RE: Tips on how to be a better DM-prep
Our DM is having a hardtime setting up maps, story wise she said it's ready but the maps is taking her a really long time.
If making maps seems to be such a hard problem, you could try using a system not dependent on maps.
Personal recommendation of mine are Powered by the Apocalypse Games, like:
- Dungeon World (rules freely available here - you'll find some similarities to DnD)
- Fellowship
But you may also use a generic system, like FATE Accelerated (which is freely available here)
My friends are pretty lazy on weekends, understandable since we had a long work week. So they usually potato at home on weekends. I know that roll20.net exists and we can totally do it online, But we prefer to be in the company of our friends with our dices and on a table.
Try roll20 to get people started. I personally like meeting in person, way more, than playing via the internet, but sometimes not leaving your home is the simpler solution.
Once your players are invested, they might overcome themselves to attend in person, too.
Personal recommendation, if all of you know each other from real life: Everyone should use video-chat instead of just voice-chat. Get a web-cam (cheap ones start at … 20$? – if you have a laptop you most likely already have one!) and see each other while playing.
It's a big help while GMing, because you can see your players facial expressions, and emotions more easy.
Plus, it's closer to playing together in person, than just voice.
Wow! thank you for this informative response. I'll definately give these suggestions to our DM and see what she thinks. On the topic of maps, One of my friends suggested buying re-usable maps such as this one they sell on Etsy.
He said that it's a laminated surface so you can write over it and wipe it off after. That way it saves us the trouble of making our own maps and what not. What do you think? Is this a good option?
I think our DM really wanted to get everyone together in person to do the game, but i completely understand where you're coming from. If we can get people into their roles and into the game they might be more inclined to show up in person and play the game together.
I have one of these, too. I even made a small picture series of my setup. You don't have to buy minis either. Just print them, using some graphic on the internet :-D
To be honest I though you were already using a re-usable map. Designing them in gimp/photoshop/mspaint/whatever every time and printing them, or drawing them on big graph-paper is a huge waste of time imo.
Maps don't have be be pretty at all - don't overdo it.
I remember some of my DnD maps very fondly. The fighting arena my players made some money it – it was a glorious 8 inch circle, with two entrances top, and bottom.
Roll20 basically is one of these maps, btw. I recorded a time lapse creating some of my Shadowrun maps. Simple maps like these are WAY more than enough.
Oh! that is a simple setup! My original plan was to cut out hexagon cardboards and then glue on printed out graphics to create different tiles of grass, dirt, water, etc.
After that i can piece them together for a DND map, and change the terrian as we like by shifting it around or put a few extra layers to create altitude.
I'm also thinking about crafting a dice tower as well, i really like to make things but im currently working 2 jobs so it's really hard to find time to craft and make stuff that takes a lot of time.
(For once) DnD requires you to do none of that.
If you don't have the time to have fun doing it: Don't do it.
The whole cardboard hexagons, map, thing seems really overkill to me though. If you want to build some acceptable sized landscape you're going to need loads of them.
I was never a big fan of things like Dwarven Forge, too. It's just too much hassle to set up, etc.
Though I don't like preparing anything anymore, since I stopped GMing DnD. Players will ruin your preparation, and go somewhere you completely did not expect, as the OP already mentioned.
But... I have fun doing it? I like making things. And i think having the hexagon maps would be super cool. But i will agree with you on the fact that it'll be a pain in the ass to setup the game if i wanted to prepare the landscape and map. Just for the record this is what i want to do for myself.
My friends will probably do some premade map or make something on roll20 and print out, or one of the resources you linked.
Players ALWAYS ruin your preparations. So i can understand why you feel that way. Ive lost count how many stories i read online where DMs die a little inside because of the stuff their players do is always outside of their expectations.
I should have emphasized:
If you do it, when you have the time for it: Sure.
pssst Secret hint to all of these DMs:
Embrace the players going of to their own adventures, and see where it leads them to.
It's better for the players, because they can go and do what they want.
And it's better for the GM, because they're not wasting their time.