FUTURE REQUEST

Title:

Improved Base/Background Tool Workflow, Accessibility, and Layer Lock

Report:

I would like to suggest improvements to the base/background tool and layer workflow in Inkarnate.

Current issues:

• The base/background layer behaves differently from all other layers.

• You cannot place assets on it.

• You cannot access it throughout the map-making process—it seems you can only access it once, and it’s unclear when that should be.

• These limitations make the workflow unintuitive compared to other layers that can be unlocked, edited, and adjusted at any time.

Suggested improvements:

1. Allow users to access the base/background layer at any point during map creation.

2. Maintain its purpose as a paint/background layer without allowing asset placement.

3. Open the tool first, so users can set up the background at the optimal point in their workflow.

4. Include a lock icon for the base/background layer, just like other layers. This ensures that once the background is painted, it can be protected from accidental changes and makes the layer visually consistent with other layers.

5. Treat the layer’s behavior similarly to other layers for accessibility and consistency, while keeping its unique background-only purpose.

Why it matters:

These changes would reduce confusion, improve workflow planning, and make it easier to prepare maps for professional editing. Users would be able to work intuitively while protecting the background from accidental edits.

Platform note (optional):

Apple/Safari users would particularly benefit from this intuitive workflow, as accessibility and timing issues can otherwise make the process more frustrating.