A note on complicated structures

[logan9a]

If the players go into a complicated structure (example: a dungeon), I'm not going to map it.

I will do it in narrative blocks.

The PC's can make their own bubble map if it makes them feel better but I'm not going to do mapping.

Mapping leads to the pointless chess game which most D&D games are and I won't be having with that.


On the flip side, the dungeons will also be simple enough that the players can actually get out without too much difficulty. I'm thinking the most complicated the dungeon would ever get would be something like in Skyrim. Eventually, you will get out.

I may even remind players "You haven't searched the left tunnel yet". If they don't want to that is up to them.

Also, players from before will recall that I don't have a lot of looking stuff going on. No 'let's meticulously search every fucking ten foot section of wall for a secret door in every room' while the narration and story grind to shit.

Having the players simply tell me "Hey, we're obviously going into a bad place. We're at full combat ready and we're keeping our eyes open for secret doors, traps and all that other shit" will get skill rolls automatically from the players as they go through whatever hell I've got lined up.

Of course, there may be some dungeons which disobey these rules - the dungeon that is a maze or reforms it's rooms to try to trap the PC's in there forever, etc. I will simply have skill rolls (or PC cleverness) to escape that shit.

Mapping leads no where I want to go.

[bentpaperclip]

What program were you going to use for mapping dungeons?

[logan9a]

Actually, I wasn't going to. Or I'd just toss on a map I'd discovered online some where and say "Here's the dungeon. Clockwise exportation or counter?

I can very easily see the biggest decision being 'left or right'.

Most dungeons I find pretty boring and illogical (random rooms with random monsters that don't do anything when their neighbors down the hall are slaughtered) so I will go with something easy that can be quickly described.

Instead of on the maps, my goal would be to stick a dungeon into someone's mind.

I think the 'dungeon' I was most fond of was the one under Dunwich. That was a fucking spelunking nightmare of doom with interesting shit.

[bentpaperclip]

My previous comment was designed to make you sigh at my complete disregard for the entirety of your initial post. I am sad you completely missed it.


And Dunwich was awesome. I still have the notes on what remains to be completed. I think I went back three or four times (once with an intern on my back) in order to get stuff done. One of the baddies in that mod is the reason I dedicated all resources to getting my SPOT above 200% so I could murder his ass.

[logan9a]

That is a 'dungeon' (for lack of a better term) that kind of grew over a decade or two of play - as well as what was in the book.

The sad thing about so many of the mappers around is they are very 2d. Because it is apparently beyond most people to imagine anything in 3d. Which is pretty tragic - 3d makes the dungeon. Otherwise, next thing you know you're once again in 10' corridors kicking in fucking doors.