Maps

[goodmangames]

The art direction for DCC RPG is a careful cross-breed of 1930's pulp sci-fi style and 1970's pop culture. You'll all see more on that as more imagery is made public but for now I thought I'd share some thoughts on maps.

Maps in early D&D were purely utilitarian with the occasional artistic flourish, and yet we've all come to love those basic, hand-drawn maps. In modern times, the advent of digital cartography has really changed map-making. Many RPG publishers use full-color maps which are beautiful in their own right but, frankly, don't get my blood boiling with the "spirit of adventure" like those classic D&D maps. Too much detail, too much photographic accuracy, too little left to the imagination.

So I asked Doug Kovacs -- who's not just "the DCC RPG cover artist" but also one of the playtesters and a life-long role-player -- to see what he could come up with in terms of vintage-style illustrated maps. As long as we're going for hand-drawn vintage style, why limit it to utilitarian function? Why not get the DM's mind flowing with ideas along with depicting a map?

Here is an example of where the map direction is going. This particular map is for The Portal Under the Stars, which many of you have played (if you played in one of my 0-level games last year) and which will also be in the Free RPG Day Adventure Starter...

[geordie racer]

Nice one, Doug Kovacs!

I like that as well as being a cool piece of artwork the details on the map give a great impression of what's in the room at a glance, which the stark grids of many retro modules fail to do (relying on written description) but without the clutter of many modern maps that, as you say, try to be colour photos. Practical and inspiring, you've struck a good balance there.

Room 8 "No, YOU get down from the ledge and check 'em out"

[jferngler]

Room 8 "No, YOU get down from the ledge and check 'em out"

+2

[Stainless]

That is fan-flippin-tastic!

But it does look like a lot of work for each map. Can you keep it up over a whole series of dungeon modules? If so, I'm sure Doug Kovacs is mighty glad to have a regular gig!

[Machpants]

Wahoo more joy for the DM, like the maps. Hopefully this will be the standard throughout

[finarvyn]

I love the maps, but...
1. It does look like a lot of work for Doug.
2. This is so much like a work of art, it's a shame that the players won't get to see it until after the adventure is over.

Fantastic job, Doug! You rock!

[smathis]

Beautiful map. Great approach. Good job, Doug!

[GnomeBoy]

Awesome -- even more to look forward to... Anyone got a time machine handy? I'd like to visit November 2011...

[finarvyn]

Anyone got a time machine handy? I'd like to visit November 2011...

I've got one and it's nearly operational. Check with me in about 6 months...

[GnomeBoy]

Anyone got a time machine handy? I'd like to visit November 2011...

I've got one and it's nearly operational. Check with me in about 6 months...

*starts to mark his calendar*

--Hey!

[mshensley]

That map is pretty awesome! It reminds me of the kind of maps you'd see in those old Fighting Fantasy books and such.

[SniperTodd]

Reading the concerns about the detail level of this amazing map: What about making the player's map the ultra-cool, fully illustrated one? Then have the GM map be more simplified, yet full of critical details. That way both the players and the GM can "oooo and Ahhh" over the quality artwork of the player map - then the GM can cackle madly behind the screen with his detailed traps-of-doom, etc map.

[mythfish]

Reading the concerns about the detail level of this amazing map: What about making the player's map the ultra-cool, fully illustrated one? Then have the GM map be more simplified, yet full of critical details. That way both the players and the GM can "oooo and Ahhh" over the quality artwork of the player map - then the GM can cackle madly behind the screen with his detailed traps-of-doom, etc map.

Players map? Aren't the players supposed to draw their own map as they go?

[finarvyn]

Players map? Aren't the players supposed to draw their own map as they go?

I was going to ask the same question. I have used player's maps for wilderness campaigns occasionally, where players have a general sense as to what is where but not much info about the details in between, but I don't think I've ever seen a player's map for a dungeon.

[Ravenheart87]

Reading the concerns about the detail level of this amazing map: What about making the player's map the ultra-cool, fully illustrated one? Then have the GM map be more simplified, yet full of critical details. That way both the players and the GM can "oooo and Ahhh" over the quality artwork of the player map - then the GM can cackle madly behind the screen with his detailed traps-of-doom, etc map.

Players map? Aren't the players supposed to draw their own map as they go?

No way I'm showing the players the map! Let them draw! The only map I used to show was the hex map of Wilderlands of High Fantasy, when planning a trip, and the Eberron map, where I followed with my finger their way on the lightning rail, whistling the Raider's March.

[JediOre]

Joseph, I really like the direction the maps are going. Unique.

[blizack]

Lovely work from Mr. Kovacs. This approach reminds me a bit of the maps that appeared in the old UK series of modules for AD&D. Very cool!

[DCCfan]

Players map? Aren't the players supposed to draw their own map as they go?

I was going to ask the same question. I have used player's maps for wilderness campaigns occasionally, where players have a general sense as to what is where but not much info about the details in between, but I don't think I've ever seen a player's map for a dungeon.

Yes players definitely need to draw their own maps. I also like the new stile DM's map, but I'm worried as well about keeping up with the plan to release tons of adventures each year.

[nanstreet]

Great map by Doug Kovacs. Art and style and function all rolled into one.

I can see giving the players a map. A partial map. An ancient, outdated map. The fun for everyone would be discovering what has changed over the centuries and the things that never made it on the map in the first place.

[Michael Pfaff]

I absolutely love the map design and it's one of the first things that drew me into the adventure. Frickin' love it.

[mntnjeff]

Cool! Well done.

Do you remember the little drawings on the bottom of the last few pages of the DMG? They were this quasi-story line of a band of PCs. Not sure who did them, (DCS?) but I loved them. And always thought that something like that, telling a brief "story", along the bottom of a map would be hyper-cool as well.

And here we are.

[DCCfan]

Great map by Doug Kovacs. Art and style and function all rolled into one.

I can see giving the players a map. A partial map. An ancient, outdated map. The fun for everyone would be discovering what has changed over the centuries and the things that never made it on the map in the first place.

I forgot about treasure maps. I've given players those before.

[Harley Stroh]

Cool! Well done.

Do you remember the little drawings on the bottom of the last few pages of the DMG? They were this quasi-story line of a band of PCs. Not sure who did them, (DCS?) but I loved them. And always thought that something like that, telling a brief "story", along the bottom of a map would be hyper-cool as well.

And here we are.

Ooh. Cool idea, Jeff.

//H