Probably the best wilderness adventure advice I found in Dungeon Fantasy 16: Wilderness Adventures was pretty simple:
Show them the map.
I put down a map of the swamp of the Cold Fens (at least the wet, everglades-y waterways portion they are in) and cover up the bits they can't see. Then I move and reveal it as they go. I leave it revealed from then on, so exploration always widens their (wholly accurate) map.
All they know is, they can still get lost (from bad rolls or bad decisions), they still don't know what happens in any given spot on the map if they go there. They still don't have fully actionable knowledge about the entirety of the map. But they have enough to make clear decisions.
It makes it easier to run as the GM, almost as easy as (actually maybe easier than) dungeon adventuring. It's also exciting. The players get into it more. They are more active in marking the map and making decisions. Everyone can see at a glance just how nasty the surroundings are, and decide based on it. The only thing that could make it better is if I could draw pictures of the swamp I see in my head when I'm describing the place.
You can see this in Delta's sandbox games, too. Having the whole map in front of you means choosing your path with more clarity, but it doesn't reduce the mystery of what is to come.
I highly recommend doing this with wildness adventures - show them the map. Let them find out as they go what's in the dark places and ruins on it, but spare yourself and them the hassle of describing a wilderness.
Yep, I always like to show them the map, gives them a sense of place and scope. Visual cues always enhance the experience.
ReplyDeleteYes. Unlike a dungeon, where showing the map can also mean removing the disorientating nature of fantasy dungeon adventuring, showing it in wilderness seems to be win all around.
Deletehow BIG of a map do you recommend showing them?
ReplyDeleteI showed them as much as they could see as they explored, maybe a bit more, and just never re-fog-of-war it.
DeleteI'm a big fan of this.
ReplyDeleteYou get to experience it, so your opinion matters a lot here!
DeleteIt is very helpful (since we can't see what's going on), and doesn't give too much away. The fog of war is key, of course. I played in some online games where fog of war is not enabled, and it makes it difficult not to metagame.
ReplyDeleteOn a somewhat related note, I am thinking of using Minecraft to plot out a dungeon for a game that I am running. I like how in our game mapping is done by the players based upon the GM's description. I usually draw the maps in the games where I am the DM, or use dungeon tiles. But I was thinking that using Minecraft to plot out the dungeon (each square is 1 square meter) would be a cool delving experience. I haven't fully fleshed it out yet, but I, thinking about it. Some aspects are tough (secret doors, hanging curtains), but I think it could be done pretty well.
ReplyDeleteGood advice. And thanks for letting me know that issue of DF was out - don't have that one. One of the things I never got around to deciding on for a couple different "exploration" based campaigns was just how to go about giving them a map to explore (rather than bore!). In the past, "wilderness adventuring" was mostly just going to a spot on a map they've been told about - just in the woods somewhere.
ReplyDeleteCheers!