A bit of a light-hearted gripe...

Anyone else find it inconvenient that WotC includes the "S" for secret doors on the "Players Version" of all their maps?   

If you put it on the player's version of the map, then maybe it's not a secret...?   LOL!!

What weird inconsistencies or contradictions have you found in DnD content?

I can't say I've noticed that. But then, the books I have are from before the WotC changeover. In DoIP, for example, it doesn't show the 'S'. Although, and this is a WotC issue from what I can judge, it's so obvious that there is a secret door, where it starts and where the other secret door at the end of the hidden passage is, that they might as well have put the symbols in.

You can tell the maps were designed with the idea that the DM draws them onto a mat or something, and then the players never directly see the map. Either than or your using fancy VTT stuff that blocks vision.

That is one of my biggest complaints of published adventures!!! I'm currently running a Tyranny of Dragons campaign, and EVERY player version of the map clearly shows where all the secret doors or hidden tunnels are located.

Me, "I've set the VTT so your character's token can reveal the Fog of War, and your vision is blocked by walls."

Player, after moving token, "what's that dotted line in the South East corner of the room, i'm going to search there for a hidden passage below the surface of the water".

This agitates me as well.

Another thing I noticed is in The Lost Mines of Phandelver starter set the horses are dead in the road which is what would be a logical and thematic outcome of the ambush, but in the redone version for the Shattered Obelisk the horses are alive and meandering when the party finds them. Why was this changed and how does it work logically and thematically?!

I would love to know what purpose this change serves for the game.

Quote from kayakingpoodle >>

This agitates me as well.

Another thing I noticed is in The Lost Mines of Phandelver starter set the horses are dead in the road which is what would be a logical and thematic outcome of the ambush, but in the redone version for the Shattered Obelisk the horses are alive and meandering when the party finds them. Why was this changed and how does it work logically and thematically?!

I would love to know what purpose this change serves for the game.

 
It doesn't serve the game, but it serves the Marketing Department.  They want to be more family friendly and less violent I would imagine; since that module is targeted at beginners - which include families and youngsters.

Quote from HarmAssassin >>

That is one of my biggest complaints of published adventures!!! I'm currently running a Tyranny of Dragons campaign, and EVERY player version of the map clearly shows where all the secret doors or hidden tunnels are located.

Me, "I've set the VTT so your character's token can reveal the Fog of War, and your vision is blocked by walls."

Player, after moving token, "what's that dotted line in the South East corner of the room, i'm going to search there for a hidden passage below the surface of the water".

 

 
I've had to pull the images into Photoshop or other image editors to redo these sections of the map.  I had to do the same thing in DoiP... there are a lot of these in that map.

Quote from Linklite >>

I can't say I've noticed that. But then, the books I have are from before the WotC changeover. In DoIP, for example, it doesn't show the 'S'. Although, and this is a WotC issue from what I can judge, it's so obvious that there is a secret door, where it starts and where the other secret door at the end of the hidden passage is, that they might as well have put the symbols in.

You can tell the maps were designed with the idea that the DM draws them onto a mat or something, and then the players never directly see the map. Either than or your using fancy VTT stuff that blocks vision.

 
I noticed these too and had to redo these sections of the map - which isn't easy since they use a watercolour effect on the surfaces.  It's very hard to hide these without making them obvious "fixes".

Quote from KDinLA >>

Quote from kayakingpoodle >>

This agitates me as well.

Another thing I noticed is in The Lost Mines of Phandelver starter set the horses are dead in the road which is what would be a logical and thematic outcome of the ambush, but in the redone version for the Shattered Obelisk the horses are alive and meandering when the party finds them. Why was this changed and how does it work logically and thematically?!

I would love to know what purpose this change serves for the game.

 
It doesn't serve the game, but it serves the Marketing Department.  They want to be more family friendly and less violent I would imagine; since that module is targeted at beginners - which include families and youngsters.

 

 So finding 2 dead horses in the road is more violent than the PC's killing people and monsters the rest of the game?

Why would the horses stay after all of the blood shed and violence they were subject to?

Quote from KDinLA >>

Quote from kayakingpoodle >>

This agitates me as well.

Another thing I noticed is in The Lost Mines of Phandelver starter set the horses are dead in the road which is what would be a logical and thematic outcome of the ambush, but in the redone version for the Shattered Obelisk the horses are alive and meandering when the party finds them. Why was this changed and how does it work logically and thematically?!

I would love to know what purpose this change serves for the game.

 
It doesn't serve the game, but it serves the Marketing Department.  They want to be more family friendly and less violent I would imagine; since that module is targeted at beginners - which include families and youngsters.

 I don't own TSO so I might be getting it wrong, but I was under the impression it was meant to be cosmic horror with body mutation etc? Kinda feels a little mixed message to me?

Quote from KDinLA >>

Quote from Linklite >>

I can't say I've noticed that. But then, the books I have are from before the WotC changeover. In DoIP, for example, it doesn't show the 'S'. Although, and this is a WotC issue from what I can judge, it's so obvious that there is a secret door, where it starts and where the other secret door at the end of the hidden passage is, that they might as well have put the symbols in.

You can tell the maps were designed with the idea that the DM draws them onto a mat or something, and then the players never directly see the map. Either than or your using fancy VTT stuff that blocks vision.

 
I noticed these too and had to redo these sections of the map - which isn't easy since they use a watercolour effect on the surfaces.  It's very hard to hide these without making them obvious "fixes".

 Yeah. I mean, my players are pretty cool about it and so they don't try guessing why I've been editing it (they chalk it up to me.changing the scenario or something), but it looks unprofessional...which kinda flies against the point of getting them to do the maps for me.

Quote from Linklite>>

Quote from KDinLA>>

Quote from kayakingpoodle>>

This agitates me as well.

Another thing I noticed is in The Lost Mines of Phandelver starter set the horses are dead in the road which ffwhat would be a logical and thematic outcome of the ambush, but in the redone version for the Shattered Obelisk the horses are alive and meandering when the party finds them. Why was this changed and how does it work logically and thematically?!

I would love to know what purpose this change serves for the game.

It doesn't serve the game, but it serves the Marketing Department.  They want to be more family friendly and less violent I would imagine; since that module is targeted at beginners - which include families and youngsters.

 I don't own TSO so I might be getting it wrong, but I was under the impression it was meant to be cosmic horror with body mutation etc? Kinda feels a little mixed message to me?

I was only speaking to the first part that is the TLMoP from the 2014 starter set WotC massaged to put in the new adventure. I bought the book specifically for the first part of the book as one group I am in just started TLMoP and are going from it to TTOD. I haven't looked at the TSO part I don't know when I will get to playing it. 

I have played through TLMoP many time as a player and DM. As soon as I opened the book this caught my eye. Warning for those that are planning to play before reading further. 

It's the same in purchased maps from Mike Schley and Jared Blando. Very annoying.