Kasan-Tir Mining Outpost
Added 2020-11-09 07:53:27 +0000 UTCThis took a while to draw because I spent two days laying it out, then I decided it was crap and started over from scratch. Sorry for the wait, but it really was irredeemable garbage.
There's some unusual stuff going on here and I'm wondering how you're going to feel about it. First, you've got multiple levels overlaid on top of each other. There's the winding path with arrow slits above, then the tunnels on the other side of those arrow slits below.
Mainly, this keeps the map a bit more compact. I try not to bloat the size of my maps too much because it's always more of a hassle for people using them. If you're printing it, there's more to print and if you're using VTT, the file size is bigger. And I don't think this is giving anything away. The PCs can see the arrow slits and, I mean, what else would be on the other side?
The second unusual thing is the perspective shift. To me, this feels like the part that might be controversial. You've got a slightly angled view of things right up to the door. Then, once you enter the mountainside, it's a fully overhead view.
This does a few things for this map. It makes the path seem more upward, it shows the arrow slits and it gives a nice view of the chasm. But, once we're inside, it's not doing anything for us anymore, so it changes to top-down. I'm curious what you all think about it. Let me know if you like it and definitely let me know if you hate it. We don't have to do this again.
By the way, this is handled a few different ways in the patrons' edition versions. In the 1-inch grid print version, the tunnels are a separate overlay, which seemed more practical for print. And in the VTT version, there's something similar (the tunnels are a token/tile, basically). There's also a VTT version like the image above. This map was a gamble, so I thought I'd hedge my bets.
There are a few more things. LIST MODE, ON MY MARK. ENGAGE.
- There's an explanation of the equipment on the upper floor in the DM notes. Non-patrons can refer to the DM notes for the Oreworks, which describes all the equipment here: a casting pit, converter crucible, puddling furnace and stamp mill.
- The VTT versions of this map include a Foundry VTT module for the first time, which is kind of perfect, because there is literally a foundry in this map.
- I'm going to try to get the patrons' edition Foundry module hosted online so you don't have to manually install it. Hopefully today.
- I promised to get the dynamic lighting maps working for more platforms. EncounterPlus is next. I found a converter and I'm going to try it out.
- I'm making some Brazenthrone assets. Nothing fancy, but they should make it easier to modify or create new chambers, because I'm only drawing one more.
- Speaking of which, the next map will be Brazenthrone's Old Palace (1 on this map). This is the final chamber of the city and I'll do something cool with it.
- Is that everything? I think so. Let me know what you think of the outpost!
Comments
I appreciate the feedback, that's one of the things I wasn't sure how people would feel about. The VTT folder has versions with and without the tunnels so you can keep them hidden if you want. There's also a token of the tunnels so you can hide them underneath and reveal them whenever you're ready (or keep them off to the side). I wanted to experiment with this while also giving people a way to opt out if they didn't like it. Anyway, thanks for letting me know what you think! I'll post a web version without the tunnels so non-patrons can choose which way to use it too.
Milby's Maps
2020-11-10 13:02:19 +0000 UTCBeautiful work as always. Let me preface with I may be misunderstanding something. I’m feeling a bit slow today. I think the angled view is fantastic and agree on handling how you swapped between angled and overhead for the different aspects. Where I personally would have preferred something different would be for the tunnel under the winding path. There’s no way PC will see that from outside the tunnels and as things are there’s no way I can blank them out or hide them without also hiding the winding path that they’d presumably be on. I love the tunnels under the winding path and would personally use it to set some form of trap (likely explosives) that could be used if a large number of attackers were coming or something similar. For both in person and VTT on a map like this, the first thing I will do is crop it down to have the two floors on two separate levels that will allow me to make each map more manageable and easier for the grid marks to align with a 5’ scale. Again, great work as always, just wanted to throw my thoughts out there.
Ben Horbert
2020-11-09 13:20:32 +0000 UTC
