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Tools for sandbox style exploration?
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<blockquote data-quote="Umbran" data-source="post: 5020712" data-attributes="member: 177"><p>Well, here's something to think about.</p><p></p><p>The computer strategy games are just that - strategy games. They work on a strategic scale - both in space and time. The maps and action are on that scale. Most RPGs are more tactical in nature. Movement and action are on the tactical scale. That provides a mismatch.</p><p></p><p>I think the strategic map exploration is cool in strategy games, largely because that's also the scale on which you act. Once you explore it, then you do things with it - build cities, attack enemies, and so on.</p><p></p><p>In an RPG, generally speaking the only thing the PCs do on a strategic scale is movement. So, all they really ever get to do on the strategic map is move, reveal a hex, move again, and so forth. That process itself may not be so interesting for the players.</p><p></p><p>I like Woas's approach - it is a preset thing you can easily bring out on the occasion that they are doing that strategic scale movement, and it is stylistically appropriate.</p><p></p><p>In the past, I've used a variety of map sets to give players some sense of discovery. The initial map they get represents sort of the 'common knowledge' version of the world, that can be gotten if you just ask the people around and about for a day or two. Distances and positions are vague, there are few details, and likely to be many inaccuracies. Information close to their starting point is apt to be more accurate than that far away.</p><p>When the players get into a specific area, they get another map representing that area, with more detail, and more accuracy on its scale. </p><p></p><p>So, the players might have a large-scale map of Europe, and then a separate map of each of the countries in Europe they've visited. The smaller maps are not made to line up exactly like puzzle pieces, so the questions of travel times on the large map are preserved, while they still have better information on local travel.</p></blockquote><p></p>
[QUOTE="Umbran, post: 5020712, member: 177"] Well, here's something to think about. The computer strategy games are just that - strategy games. They work on a strategic scale - both in space and time. The maps and action are on that scale. Most RPGs are more tactical in nature. Movement and action are on the tactical scale. That provides a mismatch. I think the strategic map exploration is cool in strategy games, largely because that's also the scale on which you act. Once you explore it, then you do things with it - build cities, attack enemies, and so on. In an RPG, generally speaking the only thing the PCs do on a strategic scale is movement. So, all they really ever get to do on the strategic map is move, reveal a hex, move again, and so forth. That process itself may not be so interesting for the players. I like Woas's approach - it is a preset thing you can easily bring out on the occasion that they are doing that strategic scale movement, and it is stylistically appropriate. In the past, I've used a variety of map sets to give players some sense of discovery. The initial map they get represents sort of the 'common knowledge' version of the world, that can be gotten if you just ask the people around and about for a day or two. Distances and positions are vague, there are few details, and likely to be many inaccuracies. Information close to their starting point is apt to be more accurate than that far away. When the players get into a specific area, they get another map representing that area, with more detail, and more accuracy on its scale. So, the players might have a large-scale map of Europe, and then a separate map of each of the countries in Europe they've visited. The smaller maps are not made to line up exactly like puzzle pieces, so the questions of travel times on the large map are preserved, while they still have better information on local travel. [/QUOTE]
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