Large Dungeon Near College Town

[damonjynx]

Apologies, I haven't read the whole thread. This is looking good Xcali. Re power levels of creatures and such, don't worry about it, let the GM's who run the adventure sort that out. I would just provide descriptions and a difficulty grade, like easy, moderate, hard or very hard. Whilst games like D&D and its derivatives are very popular there are other systems that have strong followings that don't use levels, particularly D100 games like Runequest and it's many flavours for example. If your intent is to aim the map pack specifically at the D&D market, i.e. sell it on the DM's Guild rather then the generic Drivethru RPG site, then I would strongly suggest you do some homework and properly write up the monsters. This will entail making sections of your dungeon 'level' specific. If the PC's wander into an area to high above their current level as Adfor says, they can runaway and come back when they're ready or they can stay, fight and most likely die a horribly painful death

[XCali]

Apologies, I haven't read the whole thread. This is looking good Xcali. Re power levels of creatures and such, don't worry about it, let the GM's who run the adventure sort that out. I would just provide descriptions and a difficulty grade, like easy, moderate, hard or very hard. Whilst games like D&D and its derivatives are very popular there are other systems that have strong followings that don't use levels, particularly D100 games like Runequest and it's many flavours for example. If your intent is to aim the map pack specifically at the D&D market, i.e. sell it on the DM's Guild rather then the generic Drivethru RPG site, then I would strongly suggest you do some homework and properly write up the monsters. This will entail making sections of your dungeon 'level' specific. If the PC's wander into an area to high above their current level as Adfor says, they can runaway and come back when they're ready or they can stay, fight and most likely die a horribly painful death

Thank you for this, really.

It further specified something I was intending from the start. To make this pack more Rule neutral, something an adventure could be had at. So, DrivethruRPG is better for that, I take.

Now, I am going for that, so you suggest I add a supplement to the pack that would explain the Difficulty grade rather than level, which is a good idea. Still, I don't exactly know what do I need to make sure in this compilation of maps to cover all bases for an extended adventure.
From my, albeit brief, experience in actually playing a TTRPG, I did realise there need to be spaced out zones that the party could take a breather, do you agree with this? If so, then should I add that to the difficulty grade supplement, labelling certain areas as safe and others then with the difficulty curve?

This is a completely side note, but I do wish to hear some feedback on it.
I REALLY wish to add trees that glow under starlight into some of these maps, and I'm busy figuring out how to do it exactly. Is it something you would wish to see? And that said, would you think adding night versions of my maps be useful to DMs/GMs running their games? (Super thank you in advance. P.S. Anyone can give advice on this.)

[damonjynx]

Ok. This gets more complex by the post. It depends on what you're actually releasing. If it's just a map pack with some flavour text and scenario idea's, i.e. you're not describing each room in detail, none of that is really necessary, but if you intend on releasing it as a proper system neutral adventure (something there should be more of in my opinion) so anyone can run it using any rules system; i.e. D&D (pick a flavour), Pathfinder, OSR games, Savage Worlds, FATE, BRP/Runequest (once again pick a flavour) or whatever, what I meant above was when describing a room and the monster(s) in it you should say; "The <insert monster(s) name> in this room are half starved and weak, this should be an easy encounter for your adventurers." or something appropriate like that.

Check out the one-page dungeon compilations from Drivethru RPG, each entry is meant to be system neutral so you can get a bit of an idea of what I actually mean, you can also check out my entry Crypt of the Witch King in the finished maps section here. Another handy reference is Goodman Games, How To Write Adventure Modules That Don't Suck which I belive is available on Drivethru as well.

[XCali]

Ok. This gets more complex by the post. It depends on what you're actually releasing. If it's just a map pack with some flavour text and scenario idea's, i.e. you're not describing each room in detail, none of that is really necessary, but if you intend on releasing it as a proper system neutral adventure (something there should be more of in my opinion) so anyone can run it using any rules system; i.e. D&D (pick a flavour), Pathfinder, OSR games, Savage Worlds, FATE, BRP/Runequest (once again pick a flavour) or whatever, what I meant above was when describing a room and the monster(s) in it you should say; "The <insert monster(s) name> in this room are half starved and weak, this should be an easy encounter for your adventurers." or something appropriate like that.

Check out the one-page dungeon compilations from Drivethru RPG, each entry is meant to be system neutral so you can get a bit of an idea of what I actually mean, you can also check out my entry Crypt of the Witch King in the finished maps section here. Another handy reference is Goodman Games, How To Write Adventure Modules That Don't Suck which I belive is available on Drivethru as well.

Definitely food for thought. Really. (EDIT: Btw, the link you provided is not working, maybe check it out?)

As it is now, the map pack has three Overview maps. I will probably include each chamber as its own small map to make it easier on DMs to not give away what lies ahead.
Now, I can and probably will add night versions of the overview maps. With this I feel like adding stuff like certain trees that glow at night and fires here and there.
Aside from that all, I have already started writing short stories for this area. It can be used for lore ideas going in. I will also write several Mini Adventure hooks. I did something similar for my Thunder Rock city map on DMsguild.

What I can also do, if this is something that would really be appreciated by DMs/GMs, is start writing character view descriptions of the main areas on the overview maps. This is not too troublesome, I enjoy writing. Question is, is this what you mentioned as part as what you said, "(something there should be more of in my opinion)"?
I would like to hear what you think there should be more of, because quite frankly, if I know what people want, I can start putting together something towards that goal. (I am not yet versed in the more technical stuff, like levels, monsters and their levels, items, BUT I can do maps, I can write lore to set the stage and I can describe what characters would see, I can write adventure hooks, stuff like that.)

[damonjynx]

Exactly that Xcali. Write the history, describe the scene, let GM's work out the stats for the creatures and so on if you're not doing it as a stand alone adventure. I'm not 100% sure how DM's Guild works but if you're not releasing something specifically D&D related, would you not be better off releasing it on the general DTRPG site? Or are your sales better on DM's Guild?

[XCali]

Exactly that Xcali. Write the history, describe the scene, let GM's work out the stats for the creatures and so on if you're not doing it as a stand alone adventure. I'm not 100% sure how DM's Guild works but if you're not releasing something specifically D&D related, would you not be better off releasing it on the general DTRPG site? Or are your sales better on DM's Guild?

That is great then, It is what I am aiming for.

Yeah, I realized DMs Guild is far more for actual DnD stuff, so I have been busy setting up my publishers account on DriveThruRPG. Just waiting to get the thumbs up for my City map product and then I'll continue building this Map pack for it.

Anything else you would want to see included?
(Btw, thank you so much for the feedback.)

[XCali]

Hi!

Today, I added three pits with one that leads to a deeper cave system and the others not so nice.
Three_Tunnel_Choice.jpeg

And then I thought it might be a good idea to try and map the three chutes, to add it to the map pack. Is this something that is useful for a DM/GM? If so, is there something still necessary to it?
(I know I'll probably have to add more visual cues to make sure this is seen as a cut out side view.)
Three_Choice_Pit map.jpeg

[XCali]

Hiya!

Today, I started with the area that would signify the boss area or at least one of the boss areas for this adventure. The frozen caverns.
I wanted to give the affect that there are areas where the ice is thinner than others.

I'm a bit uncertain to the Number of Grid blocks I should go for with this map, feedback would be welcome.

Ice_Cavern_v1_Preview.jpeg


A small excerpt from one of the lore pieces I am writing for this map pack.

The mysteries of the east

Sounds of thunder and explosions filled the air. There was no more time…
One of the ancient threats to the world stirred in its slumber.
Sweat dripped from the Arch Mage’s brow. Her entire present circle of mage knights had been obliterated. The immense pain of losing her brothers and sisters in arms was still fresh open wounds. Her hand quivered as it clutched at her chest. A decade of preparation to face an enemy had been undone in days. Overconfidence had been their greatest weakness in face of what woke up.
There were nine, not one leading the search for the artifacts, ones which could unite the armies of darkness. And because of her failed insight, she had lost everything…

Her crying heart wailed in grief, but no sound came as the tears silently rolled down her cheeks. Even then, her other hand stayed steady as she wrote the last of the letter with determination. It was their only hope… An entire continent’s only hope.
That light may come to a world that does not know of the dark things that stirred in the deep parts of the world.
The thing that bite deeply was that the continent was oblivious to what she and her mage knights had come to face. That which they failed to protect against.

In their hubris they had chosen to not reveal this particular great threat to the world, and so doing thought they could face it without bringing fear to the lands above. But now… none remain that could rightly rally the forces against the coming dark blight.
Another explosion ripped through the stone work as the crack of wood splintering sounded, caused her lithe form to recoil in surprise.

Tears and sweat dripped onto her hand as her last resolute resolve held her hand as steady as possible. She gripped the quill with force, her knuckles white from the effort.

She had exhausted all her spells apart from three. One for sending the scroll and two defend that moment with everything.
Her breath eased as she held it. She was going to see this through, no matter what.
Briefly her thoughts settled on the College of Stormheart, the only place she could send the scroll without it somehow landing in the wrong hands. It was the only thing she could think of. All she hoped for was, whoever found the scroll would understand the dire threat that this posed.

~To be Continued~

[damonjynx]

Looking good Xcali. Re number of squares; do you have an idea of the 'actual' size of the area, i.e. is 100 feet x 50 feet, 200 x 100 and so on. Is the 'boss' a large creature or more or less human-sized? If the map segment is intended to be used for an encounter generally you would use 1 sq per 5 feet but it depends...if the area is very large it may be better to have 1 sq per 10 feet.

[XCali]

Okay, so for these, the Original image is 4900px X 3500px. So, the one I placed a grid on that is 70px X 70px in size, which adds to 70 by 50 Square grid.
The second one, I placed a grid of 140px X 140px in size, which adds to 35 by 25 Square grid.

IceCavern_70x70.jpeg

IceCavern_140x140.jpeg

What would be better in your opinion? (I really do not know what kind of monsters to add to the maps, yet. I will have to have a better understanding on how to DM if I would do that. So, for now it is maps, lore and maybe objects that I will add to them.)