Complicated maps

[Vorput]

My DM sent the following maps to me via e-mail, and we had a discussion about who would use maps like this... I decided to ask ENworld the same question

http://www.wizards.com/dnd/images/mapofweek/June2007/03_June2007_72_3dhe_ppi.jpg

http://www.wizards.com/dnd/images/mapofweek/June2007/04_June2007_72_vnd902_ppi.jpg

Do any DMs use maps like this? If so, how in the world do you describe to your players what they're seeing? How do you describe a new room when it's weirdly circular, has 6 entrances, and bunches of alcoves which curve into each other?!

I mean the maps look really cool, but I've both DMed and been the party mapper in my time, and both of these jobs seem hard enough when I have simple X by X rooms connected with straight corridors!

Just curious on if anyone would use maps like this for a dungeon crawl, and how you'd use them if you did.

Vorp

 

[Hussar]

Well, if you're like me and playing online with something like OpenRPG the second one is an option because you don't have to describe the rooms, you can just show them. However, in tabletop, there isn't a chance in hell I'd use the second one. Just way too much of a pain in the butt. I don't care if people call me a wimp or not, that's just an arguement waiting to happen.

 

[grodog]

Reminds me of http://www.enworld.org/showthread.php?t=165693

 

[Vorput]

Reminds me of http://www.enworld.org/showthread.php?t=165693

Heh, I remember that thread... everyone just started yelling at Quasqueton cause he wouldn't say who made those maps Who did anyway?

 

[Dross]

I would, and have used similar.

One way to handle this is that the DM becomes the default party mapper. Use a a piece of paper and trace the map out as the players explore, then show them what they see. It does not need to be exact, only good enough not to mislead the players. Not every variation in tunnel width needs to be exact for the party, it's used to get in, out and from A to B. If dimensions become important well the DM has that info as needed.

Mind you, drawing the map on a grid for battles can still be a problem.

 

[Greylock]

Those look remarkably like maps from the B series modules. Quasqueton and The Caves of Chaos.

[Edit - Looks like someone types a lot faster than me.]

 

[Hussar]

I would, and have used similar.

One way to handle this is that the DM becomes the default party mapper. Use a a piece of paper and trace the map out as the players explore, then show them what they see. It does not need to be exact, only good enough not to mislead the players. Not every variation in tunnel width needs to be exact for the party, it's used to get in, out and from A to B. If dimensions become important well the DM has that info as needed.

Mind you, drawing the map on a grid for battles can still be a problem.

I was thinking about that for battlemaps. I suppose you could just cut and paste and print - but it might be a bear on ink. A bit of cutting in your favourite art program should get rid of a lot of the extra bits. Not sure how much you'd have to blow it up though. Might be better to scan the originals at a pretty high dpi.

 

[Vorput]

I would, and have used similar.

One way to handle this is that the DM becomes the default party mapper. Use a a piece of paper and trace the map out as the players explore, then show them what they see. It does not need to be exact, only good enough not to mislead the players. Not every variation in tunnel width needs to be exact for the party, it's used to get in, out and from A to B. If dimensions become important well the DM has that info as needed.

Mind you, drawing the map on a grid for battles can still be a problem.

I've done that... fairly often since my players rarely wanted to map- it just become a hassle, I found I had enough on my mind without also drawing things out... and it became a hassle to stand up, and either draw OVER my Dm screen, or else walk around the table to draw something... Granted, I also stick at art/drawing so...

 

[kaomera]

Do any DMs use maps like this? If so, how in the world do you describe to your players what they're seeing? How do you describe a new room when it's weirdly circular, has 6 entrances, and bunches of alcoves which curve into each other?!

I have. I don't claim it's in any way anything approaching a good idea, but I have. Usually, if a map was really needed I'd end up drawing it out, either on the battlemat or else just grabbing the PC's map and "correcting it". If I was clever I might make a photocopy, cut out just that room, and then photocopy again (enlarging it, prolly), but I can't remember ever actually getting around to all that.

 

[JustinA]

Do any DMs use maps like this? If so, how in the world do you describe to your players what they're seeing? How do you describe a new room when it's weirdly circular, has 6 entrances, and bunches of alcoves which curve into each other?!

I've used maps like that. Couple of techniques:

(1) For odd-shaped rooms or rooms with weird angles, I won't hesitate to sketch them out.

(2) For twisted rat warrens and the like, I'll treat it more like a wilderness encounter. In 3.0 days I'd call for Intuit Direction checks. Now I'll call for Survival or Knowledge (dungeoneering) checks.

Justin Alexander
http://www.thealexandrian.net