D&D General Mapping: How Do You Do It?

[bedir than]

I'm not an artist so I use word maps
This is of a continent with the main kingdoms and other spaces shown. The distance apart is very approximate, but someone in the world where this occurs would have a general idea that Sheljar is close to Telse and very far from Mehmd.

And here's one of a Trading Post

Descriptions are on my website, but the basics word map shows the rough layout.
If I don't have the website I'll give a rough size for zones like that.
Since I do words, not drawing or maps, I count on those words to be evocative in play.

 

[Reynard]

You seem to be talking about DM-side mapping here, while designing the adventure.

The rest of us are, I think, talking about player-side mapping while exploring said adventure.

This might just be my least read OP ever.

 

[Lakesidefantasy]

We got really sidetracked didn't we. After Lanefan's comment I was like, "Oh yeah, that is what we're supposed to be talking about."

 

[cbwjm]

This might just be my least read OP ever.

Wait, your OP mentioned mapping from the player side, was it meant to be the DM side? Maybe I misread it, though it technically doesn't change my node based mapping, it's just that the nodes and lines make a lot more spatial sense when I'm doing it as a DM.

 

[Reynard]

Wait, your OP mentioned mapping from the player side, was it meant to be the DM side? Maybe I misread it, though it technically doesn't change my node based mapping, it's just that the nodes and lines make a lot more spatial sense when I'm doing it as a DM.

The original question was about how you handle mapping in play, specific to larger dungeon environments.

 

[M_Natas]

As a player, if I feel the need to map a dungeon, I use little boxes for rooms/areas with a descriptive label (such as "Statue" or "Orcs", or "Dark Chasm") so I can remember what's there. Hallways/connectors are lines. Pretty much a simple node map.

It's pretty rare where more detailed mapping will be a benefit. It's never led to finding a secret or gaining any other advantage, so why bother?

Usually, mapping is not to prevent getting lost as that's not usually a danger in how our group plays (i.e. we can usually just say to the DM: "We go back to the throne room" without having to navigate back step by step). The purpose of the map is more to organize notes, help visualize the space, and keep track of areas we haven't yet explored.

As a GM, I map a space in whatever style I think is beneficial to the players (from no map at all, to node maps, to simple diagrams, to more detailed plans and battlemaps). Generally, the larger the scale, the simpler the map. I seldom map villages, towns, cities and other communities (unless I expect them to be ongoing locations) as this is usually a poor return on prep time investment.

Playing on VTT, I've lately been using scenic backdrops instead of maps: evocative art that gives a feeling for the place more than simple mapping.

This. My group maps. I as a player do that and as a DM I encourage it.
But the "dungeon" needs to be mappable.
Like, I started playing with Lost mines of Phandelvar, newbie players and newbie DM - and when we got to the lost mines, damn did my DM struggle to explain it properly and it was a pain to map.

In order for a dungeon to be capable by players ...

I actually made a whole blog post about that topic over 2 years ago:

Creating a Structurally Playable Dungeon – Dungeon Design Part 1 – A.B. Funings Blog

 

[M_Natas]

Hope this thread doesn’t devolve into an argument about what the true meaning of being lost is…

Anyway, I’ve always hated mapping both as a player and a DM. It always kills the pacing and tension of a session when I have to keep checking and correcting the players or myself with the shape of a room that has zero bearing on the overall experience.

This is a timely thread as I’m running a biggish dungeon over the next few sessions. Normally for something I’d run in a single session I’d forgo the mapping and only drawing out encounter areas if needed. But with a dungeon that will need to be properly explored, I’ve been asking myself how to deal with mapping.

My group plays once a month for 3-4 hours, so I’m loathe to do anything that’ll slow down play. But I’d like to also make the exploration of the place have some depth and tension.

Not sure what I’m gonna do.

For mapping - Players don't really need to put down more than a general shape of the room (not even that, a bubble is okay 'flowcharting the map is fine), which way the exists are (north, south, west, east, up down?) and the defining feature of the room (Fountain Room, Firetraproom, Dragonstatueroom ...) - also every intersection and every time a tunnelnchanges direction should count as a "room".

As a DM you also need to design the dungeon that way.

 

[Reynard]

For mapping - Players don't really need to put down more than a general shape of the room (not even that, a bubble is okay 'flowcharting the map is fine), which way the exists are (north, south, west, east, up down?) and the defining feature of the room (Fountain Room, Firetraproom, Dragonstatueroom ...) - also every intersection and every time a tunnelnchanges direction should count as a "room".

As a DM you also need to design the dungeon that way.

This feels like easy/casual mode for the players' benefit. That's fine, but it shouldn't be considered "required." Sometimes the game IS the map.

 

[Koloth]

If you’re mapping as you go, making an accurate map is the challenge. The dungeon may be laid out in such a way as to be deliberately confusing and difficult to map, because navigation is just as much a part of the gameplay as combat is. The map is a tool you use to help understand and navigate the space, and being able to make mistakes is like being able to miss an attack or fail a check. Yes, if you correct the players’ attempts at mapping until they get an accurate result, the process is tedious and pointless. Just as the process of making attack rolls and ability checks would be tedious and pointless if you had the players re-roll over and over until they succeeded every time they take an action.

My point is the characters may well be much better at mapping then the GM-Player combo. A character might have a very high map drawing ability. The same character might be played by a player with drawing challenges or that has trouble understanding what the GM is saying. Die rolls are the player's way to determine how well a character does. Player mapping turns this around and the character is relying on how well the player handles the map drawing and later tries to interpret the scribbles.

Part of the time sink of mapping is making sure the players are correctly drawing out what the GM is saying the characters see. As you mention, very possible that what the characters see is misleading. Now the issue for the GM is making sure the players are correctly drawing out the 'improper' map that accurately reflects what the characters think they see.

 

[Thomas Shey]

This might just be my least read OP ever.

I certainly read it (I try to do that in general if I'm planning on actually engaging with the thread proper rather than just seeing if anyone's said anything I'm going to respond to), but I'm not 100% sure I understand your question there; is it "How do you prepare and present maps for such an experience?"