Thursday 18 October 2012

Map light source model

Print Friendly Version of this pagePrint Get a PDF version of this webpagePDF Was gonna include this idea with a bigger post about some drop die urban terrains ideas for use with the Slum Golem, but figured I could just do a quick post on it to keep things happening around here.

(I'm currently in Melbourne tutuing around trying to finish and install some kludge sculptures at mo so my ability to post material is less)

So you draw up your basic dungeon map , then get a bigger piece of paper , cut a hole in it equivalent to the range of the light source of the party, stick that on top of the dungeon map and move it around where the party is. Makes it more cave like without having to explain where the party is every 5 minutes and still makes it hard to find your way out again if you have not being paying attention.
Coz I normally draw a brief map of the area the party which is great for communicating "oh you are in a cave and there's a little grotto over there and a right hand turn and a pool over to the left" really quickly but is losing something I feel that it's actually quite ( and potentially interesting) deal to be in a unfamiliar environment , let alone a hazardous one and one where you can only see a little amount  at a time.

8 comments:

  1. beautifully simple idea... I may have to give this a go at some time. all the best with the installation/exhibit.

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  2. Problem is, you have no way of making sure your "light" doesn't shine through walls/doors .... if you see what I mean ... this might work better for an outdoor setting or really huge cave.

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    1. that's a good point, I generally have rambling cave style things without much rooms right besides rooms, so it did not occur to me

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  3. Just move the circle slowly, if you come to a door or wall, add a piece of lined paper to block view.

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  4. ALSO using heavy fabric with a hole cut in it so you can pull it around the contours of the walls better. Will be a couple of weeks before I can give it ago

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  5. Nifty idea!
    I've been thinking along these lines myself, as my home game moves from overland adventures to more actual dungeons and such. I had a similar idea, but kept running into the fact that I draw the map used during play in dry-erase marker. I think I'll have that bigger map with minis AND a smaller map using this. Or get wet-erase markers. Or just use the small map.

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  6. Nifty! I've been thinking similar, since my home game is moving towards dungeons and away from overland stuff as much. I use dry-erase marker, but I could switch to wet-erase and do this, or use a smaller map in pen.

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