So in all my time DMing or playing the game as a player I've always done the pen and paper route acting off imagination rather than drawing out maps for combat. At most the DM would draw out a basic dungeon map and "what goes here" list they'd keep to themselves.
I want to start incorporating maps and use icons for some online play but I feel like it would take to long to do on the spot on a computer. Is mapping more of a live meetup thing to do, with some quick drawings done on pen and paper/models used? Just would rather not make a map before hand and never get to do it. Don't want to railroad my group into it just because "I made a thing."
Just trying to figure out what would be the best way to go about this in a time efficient manner, have not delved too much into roll20, and steam has a map maker program but it takes way to long and just adding in minor details for a town alone adds 80+ objects (not even going into the two main buildings, or that this is a essentially a side dungeon taking place in a small ghost town)
Roll20 will give you a blank or square grid page that you can just draw on with the given marker tools. I'd say you could operate that on the fly easily without having to prep anything beforehand.
One trick I found a long time ago was to use Excel to make my maps. If you just decide that each cell represents the same size, as say 5x5, then you can just use borders to mark the room and hallway edges and you can type in any cell where something of interest is and any description/special information about it. Its a quick and dirty way of doing it without too much muss and fuss.
So in all my time DMing or playing the game as a player I've always done the pen and paper route acting off imagination rather than drawing out maps for combat. At most the DM would draw out a basic dungeon map and "what goes here" list they'd keep to themselves.
I want to start incorporating maps and use icons for some online play but I feel like it would take to long to do on the spot on a computer. Is mapping more of a live meetup thing to do, with some quick drawings done on pen and paper/models used? Just would rather not make a map before hand and never get to do it. Don't want to railroad my group into it just because "I made a thing."
Just trying to figure out what would be the best way to go about this in a time efficient manner, have not delved too much into roll20, and steam has a map maker program but it takes way to long and just adding in minor details for a town alone adds 80+ objects (not even going into the two main buildings, or that this is a essentially a side dungeon taking place in a small ghost town)
Roll20 will give you a blank or square grid page that you can just draw on with the given marker tools. I'd say you could operate that on the fly easily without having to prep anything beforehand.
One trick I found a long time ago was to use Excel to make my maps. If you just decide that each cell represents the same size, as say 5x5, then you can just use borders to mark the room and hallway edges and you can type in any cell where something of interest is and any description/special information about it. Its a quick and dirty way of doing it without too much muss and fuss.
Oh that's smart Gadjira, ill probably draw boss fights/arenas/towns out for fluff but a quick map like that would be perfect.