So, how do you guys manage mapping when exploring cave systems?

[MerakSpielman]

I was looking through Phineas Crow's map thread, with the cool cavern maps and whatnot, when I was reminded how annoying it can be to run an adventure in such a place.

As a player, mapping it out is virtually impossible. If the DM can't describe the nooks and crannies, and has to resort to "an irregular room somewhere around 30'x40'" then what's the point? Why not just have it on the DM's map as a 30'x40' room, describe it as cave-like, and move on?

As a DM, I have to draw the room on the battle-mat. There's no way a rough cavern room will look anything like it does on my map after I transcribe it. And again, if it can't be duplicated accurately, why bother drawing it so cavey-like on my map in the first place?

The passageways twist and turn unpredictably, which wouldn't matter, except that there's a cavern in another part of the complex that fits precisely on the other side of it and without those specific, unmapable curves it wouldn't fit.

I just haven't found any practical way of dealing with cave systems without slowing down the pace of the game (compared to the pace of the game in "manufactured" dungeons/buildings).

 

[Thornir Alekeg]

Yup, it is a pain in the butt. As a player, I usually take on the mapping and we wing it as best we can. Sometimes things don't match up very well, and we take it as if my character is not too good at mapping and maybe screwed it up, or the floor sloped and we actually went under the cave I overlap, but its usually good enough to get us back out if we need it. On the battlemap, we usually mark out a rough size of the room, make any noteable niches, alcoves, fissures or whatever and then the rest is good enough. So what if on the "official" map the wall bulges in three feet when mine goes straight. As long as its close enough to size to have the minis in for combat it works just fine.

As a DM, I did one adventure where I prepared all my maps in Campaign Cartographer and printed them out at 1" = 5ft. scale and just laid them down on the table as the party entered new areas. It was a lot of work preparing it, but it did go quicker in the game.

 

[drnuncheon]

I was looking through Phineas Crow's map thread, with the cool cavern maps and whatnot

Link?

 

[LordHavok]

This is an area that I've always dispised...both as a DM and a player. When I run the game it's just generally assumed that the PC's remember where they've been. That might change if we get some miniatures and a big map... I did once try and let them map and it turned out pretty bad. Most of the game was spent repeating myself and growing frustrated.

 

[Capellan]

Print the map, stick it to a piece of stiff, but reasonably thin card, then cut it into sections. As the players move through it, plonk the appropriate section on the table. Voila, dungeon jigsaw, and most of these headaches go away

 

[MarauderX]

Print the map, stick it to a piece of stiff, but reasonably thin card, then cut it into sections. As the players move through it, plonk the appropriate section on the table. Voila, dungeon jigsaw, and most of these headaches go away

Exactly. I got the expensive Tact-tiles to help with this, and it's cut down my prep time considerably. Swish-swish with some easy-to-remove dry erase pens, and I am ready for any impromptu encounters. Sure, I suppose I could make every layout realistic by importing images into Photoshop, doctoring them up, then printing so that you can see a faint 5'x5' grid, but that's my time I would rather spend ramping up the BBEG to kill a PC or two.

 

[JohnnFour]

I use a giant pad of 1" grid paper ($10 at Staples). I then draw the map for the PCs in crayon and this saves a lot of time and communication confusion. We then place figs right on the map for battles and exploration. This method lets me draw things to the upper range of the PCs' vision as they wander, making skill checks and paying attention important.

I sometimes draw the maps out ahead of time. This lets me plan opponent tactics better (i.e. cover, bottlenecks, shadows, etc.). The downside when I do this is there's no fog of war. I tried hiding parts of the map with post-its, napkins, and cardboard, but it just isn't worth the hassle except for special areas.

-- Johnn

 

[NeghVar]

How about some quick product pimping...

Start here:

Skeletonkey Games
http://www.skeletonkeygames.com/

Continue here:

e-Adventure Tiles: Cave Chambers
http://www.rpgnow.com/product_info.php?products_id=2064

e-Adventure Tiles: Cave Passages
http://www.rpgnow.com/product_info.php?products_id=2031

e-Adventure Tiles: Flooded Caves
http://www.rpgnow.com/product_info.php?products_id=2188

e-Adventure Tiles: Cave/Dungeon Links
http://www.rpgnow.com/product_info.php?products_id=2373

Product pimp off...

Thanks!

 

[Zappo]

I draw the map for my players as they explore, generally on a whiteboard. Expecting them to draw the map themselves from my descriptions is pretty stupid IMO; no matter how accurate the description is, it won't be the same as being there in terms of the characters being able to remember the place's layout. Not counting that describing where all the exits are and exactly how big the room is is pretty boring. I'd much rather just draw it, and then describe what the room looks like and what's in it. Finally, the typical party contains someone with a 20 Intelligence, and someone with a 20 Wisdom; I can't even conceive of having these kind of scores IRL, I can easily assume that they remember where they've been and how to get back there, either through incredible memory or exceptional spatial awareness.

The most friggin' stupid thing I've been through in this field is a tournament game at a con. The DM didn't want to draw the map for us, and that I understand though I disagree. But he also didn't want us to draw the map, because no character had pen and paper marked on his sheet! And this is nerve-grating but still harshly logical. The worst bit was that when I pointed out that I had Intelligence 18 (OD&D game, which means that 18 is very high) and could certainly remember our path, maybe with a stat check, he simply said "I don't care. You can't". Grrr...

 

[Wombat]

My feeling is that unless the party has Profession: Surveyor and the appropriate equipment no one gets to map anything. I give them rough sketch-maps as they go, but that is all. And sometimes they **gasp** get lost because of it **close gasp**.

Early maps were wildly and notoriously inaccurate, anyway, so why should the players have an advantage?