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Games and Gaming: [D&D4] Custom Maps: Throne Room and Tower

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      CommentAuthorJohn Harper
    • CommentTimeJul 10th 2008 edited
     # 1
    I started making custom maps for our D&D game, and I figure y'all can make use of them, too. They're set up as 7x10 tiles in PDF form (one tile per page), plus a master page with a key and some notes about traps and terrain features and stuff.

    The Throne Room of the Raven Queen PDF file (3.2M)




    In our world, the Raven Queen (like all the gods) is physically present. So of course she has a badass black tower and a throne room. We had an awesome fight in here. Clerics: Try to turn undead near the balcony. That is a very long fall.


    The Tower Mansion PDF file (6.6M)




    Enjoy! There will be more coming soon.
    •  
      CommentAuthorRob Donoghue
    • CommentTimeJul 10th 2008 edited
     # 2
    Dude!

    What are you making these with? (Besides powerful Harper-Style kung fu?)

    -Rob D.
    •  
      CommentAuthorrenatoram
    • CommentTimeJul 10th 2008
     # 3
    Let me second that... Dude!

    Really pretty, man!
    • CommentAuthorCaesar_X
    • CommentTimeJul 10th 2008
     # 4
    If John doesn't run any D&D when I come to Seattle, I might cry.
    •  
      CommentAuthorJohn Harper
    • CommentTimeJul 10th 2008 edited
     # 5
    I'm composing them and doing the lighting and shadows in Photoshop (the mansion is over 150 layers!). For textures and map objects, I'm using the amazing RPGmapshare.com.

    For use at the table, I print onto 120 lb. cover stock, trim the edges, and that's it. I may laminate them for longer life, but so far they're holding up fine.
  6.  # 6
    As one of the players who gets to wreak mayhem on these maps, let me tell you how nice it is. I'm a terrain guy myself, so selling me on map tiles wasn't easy.
    •  
      CommentAuthorAndy
    • CommentTimeJul 10th 2008
     # 7
    BRING THESE TO GENCON OR I WILL CONSUME YOUR FLESH.
    •  
      CommentAuthorbuzz
    • CommentTimeJul 10th 2008
     # 8
    Man, I'd love to see a tutorial explaining your process at some point. Or even just a basic explanation.
    • CommentAuthorValamir
    • CommentTimeJul 11th 2008
     # 9
    I would like a pet John Harper to live under my bed and create cool stuff for me.
    • CommentAuthorGaerik
    • CommentTimeJul 11th 2008
     # 10
    Can we clone John Harper and each have our own?
  11.  # 11
    Those are great! And thanks for the link to rpgmapshare - I had no idea.
  12.  # 12
    Posted By: buzzMan, I'd love to see a tutorial explaining your process at some point. Or even just a basic explanation.


    Agreed. These are amazing. Jaw droppingly amazing.

    Although knowing John's skills, I suspect the tutorial would involve multiple semesters of art and design classes.
  13.  # 13
    John came with photoshop pre-installed.
    • CommentAuthorJudd
    • CommentTimeJul 11th 2008
     # 14
    Posted By: ValamirI would like a pet John Harper to live under my bed and create cool stuff for me.


    Yes.

    For fuck's sake, John, create a ton of these and sell 'em.

    If you want to go GSL with it, you could have rules tidbits in the package.
    • CommentAuthorJ. Walton
    • CommentTimeJul 11th 2008
     # 15
    You don't need the GSL to sell tiles. You just need a printer who can do heavy cardstock.
  16.  # 16
    I don't think John can bring himself to get paid for two graphic design jobs at a time. Our best bet is to get him fired from his current employer and see if that shakes up his stance a bit.
  17.  # 17
    Shhh, y'all--he's giving them away, right now. Don't tip the apple cart!
  18.  # 18
    Fucking nice!
  19.  # 19
    Ask and ye shall receive:

    Map making tutorial on the Mighty Atom
  20.  # 20
    Dude Squared!

    -Rob D.
    •  
      CommentAuthorbuzz
    • CommentTimeJul 12th 2008
     # 21
    JOHN HAS SECURED HIS PLACE IN LEGEND (again).
  22.  # 22
    I made this comment there, but I'll repeat here for folks not necessarily reading his tutorial but who are doing similar things:

    Nice overview. The only thing I'd add (in particular, for folks who print their own, using their own color ink) is to print on transparencies for the 2nd and 3rd levels, to avoid reprinting all the background and lower-level stuff. If you're REALLY clever (and I am), you could flip the images on the page and print to transparencies, and then when you place them as overlay, you can still use dry-erase pens to mark up the (unprinted) back side, without risk of bad interaction with your printed ink. Hit up Kinko's to sheet-laminate the lowest level (obviating, incidentally, the need to use card stock) and you're done: markable, modular maps with minimal ink use.

    Of course, if you expect the party to "split levels" often, you'd want some kind of blank, protective "backer" sheet for when a transparency isn't being used over-top of your laminated base sheet. Otherwise, your playing surface might scratch off the ink (remember that it's underneath the sheet, on the table surface!).

    HTH--again, great tutorial!
    • CommentAuthorValamir
    • CommentTimeJul 17th 2008
     # 23
    Instead of going through the trouble of flipping the image and then worrying about it rubbing on the table...wouldn't it be simpler to just put a blank transparancey on the top of the stack and call it a day?
    •  
      CommentAuthorLinnaeus
    • CommentTimeAug 5th 2008
     # 24
    Just curious if there are any more of these you'd care to share with the salivating masses, John?

    Anyone want to share their efforts at using John's techniques? Anything half as good is still golden.
    • CommentAuthorCaesar_X
    • CommentTimeAug 5th 2008
     # 25
    John did a few other awesome maps that I got to play at HarperCon a few weeks ago. But I think they were a playtest for running them at GenCon. So hopefully John will upload them when he returns. Cause they were hot.
  26.  # 26
    Chris is right; I will be posting more maps, probably after GenCon.

    One of them is an edit of this awesome map from RPGmapshare.com.
    •  
      CommentAuthorLinnaeus
    • CommentTimeAug 5th 2008
     # 27
    Posted By: John HarperChris is right; I will be posting more maps, probably after GenCon.

    One of them is an edit ofthis awesome mapfrom RPGmapshare.com.


    Cool. Eagerly looking forward to them, John.
  28.  # 28
    Posted By: ValamirInstead of going through the trouble of flipping the image and then worrying about it rubbing on the table...wouldn't it be simpler to just put a blank transparancey on the top of the stack and call it a day?
    Ummm, well, yes, it would be. But not as clever. :p

    On a more serious note, it might prove a bit tedious to keep the overlay aligned with the sheet below, unless you clip it or something. But there's always sheet protectors....

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