D&D 5E Starter Set Adventure Maps available (both DM & Player)

[Thaumaturge]

Does the D&D 5E Starter Set not come with maps? Or, is Schley just offering something different?

The Starter Set comes with his maps. He is selling electronic versions of those maps with and without DM markings. But the adventure has the maps in it.

Thaumaturge.

 

[doctorhook]

Does the D&D 5E Starter Set not come with maps? Or, is Schley just offering something different?

Just in the adventure booklet, the same ones you see in the link above, except that he's also offering unlabeled versions of the same maps. It doesn't come with any poster maps, and currently there are no copies of these maps available for free download from WotC (hi-res or otherwise).

 

[TerraDave]

This is....odd.

For 4E and 3E products, WotC was good about putting up map galleries, from which you could then do your own screen or print maps. (If he was selling glossy poster maps or tiles, that would obviously be different).

Hope that is not going to change.

 

[Thaumaturge]

Mearls retweeted a post yesterday that linked to an article discussing how WotC is loosening restrictions on what freelance artists can do with the art they sell to WotC for MtG cards.

This could be related. Perhaps they let him keep digital rights for his maps.

Short term: this feels like a price hike for the consumer (though only for those consumers who actually need or want the maps).

Longer term: better maps for D&D.

Thaumaturge.

 

[Tony Semana]

Mike (Schley) used to share his work very generously up until just a few months ago. He re-assessed his position and posted an open letter as to the change he was contemplating.

As I mentioned before, I am a huge fan, and gladly show support by paying for the maps that I use.

 

[rastus_burne]

Mearls retweeted a post yesterday that linked to an article discussing how WotC is loosening restrictions on what freelance artists can do with the art they sell to WotC for MtG cards.

This could be related. Perhaps they let him keep digital rights for his maps.

Short term: this feels like a price hike for the consumer (though only for those consumers who actually need or want the maps).

Longer term: better maps for D&D.

Thaumaturge.

I agree. I don't really mind as long as some decent maps are included in the adventure itself. I think that's fairly insightful of the Wizards team to honour the creative control of the individual's work to a greater extent.

That link to his photo bucket account is helpful anyway. We often run D&D with a player's folder on Dropbox, so those are perfect for that application anyway - copy to the dropbox folder, and the players can view on their devices. With the ruins and dungeons, I tend to map as I DM anyway to give the players more uncertainty or suspense, so I'd only hand those maps out after​ they had completed an area anyway.