IronWolf
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When it comes to using miniatures and other 3-D toys, I’m all for it. I’ve spent more than my share on the D&D miniatures and the folks who do the 3-D dungeon models have gotten a big chunk of my expendable cash. I’ve bought some 3-D maps before that you assemble, but stopped doing it for a number of reasons. The 3-D maps are in full color and run for $9.95.
First off, I’m clumsy. No shame in that right? I hate cutting things. I hate having to glue things together. If you mess it up, even if you’re able to salvage it, chances are the marks will be visible. If you don’t use glue and use tape, there’ll still be marks. Worse, unlike the resin models, the paper ones get crushed and broken easily and still require space to store.
With that in mind, when I got the Map Folio 3-D, the third in the map series by Wizards of the Coast, I shuddered.
It’s not that the quality of the drawings are bad. Far from it. Dennis Kauthand and Todd Gamble do a fantastic job on providing illustrations that look fantastic. Instead, just from a quick look, it’s the fact that the paper isn’t perforated. It’s not scored for me. It’s relying on me to cut out and score the paper.
What’s worse, when reading the instructions, I like to be treated like a person whose never seen the item in question before. I want visual instructions. I want detailed guides. I want examples. Nope. Instructions here are roughly a page long and included on the inside of the rear cover. Something scary to read is that while the paper is thick, that you might want to reinforce it just in case.
Oh, and make sure you’re in a well-lit are with lots of air. And have a good cutting mat. And have some craft knives and “a supply of blades.” Already this thing has exceeded my complexity level. See, not only am I clumsy, but I’m lazy. It’s why I don’t use my Dwarven Forge stuff more. It takes some time to set up and takes even more time to put back as the pieces from different sets often get intermingled and the pieces are very particular about where they’re placed.
Anyway, we get the following maps here; city wall, cottages, smithy, windows and doors, tower, medieval inn, and outbuilding. They’re fantastic looking and if you can put them together and feel comfortable with this type of product, it’s easily a four star rating and I can see people buying multiple copies of this book to use the city wall and towers or to show a few cottages on the outside of the castles.
Unfortunatly, I’m not one of those people so with some struggling and some cursing as I try to avoid removal of fingers, it’s a solid three star product. If it had come with detailed instructions that were step by step and perforated, I might kick that up a notch but anything that relies on me to providing the cutting, is just asking for trouble.
First off, I’m clumsy. No shame in that right? I hate cutting things. I hate having to glue things together. If you mess it up, even if you’re able to salvage it, chances are the marks will be visible. If you don’t use glue and use tape, there’ll still be marks. Worse, unlike the resin models, the paper ones get crushed and broken easily and still require space to store.
With that in mind, when I got the Map Folio 3-D, the third in the map series by Wizards of the Coast, I shuddered.
It’s not that the quality of the drawings are bad. Far from it. Dennis Kauthand and Todd Gamble do a fantastic job on providing illustrations that look fantastic. Instead, just from a quick look, it’s the fact that the paper isn’t perforated. It’s not scored for me. It’s relying on me to cut out and score the paper.
What’s worse, when reading the instructions, I like to be treated like a person whose never seen the item in question before. I want visual instructions. I want detailed guides. I want examples. Nope. Instructions here are roughly a page long and included on the inside of the rear cover. Something scary to read is that while the paper is thick, that you might want to reinforce it just in case.
Oh, and make sure you’re in a well-lit are with lots of air. And have a good cutting mat. And have some craft knives and “a supply of blades.” Already this thing has exceeded my complexity level. See, not only am I clumsy, but I’m lazy. It’s why I don’t use my Dwarven Forge stuff more. It takes some time to set up and takes even more time to put back as the pieces from different sets often get intermingled and the pieces are very particular about where they’re placed.
Anyway, we get the following maps here; city wall, cottages, smithy, windows and doors, tower, medieval inn, and outbuilding. They’re fantastic looking and if you can put them together and feel comfortable with this type of product, it’s easily a four star rating and I can see people buying multiple copies of this book to use the city wall and towers or to show a few cottages on the outside of the castles.
Unfortunatly, I’m not one of those people so with some struggling and some cursing as I try to avoid removal of fingers, it’s a solid three star product. If it had come with detailed instructions that were step by step and perforated, I might kick that up a notch but anything that relies on me to providing the cutting, is just asking for trouble.
