Dungeon Tiles in Dungeon encounter maps - Downloaded from the Wizards Community, all coding removed by Solauren

Dungeon Tiles in Dungeon encounter maps

Post/Author/DateTime Post
#1
Torodiamo
Dec 18, 2010 7:13:05 I just made myself an index of the 99 adventures that were published from Issues 155 to 184 (including some SideTreks and the two Hero Battles).
While the production value was amazing over most of the period, esspecially at the great "Scales of War" Adventure Path, it is rapidly going downhill now with the excessive use of Dungeon Tiles as Substitute for real map art.
Whether it's foremost a matter of cutting production cost or of promoting the Sale of "Dungeon Tiles" I do not care.
Dungeon Tiles may be a cool, generic and reusable Tool for actually playing the game. As a replacement of a skillfully drawn map they are plain ugly. They limit the imagination of both the author of the adventure and the DM having to stare at this mess while preparing an adventure.

I can live with the fact that you`re publishing less and less adventures. I have millions of unused modules already... I can live with you seemingly abandoning the idea of running another AP... Sad, but again you already gave us enough fuel for the next decades.
I can even cope with the occasional appearance of Dungeon Delve with Dungeon Tiles.
But to turn to Dungeon Tiles as a Standard of map art is nothing short of a declaration of artistic bankruptcy.
Please give us real encounter maps again!
#2
frothsof
Dec 20, 2010 11:43:18 totally disagree more tiles, more reusable maps please
#3
wrecan
Dec 20, 2010 12:23:13 As muchas I love map artistry, I have to agree with frothsof. I prefer usable dungeon adventures to pretty ones. And adventures have more utility if I know I can make them using my Dungeon Tiles collection.
#4
pruano
Dec 23, 2010 14:04:56 Second the use of tiles.

With custom maps, i either need to print them (making the adventure sometimes more costly than a published adventure) or hand draw everything with my awful drawing skills.

You can always change the map more to your liking and add more detail or change some elements (i did this several times, mostly to fit the setting the party was on).
#5
unknownatthistime
Jan 03, 2011 10:13:38 Tiles please.
#6
Style75
Jan 03, 2011 15:06:37 I'd like to see more maps for larger areas (ex. DMG1 Nentir Vale style maps) but dungeon tiles for actual encounter maps. I have a large collection of tiles and I like that I can quickly create the area indicated in the instructions.

However, sometimes encounters simply require big maps. The epic tier encounter maps for the Scales of War campaign would be impossible to do with tiles. In the end, the editor has to use common sense and decide on maps vs. tiles. I think the last 6 months have seen a pretty good mix.
#7
Aegeri
Jan 04, 2011 8:11:46 It really hasn't.
#8
frothsof
Jan 04, 2011 10:43:53 keep those tile maps coming!
#9
Plaguescarred1
Jan 04, 2011 19:06:28 I am all good with Tiles and everything in full compatibility with the VT.
#10
Ramius613
Jan 06, 2011 3:06:26
For me, it was the aspect that published adventures (with the exception of Dungeon Delve) didn't take advantage of using Dungeon Tiles that caused me to seek out other avenues for DMing. Thus I found Dundjinni, and later Maptools. Now it doesn't matter what they do with maps, because all I have to do is take the image, make a few simple modifications, throw it in my campaign file and BAM! really good map for my players that takes up the space of a laptop.

To be fair, I like the DT maps because my friends dont use Maptools, and I like accurate maps when I am playing.

Also, if they put in a way to add effects to the maps on the VT, the DT maps can be made to look really good.

Ramius

Post/Author/DateTime	Post
#1 Torodiamo Dec 18, 2010 7:13:05	I just made myself an index of the 99 adventures that were published from Issues 155 to 184 (including some SideTreks and the two Hero Battles). While the production value was amazing over most of the period, esspecially at the great "Scales of War" Adventure Path, it is rapidly going downhill now with the excessive use of Dungeon Tiles as Substitute for real map art. Whether it's foremost a matter of cutting production cost or of promoting the Sale of "Dungeon Tiles" I do not care. Dungeon Tiles may be a cool, generic and reusable Tool for actually playing the game. As a replacement of a skillfully drawn map they are plain ugly. They limit the imagination of both the author of the adventure and the DM having to stare at this mess while preparing an adventure. I can live with the fact that you`re publishing less and less adventures. I have millions of unused modules already... I can live with you seemingly abandoning the idea of running another AP... Sad, but again you already gave us enough fuel for the next decades. I can even cope with the occasional appearance of Dungeon Delve with Dungeon Tiles. But to turn to Dungeon Tiles as a Standard of map art is nothing short of a declaration of artistic bankruptcy. Please give us real encounter maps again!
#2 frothsof Dec 20, 2010 11:43:18	totally disagree more tiles, more reusable maps please
#3 wrecan Dec 20, 2010 12:23:13	As muchas I love map artistry, I have to agree with frothsof. I prefer usable dungeon adventures to pretty ones. And adventures have more utility if I know I can make them using my Dungeon Tiles collection.
#4 pruano Dec 23, 2010 14:04:56	Second the use of tiles. With custom maps, i either need to print them (making the adventure sometimes more costly than a published adventure) or hand draw everything with my awful drawing skills. You can always change the map more to your liking and add more detail or change some elements (i did this several times, mostly to fit the setting the party was on).
#5 unknownatthistime Jan 03, 2011 10:13:38	Tiles please.
#6 Style75 Jan 03, 2011 15:06:37	I'd like to see more maps for larger areas (ex. DMG1 Nentir Vale style maps) but dungeon tiles for actual encounter maps. I have a large collection of tiles and I like that I can quickly create the area indicated in the instructions. However, sometimes encounters simply require big maps. The epic tier encounter maps for the Scales of War campaign would be impossible to do with tiles. In the end, the editor has to use common sense and decide on maps vs. tiles. I think the last 6 months have seen a pretty good mix.
#7 Aegeri Jan 04, 2011 8:11:46	It really hasn't.
#8 frothsof Jan 04, 2011 10:43:53	keep those tile maps coming!
#9 Plaguescarred1 Jan 04, 2011 19:06:28	I am all good with Tiles and everything in full compatibility with the VT.
#10 Ramius613 Jan 06, 2011 3:06:26	For me, it was the aspect that published adventures (with the exception of Dungeon Delve) didn't take advantage of using Dungeon Tiles that caused me to seek out other avenues for DMing. Thus I found Dundjinni, and later Maptools. Now it doesn't matter what they do with maps, because all I have to do is take the image, make a few simple modifications, throw it in my campaign file and BAM! really good map for my players that takes up the space of a laptop. To be fair, I like the DT maps because my friends dont use Maptools, and I like accurate maps when I am playing. Also, if they put in a way to add effects to the maps on the VT, the DT maps can be made to look really good. Ramius