Just my $0.02... I think the maps are great. The Schley maps are wonderful pieces of art, but Dyson puts out a ton of usable maps, several of which I've incorporated into my games. On R20, I find it's easier to see the PC/monster tokens on the b/w background, and my players don't typically care about having the full colored maps.
I can also see why the D&D team would do this as well. This is an introductory module. They are trying to get people interested in playing the game. These are the kind of maps that new DMs could imagine making themselves, with some practice. I'm certain that the next module, which is supposed to go from levels 5-20 will have the typical, full-color maps again.
Maps are not individually sold, but you can just purchase the compendium. It includes the maps, is still cheaper than the whole book, but will also still count towards the price of the book if you eventually purchase the whole thing.
I don't think the hard copy comes with player maps, but I could be wrong. You could buy the Dragon Heist Compendium, as that's the only individual purchase that includes the maps. Each map will have player map versions.
That said, I don't own the hard copies myself, so there may be some other way in which you can get the player maps outside of D&D Beyond.
I don't think the hard copy comes with player maps, but I could be wrong. You could buy the Dragon Heist Compendium, as that's the only individual purchase that includes the maps. Each map will have player map versions.
That said, I don't own the hard copies myself, so there may be some other way in which you can get the player maps outside of D&D Beyond.
The City map is both for DMs and Players. One side DM, one side players.
There is a map pack coming later this month(according to Amazon.com), you can see when you look at the link that there are a couple of extra maps and things coming too.
The City map is both for DMs and Players. One side DM, one side players.
There is a map pack coming later this month(according to Amazon.com), you can see when you look at the link that there are a couple of extra maps and things coming too.
$50 dollars just for maps? Digital paper better be made of woven gold and professional looking.
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I just want to tell everyone "happy gaming" and actually mean it. Whatever your game is, just have fun with it, it is after all, just a game.
And I whole heartedly agree. The digital version of the adventure with the maps, the art and stats I can print out is spoiling me for all other material. I was just throwing it out there as an option. Some people would prefer dead tree copies instead of printing it on their own.
Also, $50 is probably NOT the final cost for the product. Amazon had Dragon Heist listed at $49 until it dropped this week. Then the price sunk to $29 for it.
Being an old school gamer - I started playing in my early teens with 1E - I love the maps in Dragon Heist.
I've actually long wondered about the need for highly artistic, incredibly detailed maps, especially of locations that players will discover/experience a bit at a time. For most of the 3E/4E time period, I found most maps to be hard to read from all the texturing, shadows, etc. And all the flourishes were wasted because the players aren't ever going to see them. When I'm reading a published adventure, I'd rather have a map that's extremely easy to skim and locate each numbered/detailed encounter than a beautifully rendered piece of art that gives me eye strain. I vastly prefer more utilitarian maps for areas and locations that the characters figure out a piece at a time.
When it comes to country or continent (or similarly large areas) maps, then yes, give me all your artistic talent. But for a dungeoncrawl? Just give me something clear and well designed.
Xukuri, that makes perfect sense for an at home game. I run all my games online, and I desperately miss the full color/detailed maps. They are incredibly visible to players constantly, and all the detail of the color maps truly enhances the experience, especially with advanced lighting and Fog of War options that are now possible. Staring at these featureless maps on a computer screen for hours isn't a great option. I feel this whole debate is largely down to where people are playing, and my biggest suggestion would be for WotC to produce or allow the community to produce maps suitable for a digital tabletop (they have removed fan made maps from the DM's Guild that emulate the previous style, which feels like an extra slap in the face given the situation).
Loren, excellent point. My default assumption/gaming model is F2F/in person. I can see the more detailed maps being something that would enhance online games.
I am not a fan of the default black and white art either. I play exclusively at the game table and print everything in high resolution. I would like to find similar full color maps for DH and do the same thing.
All I would really want out of this is the maps, and that's not worth it for the price. I'm sure the miniatures are great, but I've already got thousands of those.
No, 'Compendium' is a D&D Beyond term referring to the things in the 'Compenium' drop-down (versus the things in the Monsters/Spells/Items/Characters drop-downs). It's *much* cheaper than $500 - and, in fact, is cheaper than buying the regular adventure (because you don't get the Monsters and Items in easily-indexed format in the Monsters/Items drop-downs).
I am not a fan of the default black and white art either. I play exclusively at the game table and print everything in high resolution. I would like to find similar full color maps for DH and do the same thing.
This may sound like a dumb question, but how does this work in practicality? How do you shield areas the players haven't seen/explored?
Again, I'm used to old school approaches in which the players map stuff out for themselves as they go, one area/room at a time.
I am not a fan of the default black and white art either. I play exclusively at the game table and print everything in high resolution. I would like to find similar full color maps for DH and do the same thing.
This may sound like a dumb question, but how does this work in practicality? How do you shield areas the players haven't seen/explored?
Again, I'm used to old school approaches in which the players map stuff out for themselves as they go, one area/room at a time.
It is not a dumb question. I cover up parts with pieces of black paper as they advance fog of war style. Occasionally, such as in this spectacular set piece battle from Tomb of Annihilation, they can see the entire board at once.
No, 'Compendium' is a D&D Beyond term referring to the things in the 'Compenium' drop-down (versus the things in the Monsters/Spells/Items/Characters drop-downs). It's *much* cheaper than $500 - and, in fact, is cheaper than buying the regular adventure (because you don't get the Monsters and Items in easily-indexed format in the Monsters/Items drop-downs).
I've flagged this thread as a bug, so that it will be tracked, however I will caution that we don't know that this was an error - it could be a design "feature" of these maps.
I'll ask staff to query with Wizards of the Coast, about whether the images are supposed to have the blue dashed lines on them or not and, if not, how we get the maps updated for you all.
Stormknight, did you find out if the blue lines are a bug or a feature in the compendium maps? Also, how many individual maps come with the purchase? I would want to expand them in Photoshop to a printable resolution.
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Just my $0.02... I think the maps are great. The Schley maps are wonderful pieces of art, but Dyson puts out a ton of usable maps, several of which I've incorporated into my games. On R20, I find it's easier to see the PC/monster tokens on the b/w background, and my players don't typically care about having the full colored maps.
I can also see why the D&D team would do this as well. This is an introductory module. They are trying to get people interested in playing the game. These are the kind of maps that new DMs could imagine making themselves, with some practice. I'm certain that the next module, which is supposed to go from levels 5-20 will have the typical, full-color maps again.
Is it possible to purchase the maps separately? I have the dead tree version of the module, but would like to print out maps for my players...
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ModeratorMaps are not individually sold, but you can just purchase the compendium. It includes the maps, is still cheaper than the whole book, but will also still count towards the price of the book if you eventually purchase the whole thing.
Hi all
I have the hard copy of DH, where can I get player map versions of those within?
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ModeratorI don't think the hard copy comes with player maps, but I could be wrong. You could buy the Dragon Heist Compendium, as that's the only individual purchase that includes the maps. Each map will have player map versions.
That said, I don't own the hard copies myself, so there may be some other way in which you can get the player maps outside of D&D Beyond.
Ok thanks for the advice
G
The City map is both for DMs and Players. One side DM, one side players.
There is a map pack coming later this month(according to Amazon.com), you can see when you look at the link that there are a couple of extra maps and things coming too.
$50 dollars just for maps? Digital paper better be made of woven gold and professional looking.
I just want to tell everyone "happy gaming" and actually mean it. Whatever your game is, just have fun with it, it is after all, just a game.
And I whole heartedly agree. The digital version of the adventure with the maps, the art and stats I can print out is spoiling me for all other material. I was just throwing it out there as an option. Some people would prefer dead tree copies instead of printing it on their own.
Also, $50 is probably NOT the final cost for the product. Amazon had Dragon Heist listed at $49 until it dropped this week. Then the price sunk to $29 for it.
Choices! It's a great time to be a DM. :D
Being an old school gamer - I started playing in my early teens with 1E - I love the maps in Dragon Heist.
I've actually long wondered about the need for highly artistic, incredibly detailed maps, especially of locations that players will discover/experience a bit at a time. For most of the 3E/4E time period, I found most maps to be hard to read from all the texturing, shadows, etc. And all the flourishes were wasted because the players aren't ever going to see them. When I'm reading a published adventure, I'd rather have a map that's extremely easy to skim and locate each numbered/detailed encounter than a beautifully rendered piece of art that gives me eye strain. I vastly prefer more utilitarian maps for areas and locations that the characters figure out a piece at a time.
When it comes to country or continent (or similarly large areas) maps, then yes, give me all your artistic talent. But for a dungeoncrawl? Just give me something clear and well designed.
Xukuri, that makes perfect sense for an at home game. I run all my games online, and I desperately miss the full color/detailed maps. They are incredibly visible to players constantly, and all the detail of the color maps truly enhances the experience, especially with advanced lighting and Fog of War options that are now possible. Staring at these featureless maps on a computer screen for hours isn't a great option. I feel this whole debate is largely down to where people are playing, and my biggest suggestion would be for WotC to produce or allow the community to produce maps suitable for a digital tabletop (they have removed fan made maps from the DM's Guild that emulate the previous style, which feels like an extra slap in the face given the situation).
Loren, excellent point. My default assumption/gaming model is F2F/in person. I can see the more detailed maps being something that would enhance online games.
I am not a fan of the default black and white art either. I play exclusively at the game table and print everything in high resolution. I would like to find similar full color maps for DH and do the same thing.
When you mention compendium, do you mean the $500 Platinum Box?
https://www.beadleandgrimms.com/spoilers/
All I would really want out of this is the maps, and that's not worth it for the price. I'm sure the miniatures are great, but I've already got thousands of those.
No, 'Compendium' is a D&D Beyond term referring to the things in the 'Compenium' drop-down (versus the things in the Monsters/Spells/Items/Characters drop-downs). It's *much* cheaper than $500 - and, in fact, is cheaper than buying the regular adventure (because you don't get the Monsters and Items in easily-indexed format in the Monsters/Items drop-downs).
This may sound like a dumb question, but how does this work in practicality? How do you shield areas the players haven't seen/explored?
Again, I'm used to old school approaches in which the players map stuff out for themselves as they go, one area/room at a time.
It is not a dumb question. I cover up parts with pieces of black paper as they advance fog of war style. Occasionally, such as in this spectacular set piece battle from Tomb of Annihilation, they can see the entire board at once.
https://imgur.com/eLBXTqe
Ah, thank you.
Amazon is still listing the Gale Force map pack at $50. I wonder what they look like and what the quality is like. And now many maps are you getting?
https://www.amazon.com/gp/product/B07GWYX2CZ/ref=ox_sc_act_title_4?smid=AQQT1VG5F0YB7&psc=1
Stormknight, did you find out if the blue lines are a bug or a feature in the compendium maps? Also, how many individual maps come with the purchase? I would want to expand them in Photoshop to a printable resolution.