Making maps

[Stormcrow]

Who makes small-scale maps of regions for use during games? I find that the large-scale map of Wilderland makes it difficult for me to visualize local terrain features; local maps are useful. Who here goes to the trouble, and how often?

[zedturtle]

Who makes small-scale maps of regions for use during games? I find that the large-scale map of Wilderland makes it difficult for me to visualize local terrain features; local maps are useful. Who here goes to the trouble, and how often?

I do things like that:

Was tweaked from an online map


Was made from scratch for the battle at the Old Ford. I made the Beornings have fairly extensive defensive structures.


I wanted my PbP players to be able to plan journeys but didn't want to use the real map. Imported the LM map into Hexographer and had fun for a while...


Now they're getting ready to explore the under-passageways of the Dwimmerhorn. You didn't know that the Dwimmerhorn had under-passageways? Well it does now. This one is hand drawn and I'll add to it once the PCs decide which way to go.

[Rich H]

Done maps of the city of Dale and the Dalelands as well as various adventure locations.

[Stormcrow]

I was think of something smaller-scale than putting notes on a usual map of Wilderland, but larger-scale than a single field or farmstead. Something like one mile per hex or thereabouts. You get every patch of trees bigger than a grove, for instance, but not individual trees.

Or does everyone just wing stuff at this resolution?

[Rich H]

Or does everyone just wing stuff at this resolution?

I just wing it; but using the descriptions of the local area from the supplements etc. If me or the players come up with anything specific then I'll just note it down for use later if the PCs pass through the location again some time.

[Glorelendil]

My dream web application is an interactive, (infinitely) zoomable map that can be communally detailed & annotated. Each user could selectively enable/disable other contributors, to include/exclude the content they like.

[venger]

Coming from a Tactical gaming background, I have always made scale maps to play on.

With the advent of TOR, tactical maps are no longer relevant but maps are still a mainstay of our game session, however I no longer pay attention to scale, now its more about eye candy.

Also maps are good to give the players a relative view of the scene, especially when line of sight become critical.
I use maptools to display the maps on a 40" tv,

[Arthadan]

My dream web application is an interactive, (infinitely) zoomable map that can be communally detailed & annotated. Each user could selectively enable/disable other contributors, to include/exclude the content they like.

Have you tried Campaign Cartographer 3? it uses vectorial graphics, allowing to zoom in as much as you can without losing quality and define layers that ou can combine/hide to view.

[aramis]

Actually, an SVG could be javascripted such that it loads a personalization file and can be updated.

It's not hard to add zoom to SVG.

And SVG is inherently vector and scalable.

[Glorelendil]

My dream web application is an interactive, (infinitely) zoomable map that can be communally detailed & annotated. Each user could selectively enable/disable other contributors, to include/exclude the content they like.

Have you tried Campaign Cartographer 3? it uses vectorial graphics, allowing to zoom in as much as you can without losing quality and define layers that ou can combine/hide to view.

The "communal annotation" would be the hard/interesting bit.

I could write the code; the copyright on the maps and place names is the dicey part.