RPG Cartography – A touch of 3D

So… the Shack has been online for about a year, but this is our first time participating in the RPG Carnival – mostly because we’re slow, but partly because the topic of RPG Cartography really got our attention.  So, we just had to contribute.  Oh yeah, the Carnival’s host for this topic is also our Site of the Month! Make sure you stop by A Character for Every Game, and check them out.

RPG Cartography – A touch of 3D

For me, one of the biggest reasons I game is that I’m a creative person, and gaming is a great creative outlet.  There are several creative processes that make up role-playing games:

• Creating a character
• Playing a role
• Writing an adventure
• Telling a story
• RPG art
• Desiging encounters
• Desiging worlds
• And designing maps

Tower of Power

I enjoy all of that, but there one’s part that I really love: desiging and building maps.

I’ve drawn maps for dungeons, castles, houses, superhero bases, lairs, towns, villages, continents, spaceships, and even galaxies.  I even drew up a entire world map on a 6 x 10 foot canvas (that took a while).   However, I didn’t really start enjoying it until I started running D&D 4e.  This game’s set-up for combat encounters just begs for the dynamic map.

I started out small, with a simple 3D warehouse loft, and my players thought it was the coolest thing.  From there, I just went crazy, proceeding to make all kinds of 3D maps.  The most time I’ve spent on one of these 3D maps was 20 hours.  I don’t know if that makes me dedicated, or addicted, but I’ve simply enjoyed it all.  Nowadays I’m playing instead of running, and I’ve gotten to experience 3D maps made by the talented John Lewis (the pictures in this post are by the two of us).

It’s a whole new level of fun.

Horned Hold

I started making 3D battle maps right about the time that I started to come down off my high from D&D 4E.  These maps certainly prolonged my enjoyment of that game for quite a while, and we’re looking for ways to bring these maps into other games.  We’ve primarily used 3D battle maps for tactical combat games (like D&D 4E and Star Wars Saga), but there’s no reason they can’t be done for more abstract games (like FATE).

When you pull out your map for your players, they are generally looking at it as an area where they fight the bad guys (what are the boundaries, and where are the enemies?).  However, when you pull out a 3D battle map, your players instantly lean forward in their seats, start salivating, and then start checking out the cool terrain, and then start developing strategies for the encounter.  The game gets a little more  dynamic, a little more cool, and a whole lot more fun.

How do I get started?

There are several ways to integrate a 3D battle map into your game.  You can go the cheap route (using painted toilet paper rolls and shoeboxes), you can purchase professional 3D map materials (like Fat Dragon Games and Hirst Arts), or you get down to your local craft store (foamboard is a godsend).  I’ve taken all three roads, and they have all produced fantastic results (hey, the painted toilet paper rolls and shoebox made the best medusa crypt ever!).

I’ve heard a lot of people say that they could never put together a 3D battle map.  Well, it’s a lot easier than it looks.  All you have to do is start small.  Just add a few things here and there and you’ll pick it up pretty quickly.  Also, don’t think that you need some big set-up for it to be awesome – when it comes to 3D battle maps, a little goes a long way.

So, there’s not much else to say, other than just dooz it!

Be sure to check other blogs and their take on RPG Cartography!