D&D Map Folio II

[IronWolf]

A loose-leaf folio of maps for use in any D&D campaign.

Taken from maps that have appeared over the years on the D&D website, these ready-to-use maps for the D&D game are now collated into one volume to facilitate use in any campaign. This is the second in a series of folios that will be made available over the next year, each of which will contain 32 maps.

 

[JoeGKushner]

Map Folio II takes a different approach to the map accessory field than the first one did. See, the first product was a collection of maps that had appeared on the Wizards of the Coast website. According to this, there are all new maps. The really interesting thing is that, “When combined, the maps in this folio create an exotic walled city built centuries ago by a mighty civilization.”

Sounds good right? So what’s in there.

First off, the maps are all on separate sheets of paper and have black borders. Most are on a yellowed colored page. Thankfully the product has a backing board but I don’t know how I’m going to keep the maps in the cover long term.

I’d say it starts off with an overview of Axchilan and the nearby islands. The detailed land, the City of “Atl” is located on the isle of Chac Tlaloc. The map isn’t great as it’s a massive overview but could be useful for the GM who wants to do it all. The upclose map shows where the city is and includes a view of the city looking to the northeast.

An overview of the city provides an up close view of that illustration along with some animals drawn on the side and a few other maps. Makes it look very much like an explorer’s parchment. Unfortunately, on another sheet, we have the same picture with a detail of the entry statues and another view of the city looking north.

Other maps show the interior of several buildings. Often-large maps with several follow up maps. Take for example the Observatory. It shows the outsider of the whole building, as well as a more abstract view of a city wall. The map shows what the first floor looks like and include the scale, in this case, one square equals 5 feet. The other levels, two and three, each have their own sheets. Good maps but spread out a little.

Other buildings include the Temple of Healing Arts, the King’s Temple, Jungle Outpost, Foundry, and Typical Dwellings. Somewhere in here are several full color maps. They have no legend on them nor any scale. This makes them very pretty but also useless. Sad really. One is of a lake with a river running through it with the city to the west. Another of the river running through the city with boats, some docked, some moving through the river. Another map shows another part of the docks. The other maps expand upon this view. All four go together but due to the borders, it isn’t a smooth match. For example, one map ends with the city, the other matches up but is wilderness.

My biggest complaint is that the paper is a little thin. Since it is a map product, it’s going to get handled a lot. Having these done on thicker paper would encourage me to hand them out to the players. All I want to do know is copy them. Unfortunately, because they have a yellow background and black borders, they tend to come out a little dark unless you lighten the copier setting.

Overall a better ranking than the first one but still a little too exotic. Where are the detailed dungeons? Where are the secret passages in a castle? Where are the sewers? Perhaps next time we’ll see some of those subjects come up but until then…

 

[mroberon1972]

Review: D&D Map Folio II

Normally, I would put the review in the reviews section, but it seems to be not accepting reviews on this product. For right now, I'll put it here, and then move it to the review section later.

First, let me say I have always loved the maps on the WotC website. They've always been not only wonderfully rendered, but highly detailed as well. When I saw this in the shop, I slapped down the $10.55 without a second thought, and walked out happy.

I didn't stay happy long.

After pulling off the shrink-wrapping, I began looking through the maps. Each page was a single sided glossy on thin magazine paper. Each was rendered as aged paper on a black background.

Now, up to this point, everything looked great.

Each page has the bottom 1/8 taken up with the name of the 'map' and the scale. The rest contains the art/maps.

Each of the maps are hand drawn, or created to seem like they are. This looks fine, and does work for the style. The problem is not the quality of the rendering, but the fact the maps are so sub-par in terms of how much map you get. The cover said the combined maps created an ancient city. Sadly, they don't do this except in the loosest possible terms. The maps take up about 3/7 of the page, with the rest of the usable space being filled with general artwork that supposedly deals with the map in some way. Sadly, It did not always seem to do so.

Each actual map was generally a small section of a building. None of these maps really connected with any of the others, and overall felt like a quick sketch of a dungeon that the players never finished exploring.

The only full map was that of a Temple. Sad part is that it takes up eight of the 32 maps, with each level of the fairly simple temple. Worse still, each of these eight pages uses the exact same 'art' aside from the level map, giving each a cookie-cutter feel.

The city overview is nearly worthless as an actual map, and only looks like a high view of the city. While pretty, it ain't a map.

Several more maps are like aerial photos of random village sections than a map, but could be used as such. They don't seem to have anything to do with the ancient city, so these feel like filler and don't do much to improve my option on the collection, regardless of how pretty they are.

Lastly is a continental map. Actually, it’s a black blob with a star on the spot they say the city is. No mountains or other landmarks are hinted at...

After all of the maps I have seen in my past, I am saddened to say this is one of the worst I have ever seen in terms of being a map set. It looks pretty. It's printed on high quality paper with a glossy coat. But it ain't worth $10.55.

Don't consider this a review. Consider it a warning. If you actually want a ruined city map for your game, this ain't it.

I would give this 1 star out of 5, and that's only for the quality of the prints and because they're pretty.

I want my $10.55 back. Anybody want my copy?

Later,
John Bowden
Mr. Oberon
The Fool

 

[MerricB]

Map Folio II

When the Map Folio products were first announced, I was enthusastic about them. I have good memories of the original Dungeon Geomorphs, which I had as a child and have used on many occasions to help me create and adventure. I had visions of the Map Folios being like that - but better.

The saddest thing is that Map Folio II almost manages to work. I think it's pretty, and the conception is nice. A ruined city of Aztec origins? Fantastic. I could easily use that in either my Eberron or Greyhawk campaign.

It's just some basic things needed in D&D are neglected. You know, like scale, steps leading somewhere, maps actually joining together...

The depths of ineptitude that the Wizards cartographers can sink to is astounding.

Map Folio II gives you a set of 32 single-sided, glossy pages, of which about six show the wilderness area the city is in, the rest depicting buildings in the city.

The wilderness maps aren't particularly useful, especially the four sheets which attach together to show the coastline - without a scale attached, or anything that looks like the city as drawn on the other maps.

Once you get to the city, the usefulness of the maps increase. Sort of. There's an inset on every single one of the maps, showing a side view of the city. There are also little graphics to make everything look pretty. However, by the time you've dealt with all of this, there's precious little map left. Only about half of each page is devoted to the map.

Here's a few other little things that the cartographers should keep track of:
* In a multi-level building, number the levels so we know where they are in relationship to each other.
* Stairs need to go somewhere. If you haven't numbered the levels of the building, at least name their destination.
* If you use decorative illustrations, vary them. Don't use the same illustration on multiple pages.
* Certainly don't use repetive illustrations so they fill up 50% of the page.
* If you have a watermark, make sure it doesn't interfere with the map or the legibility of the grid.

This is a bad product. The idea had a lot of potential, but the execution is extremely poor and uninspiring. Some of the maps may be useful, which keeps it from getting a "terrible" rating, and the actual pieces of paper are pretty - but I wasn't looking for something that was merely pretty. I was looking for something useful in my D&D game, which this is not.

 

[Old Fezziwig]

The depths of ineptitude that the Wizards cartographers can sink to is astounding.

Isn't this a little dramatic? I mean, I'm not saying the product was executed well, but I'm not sure that the Wizards cartographers are inept.

 

[MerricB]

The statement is that the product is inept (and thus the work of the cartographers in this instance), not that they are generally inept.

Here's an example: The King's Temple (dungeon). It has one staircase leading out... downwards. Huh? Aren't dungeons normally at the bottom of structures? Oh, very well.

What's the level it leads to? Don't know. The temple maps are not labelled as to their order at all.

One map (library and study) has a set of stairs that lead to a secret hallway. It also happens to be the only way in. Right. I might buy that. What does it connect to? No idea.

Yes, the maps are pretty, but it'd be nice if they worked together...

 

[pogre]

Merric,

I think your thoughts on this product mirror my own reflections. I was hoping for something more practical and usable. I salute you for giving an honest review.

pogre

 

[X-Marks!]

Monstrosity

I too was hoping for something quite different.

I didn't buy the first Folio because they were doubled maps from the website. (This one was originally going to be the same but somewhere along the way they heard enough complaints they shifted the design philosophy.) Unfortunately when I opened the package I got this one very specific, focussed monstro-city. I'd hoped for the same as the first Folio, in that they'd be several different dungeon concepts, but just new and unseen ones instead. I always almost enjoy this cartographer's work (when he's not dashing off quickies drawn like he was using someone's back for a drafting table) but this just wasn't something I could get behind.

I suggest disappointed customers check out "Dungeons of Doom" from Green Ronin. It's not colour but it appears very practical. They have an earlier one too, but the name slips past me. It has a couple overly dark pages, but was coloured, if I recall correctly. Hope that helps.