is selected, you'll have the chance to suggest individual tile suggestions.

Feature Update: Brush Mode + Room Tool

This afternoon we're releasing a new update with several new features including the much requested brush tool for terrain. We'll release individual posts highlight all of the new features over the upcoming month so that you can see them in action and learn how they work.

Here's a list of all of the changes.

New Features:  

* Brush Mode: You can now select the brush mode when using the floor tool. 

* New Tool: Room T...

TileForge Hotfix #1

Hey folks,

I've just pushed a fix to the map builder for several bugs that have come up from the community and my own testing. Below is a list of the fixes:

• Fixed subgrid dots disappearing on zoom
• Fixed selecting a single object (hit box bug)
• Added default thumbnail for unsaved maps
• Added unsaved changes check + prompt if leaving page without saving
• Fixed local caching to use Base64 instead of URLs
• Added logic to refresh/overwrite...
  2023-07-26 15:02:09 +0000 UTC View Post

Revving Up the TileForge Engine and Procedural Dungeons Incoming

Hello, dear Patrons!

A much needed breather, and back to action!

The past month was a bit of a departure from the usual grind of fixing the map builder, as I allowed myself a short hiatus to breathe, spend quality time with family, and invest in new content and ideas. But worry not! Starting August, I will be back in full throttle with my bug-fixing wizardry.

Procedural Dungeons: The New Frontier

One thing we've been busy tinkering with over the past ...

New Builder (Release)

After nearly a year of work, we're ready to release the new and improved map builder.

You can access the builder here: app.tileforge.com 

To log in, you just need to use your Discord account (it will walk you through authorization). Once you land in the dashboard, you'll need to create a new map to enter the builder.

The first time you load it will take anywhere from 20-60 seconds to load into the edit...

July Update #2

Hey folks, we pushed another update this morning including the following changes.

New Tiles

We've added in a few new tiles to the desert theme, including Sandstone walls, sandstone columns, wagons (3 styles), a sandstone throne, tumbleweeds, and a new water tile for folks who are building boats.

Owlbear Changelog v0.0.5

July 29th 2021

Features:

• Stair Tool:    You can now use the stair tool to easily...
  2021-07-30 12:55:02 +0000 UTC View Post

July Update

Hi folks, welcome to all of the new patrons and thank you to all of the patrons who continue to support our project. We've got two updates - one art release and a builder update.

This month... we're doing desert art! We had a request on the Discord channel for Indiana Jones themed artwork and decided to dive head first into it. This art drop is one of two that will be coming out this month for this theme. Included in the drop are tombs, clay pots, sandstone rocks, dese...

April Tile Update

Here's a quick look at the latest tile release - all new tiles are live on the builder for everyone to use. Expect to see a release around this size each month. If you have any requests, feel free to post them on the Discord, comment below, or email me directly at jl@owlbear.co.

And a special thanks to all of our existing and new patrons who have joined in April - we're seeing more uptake than we original expected which suggests you guys are spreading the word.

JL

Launch Update!

Hi folks,

We’re excited to have everyone join us on this journey to build Owlbear.

You’re likely wondering how this is all going to work! Don’t worry, I’ll explain.

If you didn’t see the update from yesterday, you should be receiving an email later tonight (between 6-8PM EST) including a beta-key and a link to the builder.

This update is a super long one, but I hope you take the time to skim through it. First, we’ll go through a brief tutorial of how to use...

January Update

As 2020 comes to an end and the new year starts, we’re excited to announce that our map builder beta will open up March 31st, 2021.

A Note for Previous Patrons

With this release, any previous patrons who have contributed at least $1 to our page will still be eligible for a beta key. We’re thankful for your support and hope that what we’ve built helps improve your tabletop gaming experience.

Pledge Format Updates

For all new pa...

May Release - Town Building Kit

Hey everyone, I’m excited to release something that I’ve been working on for a few months now – our Town Building Kit!

In this release, you’ll have everything you need to recreate a map layout like the example you see below. Not only does it include the house icons for town map building, but also the high-resolution versions of the actual house layouts!

This allows you to place a house icon in your town map, then take the corresponding layout of that hou...