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I'm a beginning GM and have chosen "The Dragon's Demand" for my first campaign: it reads great, it's fairly straightforward, starts at first level, and ends with killing a dragon. Perfect!
*Potential Spoiler Alert*
The only dilemma I'm having is the map of Belhaim: do I lay it out on the table during the game for the players to see or keep it hidden and describe everything?
From a traditionalist’s view hiding the map is the most intuitive approach. But it's really difficult to fit this beast of a poster behind a GM screen during the game, and after purchasing the retail print copy of the module I'm not willing to spend another eighteen bucks to buy the pdf to scroll around on my laptop.
Laying the map out on the table for the players makes some sense: there are a lot of locales to visit during some of the side quests (e.g. "Making Friends or Enemies" and "Belhaim Historian"), but laying the map on the table can reduce Belhaim to numbers on a cartoon map and take away my ability to add depth and flavor with colorful descriptions. Laying out the map also risks reducing the game to glorified chess with each player moving their minis around the board and killing some or most of the RP aspect of the game.
Does anyone have any advice about how to use the map? Do I hide it or lay it out? Why or why not?
Creative Director
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The reason we chose to put Belhaim on the map and not a dungeon or the wilderness is precisely because that lets GMs put the map of the town down on the table for players to see. Having a big town map as a visual cue is a huge aid in helping the players envision the region. Doesn't matter how good a GM is at descriptions, I've found... being able to point to a building on a map and describe what it looks like helps the players get into the game more. At least, in my experience.
I'd lay the map out, it might pique some curiosity to visit locations that you don't highlight in your descriptions, which will add to a feeling of control from the players.
Maps should enhance the experience not distract from it.
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The reason we chose to put Belhaim on the map and not a dungeon or the wilderness is precisely because that lets GMs put the map of the town down on the table for players to see. Having a big town map as a visual cue is a huge aid in helping the players envision the region. Doesn't matter how good a GM is at descriptions, I've found... being able to point to a building on a map and describe what it looks like helps the players get into the game more. At least, in my experience.
Thank you for clarifying the author's intent, Mr. Jacobs. That sure helps ease some of my first-game jitters!
I'd lay the map out, it might pique some curiosity to visit locations that you don't highlight in your descriptions, which will add to a feeling of control from the players.
Ah, yes, let the players think they're in control, right?
I also believe that giving the players access to the town map is more immersive and increases the likelihood that they start caring about the town...thinking of it as their town, and that serves both the storyline and their enjoyment of the adventure, IMHO. Seeing the town layout in its entirety, after all, doesn't give away any "secrets," per se.
Laying the map down shouldn't reduce the city to numbers. You still have the opportunity to go into your descriptions when the players say they want to go to a certain location.