Maps in Modern Settings

[JoeGKushner]

So is it just me or do many products focused on current times have a dearth of maps in them? I like The End, but no maps. Call of Cthulhu is great but where are the maps to the 'hidden' places, if you will, where Cthulhu sleeps, or the Mountains of Madness dwell or any of the various small towns in the good old stories? Same's true when it comes to firefights. "Characters enter place X." Where's the map for Place X?

Combat is generally minimized in most modern settings due to the power leve lof equipment (i.e. guns) but we still need quality maps of normal things broken down into 1 inch squares = 5 foot steps.

 

[Cergorach]

What are you looking for exactly, maps of places or maps of places on a 1" grid?

You might want to go here:
http://blackjack.dumpshock.com/ARCHIVE_mapsat.htm

Maybe look around on some Shadowrun and/or Cyberpunk sites, they often have a map or two...

 

[Vigilance]

Joe, I wouldnt call myself a cartographer by any stretch of the imagination, but I did include a complete mall map in my Vigilance adventure Mayhem at the New Millenium Mall.

You can get it free at rpgnow

Anticipating the need for maps, the map was the main reason I set the adventure where I did, who doesnt want to trash a mall in a big superhero smackdown?

 

[Mtyranny]

Thank you for the comment about The End. Yeah, we have only the one big map of the U.S. in the main book. The Boston Massacre has a few more maps.

I though I'd explain the basic issue. Modern maps are very accurate, and I would only want to include very accurate (modified) maps. However, in order to do that well, one must start with a good modern map. The problem is that all of those maps are subject to copyright, and I have yet to find a map company that will allow for cheap reprinting of a map for publication (they want what I refer to as humorous amounts of money for reprint rights). In addition, even a modification is a "reprint".

I will see what I can do, and maybe provide online maps. It's particulary annoying because we have some very good maps built off of commercially printed maps. If I can solve the problem, we will post them in the "Web Stuff" section of The End web page at www.tyrannygames.com.

As for detailed location maps, we intend to include those with adventures (The adventure part of The Boston Massacre has a few).

Thanks,
Martin

 

[Vigilance]

Mtyranny's right on the money, which is why so many modern games (Vigilance, and M&M included) set their adventures in fictional cities...

 

[Cergorach]

You could use satalite images and trace those over. Otherwise you could create your own interpertation of a city map...

 

[Vigilance]

You could do that for large scale maps sure... but what I see a need for is *game scale* maps, like a grid map of a dungeon or any other setting...

 

[Cergorach]

What exactly are you looking for? B/W, grey, or full color maps? Simple line art or something more artistic? Does it have to be at a scale of 5'=1"?

You might want to take a look at the blue-prints of some public buildings, they are nicely detailed and might give the map this nice blue-print feel.