D&D 4E Back to D&D with 4E - designing a new campaign world...

[srn]

I've DMed everything from Basic through to 2nd edition, for a looong time. When 3rd edition came around I was tied up by life so I never played it as a tabletop game, but I did DM a NWN campaign for about 18 months.

So, I have experience, I've designed campaign worlds and so on, but I've no idea how such things work in 3rd or 4th edition.

In no particular order, and I'm planning to run 4th edition:

a) Do we still use hex maps for wilderness?
b) What sort of distances can people travel on foot or mounted in D&D these days?
c) Are there any tools around that make map making easier? Much as I enjoyed mucking about with hex graph paper for hours and hours and hours, something computerised would be nice.

Thanks for any help or advice anyone can give.

 

[MerakSpielman]

I haven't used hex paper in years.

I'm a bit out of the loop, but I believe the following is still good information...

The software standard for mapmaking is Campaign Cartographer. It costs $60 or so last time I checked. It's used to create professional-looking maps suitable for publication and is more than capable of being used for a campaign world map.

There is a chart in the PHB (IIRC) that details how far a character can travel in a day, depending on his movement rate, his mount, or his vehicle. Remember a party's speed is determined by its slowest member. I personally take into consideration the quality of the road they're using - narrow dirt paths impose a penalty, and broad, well-maintained highways give a bonus.

 

[baberg]

Personally I never quite grokked Campaign Cartographer, but recently I found NBOS's Fractal Mapper, which is what I've been using in developing my first couple of adventures for my planned 4th Edition campaign. I'm certain CC is a better tool overall, but the best tool is the one you use, right?

 

[TerraDave]

3E movement is basically 24 miles per day for a unencumbered human, 48 for a horse making good time. Terrain can slow this down.

Some still use hexes, others don't.

We don't know how it will work in 4E. Could even involve making a Nature check to swiftly lead your party through the wilderness...But we really don't know if its different.

 

[dm4hire]

http://www.dundjinni.com/ is a pretty good program that will print your maps with the grids on it for game session.

 

[srn]

Thanks very much - those are some very handy links. Knowing the rough movement is much the same as the old days is all I need to know, too - I'm just trying to make things the right sort of scale so my isolated villages aren't too close together

 

[MerakSpielman]

I think most small villages IRL were about one-half to one full day of walking apart from each other. Probably seemed like a large distance at the time, even if nowadays you could make the trip in a car in 15 minutes.