Map Folio II - Wow!

[MerricB]

I've just bought Map Folio II (It took this long for Wizards to finally deliver it to Ballarat).

Wow. Absolutely incredible.

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

Tips for cartographers:
* Wilderness maps need a scale attached to them.
* If you include an overview of the city, attach labels to the buildings so we know what they are
* 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 simply terrible product. The idea had a lot of potential, but the execution is extremely poor and uninspiring.

 

[fredramsey]

The map folios are one of the most pointless products I've ever seen, IMHO. I decided early on not to buy any of them, given that most, if not all, the maps can be downloaded from WOTC's site.

 

[Quasqueton]

Of all the game materials that are available, the only one I really, really need is a book of maps. Beyond the 3 core rule books, I only really need maps. Lots of maps. I run a homebrew world, with homebrew adventures.

I can make a full adventure in a couple hours by looking at a map. I've downloaded and saved many maps made by posters on this board. But I'd love to have a big hardcopy book of good maps. Sadly, every map book I've seen on the FLGS shelves has been abyssmal. A whole page for a "dungeon" with 4 rooms. Or a whole page of just convoluted, twisting passages, with no rhyme or reason.

The one thing that I need for my gaming is the one thing that no publisher can do with any skill.

Edit: Heck, I don't even need the maps to be all fancy. I'd be more than happy with sensible and creative maps in the old "blue print" style. Actually, the more fancy maps are usually the least functional.

Quasqueton

 

[philreed]

The one thing that I need for my gaming is the one thing that no publisher can do with any skill.

Not true. Try Dungeons of Doom from Green Ronin. A book of maps by Ed Bourelle (of SkeletonKey Games).

http://www.greenronin.com/catalog/grr1029

I think this is exactly what you're looking for.

 

[JoeGKushner]

Reviews people! we need more reviews. Feed the machine!

 

[Davelozzi]

That's funny, Merric -- when I saw the thread title I thought "wow, Merric is one enthusiastic guy when it comes to D&D products if he's wowing the Map Folio." I was pleasantly surprised to see that I was wrong.

Not that I have it out for the map folios or anything, they just seem like a product that it would be pretty hard to get excited about.

 

[Henry]

That's funny, Merric -- when I saw the thread title I thought "wow, Merric is one enthusiastic guy when it comes to D&D products if he's wowing the Map Folio." I was pleasantly surprised to see that I was wrong.

It's that ancestral British wit being manifested at the right time.

I've not been a fan of the Map Folios, because they've been essentially reprints - but I was and am a BIG fan of the wap-a-week feature of the WotC site. I wish it would return, even if on a monthly basis.

 

[Barendd Nobeard]

I've just bought Map Folio II (It took this long for Wizards to finally deliver it to Ballarat).

Wow. Absolutely incredible.

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

< snip >

This is a simply terrible product. The idea had a lot of potential, but the execution is extremely poor and uninspiring.

I agree completely. I was hoping for some improvement over Map Folio I, but I almost can't believe how much worse it is.

It may not be the cartographers' fault. We (the general public) do not know what instructions they were given, what management changed or forced them to alter, how much freedom they were given on the project, or what (perhaps unreasonable) time constraints they had to work under.

Even though I am a big-time map lover, I just can't see myself buying the next product in the series (Map Folio 3-D). I will buy "Chunky Dungeons" instead.

I used to regret buying MF I, but then I shelled out money for MF II, so buying MF I doesn't seem like such a waste anymore.

 

[Vuron]

For excellent if somewhat pricey maps I'd suggest looking at some of the Harnworld maps. While they wouldn't be great for high fantasy they are excellent for low fantasy games.

 

[MerricB]

That's funny, Merric -- when I saw the thread title I thought "wow, Merric is one enthusiastic guy when it comes to D&D products if he's wowing the Map Folio." I was pleasantly surprised to see that I was wrong.

Not that I have it out for the map folios or anything, they just seem like a product that it would be pretty hard to get excited about.

The saddest thing is that Map Folio II almost manages to work. I think it's pretty, and the conception is nice.

It's just some basic things needed in D&D (stairs leading somewhere, scale, etc.) are neglected. I'm still trying to understand the King's Temple map going so dreadfully wrong.

The most consistently effective of Wizards' cartographers of late has been The Mapmaker - Christopher West. Chris does many a map in Dungeon magazine and also does the battlemaps and tiles for the Star Wars Miniatures Game. (Probably a bit more, but I don't quite buy every Wizards product...) I find Chris's work a little too modern in design (perfect for Star Wars), but his basic skills are great: the maps are clear, the grid aligns, and they're really useful.

It's interesting: the one thing I really detest are bad maps. The errors in Complete Divine and Monster Manual III? Oh well... I can live with them.

Thankfully, the maps in the Eberron Adventures have been pretty good.

####

Just a note: the Miniatures Handbook has a few bits and pieces on creating your own terrain tiles, but one bit of advice really caught my eye and applies to normal D&D maps as well:

When drawing diagonal passages, don't begin the diagonal at the grid intersection. Instead, begin it half-way down. It then creates a line of squares where either three-quarters of the square is clear, or one-quarter of the square is clear. This then allows miniatures to be placed on the three-quarters square easily.

Cheers!