Maps...What to do, where to go?

**Baron_Samedi** · 06-02-2009, 11:07 PM

For those of us who roleplay, maps determine the scene of battle or the layout of our favorite dive...the question is...what kind of map system do you use, and why does that suit your needs best?

Is it a computer program? Grid Paper? Dungeon Tiles? Battle Mat? maybe even Tabletop Terrain? something else?

Let us know...

**Arch Lich Thoth-Amon** · 06-03-2009, 03:04 AM

I'm old school so i draw it out. Then when the game has begun, i transfer the map, part by part, onto a battle mat for my gamers.

I'd like to use the fancier options you listed (you forgot DwarvenForge, btw), but the fundage isn't there for Thoth at this time.

**Baldwin Stonewood** · 06-03-2009, 06:21 AM

For the big global picture I use the Toril map. Then I use graph paper for the details. I enjoy drawing out the setting and detail.

I have dunjinni but admittedly have not spent a lot of time working with the program. I would call it more dabbling than anything else although I do incorporate other's maps which are posted on that site.

**Moritz** · 06-03-2009, 08:01 AM

Remember when 'mappers' were the thing to have in dungeons? So the party wouldnt' get lost.

There was this one campaign where the mapper had drawn something that looked nothing like where the party had been. He was fired.

**Baldwin Stonewood** · 06-03-2009, 09:02 AM

Originally Posted by Moritz

Remember when 'mappers' were the thing to have in dungeons? So the party wouldnt' get lost.

There was this one campaign where the mapper had drawn something that looked nothing like where the party had been. He was fired.

As a player I still draw out sketches of maps. As a DM, I've been known to twist and turn the unsuspecting adventurers around, so party mapping does factor into my game on occassion.

**tesral** · 06-03-2009, 09:53 AM

A sheaf of 18 over sized pieces of paper that is older than 30 years of age.

**Baldwin Stonewood** · 06-03-2009, 10:00 AM

I use to use plain white legal paper a lot. It provided a few extra inches to map on. I haven't used that in a long time.

**Moritz** · 06-03-2009, 10:02 AM

If I ever mapped, I'd just use a flowchart system.

**Oldgamer** · 06-03-2009, 01:08 PM

Currently, in F2F games anyway, I use a battle mat for battles (cuz I use minis) with dry erase markers and the players choose a mapper for their overall map who uses graph paper for scale.

In PbP games, I use Campaign Cartographer 3 with the Dungeon Designer 3 expansion. If I had the right setup with a gaming table, a laptop, and a projector I would use CC3 on the laptop connected (if possible with Bluetooth)to the projector (mounted on the ceiling facing down on the table) to project my map at scale to the gaming table. I've seen this done on WotC boards and fell instantly in love with it.

**Harwel** · 06-03-2009, 01:25 PM

Originally Posted by Moritz

Remember when 'mappers' were the thing to have in dungeons? So the party wouldnt' get lost.

There was this one campaign where the mapper had drawn something that looked nothing like where the party had been. He was fired.

People stopped doing this at some point?

**MortonStromgal** · 06-03-2009, 01:41 PM

Whiteboard, but i try never to use it if possible. Only if I get tired of explaining something over and over and the PCs still are not getting it will I pull out the whiteboard and draw it.

**Skunkape** · 06-04-2009, 08:42 AM

I generally use either Dundjinni or Campaign Cartographer.

**Grimwell** · 06-04-2009, 09:40 AM

For large land masses, I hand draw everything. If I'm feeling extra artsy, I'll use colored pencils on it to add to the visual pull. for smaller regions I do the same.

Dungeons are hand drawn on graph paper for my version. The players are left to draw their own if they want one. I describe it all, and if a fight ensues I will either draw it out, or use tiles, etc. to put it out on the table, but I don't tell anyone to draw what they see.. it's their choice.

Hand outs are also hand drawn. I have low artistic skills, but enjoy mapping!

**Baldwin Stonewood** · 06-04-2009, 08:38 PM

Originally Posted by Skunkape

I generally use either Dundjinni or Campaign Cartographer.

Although I do not personally use CC, i have seen Skunkape's maps and they are good.

**RoryN** · 06-04-2009, 09:00 PM

Our group got together and built a gaming table for one guy's game room. It was a 3/4" sheet of plywood on 3 sets of legs, painted gray. Then we marked off 1" segments about 6" in on all sides, pencilled in the lines across to each side mark, did those lines again in black permenent marker, then covered over the whole top with a thin sheet of plastic to protect it. What we ended up with was a sturdy table with a huge "graph paper" type top fpr playing out our battles. We still did have a mapper for the dungeaons though, usually whatever rogue-type player we had present. (It needed to be taken apart to move out of his house when he moved!)