Maps [Archive] - Wizards Community - Pages Merged by Solauren

Maps [Archive] - Wizards Community

Post/Author/DateTime Post
Carnage56
09-16-07, 01:51 PM Just curious...from a DM and a PC perspective, how do you like a DM making maps of his/her world? Will this cause too little room for change and thus make the campaign less exciting or will it and to the thought of the campaign and make it better? Secondly, is it harder to be a DM if you already have a map made out or is it easier because you already have an idea? Just wondering some pro's and con's to making a map...how specific should the map be?
Kamin_Majere
09-16-07, 04:48 PM I enjoy maps, I have created one for the main 4 continents that my PC's play in on my world.

How would that make them think they cannot change things, i'm curious? Are your PC's wanting to reshape the landscape with waves of their hands or something?

I find it easy with a map. I dont get too specific though. I make the continent and a few major cities and then allow the PCs to interact with the world as they want to. Often they give me ideas for the small towns and villages that litter the world. And more often than not i'll incorporate things they have made.

As a player i prefer a map. I hate leaving from Arsolon heading west and finding the city of Densili, but heading east out of Densili and running into the Orc Empire of Krags tooth (where did Arsolon go??? and where were the Orcs yesterday???)
Carnage56
09-16-07, 05:11 PM yeah I see what you mean, that's a great point with the going west then going east. I'm glad to hear that making a map wouldn't cause problems in the campaign...or at least I haven't heard that yet. What I was thinking is that sometimes your players are looking forward to something that could possibly happen that you didn't think of, but because of the map that couldn't happen...however, a good DM could make the player have fun without what they were thinking...and if the map isn't too terribly detailed I could change somethings....I'd still like somemore opinions though :). Thank you Kamin :).
Mock26
09-16-07, 10:37 PM yeah I see what you mean, that's a great point with the going west then going east. I'm glad to hear that making a map wouldn't cause problems in the campaign...or at least I haven't heard that yet. What I was thinking is that sometimes your players are looking forward to something that could possibly happen that you didn't think of, but because of the map that couldn't happen...however, a good DM could make the player have fun without what they were thinking...and if the map isn't too terribly detailed I could change somethings....I'd still like somemore opinions though :). Thank you Kamin :).

Just remember that not all maps are accurate! In my campaign I recently made the mistake of mentioning to the group that they had to travel east for 2 days across some plains to the River Doric. They pulled out their maps of the area of the Forgotten Realms where they play and said that the nearest river was actually about 10 days east and was the River Coven. I simply shrugged my shoulders and repeated what I had said, "Two days east to the River Doric." They then said that they were going to consult a local map maker. I then fired up my computer, opened up my Campaign Cartographer program and with a few clicks of the mouse I added in the River Doric. At the mapmaker they showed him their map and I simply said, "Oh, you see, your map was created by Lord Alslin, and he lived 1,000 miles west of here. So, there are bound to be some errors on his maps. Here is a better map of the local surroundings." I then handed them the map as it rolled off of my printer. The group laughed and applauded my roleplaying and continued on with the game. Fortunately for me, and them, they had never been to this part of the world before, the name Lord Alslin was written on the map, and they did indeed buy it about 1,000 miles to the west. If it was an area that the characters were familiar with I would have simply admitted to my mistake
and corrected it.

A good group of players will forgive the occasional mistake. And, sometimes, you can simply pass it off as an incomplete map, something that is bound to happen quite a bit in that type of an era. Over all having a map of the world or the continent or the region where the group plays is 99.9% positive. It helps you be accurate with where the group is going and such, and on those few occasions when you make a mistake, they are very easy to fix or talk your way out of it.
Saragon42
09-18-07, 12:06 PM Generic maps are almost never a bad thing - it adds a good bit of realism and continuity when players can definitively say that City A is northwest of their current location. They also open the door for border disputes, trailblazing & exploration quests, the ability to guess at the location of old ruins based on where a society emigrated from, etc.. Just don't make your maps too detailed. Small tributary rivers, towns, hills, less important ruins, etc. probably shouldn't show up on the map except as players encounter them and make note of them themselves. That way your world stays flexible enough to handle adventures that pop up between major points of interest.
Mock26
09-18-07, 11:37 PM Generic maps are almost never a bad thing - it adds a good bit of realism and continuity when players can definitively say that City A is northwest of their current location. They also open the door for border disputes, trailblazing & exploration quests, the ability to guess at the location of old ruins based on where a society emigrated from, etc.. Just don't make your maps too detailed. Small tributary rivers, towns, hills, less important ruins, etc. probably shouldn't show up on the map except as players encounter them and make note of them themselves. That way your world stays flexible enough to handle adventures that pop up between major points of interest.

I think that a good general rule of thumb is to make the maps highly detailed within a certain distance of cities. I feel that the area within 10-20 miles of a good-sized city probably will be highly detailed as they would be well travelled.

Post/Author/DateTime	Post
Carnage56 09-16-07, 01:51 PM	Just curious...from a DM and a PC perspective, how do you like a DM making maps of his/her world? Will this cause too little room for change and thus make the campaign less exciting or will it and to the thought of the campaign and make it better? Secondly, is it harder to be a DM if you already have a map made out or is it easier because you already have an idea? Just wondering some pro's and con's to making a map...how specific should the map be?
Kamin_Majere 09-16-07, 04:48 PM	I enjoy maps, I have created one for the main 4 continents that my PC's play in on my world. How would that make them think they cannot change things, i'm curious? Are your PC's wanting to reshape the landscape with waves of their hands or something? I find it easy with a map. I dont get too specific though. I make the continent and a few major cities and then allow the PCs to interact with the world as they want to. Often they give me ideas for the small towns and villages that litter the world. And more often than not i'll incorporate things they have made. As a player i prefer a map. I hate leaving from Arsolon heading west and finding the city of Densili, but heading east out of Densili and running into the Orc Empire of Krags tooth (where did Arsolon go??? and where were the Orcs yesterday???)
Carnage56 09-16-07, 05:11 PM	yeah I see what you mean, that's a great point with the going west then going east. I'm glad to hear that making a map wouldn't cause problems in the campaign...or at least I haven't heard that yet. What I was thinking is that sometimes your players are looking forward to something that could possibly happen that you didn't think of, but because of the map that couldn't happen...however, a good DM could make the player have fun without what they were thinking...and if the map isn't too terribly detailed I could change somethings....I'd still like somemore opinions though :). Thank you Kamin :).
Mock26 09-16-07, 10:37 PM	yeah I see what you mean, that's a great point with the going west then going east. I'm glad to hear that making a map wouldn't cause problems in the campaign...or at least I haven't heard that yet. What I was thinking is that sometimes your players are looking forward to something that could possibly happen that you didn't think of, but because of the map that couldn't happen...however, a good DM could make the player have fun without what they were thinking...and if the map isn't too terribly detailed I could change somethings....I'd still like somemore opinions though :). Thank you Kamin :). Just remember that not all maps are accurate! In my campaign I recently made the mistake of mentioning to the group that they had to travel east for 2 days across some plains to the River Doric. They pulled out their maps of the area of the Forgotten Realms where they play and said that the nearest river was actually about 10 days east and was the River Coven. I simply shrugged my shoulders and repeated what I had said, "Two days east to the River Doric." They then said that they were going to consult a local map maker. I then fired up my computer, opened up my Campaign Cartographer program and with a few clicks of the mouse I added in the River Doric. At the mapmaker they showed him their map and I simply said, "Oh, you see, your map was created by Lord Alslin, and he lived 1,000 miles west of here. So, there are bound to be some errors on his maps. Here is a better map of the local surroundings." I then handed them the map as it rolled off of my printer. The group laughed and applauded my roleplaying and continued on with the game. Fortunately for me, and them, they had never been to this part of the world before, the name Lord Alslin was written on the map, and they did indeed buy it about 1,000 miles to the west. If it was an area that the characters were familiar with I would have simply admitted to my mistake and corrected it. A good group of players will forgive the occasional mistake. And, sometimes, you can simply pass it off as an incomplete map, something that is bound to happen quite a bit in that type of an era. Over all having a map of the world or the continent or the region where the group plays is 99.9% positive. It helps you be accurate with where the group is going and such, and on those few occasions when you make a mistake, they are very easy to fix or talk your way out of it.
Saragon42 09-18-07, 12:06 PM	Generic maps are almost never a bad thing - it adds a good bit of realism and continuity when players can definitively say that City A is northwest of their current location. They also open the door for border disputes, trailblazing & exploration quests, the ability to guess at the location of old ruins based on where a society emigrated from, etc.. Just don't make your maps too detailed. Small tributary rivers, towns, hills, less important ruins, etc. probably shouldn't show up on the map except as players encounter them and make note of them themselves. That way your world stays flexible enough to handle adventures that pop up between major points of interest.
Mock26 09-18-07, 11:37 PM	Generic maps are almost never a bad thing - it adds a good bit of realism and continuity when players can definitively say that City A is northwest of their current location. They also open the door for border disputes, trailblazing & exploration quests, the ability to guess at the location of old ruins based on where a society emigrated from, etc.. Just don't make your maps too detailed. Small tributary rivers, towns, hills, less important ruins, etc. probably shouldn't show up on the map except as players encounter them and make note of them themselves. That way your world stays flexible enough to handle adventures that pop up between major points of interest. I think that a good general rule of thumb is to make the maps highly detailed within a certain distance of cities. I feel that the area within 10-20 miles of a good-sized city probably will be highly detailed as they would be well travelled.