How to Switch Between a Tactical Map and Scene Images During Online Play

Use a same-scene toggle when the scene image is your main backdrop and you want to reveal a tactical layout temporarily for a fight. Foundry’s Tactical Map module describes this approach: it adds a control to switch between a normal scene and a tactical map on the active scene, then restores the prior zoom and position when you switch back. The module’s listing reports compatibility with Foundry versions 12–13, verified for version 13; check compatibility against your own installation before relying on it. Tactical Map module documentation

Use separate scenes when the tactical map is a different place, when it needs its own lighting or vision setup, or when you want to move the group from one location to another. Foundry distinguishes the active scene from the scene an individual user is viewing. Its GM can view a scene personally or activate it, which pulls connected users to it. That gives you a clear control point: inspect and prepare privately, then activate when the group should move. Foundry Scenes documentation

Write down the moment that triggers the switch: a door opens, an encounter begins, or the group enters a new location. Then decide whether players should keep access to the previous image. In Foundry, scenes in the navigation bar can be accessible to players, depending on scene permissions. Scenes can also be set to GM Only, and navigation visibility can be toggled for non-active scenes. For a controlled reveal, keep the destination unavailable until you are ready, then activate it. Foundry Scenes documentation

For a same-scene toggle, confirm what it changes and what it preserves. The Tactical Map module says it changes the map view and restores the previous camera zoom and position; it can optionally add scene tokens to an encounter when activated. Those details are module-specific. If you use another tool or a manual method, do not assume it will preserve token positions, combat tracking, or view state in the same way. Test the transition with your actual setup.

Before the session, confirm the tactical image has the right dimensions and that its grid is aligned. In Foundry, the configured grid controls token placement, distance measurement, and measured templates even when the image already contains visible grid lines. If the map has a baked-in grid, use the grid-alignment tool if needed; for future map assets, Foundry recommends leaving the visible grid out of the image so the virtual tabletop can draw and configure it. Foundry Scenes documentation, Foundry Media Optimization Guide

If using the module, enter the tactical image path in the scene’s Tactical Map settings, set the grid type and size, choose top-down or isometric as appropriate, and save. The module allows the tactical map grid to differ from the main scene’s grid. If the image is a different scale or geometry, verify token footprints and movement on it rather than assuming the usual scene’s settings will fit. Tactical Map module documentation

For separate scenes, configure each grid on its own. Check the map at the zoom players will actually use, and make sure the scene’s initial view is useful. Foundry allows a saved initial camera position, although users with tokens in the scene may start centered on their token instead. Foundry Scenes documentation

Scene images can carry atmosphere without needing to behave like a movement map. A scenic image may work as the scene background, while a tactical map supplies clear spaces and distances. Foundry also supports tiles for adding multiple images to a scene, and background and foreground layers serve different visual purposes. A foreground image sits over actors and other canvas elements, so it should generally have transparency; otherwise it can obscure what is underneath. Foundry Canvas Layers documentation, Foundry Tiles documentation

Keep the tactical layout legible at normal play zoom. Label only what helps players orient themselves, and avoid decorative details that could be mistaken for walls or movement barriers. This is an editorial recommendation based on the distinct jobs of scene art and grid-based play, not a platform requirement. If a visual element must affect movement or sight, configure the relevant map tools rather than relying on artwork alone.

Run through the switch before the session with a player account or a trusted viewer. Check these in order:

1. Start on the scene image and confirm it loads at a useful view.

2. Trigger the transition as you plan to do it during play. For separate scenes, verify whether you are using View Scene for your own inspection or Activate to move everyone.

3. Confirm players can see the intended map, tokens, and grid. If using token vision or fog, check that the lighting settings match the reveal you intend.

4. Move a test token and check that grid placement and measurement behave as expected.

5. Switch back, if applicable, and confirm the scene image and camera view return as expected.

Foundry’s combat tracker associates an encounter with a scene, and players see an encounter in the tracker only while viewing that scene. If your group uses the tracker, include it in the rehearsal: confirm the encounter is tied to the scene players will be viewing during combat. Foundry Combat Encounters documentation

Preload the destination scene before you need it if the platform or your workflow supports that option. Foundry’s scene navigation menu has a Preload Scene option that asks connected users to begin loading its image and video assets in the background. Keep image sizes reasonable for the devices in your group; Foundry’s media guide recommends WebP for a quality-to-file-size balance, while its troubleshooting guide notes that very large images may exceed a device’s rendering limits. Foundry Scenes documentation, Foundry Media Optimization Guide, Troubleshooting Scene Loading Issues

If a player reports a gray or blank scene, first check whether the image path is valid and the file still exists. If the image is present but the view is black, check that the camera has not landed on an empty part of the canvas and review token vision, lighting, and image dimensions. These are among the causes Foundry lists for scene display problems. Keep a low-effort fallback ready, such as describing positions verbally while the map finishes loading, rather than repeatedly switching scenes. Troubleshooting Scene Loading Issues

Use a same-scene toggle when the scene stays the same and only the visual mode changes. Use separate scenes when the party is changing location, or when the images need independent settings and permissions. In both cases, prepare the destination in advance, rehearse the player-facing transition, and verify the grid and image before combat begins. That small check turns a mid-session interface change into a predictable part of the game’s flow.

• Scenes — Foundry Virtual Tabletop
• Tactical Map — Foundry Virtual Tabletop package listing
• Media Optimization Guide — Foundry Virtual Tabletop
• Canvas Layers — Foundry Virtual Tabletop
• Tiles — Foundry Virtual Tabletop
• Combat Encounters — Foundry Virtual Tabletop
• Troubleshooting Scene Loading Issues — Foundry Virtual Tabletop