BIG problem..I really need some mapping help [Archive] - Wizards Community

BIG problem..I really need some mapping help [Archive] - Wizards Community

Post/Author/DateTime Post
Sand_Man
11-01-04, 08:19 AM All right now, I have a problem... I don't really know how to explain it though, but ill do my best... ;) It has to do with mapping. Lets say that i am making an adventure right? So ive got all my stuff fleshed out, and im making a map. Lets say that this place is..uh..an old church. Do I make a full sized map that say i can lay on a table, and then the party can move their minatures around on it. OR do i just describe the adventure. MY problem is that some starter sets and other things come with this big huge poster sized map. Other things just come with a tiny map that only the DM sees. THE problem with the large poster map is that then the players can see the enitire thing. Also it is a bit hard to make one of those... :D unless there is some coool technuiqe that i dont no :weep: THE problem with the small map is that only i can see it, and if it is a complicated dungeon, then its a bit hard to describe it all. IT also even may be a bit hard for the players to map it out....U NOW SEE MY PROBLEM. thx guys..
ECOM
11-01-04, 09:14 AM For my gaming group, I custom built a table that was awesome, yet VERY simple to put together.

Cost for the supplies ran about $80.00 and it took a little under 4 hours to assemble.

The crucial component is the white board that dry-erase markers work on. Now, if you go to an office supply place, you'll see that a true dry erase board (about 72 x 36) will run over $100.00. Don't do that. Instead go to your local favorite big chain home improvement store. In the section for wall paneling, you'll see some sheets of glossy white boards, 4 ft. x 8 ft. and about 1/4 thick. Take a dry erase marker with you to make sure you found the right stuff. The surface feels the same as the true dry erase boards, so it should be easy to tell. When I did this it cost around $10.00 per sheet.

Also purchase a 4 ft. x 8 ft. sheet of 5/8 plywood, 2 pieces of 8 ft. x 4 in. x 4 in. lumber, 3 pieces 2 in. x 4 in. x 8 ft. lumber, some screws (including lag screws for securing the legs) and some panel adhesive.

Now, after building the table, glue the sheet of paneling to the top of the plywood. Then score the panel into 2 in. squares (or 1 in. squares if you're ambitious) with a utility razor. The dry erase markers will darken the lines in very little time. It makes HUGE table, with more than enough room for even large groups, lots of books, large scale battles, a ton of miniatures, etc.

Anyway, hope this helps. The only thing I wish I would have done is make drawers underneath for miniatures/markers/pencils. Oh well, maybe next time.

Cheers

Otto :)

Actually you only need the board an ultra fine black sharpie pen, a good ruler, and some overhead projector pens.

Use the sharpie and rulers to make a grid of 1 inch squares on the white board then you will be able to use the overhead projector pens to draw the map as the players discover new areas.

Also vinyl can be used in place of the white board then the map can be rolled up. (there is a company that makes these vinyl map grids but i can't remember the name)

Another option is to use the small map for most of the dungon and make a larger scale map of complicated areas
Zerohawk
11-01-04, 09:34 AM Hmm, there are a couple of ways that I can recomend you go about this.

First I would definatly recomend getting a battlemat of some type. Your local comic or hobby store should stock a ton of the vinal role up ones (which cost about $10.00), or you could make one yourself as the previous poster recomended. One of my favororite ways to make battlemats is to take a piece of posterboard, and buy a light collored or light patterned shelving cover (it comes in long rolles, and is bassically a sticky paper with a pattern on it.) Then draw 1" squares on it with the sharpy as was mentioned above.

When doing this, I recomend taking a yard stick, going all the way around each edge mearsuing off and marking 1 inch dots along the edge, and using those dots to line up the yard stick and then drawing all the lines in one dirrection, then the other. Perfect 1" squares with no scribble or mess on the mat. Looks good. Then you can also get it laminated, most printing stores will do laminations, and it will cost anywhere from $0.75 to $2.00.

Also, if you have the 3.5 DMG or the 3.0e Adventure Game (I don't have the new basic game, so I don't know if it has it.), on the back of the dungeon map is a perfect beginners battle map you can use, but I would get it laminated before using it, if possible.

Another alternitive is to make smaller battlemats out of printer paper using the method described above, or just get one of several programs that will print you off a sheet of perfect squares and laminating it. Alternitivly, you can decided to NOT laminate it, but instead just use it to draw out the room or location ahead of time, and use it, then either store it for further use, or toss it when your done with it.

Another option would be a dry erasse board, or a miniature one, which you can hastily draw out a location on. These are especialy good for situations where the PC's 'Go north instead of south' and you don't have the prep ready for it.

As for what to map out: I would recomend keeping the smaller maps that that DM looks at, and then using the mats above or pre generated smaller paper sheets for the important rooms, such as any room where there is a fight, or a particularly hard room-bassed puzzle.

Alternitively, in addition to to the above, you could generate TWO versions of the map, one with all the details and such that you are use to, and one with all the details and such missing, including only the basic structure of the area and leaving out monster, treasure, traps, and secrets. This one you would hand out to your players. It can help speed up those dungeon adventures quite a bit, while still keeping the players on their toes, the only problem is there might not be that same sense of mystery, so you'll need to find out how your group likes to play.

Edit: Also, this month's Dungeon Magazine has a pretty good article about how to use miniatures and maps in your campaign. I would recomend you get it and read it if you can.
Phrennzy
11-01-04, 09:42 AM The 'little map' is just for the DM. It should show you the entire 'church' or whatever adventuring area.

You do not need to map out every room for use with minis. You can just make a rough sketch for the players of the areas they are travelling through. It doesn't have to be perfect, just fairly accurate.

For actual encounter areas - especially fights - map out the room with 1" squares for use with the minis. You can do this with the battle maps (as detialed above) or if you want to really get into it, you can try Gridsmith. This is a great program that will help you create custom maps with all kinds of cool detial. The Demo is free and has enough cool stuff to just use that, or you can pay $30 for the full deal. www.Gridsmith.com (http://www.Gridsmith.com)
OmiKapSi
11-01-04, 10:29 AM I went to an office supply store and laminated the map in the miniatures starter set. I draw on it with dry erase markers, although I might switch to overhead projector markers.

Total cost: about 40$ canadian, and I got a pile of minis and some terrain tiles to use with it.
CrippleMrOnion
11-01-04, 11:17 AM Ecom, that Bugbear table was quite amazing. I wish I had the patience and fine motor coordination to undertake such a great enterprise.

Sandman, if you have the ability to take on a project like that, it sounds like a great idea. However, if that's too much for you (as it would be for me; I've never been very mechanically inclined), you should just buy a battle mat. These are also dry-erasable. They can roll up for easy storage. You can usually find them at gaming shops, though some shops try to rip you off.

Similarly, you could combine purchasing a mat and creating a table and just create a map. To do this, you need a large sheet of paper (if you have access to a school, they usually have large rolls of paper), clear contact paper, and dry-erase markers. You simply draw the grid on the paper, layer the paper with contact paper on both sides (this can be hard if you're not careful; find someone you can trust to help you), and then you can use the dry-erase markers on the contact paper without leaving a permanent mark to outline your maps.

Good luck, either way.
Neerie
11-01-04, 01:45 PM Alternatively, if you don't want to use miniatures, you could just get a coark board, print your map in a smaller size, temporarily staple it to the coark board and use push pins to represent PCs and monsters.

Post/Author/DateTime	Post
Sand_Man 11-01-04, 08:19 AM	All right now, I have a problem... I don't really know how to explain it though, but ill do my best... ;) It has to do with mapping. Lets say that i am making an adventure right? So ive got all my stuff fleshed out, and im making a map. Lets say that this place is..uh..an old church. Do I make a full sized map that say i can lay on a table, and then the party can move their minatures around on it. OR do i just describe the adventure. MY problem is that some starter sets and other things come with this big huge poster sized map. Other things just come with a tiny map that only the DM sees. THE problem with the large poster map is that then the players can see the enitire thing. Also it is a bit hard to make one of those... :D unless there is some coool technuiqe that i dont no :weep: THE problem with the small map is that only i can see it, and if it is a complicated dungeon, then its a bit hard to describe it all. IT also even may be a bit hard for the players to map it out....U NOW SEE MY PROBLEM. thx guys..
ECOM 11-01-04, 09:14 AM	For my gaming group, I custom built a table that was awesome, yet VERY simple to put together. Cost for the supplies ran about $80.00 and it took a little under 4 hours to assemble. The crucial component is the white board that dry-erase markers work on. Now, if you go to an office supply place, you'll see that a true dry erase board (about 72 x 36) will run over $100.00. Don't do that. Instead go to your local favorite big chain home improvement store. In the section for wall paneling, you'll see some sheets of glossy white boards, 4 ft. x 8 ft. and about 1/4 thick. Take a dry erase marker with you to make sure you found the right stuff. The surface feels the same as the true dry erase boards, so it should be easy to tell. When I did this it cost around $10.00 per sheet. Also purchase a 4 ft. x 8 ft. sheet of 5/8 plywood, 2 pieces of 8 ft. x 4 in. x 4 in. lumber, 3 pieces 2 in. x 4 in. x 8 ft. lumber, some screws (including lag screws for securing the legs) and some panel adhesive. Now, after building the table, glue the sheet of paneling to the top of the plywood. Then score the panel into 2 in. squares (or 1 in. squares if you're ambitious) with a utility razor. The dry erase markers will darken the lines in very little time. It makes HUGE table, with more than enough room for even large groups, lots of books, large scale battles, a ton of miniatures, etc. Anyway, hope this helps. The only thing I wish I would have done is make drawers underneath for miniatures/markers/pencils. Oh well, maybe next time. Cheers Otto :) Actually you only need the board an ultra fine black sharpie pen, a good ruler, and some overhead projector pens. Use the sharpie and rulers to make a grid of 1 inch squares on the white board then you will be able to use the overhead projector pens to draw the map as the players discover new areas. Also vinyl can be used in place of the white board then the map can be rolled up. (there is a company that makes these vinyl map grids but i can't remember the name) Another option is to use the small map for most of the dungon and make a larger scale map of complicated areas
Zerohawk 11-01-04, 09:34 AM	Hmm, there are a couple of ways that I can recomend you go about this. First I would definatly recomend getting a battlemat of some type. Your local comic or hobby store should stock a ton of the vinal role up ones (which cost about $10.00), or you could make one yourself as the previous poster recomended. One of my favororite ways to make battlemats is to take a piece of posterboard, and buy a light collored or light patterned shelving cover (it comes in long rolles, and is bassically a sticky paper with a pattern on it.) Then draw 1" squares on it with the sharpy as was mentioned above. When doing this, I recomend taking a yard stick, going all the way around each edge mearsuing off and marking 1 inch dots along the edge, and using those dots to line up the yard stick and then drawing all the lines in one dirrection, then the other. Perfect 1" squares with no scribble or mess on the mat. Looks good. Then you can also get it laminated, most printing stores will do laminations, and it will cost anywhere from $0.75 to $2.00. Also, if you have the 3.5 DMG or the 3.0e Adventure Game (I don't have the new basic game, so I don't know if it has it.), on the back of the dungeon map is a perfect beginners battle map you can use, but I would get it laminated before using it, if possible. Another alternitive is to make smaller battlemats out of printer paper using the method described above, or just get one of several programs that will print you off a sheet of perfect squares and laminating it. Alternitivly, you can decided to NOT laminate it, but instead just use it to draw out the room or location ahead of time, and use it, then either store it for further use, or toss it when your done with it. Another option would be a dry erasse board, or a miniature one, which you can hastily draw out a location on. These are especialy good for situations where the PC's 'Go north instead of south' and you don't have the prep ready for it. As for what to map out: I would recomend keeping the smaller maps that that DM looks at, and then using the mats above or pre generated smaller paper sheets for the important rooms, such as any room where there is a fight, or a particularly hard room-bassed puzzle. Alternitively, in addition to to the above, you could generate TWO versions of the map, one with all the details and such that you are use to, and one with all the details and such missing, including only the basic structure of the area and leaving out monster, treasure, traps, and secrets. This one you would hand out to your players. It can help speed up those dungeon adventures quite a bit, while still keeping the players on their toes, the only problem is there might not be that same sense of mystery, so you'll need to find out how your group likes to play. Edit: Also, this month's Dungeon Magazine has a pretty good article about how to use miniatures and maps in your campaign. I would recomend you get it and read it if you can.
Phrennzy 11-01-04, 09:42 AM	The 'little map' is just for the DM. It should show you the entire 'church' or whatever adventuring area. You do not need to map out every room for use with minis. You can just make a rough sketch for the players of the areas they are travelling through. It doesn't have to be perfect, just fairly accurate. For actual encounter areas - especially fights - map out the room with 1" squares for use with the minis. You can do this with the battle maps (as detialed above) or if you want to really get into it, you can try Gridsmith. This is a great program that will help you create custom maps with all kinds of cool detial. The Demo is free and has enough cool stuff to just use that, or you can pay $30 for the full deal. www.Gridsmith.com (http://www.Gridsmith.com)
OmiKapSi 11-01-04, 10:29 AM	I went to an office supply store and laminated the map in the miniatures starter set. I draw on it with dry erase markers, although I might switch to overhead projector markers. Total cost: about 40$ canadian, and I got a pile of minis and some terrain tiles to use with it.
CrippleMrOnion 11-01-04, 11:17 AM	Ecom, that Bugbear table was quite amazing. I wish I had the patience and fine motor coordination to undertake such a great enterprise. Sandman, if you have the ability to take on a project like that, it sounds like a great idea. However, if that's too much for you (as it would be for me; I've never been very mechanically inclined), you should just buy a battle mat. These are also dry-erasable. They can roll up for easy storage. You can usually find them at gaming shops, though some shops try to rip you off. Similarly, you could combine purchasing a mat and creating a table and just create a map. To do this, you need a large sheet of paper (if you have access to a school, they usually have large rolls of paper), clear contact paper, and dry-erase markers. You simply draw the grid on the paper, layer the paper with contact paper on both sides (this can be hard if you're not careful; find someone you can trust to help you), and then you can use the dry-erase markers on the contact paper without leaving a permanent mark to outline your maps. Good luck, either way.
Neerie 11-01-04, 01:45 PM	Alternatively, if you don't want to use miniatures, you could just get a coark board, print your map in a smaller size, temporarily staple it to the coark board and use push pins to represent PCs and monsters.