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2010

Design Tuesday: Superstar Maps!

Tuesday, February 15, 2011

For RPG Superstar last year, I put together a series of quick map sketches with commentary on my personal blog in order to show different map turnovers, ranging from absolutely pathetic to pretty good. This year, we've migrated that information to here on the Paizo blog so it's easier for competitors to find.

As a general tip, make your maps legible. If your map is just a few wavy lines on the page, if your handwriting is so illegible that only you can tell the difference between a 5 and a 9, if you can't draw a straight line with a ruler, do whatever it takes to improve. You have to bring your A-game. Just as your text has to stand on its own without a mini-you nearby to explain it, your maps have to, too, and if a professional cartographer can't decipher your map, their version of your map probably isn't going to match up with your text.

So take a look at the map turnover examples below, and try to make your map the best it can be. If you need inspiration for a great map turnover, check out this Paizo blog featuring the work of frequent contributor Tim Hitchcock. Pretty stuff!

I'm just putting these all together for comparison's sake for the benefit of the competitors in this round.

This map gets an "F." This map is awful. It's drawn in pencil and the scan barely shows the lines. I can't easily see where everything is supposed to be. Even where I can see it, I don't know what it is! Are those lines rivers? Are they forests? Lakes? What are those circles? Are those letters or numbers next to them?

Map, grade "D." This map is marginally better than the previous one. All I did was go over the pencil with a dark pen so the lines would show up more clearly on the scan. I still don't know what these lines represent, or the circles, and the numbering isn't even clear.

Map, grade "C." This is a marked improvement, but could still be clearer. It looks like the upper left border uses the old "use a humped line to indicate the edge of a forest." The big loop on the right may be a lake, a giant mud pit, a swampy area, not entirely clear, but a quick email to the designer would clear it up. Rather than generic circles, the four locations use little icons--two forts or castles, some kind of ruin, and something that's hopefully a cave but maybe is a giant eyeball. The numbers are clear and legible.
If you can't draw forts, cities, or what have you, find a symbol on the internet, print it out, and tape or glue it to your map before you scan it.

This ENworld link is a handy collection of common gaming map symbols, and here is another.

Map, grade "B." This is the exact same map as the Grade C map, except I colored in the forest and the blob on the right--green means forest, blue means water (rather than mud or swamp or magical barrier). It doesn't matter if you color it with colored pencils before you scan it or if you're using a coloring tool on your scanned map--color helps clarify what you're depicting.

This map is still missing a compass (indicating north) and a scale marker, so I'd still need to talk to the designer about it.

Map, grade "A minus." Some map as before, except I actually named the locations on the map as well as giving them numbers. I also added a simple compass rose and a scale marker.

Note that the scale marker is based on the grid size of the paper, which doesn't show up on the scan--if squares are important (like in a dungeon), make sure the grid shows up so the mapper knows what the scale is!

Also, because the resolution of the scan may mean your map appears at a different size on your screen than the mapper's screen, thus relative statements like "1 inch = 1 mile" may change; always include an on-map scale marker so the mapper can determine the scale without having to figure out at what DPI you scanned your map.
I give this map an A- rather than an A because in some places the handwriting is a little sloppy; if you have text on a map, it's best to include a text file turnover of all the text on the map, spelled correctly. This allows the mapper to (1) just copy & paste the text onto the map, rather than puzzling out your handwriting, (2) cross off each piece of text as he works on adding it to the map, so he doesn't miss anything that's supposed to be there.

Thus, for this map, I should include a text file that says:
1 Fort Zur
2 Fort Brun
3 The Ruin of Castle Happydeath
4 Ogre Lair
Bloodmurder Forest
Drownwicked Lake
[[compass rose]]
1 square = 1 mile

(The last two entries are mainly reminders rather than actual copy-paste goals... the cartographer isn't going to put the text "[[compass rose]]" on the map. We're not expecting Round 4 entries to include a map tags list, just make your map readable, please!)

If your handwriting is bad, either use a text tool in your graphics program to add text to the map, or print out the text, cut it out, and glue it onto the map before scanning it.

Note that the A- map doesn't get an A- grade for being awesome or interesting, it gets an A- for readability and how easily the cartographer could turn this into a professional map. I am 99% sure that if I handed this to a cartographer, he'd create a map that is exactly what I'm looking for.

Note also that this map could be much more interesting, with more details and such--but remember that the cartographer hasn't read your text for the book, he doesn't know if all the extra little details are necessary for your map, or if they're just flavor to make it look cool (for example, if you draw a scrap of paper on the floor of a room, he doesn't know if you're trying to make the room look more interesting, or if that paper is a vital clue the PCs can find in the room). As you work with a company and a cartographer more, you'll gain an understanding of the acceptable level of detail. For the purpose of RPG Superstar, the priority is readable, functional maps, not creating maps that are so awesome and detailed that you should be working as a professional cartographer rather than a writer.

Sean K Reynolds
Developer, RPG Superstar Judge

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Tags: Design Tuesdays Maps RPG Superstar
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I've always enjoyed Inkscape for making maps. If you make a mistake or want to move something, it's easy to modify.
RPG Superstar 2010 Top 4

My entry last year - which made the cut to the finals - used Inkscape. I would strongly advise generating your map that way.
RPG Superstar 2011 Top 4 aka Scipion del Ferro

Ha, I was just saying that's the program I use as well. I just wish it was a lot better at creating object libraries. I used to have a Flash library with close to 200 map objects from when I used Flash to meticulously copy the maps from The Shattered Gates of Slaughterguard. That was back when I played by projecting my maps on a wall!

I've only tinkered with it, nothing too difficult. I've recently picked it back up again when I tried one of those "How to draw Anime" books using Inkscape. Came out pretty well.

I've been reading the tutorials (here,here, and here).

A definate must look for those that are artistically challenged (like me)!
Scarab Sages
tdewitt274 wrote:

I've only tinkered with it, nothing too difficult. I've recently picked it back up again when I tried one of those "How to draw Anime" books using Inkscape. Came out pretty well.

I've been reading the tutorials (here,here, and here).

A definate must look for those that are artistically challenged (like me)!

Dang now I'm going to geek out learning this program. Thanks... Seriously though I have looked at a few map programs and haven't liked a lot of what I've seen. This looks more similar to the tools I have used and been able to create something that didn't look like a child created it with crayons.

Cheers and good luck
I'm looking forward to Feb 22
fatouzocat wrote:
Seriously though I have looked at a few map programs and haven't liked a lot of what I've seen. This looks more similar to the tools I have used and been able to create something that didn't look like a child created it with crayons.

IMHO, Inkscape isn't any different than ProFantasy Campaign Cartographer or NBOS Fractal Mapper (they are all vector programs). Sure those have more tools and icons, but you can always build your own or import images.

And the price of free can't be beat!
RPG Superstar 2011 Top 4 aka Scipion del Ferro

I am a little annoyed at its lack of an object library though. Perhaps I just have not found it yet.

Edit: Oh, nevermind.

Edit 2: Except that's not actually part of the program? O_o
Scarab Sages
Cody Coffelt wrote:

I am a little annoyed at its lack of an object library though. Perhaps I just have not found it yet.

Edit: Oh, nevermind.

Edit 2: Except that's not actually part of the program? O_o

Wow this is a beast of a program I guess I have some learning to do. The tutorials will help.

Cody Coffelt wrote:

I am a little annoyed at its lack of an object library though. Perhaps I just have not found it yet.

Edit: Oh, nevermind.

Edit 2: Except that's not actually part of the program? O_o

Inkscape is only on 0.48.1 (not a full "1.0" product), so it's far from a completed program. Also, it is an imaging program as opposed to a mapping program. With that in mind, using creative ways around the issue are sometimes necessary.

An option for you would be to create the images as part of another file and then import them into a new layer. For example, if you have typical dungeon dressings, you can save them to a "Dungeon" file and then import it into a "Dressing" layer above the "Floor" layer. Then you can make it invisible when you aren't using it. Sure, it's a work around instead of functionality.
RPG Superstar 2011 Top 4 aka Scipion del Ferro

Object libraries can be useful for work other than mapping. It just happens to be very useful for that.

What you've described is pretty much what I have had to do in the past. I just think it is a little funny the version of Flash I was using 8 years ago has a library, but this program doesn't. They've done everything else so great! I can't wait for them to implement it, especially since there is that section of their site talking about the feature.
RPG Superstar 2011 Top 32 , Marathon Voter Season 6, Dedicated Voter Season 7, Dedicated Voter Season 8, Dedicated Voter Season 9 aka surfbored

Sorry this is a little late, but I use a mapping program that is almost too easy, called Dundjinni. It's got lots of nice features, you can add your own artwork and it's cheap ($40)!

Some old sample maps (done be yours truly)...

  • Three levels of a ship.

  • A simple tomb.

  • A whole castle.

  • A jungle scene.

  • A trap-filled mini dungeon.

  • Pseudo isometric maps are possible too.

    IMHO I think these all look pretty good, and there are people who put me to shame using this tool. Go check it out!

    •
    Contributor

    Understand that there is a difference between

    * a map that you hand over to a publisher to give to a pro cartographer

    and

    * a map that you want to put in a book yourself or use in your game.

    In the first category, too many extra details makes it hard for the cartographer to suss out exactly what MUST be in the map and what is fluff and prettiness added by the mapping program.

    So be wary of using something like Dundjinni to make a map turnover to a publisher (or RPG Superstar) unless you can turn off all those extraneous details and create a simple blackline map.
    RPG Superstar 2011 Top 8 , Dedicated Voter Season 6, Star Voter Season 7, Dedicated Voter Season 8 aka John Benbo
    Sean K Reynolds wrote:

    Understand that there is a difference between

    * a map that you hand over to a publisher to give to a pro cartographer

    and

    * a map that you want to put in a book yourself or use in your game.

    In the first category, too many extra details makes it hard for the cartographer to suss out exactly what MUST be in the map and what is fluff and prettiness added by the mapping program.

    So be wary of using something like Dundjinni to make a map turnover to a publisher (or RPG Superstar) unless you can turn off all those extraneous details and create a simple blackline map.

    They do look cool, though.

    RPG Superstar 2011 Top 32 , Marathon Voter Season 6, Dedicated Voter Season 7, Dedicated Voter Season 8, Dedicated Voter Season 9 aka surfbored
    Sean K Reynolds wrote:

    ...too many extra details makes it hard for the cartographer to suss out exactly what MUST be in the map and what is fluff and prettiness added by the mapping program.

    So be wary of using something like Dundjinni to make a map turnover to a publisher (or RPG Superstar) unless you can turn off all those extraneous details and create a simple blackline map.

    I'm glad you said something Sean, as I was wondering if someone could go "too far". Clearly it's possible to do so.

    On the upside, the software I pimped in this thread can be scaled back (remember the old blue-line maps in the module covers? It does those too!).

    Thanks for the insight!
    Star Voter Season 8

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