grimslade
Krampus ate my d20s
"Krusk may be uncouth, but Krusk have class."
D&D 5E D&D Next Art Column: June! And July!
"Krusk may be uncouth, but Krusk have class."
Klaus
First Post
New column is up: Dungeons & Dragons Roleplaying Game Official Home Page - Article (Cartography)
Cartography!
Cartography!
Hussar
Legend
Oh, I'm such a map geek. I LOVE maps.
One thing I don't think I've ever heard anyone bitch about is pretty maps in D&D. Sure, this or that map might not be up to snuff, but, damn, throughout D&D's history there have been some FANTASTIC maps. The Darleen maps of Greyhawk, Forgotten Realms, and all sorts of others just get the juices going. Even the old blue screen of death maps in the old modules were enough to make the 12 year old me sit up and beg for more.
I can't think of any real general issues with D&D cartography. Sometimes this or that map have had issues, but, nothing really jumps to my mind as being a problem.
One thing I don't think I've ever heard anyone bitch about is pretty maps in D&D. Sure, this or that map might not be up to snuff, but, damn, throughout D&D's history there have been some FANTASTIC maps. The Darleen maps of Greyhawk, Forgotten Realms, and all sorts of others just get the juices going. Even the old blue screen of death maps in the old modules were enough to make the 12 year old me sit up and beg for more.
I can't think of any real general issues with D&D cartography. Sometimes this or that map have had issues, but, nothing really jumps to my mind as being a problem.
Kaodi
Hero
Maps are teh awesome.
I agree that D&D has had a tonne of great maps over the years. Though I think that if we were to judge them in a slugmatch to the death, it would be harder to tell which style are the best.
For instance, if you take the 3e and 4E versions of the Eberron map, well, I have to say I draw on both (Christ, I just realized the 4E map is actually tilted compared to the 3e one!). I think the 3e one is a little better at drawing you in, while the 4E one is probably better as a description of Khorvaire.
Pathfinder also has awesome maps.
Not sure what to say about maps for 5e. One side of me wants the old school, Tolkien style depictions. Another side is kind of itching for a real Google Khorvaire (or google Faerun) level of detail.
I agree that D&D has had a tonne of great maps over the years. Though I think that if we were to judge them in a slugmatch to the death, it would be harder to tell which style are the best.
For instance, if you take the 3e and 4E versions of the Eberron map, well, I have to say I draw on both (Christ, I just realized the 4E map is actually tilted compared to the 3e one!). I think the 3e one is a little better at drawing you in, while the 4E one is probably better as a description of Khorvaire.
Pathfinder also has awesome maps.
Not sure what to say about maps for 5e. One side of me wants the old school, Tolkien style depictions. Another side is kind of itching for a real Google Khorvaire (or google Faerun) level of detail.
Yora
Legend
"Why don't we have both?"
I think this is a case where you can really make use of digitial technology in a useful way.
Inside the printed books, you have limited amount of space on a page and the damand to give the right impression of the world. Since there is only so much information you can get on a given space, would not force it and instead go for "artistic optimation". At the same time, you can have digital maps with variable scale through the use of zoom, which you can combine with different amounts of information at different scales. Since delivering the right artistic impression with the print map, it can also be much more utilitarian, without things that look great but impede the readability of the information.
Either make it a 6000x4000 pixel map or even make a whole digital atlas programm with all kinds of gadgets to enable or disable what kind of information should be displayed.
I love maps and I like statistics, and the most common candidate for the "greatest graph ever made" is also a map. Adding overlays with climate zones, population density, vegetation types, natural resources, and anything else you can imagine would be really terrific. ^^
And maybe even add animations Indiana Jones travel transition shot style, which follow historic events from the setting.
I think this is a case where you can really make use of digitial technology in a useful way.
Inside the printed books, you have limited amount of space on a page and the damand to give the right impression of the world. Since there is only so much information you can get on a given space, would not force it and instead go for "artistic optimation". At the same time, you can have digital maps with variable scale through the use of zoom, which you can combine with different amounts of information at different scales. Since delivering the right artistic impression with the print map, it can also be much more utilitarian, without things that look great but impede the readability of the information.
Either make it a 6000x4000 pixel map or even make a whole digital atlas programm with all kinds of gadgets to enable or disable what kind of information should be displayed.
I love maps and I like statistics, and the most common candidate for the "greatest graph ever made" is also a map. Adding overlays with climate zones, population density, vegetation types, natural resources, and anything else you can imagine would be really terrific. ^^
And maybe even add animations Indiana Jones travel transition shot style, which follow historic events from the setting.
Mercutio01
First Post
There was a vector-based pdf map for Eberron put together by someone (I think I found it on the old Jhonen Olain something-or-other website) that was awesome.
Maps are something I've never had a problem with in D&D. I think there are some absolutely awesome cartographers that have work published by WotC.
That said, I think I would very much love to see published digital maps that can be used in VTTs or for tabletop printing on a 1 to 1 scale. I like making my own maps as much as any other amateur cartographer, but sometimes I'd like to not have to do that.
Maps are something I've never had a problem with in D&D. I think there are some absolutely awesome cartographers that have work published by WotC.
That said, I think I would very much love to see published digital maps that can be used in VTTs or for tabletop printing on a 1 to 1 scale. I like making my own maps as much as any other amateur cartographer, but sometimes I'd like to not have to do that.
Stormonu
Legend
Maps. I love maps.
And that is the one thing that bothers me about the Caves of Chaos maps.
They are accurate, but bland. I think that one reason that former 4E's are crying out that the playtest is so bland are the actual maps of the caves. There's lots of stuff in them, but the maps ... they look like architecture floor plans before someone moves in.
Surely, even the cave's humanoids have furniture and other bits lying around the caves, but we don't get any sense of that in the maps. And it makes it that much harder for the DM to incorporate the interesting terrain into encounters, or sometimes get a sense of what the area really looks like.
Compare those old blue maps to various 4E maps, and you'll see quite a difference - not just in the fancy colors, but the placement of terrain and other features to make the maps interesting.
It's like the difference between the fold-out Rand McNally maps and Google Maps w/ satellite view. The McNally maps will get you where you're going, but the Google maps will give you a sense of what it's like to be there.
And that is the one thing that bothers me about the Caves of Chaos maps.
They are accurate, but bland. I think that one reason that former 4E's are crying out that the playtest is so bland are the actual maps of the caves. There's lots of stuff in them, but the maps ... they look like architecture floor plans before someone moves in.
Surely, even the cave's humanoids have furniture and other bits lying around the caves, but we don't get any sense of that in the maps. And it makes it that much harder for the DM to incorporate the interesting terrain into encounters, or sometimes get a sense of what the area really looks like.
Compare those old blue maps to various 4E maps, and you'll see quite a difference - not just in the fancy colors, but the placement of terrain and other features to make the maps interesting.
It's like the difference between the fold-out Rand McNally maps and Google Maps w/ satellite view. The McNally maps will get you where you're going, but the Google maps will give you a sense of what it's like to be there.
grimslade
Krampus ate my d20s
The old AD&D module maps have a certain nostalgic flair to them, but they are certainly minimalist. The play test map is the original blue map for KotB, so it gives old skool cred and is art already to go. A new map is more expense than WotC wants for an open play test.
New mods should have updated style detailed maps.
Since WotC loves to sell map tiles, why don't they have a map planner using the map tile art in DDI? There is a subscription I would pay for. Even better if you could print your layout as a dungeon map. Multi-use for cartography art and a tie-in to sell more dungeon tiles for those that want them. World Works Games sells a TerrainLinX planner that shows what is needed to print and build paper terrain. WWG is a small operation I am sure WotC could whip up something similar for their 2D offerings. Plus, I got to mention WWG whose offerings are gorgeous.
New mods should have updated style detailed maps.
Since WotC loves to sell map tiles, why don't they have a map planner using the map tile art in DDI? There is a subscription I would pay for. Even better if you could print your layout as a dungeon map. Multi-use for cartography art and a tie-in to sell more dungeon tiles for those that want them. World Works Games sells a TerrainLinX planner that shows what is needed to print and build paper terrain. WWG is a small operation I am sure WotC could whip up something similar for their 2D offerings. Plus, I got to mention WWG whose offerings are gorgeous.
Stormonu
Legend
Actually, buried somewhere on the WotC site IS a map planner that you can build dungeon maps with using map tiles - it could be run in a browser or downloaded. It stopped being officially supported after about the 3rd or 4th map pack was released (back during 3E), but there was a site that had added map packs images for later packs, up until about 4E came out. I lost track of the former web site when my computer crashed recently.
ahh - here's WotC's mapper: Dungeon Tile Mapper v1.2.0
Libramarian
Adventurer
My favorite maps are from Karen Wynn Fonstad's The Forgotten Realms Atlas. Nothing makes me want to run a FR game like those maps.
I generally prefer maps that look like they could exist in the game-world. Drawn by hand if possible.
I don't have any particular fondness for the old school blue grid maps or the new school computer generated tile maps. Neither is very evocative, they're just functional. I have never and will never purchase packs of dungeon tiles. Doesn't really add anything, imo.
I generally prefer maps that look like they could exist in the game-world. Drawn by hand if possible.
I don't have any particular fondness for the old school blue grid maps or the new school computer generated tile maps. Neither is very evocative, they're just functional. I have never and will never purchase packs of dungeon tiles. Doesn't really add anything, imo.
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