Mapping Preference and City/Dungeon Maps

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Savarast
Kobold
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Joined: Sat Aug 07, 2010 2:44 pm

Mapping Preference and City/Dungeon Maps

Post by Savarast »

Hey, I am new to your community and the program, but not at all new to table-top gaming (D&D in specific). I just wanted to know what your opinion is on mapping cities that a player does not necessarily battle in. What I mean is, do you only map combat situations, or do you map all locations?

I recently moved, so my group and I are trying to use maptools to link up over the internet (Super easy setup btw, awesome job at that), however I am so used to having a world map, a region map, a city map, and finally the dungeon maps. However, I think this might become tedious work in maptool or any mapping program for that matter.

That being said, I think I am also overly ambitious; If i could I would map all building interiors as well. In my head, the question "what if they want to enter that persons house" makes me feel I have to map it, so it stays consistent that they have mapped locations. But, my GMing mind tells me I could just as easily explain the interior, rather than map it, unless combat ensues.

tl;dr
Do you bother mapping areas that might not have a combat situation?
If you map cities, do you map the interiors as well as exteriors?
If mapping cities do you use the "copy-paste" building objects you find in resource packs?
Do you have a world map?

Thanks for your input!

Savarast

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aku
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Re: Mapping Preference and City/Dungeon Maps

Post by aku »

I would say "map what is of tactical important, or what is going to be seen on a recurring basis" on a local level. The bar that they frequent? Sure map it, to keep things consistent. A persons house that they went in to talk to the person? nah, not needed. The house that they're going to burglarize? yea, prolly worth mapping.

As for larger scale maps, i'd say keep with them to, if you hand draw them you can scan them in and drop them right into maptools, or use an image program to make them if you prefer.

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Azhrei
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Re: Mapping Preference and City/Dungeon Maps

Post by Azhrei »

And with the latest build (b70) you can turn on the experimental ability to import/export individual maps (see Preferences) which would allow you to keep your campaign file size smaller if you weren't going to be using some maps on a regular basis. (This is typically only important in particular cases. For example, the campaign autosave might be taking quite some time -- and memory -- if an autosave comes up while you're looking at a very big/complicated/detailed map. Having fewer maps would help reduce the memory footprint.)

prestidigitator
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Re: Mapping Preference and City/Dungeon Maps

Post by prestidigitator »

There are also the drawing tools, so if you don't mind improvising a quick and dirty sketched map, you don't have to try to plan out absolutely EVERYTHING ahead of time.
"He knows not how to know who knows not also how to un-know." --Sir Richard Burton

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