This may be a more appropriate question/idea for Published Products, but I was wondering if it would be possible to release the maps contained in any given PFS adventure in a Flip Map form...kind of the way you've released some map folios for certain Adventure Paths. They are visually cool and add alot to the game, but the players don't often get to see them.
I realize there are certain issues associated with that (PFS adventures are primarily downloaded, smaller print runs, fewer economies of scale, etc.), but I certainly would be willing to pay a little extra for a hardcopy map to include when I'm running an adventure. To create the same scaled encounter map requires finagling with Photoshop and print out at a place like Kinko's...which is expensive and has some intellectual property issues involved. I certainly don't want to violate Paizo's IP and would love to give you guys some extra money for your original maps. I know you put alot of work into them, so I'd like a handy GM aid to make it easier for us and something visually nifty for the players to see.
Just a thought.
Jason Mayberry
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This may be a more appropriate question/idea for Published Products, but I was wondering if it would be possible to release the maps contained in any given PFS adventure in a Flip Map form...kind of the way you've released some map folios for certain Adventure Paths. They are visually cool and add alot to the game, but the players don't often get to see them.
I realize there are certain issues associated with that (PFS adventures are primarily downloaded, smaller print runs, fewer economies of scale, etc.), but I certainly would be willing to pay a little extra for a hardcopy map to include when I'm running an adventure. To create the same scaled encounter map requires finagling with Photoshop and print out at a place like Kinko's...which is expensive and has some intellectual property issues involved. I certainly don't want to violate Paizo's IP and would love to give you guys some extra money for your original maps. I know you put alot of work into them, so I'd like a handy GM aid to make it easier for us and something visually nifty for the players to see.
Just a thought.
Jason Mayberry
I think that would be nice, and possibly viable if the adventure path maps could be made to have enough general utility without compromising their use in the adventure path.
Alternatively, I think using the map folio to produce double-sided color maps of the major encounter areas of a path would be a great idea.
And I know the map folio is a product they've been tinkering with to find the sweet spot.
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I know this has been addressed elsewhere in numerous threads... the response that has been given is that right now they are not really considering it as their art/web departments are overworked with the work load that they have they don't want to add something else right now. There is a thread (I'm sure that someone not at work can find Captn Kirov's thread and link it) that has a list of what maps (flip-mats/mappacks) go for which mod.
You'll find a lot of us tend to draw the maps that we cannot get in flip-mat or mappack form.
Maybe I'm misremembering, but wasn't there at least one PFS adventure that used a flip map? I thought "The Devil You Know, Pt. 1" used a tavern flip map.
I'm probably just totally out to lunch, though. :-)
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Many use flip-mats. And several others use map packs.
Here is a list of all of the Maps used up until 2-05 I believe....
Also. The maps are drawn to fit the space they are printed. To make a half page map into a flipmap, I wouldn't be surprised if the cost of the actual map doubles as well
I don't really see this as a heavy burden for the art department. I could be wrong, but haven't they already done the work? It has presumably been saved or archived, so it is more of a production issue than new art issue. Just sayin'. For clarification, I am referring to those maps in the scenarios that are not flip maps or map packs that are already separately published.
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I don't really see this as a heavy burden for the art department. I could be wrong, but haven't they already done the work? It has presumably been saved or archived, so it is more of a production issue than new art issue. Just sayin'. For clarification, I am referring to those maps in the scenarios that are not flip maps or map packs that are already separately published.
And the answer we've been given is that it's not high on their priority list right now .. Perhaps if one of the powers that be answer you with the same information you'll be receptive to it. Over worked is over worked no matter if the information is in archives or not; it's still man hours to pull the information, review it, and submit it to be released -- either web or other venue.
Director of Brand Strategy
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I don't really see this as a heavy burden for the art department. I could be wrong, but haven't they already done the work? It has presumably been saved or archived, so it is more of a production issue than new art issue. Just sayin'. For clarification, I am referring to those maps in the scenarios that are not flip maps or map packs that are already separately published.
When we order new maps, we order then at the resolution they'll be printed at. Thus, if something is intended to be a half-page map, we get a half-page illustration. To blow that up to cover the space of even two or three pages worth of area would severely pixelate the image and wouldn't be up to Paizo's quality standards. The only way to do this would be to order the art at full flip-mat scale, but that becomes much more expensive, because the artist must create a much more detailed map.
Pathfinder Society scenarios simply don't have the budget for that. We can't even viably produce these for our flagship product line—Adventure Paths—in a way that we wouldn't lose money, so Pathfinder Society scenarios are even more impossible. If we suddenly saw that we were selling orders of magnitude more PFS scenarios and turning a huge profit on them, maybe it would be something to consider for especially unique scenarios or special events, but still probably nothing we could produce at two or more a month.
We do try to use existing mini-scale map products when appropriate, and I think you'll find that a lot of scenarios can either be run entirely with flip mats and map packs or require only one new map beyond preprinted ones.
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Here is a list of all of the Maps used up until 2-05 I believe....
This is up to date with everything except for the two that were released this week.
Captain Kirstov took that list and improved it, you'll see his work if you follow his link. It sorts by map product, rather than by scenario.
Thanks for the praise Doug!
I don't really see this as a heavy burden for the art department. I could be wrong, but haven't they already done the work? It has presumably been saved or archived, so it is more of a production issue than new art issue. Just sayin'. For clarification, I am referring to those maps in the scenarios that are not flip maps or map packs that are already separately published.When we order new maps, we order then at the resolution they'll be printed at. Thus, if something is intended to be a half-page map, we get a half-page illustration. To blow that up to cover the space of even two or three pages worth of area would severely pixelate the image and wouldn't be up to Paizo's quality standards. The only way to do this would be to order the art at full flip-mat scale, but that becomes much more expensive, because the artist must create a much more detailed map.
Pathfinder Society scenarios simply don't have the budget for that. We can't even viably produce these for our flagship product line—Adventure Paths—in a way that we wouldn't lose money, so Pathfinder Society scenarios are even more impossible. If we suddenly saw that we were selling orders of magnitude more PFS scenarios and turning a huge profit on them, maybe it would be something to consider for especially unique scenarios or special events, but still probably nothing we could produce at two or more a month.
We do try to use existing mini-scale map products when appropriate, and I think you'll find that a lot of scenarios can either be run entirely with flip mats and map packs or require only one new map beyond preprinted ones.
That makes sense. Question answered...and in a very informative and non-judgmental way. Thanks.
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Here is a list of all of the Maps used up until 2-05 I believe....This is up to date with everything except for the two that were released this week.
Captain Kirstov took that list and improved it, you'll see his work if you follow his link. It sorts by map product, rather than by scenario.Thanks for the praise Doug!
I too as a new Gm and event coordinator find this link very very helpful. even if i am not running a game at an event i like to be prepared to run one, or at least give resources to a GM who is lacking. having the appropriate flip mats available for the scenarios being run will make my events run a lot smoother. also I can inform Gm's ahead of time which flip mats they will need so they can buy them for themselves if they do not already own them.
thank you for your time and effort, and continued effort if you keep it up to date. :)
