Maps or imagination or switching around?

[Lexx]

Do you like to use maps or imagination when RPGing or do you do both?

I was wondering which is most popular.

Personally I was thinking of mostly doing it mentally, but occasionally setting up a tabletop village and doing it all that way for a variance.

It's not too hard or expensive to find lots of free building PDF files that can be made into a fantasy/SF setting, and you can turn a table into an outpost, village, etc, with fairly little effort or $.

So how do you do it?

[tkdguy]

I do both. I also like to add props into the game such as items relevant to the story. Of course, pictures, music, and slide shows help a lot.

[jahn]

Usually imagination because we're too lazy to draw maps. Maps or drawings for big combats or exploring ruins or any other case when it's important to visualize where things are in relation to each other. In practice we use drawings about 1/3 of the gaming sessions, though some campaigns are more map heavy.

[pyratejohn]

Map maps maps!!!

But that's probably because I'm a cartographer by trade.
Hold on! Now that I think about it, I've been a gamer since 76ish, and didn't become a cartographer until a decade later. But I digress...

I've always tried to have some sort of tactical maps for every encounter. Even those that weren't supposed to lead to violence (must keep the players guessing). For my old Undermountain campaign I used made my own dungeon tiles. However, more often than not I'd use dry erase markers on a Chessex vinyl hex mat.

[sjard]

Both in various extents. Descriptions will vary depending on time and effort put into observing them, and maps vary in quality and accuracy depending on setting and information at the time of creation. In a medieval fantasy setting my maps (as GM) will of course be as accurate as i can draw them, while maps for the players will be a lot more vague even for the best quality (unless magical).

[sambudak]

I got this big vinyl mat that has a hex grid, you can write on it with wet erase markers, and so I guess I fall into the grey area of both. I tend to like to do without a map, 'cause I'm lazy and crappy at drawing, but there are times when nothing else will do.

What do you map crazy folks do? I got a great tip for a homemade play-surface from CG's Bloodlust skirmish rules-- just paint a sheet of plywood with chalkboard paint. A pile of chalk in various colors and you're good to game.

[Galifestus]

I love to be able to see what the terrain looks like! If no map, I like to draw at least an idea where things are, whether in broad terms or in detail for combat.

So I agree! Maps, maps and more maps. And drawings and candles and photos and anything else that will help with mood, visualization and suspension of disbelief.

[Jonny Reload]

I use both AND Miniatures. Nothing when just doing a more social role playing scene, maps when moving from location to location, and miniatures for a big planned battle (With terrain and detailed figures too)

[Frost]

Originally Posted by Lexx

Do you like to use maps or imagination when RPGing or do you do both?
...

So how do you do it?

Both, I do most things very much theatre of the mind style but I fall back on maps and minatures for some forms of combat (space combat in particular).

[sjard]

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Just a Notice that this thread was necroed by a spammer (who has since been banned and the post deleted), and until today(August 9, 2022) had not been posted to since 2004.

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