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Set up a battle-map grid

GM onlyMatch Aether's grid to the lines printed on a map, or turn it off for a gridless scene.

Import a map, align its square or hex grid, and set the scene's distance scale.

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Every scene owns its grid. The active system supplies sensible starting values, but changing one scene never changes another map in the world.

#Import the map

On an empty scene, choose Upload map and select an image. Aether reads the image dimensions and uses them as the scene bounds on that first import. Replacing a map later keeps the bounds you have already calibrated. You can replace the image from Library → Records by opening the scene record and choosing its background.

#Line up a square grid

Open Grid setup

Choose Grid setup in the map tool rail. The controls update the canvas while they remain open.

Match the cell size

Set Cell size to the number of image pixels between two printed grid lines. Use a large, uninterrupted part of the map: an error of one pixel becomes obvious after ten cells.

Move the origin

Adjust X origin and Y origin until Aether's lines sit over the printed ones. The origin is measured from the image's upper-left corner.

Make the overlay readable

Choose the grid colour and opacity for this scene. These change the overlay only; they do not alter the imported image.

GM only
Aether's Grid setup panel over an imported tavern map, with a 70 pixel square grid aligned to the map
FigCell size and X/Y origin update the overlay on the imported map as you edit them.

#Use hexes or no grid

Choose Hex for a real axial hex grid, then choose Pointy top or Flat top. For hexes, cell size is the centre-to-centre distance across a shared side. Tokens snap to hex centres; Aether does not expose odd-row or even-row offset bookkeeping.

GM only
A pointy-top hex grid rendered over the imported tavern map with its orientation control visible
FigPointy-top and flat-top hexes use the same size and origin controls.

Choose Gridless when the image has no cells. Aether draws no grid and disables snapping for that scene. Your snap preference is retained for the next gridded scene. Cell size remains available as the pixel scale used by measurement.

#Set distance and units

Under Distance, set the value represented by one cell and its unit, such as 5 and ft. Choose how square-grid diagonals count:

  • Euclidean measures the geometric line.
  • Equal (1–1–1) counts a diagonal as one cell.
  • Alternating (1–2–1) alternates one and two cells for diagonal steps, carrying the sequence across ruler waypoints.

Hex distance always uses cube steps. Gridless measurement is Euclidean and uses the scene's pixel scale.

The system provides defaults when a scene is created or first upgraded. The scene stores the result, so installing a later version of the system does not silently change distances on maps already in use. If a system supplies nothing, Aether falls back to 1 units and Euclidean diagonals.

Draw walls for visionAdd the geometry that blocks computed sight.Set up fog and explorationChoose strict sight or remembered terrain.
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