Tag Archives: Maps

RPGs

Kingdom of the Dwarfs

Leave a comment

I bought the book, Kingdom of the Dwarfs [Amazon Affiliate link], by Robb Walsh [Now a food writer and critic in Texas. Made me hungry for some good BBQ….] and illustrated by David Wenzel, back in the 1980’s. The copyright date is 1980, so I’m not sure what year I bought it. I know it was before I graduated high school, so sometime between 1980 and 1983.

I keep it with my RPG materials. I was trying to think of something to post about, and I remembered this book. I have not read it probably since I first read it after I got it home three plus decades ago.

I have looked at the art since then, and marveled at the skill of the artist, and wished I could do the same. Perhaps with intentional practice and some art classes I might do better than my present attempts.

I strongly identify with dwarves for some reason. I really liked the dwarf character from The Sword of Shannara  [Amazon Affiliate link].

Oddly enough, my favorite character is a half-elf. Although I play a dwarf in my Wednesday night online AD&D game.

The Wikipedia article about David Wenzel calls this a children’s book. As I recall, it was in the fantasy/science fiction section of the bookstore, so it was not marketed or sold in that store like a children’s book. I don’t think the theme is of a children’s book.

I remembered the basic story, but of course, the details eluded me. So I read it again.

It is a fast read. The text is mostly a set up of the book and then brief blurbs to set the scene for the art. The art tells a very detailed story.

Now I’m in the mood to detail the dwarven realms in my campaign. There’s never enough time to do it all!

If you want to build a dwarven kingdom or lost kingdom, this is a great source book!

RPGs

2015 One Page Dungeon Contest – My Revised Submission

2 Comments

I re-did the map for my OPDC submission, The Dire Druids of Delver’s Deep. I did the new map by hand and scanned it. The only thing I put on the image with a program, are the numbers for the rooms/areas.

Doing my map old school, i.e. like I did when I was a teenager and before we had our first computer, microwave, or cable TV.

I’m not that good at getting the result I want out of a graphic’s program, so hand drawn it is. Being out of practice with the details on hand drawn maps doesn’t seem to be a problem for this small one. If I had time before the deadline to fiddle with it and get a cutaway effect of The Deep and the cavern, I would.

 

RPGs

2015 One Page Dungeon Contest – My Submission

Leave a comment

I said that I was going to submit something to the One Page Dungeon Contest (OPDC) this year, and I was beginning to wonder if I would make it happen.

Last weekend, the title I had for the dungeon finally gelled and the idea for it came together much more smoothly than I had hoped.

I wanted it to be about Druids, since I got on a kick and had a few articles about druids a few weeks ago.

Druids and Alignment

Druids and Their Environment

Druids and Undead

I also ordered Roberts Kunt’s module Dark Druids and when it came a week ago, I realized that I didn’t want to read it until I put together my idea for the OPDC.

I had determined that I would consolidate my notes and make this one page dungeon this weekend no matter what. I had to further get it nearly 100% today, since +Roy Snyder’s DCC game picks up after a hiatus of a few weeks, and I made a commitment to be there.

So without further ado, I present my submission to the OPDC – The Dark Druids of Delver’s Deep. I went “old school” on the OPDC and used the one page dungeon template by +Michael Shorten, AKS Chgowiz. He has links to his dungeon and wilderness templates on his old blog.

There are 36 listed submitted dungeons/adventures so far – at the time of this writing, minus my submission.

RPGs

Dungeon Desk Pad Arrived

Leave a comment

My Dungeon Desk Pad order from the Kickstarter arrived. I ordered the base U.S. 3 pad order. It included two sheets of different sized hex sticker sheets that were part of a stretch goal. There are also some coupon with codes to save on Oubliette #9 and another for any Squarehex product. Oubliette #9 can be free with a Squarehex purchase. I’m not sharing the code, as they are for backers of the Kickstarter. The Squarehex coupon points out that another Kickstarter is coming in May.

The paper itself is quite heavy, there were three levels of stretch goals for heavier paper.

My box was a bit dinged and one corner of all three pads had a wrinkle, but it isn’t anything I am concerned about. The pads are still serviceable and will do what I need.

I did notice that the tear off is at the bottom. I don’t know if that is an American vs. European thing, creator’s preference, or a goof. I did not unwrap the other two pads. These pads are a bit bigger than two letter sized sheets of paper side by side.

I took a picture of this pad on top of one of the quad ruled desk pads I ordered last month. Of course, quad ruled desk pads got me started on this.

Now to put these pads, and my other recent pad purchases to use!

01-CAM00697 02-CAM00698 03-CAM00699 04-CAM00700 05-CAM00701 06-CAM00702 08-CAM00703 09-CAM00704 10-CAM00705 11-CAM00706 12-CAM00707

RPGs

Mythoard Arrived

Leave a comment

My March Mythoard arrived two days ago. I had time to take pictures, but that was on the same day as my Wednesday night online AD&D game I play in, so I am just now writing about it. There have been other reviews, but I’m putting in my two cents here.

It included Gygax Magazine #5, The Dungeoneers Journal February/March 1981, a one page adventure from +Tim Shorts of Gothridge Manor, a mini module, The Miller’s Blunder, by Thom Wilson, two sample dice of the Inkwell Ideas dungeon Morph dice, and a set of four magnetic monster mash tokens.

This issue of Gygax Magazine is the one with the winner of the 2014 One-Page Dungeon Contest. I have one or two other issues that I have picked up at cons, but I haven’t had time to read the other(s) I have. It reminds me of the old Dragon Magazine from back in the day – Cool art, some stuff for ideas, some stuff I might use, a lot of stuff I will never use, and some comics in the back. I like Order of The Stick, and follow the web comic. I did not learn about OOTS until I found it online a few years ago. There have been a lot of complaints about Gygax magazine being slow to publish, but if you didn’t pay for a subscription, like me, it isn’t a problem. I will read them eventually.

There is familiarity to the issue of The Dungeoneer’s Journal. I think I saw it on the shelves of my FLGS back in the day, and/or some of my friends may have had it. It is familiar. Articles on games I never played, some I dabbled in, and more. Judge’s Guild material is something my brother and I tended to avoid, because it was “rough” in appearance. We had “advanced” D&D and were above those rough looking materials. I have learned in the last few years, that those rough looking things I snubbed had some good ideas in them, and I have them now in PDF, and some I have backed Kickstarters to get. I plan to read through this when time allows.

I did not realize that the adventure materials put out in all the Mythoards use a standard campaign setting, so they are set in the same world, or can easily be crafted to your own world. Tim Short’s “Guardian of the Sale Spring”, is printed on a slick, heavy card stock that is three-hole punched. The material is high quality. The printing and art is well done. I have not yet seen one of Tim’s adventures in person. This format of a small map, area description, and a random chart are so simple that I find that I could easily incorporate this into my own campaign. I am the type of DM who has to take way more time to read and understand a module designed by someone else to make it “mine”. It would be quicker and easier just to develop my own adventure. The simplicity of this overcomes my barriers. A series of mini-modules in one larger module would also get past my issues of running stuff written by others.

The Miller’s Blunder is a mini-module by Thom Wilson of throwigames.com. It is a center stapled, card stock covered booklet. It is only 17 pages with the inside of the back cover as the last page. The text is enough to set the scene and make it clear what is going on. The goals are clear and the various outcomes for the players are covered. While a lot more information than a back and front mini adventure, Thom Wilson has presented the pertinant facts in a way, that I could also easily make this fit into my campaign. I have not yet read the whole thing in detail, but reading the set up and skimming the rest, it is well designed and presented. The quality of this booklet is quite high.

I already have a set of dice from Inkwell Ideas from backing the DungeonMorphs 2: Cities & Villages: Map Generator Dice/Cards Kickstarter. They go well with the ones I already have, that I wrote about here. I am still waiting for fulfillment of the new dice in the series, so I’ll have more on that later. I backed the Kickstarter because I wanted some dice to help map/guide exploring the ruined city in my campaign, that my series for the 2015 A to Z Challenge is helping me collect my thoughts. These dice are large and have heft. They are loud on my plastic table, and would be on any table. Perhaps a padded box to roll them in would help if it is too loud for you, or too annoying for others you live with. Quick random dungeons are helpful. I like the ideas of the geomorphs, and Inkwell Ideas has started a series of contests for generating more geomorphs.

Finally, there are four round, magnetic monster tokens from gamemash.com. I’m not sure how I would use these other than on my refrigerator. I suppose they might come in handy to show placement in live play. For those who have to have more than scribbles on paper to do placement of characters, NPC’s, and monsters in play, these might be your thing. They are not my thing. I am not knocking the product. The art is good, and firmly attached to the magnets. The magnets have some heft to them, so they would not be easily moved, even if you don’t have a magnetic playing surface.

01-CAM00678
02-CAM00679
03-CAM00680
04-CAM00681
05-CAM00682
06-CAM00683
07-CAM00684
08-CAM00685
09-CAM00686
11-CAM00688
12-CAM00689
12-CAM00690
RPGs

Gaming Paper Review

3 Comments

I bought a roll of hex Gaming Paper a couple weekends ago. Here is a quick review and some ideas I have for using it.

I had heard of Gaming Paper a few years ago, and I like the idea. One can use it for instant terrain maps for use with miniatures. It is also useful to cut some out and use to generate a hex crawl area map and take notes.

It is designed to write in pencil and be able to erase it. I tested and dry erase markers will wipe off, just like an ink pen, if you do so right away. I drew an X with a purple dry erase marker and waited for it to dry. It mostly wiped off, but left a faded X. So if you want to write something that it not permanent, do it in pencil, a high quality eraser is key.

I like the idea of cutting out a piece big enough to generate a hex crawl area map, and use it to write notes. Rather than writing or typing a list that then has to be translated to a map, one can do the initial notes in pencil, and then use ink when plans are solidified.

A similar sized piece can be cut and given to the players and let them map things out as they go.

The FAQ states that it did not feed well through printes when they tried it. Most likely because of how thin and slick it is. The rubber rollers need to get a good grip on the paper for it to feed properly. The blue color of the lines is the kind of blue that probably won’t scan or photocopy well. If you are using pieces larger than a standard scanner, you would not be able to scan it easily.

The only time I really use miniatures at the table is for marching order and placement in combat. Gaming paper is a much less expensive option to a battle mat. The paper is generally spill resistant, and it is designed to be rolled up and re-used.

It is tear resistant, so there is not much worry about frayed edges. It tries to roll itself up, so a means to get it flat might be needed. I tried blue painter’s tape and it did not take away the surface when removed. I even put a piece of Scotch Tape on it and it did not pull away the surface.

I cut a piece about 18 inches wide, and was going to use it to re-do and clarify the peninsula where the players in my AD&D campaign are running around. I then realized, depending on the scale for each hex, I didn’t cut it wide enough. So remember, measure twice, but once….

From my experience, very sharp scissors are better. The paper resists tearing so you can’t just slide your scissors along to make a quick cut.

Below you can see the piece I cut and how well it covers my work space.

Gaming Paper
Gaming Paper

If your FLGS doesn’t have it, you can go to the Gaming Paper website and order direct. They have free shipping on orders over $50.00.

RPGs

Laminating My Hommlet Map

1 Comment

In February, I ran Village of Hommlet at Marmalade Dog 20. I was very much over prepared. The map in my original module is very faint, and the blue of the ink is the kind that does not copy well. I purchased the PDF from DriveThruRPG, but the map did not print very clearly. So I got a couple sheets of tracing paper and traced it. I then ran by Kinko’s and made copies to regular paper and taped them together. The map did not feature very much in play, but since I put so much time into it, I wanted to preserve it, in case I ever need it. I am sure I will run Hommlet again someday.

Note on this process. Make sure the ink side of the tracing paper is facing down when you go to make copies. I didn’t realize the error of my ways until I got to the con and the map didn’t line up right. One page was correct and the other was not. I had to find a back lit window by the doors to trace the other side of the paper so that it was legible. I then ran by Kinko’s and made a correct copy of that part of the map for the last two days of the con. I later grabbed my colored pencils and colored my map.

01Hommlet
Colored and ready to be preserved.

02HommletBack
My map face down on the Contact Paper. Center it and apply pressure from the center out.

 

So I made a trip to the craft store and bought some clear contact paper. I cut some off a bit longer than the map.

Contact Paper
Contact Paper

After getting the backing off, I spread the contact paper on my table sticky side up.

I then laid the map ink side down. I cut out the corners of the contact paper and folded it over to wrap around the back of map. I used the scraps to cover the seam where I stitched the paper map together into one.

Map Face Down On Contact Paper
Map Face Down On Contact Paper with the edges folded over.

Rather than try to cut a piece of contact paper to fit, I used packing tape to cover the bare paper on the back of the map. (I know some might cringe at this. However, this is copy paper. It is NOT acid free paper, so using packing tape plus keeping it out of the light, will make it last longer. Unless I get a light table and acid free paper to trace a new map, I can’t make it last any longer. This is just a tool, even faded it will still work, and that might add a bit of character to it.)

Packing Tape Dispenser
Packing Tape Dispenser

06BackOfMapWhenDone
Clear Packing tape on the back so all the paper is covered.

04EdgesFoldedOver

Now, other than sitting in a spill, someone being deliberately destructive, or a disaster, I have a map that I can write on with dry erase markers and use for years to come.

08Finished
Finished

09RolledUp
Rolls up nicely.

10UnrollsWell
A couple of angled views.

07Finished

RPGs

2015 A to Z Challenge Theme Reveal – Cities/Cities As Ruins/Cities As Megadungeons

5 Comments

Initially, I was struggling with the idea of a theme for this year’s A to Z Blogging Challenge. Last year I just picked a topic that fit the letter for that day and went with it. Then I remembered my half started project to help me deal with cities, ruined cities, and my thoughts that a large city was in many ways equivalent to a megadungeon. Indeed, a ruined city is but the surface level of a megadungeon.

I will be fleshing out general ideas and ideas for tables, and on-the-fly information for navigating a large city or ruin without advance preparation, or with a set base of preparation, like a map and a general idea of where the different quarters are, etc. Planning a ruined city relies on planning one that is inhabited, the only difference is that a ruined city needs a reason for why it is now in ruins.

This project is as much a tool to help me as it is to share my insights with others.

I will reference past articles on some of these topics. Some information I may have previously only collected information and not yet made an article. I wrote at least a rough outline of each article and have them scheduled to post. I have been going back to each one and adding, revising, cross linking, and otherwise trying to improve them. So far, I don’t have as many tables as I initially envisioned, but I do have many lists I will work to develop tables or clean up for a list of ideas on various topics. Since this topic is so much on my mind of late, I am linking to posts that have come up and continue to be published by others. One relatively new blog, Lost Kingdom, has coincidentally, published articles that tie very well into mine, and I link to their articles for more details. Trying to find the time to read all of their past articles is a challenge, but well worth the effort.

Building a city for an RPG, whether a living city, or a fallen, ancient one, requires thinking it through and populating it in a pattern that fits. Not everyone needs this level of detail to guide them in creating their cities. I often just determine that there are so many of this or that business and don’t worry about a map. This project is for improving the level of preparation by creating a sort of checklist to touch on, to help DM’s that aren’t so good at spur of the moment to have some ideas to help with improvising their cities.

I look forward to feedback and ideas to fill in gaps.

There will be new tables for some things, and my detailed slant on how to build cities/ruined cities. Of course, in the A to Z Challenge format, it won’t be a complete system, but will contain points and questions to ponder for anyone developing a city. Some of these ideas will translate into building cities for any genre of RPG.

I will quote myself from my Post-Con Write Up of Marmalade Dog 20 and a relevant conversation I had with Adam Muszkiewicz:

When Adam and I were talking the topic of random tables and drop tables and all the dice tables came up. I mentioned that I am slowly crafting an all the dice type table to help me generate area of an ancient “abandoned” city for houses, building, and other features. Adam pointed me to a display at Roy’s booth for Metal Gods of Ur-Hadad, Winter 2014, Issue #1. Pages 10 and 11 have a neighborhood generator, and pages 12 and 13 have a gang generator. The neighborhood generator has a lot of ideas that I am looking for so I bought it.

I am going to enjoy this!

All my posts on megadungeons, and cities.

I also have a list of those RPG bloggers that used the (GA) tag on the A to Z Sign Up Page. I didn’t have time to look for those that didn’t use a tag, so if you want to be on my list, just let me know your number on the sign up list. My list, 2015 A TO Z CHALLENGE – RPG BLOGGERS, is on the right side of my blog under the A To Z Challenge logo.

[UPDATE] I went to each of the RPG blogs signed up for this year’s challenge, and only a couple of them appear to be participating in the theme reveal, so I wait, as do all of us until perhaps later today, or April 1st, when the posts begin.

[UPDATE 2] Here is a link to the List of Those Signed up for the April, 2014 A to Z blogging challenge.

RPGs

Metamorphosis Alpha

3 Comments

I used to be the one who ran Metamorphosis Alpha for our group. I don’t have any of my original MA material, it was all lot in the great water leak incident.

Thanks to DriveThruRPG and RPGNow, I can get PDFs of such things. Unfortunately, I could not justify $80 for the hardback re-print Kickstarter last year. I really wanted to, but talked myself out of it. I still want to order it off Goodman Games, but $80. Yes, I know, I paid a lot more than that to get a Dieties & Demigods with Cthulhu and Melnibonean mythos last year.

I have things I need to do to my own AD&D campaign, but I have had an itch for several weeks and finally, I printed out my MA PDF and put it in a binder, and read the rules for the first time in what must be 30 years. I must say that I did not recall the rules being the way they were. We played a lot more Gamma World and I recalled things being more like I recall it instead. However, I have not read the Gamma World rules in nearly 30 years or played, so I could be jumbling that with Star Frontiers, and our home brew science fiction game. [I later found a reference and how close the GW and MA rules were, so I’m not sure what rules I was remembering.]

What amazes me is how complete a 30 page rule book is. There are rules for generating characters, various physical and mental mutations. Animal and plant specific mutations, and a way to generate your own mutated creatures. There is a rough description of a 17 deck generation ship with mid decks and other spaces, and the GM has free reign to make it their own.

Here is a picture of my Metamorphosis Alpha rules, printed from my PDF, with a note card colored with a visual reminder of what each wristband does, and my notebook for ideas for adventures and other things to put my ideas into it. I also grabbed 17 sheets of graph paper and hole punched them to start making rough maps of each deck. I used one sheet to show how big each deck is in 10 mile squares.

MA Notebook
MA Notebook

The manual suggests 2 mile squares or hexes for maps of a complete deck. This has me thinking about how I might use the quadrille ruled desk pads I got in recently.

I will be posting articles with my ideas on MA as I build my version of the Starship Warden. The thing I like about MA is just how rules lite it is, and one can easily run a game on Roll20 & G+ Hangouts without worrying how all the players will fair if they don’t have a copy.