How important are pretty maps?
- Thread starter The Lost Muse
- Start date
Pbartender
First Post
Timmundo said:
It depends on its intended use...
A map that's meant to give the DM layout information for a dungeon or encounter, but will never be seen by the players (except for, perhaps, a hand-sketched recreation on a battle mat) does not need to be "pretty". It needs to be, first and foremost, easy to interpret, clear to read, and complete of necessary information.
A map that's meant to be an inspirational handout for the players should be pretty and authetic looking, but not without retaining the usefulness of the map.
Steel_Wind
Legend
Damned important.
There is no single other element of the adventure that is as important to me as a great map.
Which is not to say that other elements are unimportant; only that great maps matter.
In order to be great, it needs to be innovative, have great artistic style, make sense and have an inherent coolness all its own.
Something that I can look at it and say: "yanno, this adventure isn't all that useful to me right now - but this map? I can use this for ___."
Fail with your map - I don't care what the rest of your product says or does - the chances of me reading it are low.
There is no single other element of the adventure that is as important to me as a great map.
Which is not to say that other elements are unimportant; only that great maps matter.
In order to be great, it needs to be innovative, have great artistic style, make sense and have an inherent coolness all its own.
Something that I can look at it and say: "yanno, this adventure isn't all that useful to me right now - but this map? I can use this for ___."
Fail with your map - I don't care what the rest of your product says or does - the chances of me reading it are low.
Last edited:
Rodrigo Istalindir
Explorer
I'm a sucker for a good map. Part of what attracts me to RPGs is the sense of exploratoin and wonder, and *nothing* jump-starts that like a well-drawn map.
Obviously, functionality is important, but aesthetics are important, too. For me, good maps are more important than any other piece of art in a book. Minor stat-block errors don't phase me, but shoddy maps drive me nuts.
Obviously, functionality is important, but aesthetics are important, too. For me, good maps are more important than any other piece of art in a book. Minor stat-block errors don't phase me, but shoddy maps drive me nuts.
Desdichado
Legend
I'm not sure what you mean. A "good-looking" map is a lot more likely to be clear and easy to use.
In terms of--does it need to have extraneous detail that serves no purpose other than to "beautify" the map, then no--I don't need that at all. But if the map doesn't look good to a certain minimum standard, it's probably not going to be very useful.
Besides, I don't use many "dungeon maps" these days, and if I do use them, I pull them from Dungeon Magazine, where they do look good. My expectations have gotten fairly high.
In terms of--does it need to have extraneous detail that serves no purpose other than to "beautify" the map, then no--I don't need that at all. But if the map doesn't look good to a certain minimum standard, it's probably not going to be very useful.
Besides, I don't use many "dungeon maps" these days, and if I do use them, I pull them from Dungeon Magazine, where they do look good. My expectations have gotten fairly high.
PapersAndPaychecks
First Post
For me, maps don't have to be pretty.
They do have to come with a square-grid (buildings or underground) or a hex-grid (for wilderness), make sense, line up correctly with other maps nearby, and have the scale and a north-direction clearly labelled on them.
They do have to come with a square-grid (buildings or underground) or a hex-grid (for wilderness), make sense, line up correctly with other maps nearby, and have the scale and a north-direction clearly labelled on them.
EricNoah
Adventurer
Very important. Maps like those Christopher West produces are not only useful tools, but they convey types of information in ways "old school" black and white maps don't. I can see the construction materials and relative condition of the floors. I can see relative lighting levels (showing me lit torches, campfires, other glowing doo-dads -- very, very helpful in describing the environment to players). When it's almost like a photograph of the environment, it becomes more than just a map.
