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<blockquote data-quote="MNblockhead" data-source="post: 7466274" data-attributes="member: 6796661"><p>This has me thinking about mapping. In the days when we use to have one or more players try to keep a map as we explored, it gave life to the sense of exploration. Why is that gap there? Is there a secret room? Just rock? Did I mess up in my mapping? Most players today, however, find mapping to be a slog and it does slow down the game. VTTs with partial review and fog of war is not the same. What is revealed is perfectly mapped. There is not comparison of notes, no arguments of who got it right. No fear of getting lost. Also, mapping yourself keeps the dungeon in the players' imaginations, which is why when I do use maps in a VTT or RealmWorks I am starting to prefer more oldschool maps over realistic, detailed, color battlemaps. </p><p></p><p>At the same time, though, player mapping seems to conflict with character skill. If you have a character with high survival skill and cartography tools, they should be better than the player at mapping. </p><p></p><p>In 5e I've grown into the approach of not always using Realm Works or a VTT. I just explain the rooms and it is up to them whether they want to map or just take notes. If they don't and later get lost they can make survival checks to get hints on how to find their way back, etc. If a character is actively mapping, they can have advantage on checks. If players want certainty, they need to take notes or map. If their characters are proficient or succeed in appropriate skill checks, I'll give them more information or help them correct their map. </p><p></p><p>I don't do this ALL the time, but for the occasional location, it can add a lot to the sense of the unknown and sense of danger.</p></blockquote><p></p>
[QUOTE="MNblockhead, post: 7466274, member: 6796661"] This has me thinking about mapping. In the days when we use to have one or more players try to keep a map as we explored, it gave life to the sense of exploration. Why is that gap there? Is there a secret room? Just rock? Did I mess up in my mapping? Most players today, however, find mapping to be a slog and it does slow down the game. VTTs with partial review and fog of war is not the same. What is revealed is perfectly mapped. There is not comparison of notes, no arguments of who got it right. No fear of getting lost. Also, mapping yourself keeps the dungeon in the players' imaginations, which is why when I do use maps in a VTT or RealmWorks I am starting to prefer more oldschool maps over realistic, detailed, color battlemaps. At the same time, though, player mapping seems to conflict with character skill. If you have a character with high survival skill and cartography tools, they should be better than the player at mapping. In 5e I've grown into the approach of not always using Realm Works or a VTT. I just explain the rooms and it is up to them whether they want to map or just take notes. If they don't and later get lost they can make survival checks to get hints on how to find their way back, etc. If a character is actively mapping, they can have advantage on checks. If players want certainty, they need to take notes or map. If their characters are proficient or succeed in appropriate skill checks, I'll give them more information or help them correct their map. I don't do this ALL the time, but for the occasional location, it can add a lot to the sense of the unknown and sense of danger. [/QUOTE]
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