Printing battlemaps

[Tech]

Our campaign has 2 large and 1 smaller chessex battlemaps that serve us well for the most part. When I draw the map on the battlemap, usually I add something to keep the players surprised. For example, for a Champions game I created an area of the zoo where a white tiger was the target to be stolen by the bad guys. So, I added the giraffe area, hippo area, kobold cage... (yep, that last one got them.)

 

However, there are times when a colored picture of a battlemap is just so perfect and much better drawn that I can draw. In this case (for those who also print battlemap pictures off), do you print them off on paper, or use transparency film? Up to this point, I've used paper because it's cheaper but the transparency is so much longer lasting and clearer. Is there something better? So, what do you do?

[Spence]

For myself I'll use a small color map, usually on 8x11, so people can hand it around.

 

If it becomes necessary to actually use fig/markers I use a wipe off chessex map so we can easily draw out damage and terrain. 

 

I've found that as long as you have a good picture or map to refer to, you do not need the actual play map to be too fancy.

 

 

[BoloOfEarth]

Most of the time, I draw things on a battlemat.  If it's something that's likely to put in another appearance, I'll take a picture of it before erasing it (I found that works much better than taking the picture after erasing) so I can use that as a reference for redrawing it later.

 

I have taken some things (like building floorplans or large vehicle plans) into Photoshop and added a Hex layer, saving as a JPG.  I then put the JPG into a Word document, size it properly, then print onto cardstock (cropping the image back and forth if it requires multiple pages).   This has given me a few houses, a mansion, an oceanographic research vessel, a yacht or two, and probably a few other reusable maps.  I try to get the hexes the same size as the battlemat, so I can place the building on the mat and draw in any exterior details (landscaping, roads, sidewalks, etc.).  This works especially well with multi-level buildings or vehicles, as I can just swap out the different levels as needed (or set the other levels off to the side in case action is taking place on more than one at a time).

 

I also found a handful of pre-created settings (warehouse, street scene, spaceships, space station, etc.) done as multiple tiles that I've purchased and then printed onto cardstock.  (Yeah, I've burned through a lot of toner for my color laser printer.)

 

And as to Tech's comment about fun details on the map, yeah, I love adding those.  I had a VIPER base where the Nest Leader was a sci-fi fanatic, and had models of many sci-fi movie and TV robots (Robby the Robot, R2D2 and C3PO, etc.) all over the base.  In each case, I tried to do a view-from-above on the map, with the players trying to guess what some of them were (e.g. "That looks like ED-209 from Robocop!").  Our running gag is that if I'm given enough time, I'll draw in the fire extinguishers and potted plants.  

 

I also make sure to include things like bathrooms and janitor's closets, plus support columns in warehouses, etc.  And they've come in handy during the game.

[bluesguy]

Right now I am only playing online.  I have both drawn maps on Chessex and printed maps.  Usually I would go someplace to print out the maps on a card stock.  I have also used the Scotty method for 2.5d maps.

[dsatow]

When I was running Pathfinder from an Adventure path, I would get the map image and blow it up to 1" scale.  I would then print it out at Kinkos/FedEx.  Secret areas I would print out separately at the same scale and then with paint, I would edit out the hidden area.  When the players encountered the area, I would just tape the area in.