Fantasy Dungeon Project Needing Dedicated Cartographer
LordEntrails
Traveler
For some time I have been working on a large fantasy dungeon project to be released through the Dungeon Masters Guild as a series of perhaps 2 dozen related products for 5th Edition D&D.
I've come to the conclusion (perhaps I should have reached this conclusion months ago) that in order to meet my expected time goals I'm not going to be able to do this alone. One of the best ways to divide up this project is to bring a cartographer on board to do the maps (while I continue with the writing and other development).
So, I'm looking for someone to partner with me for this commercial project.
This project will need 15-20 poster maps (24x36" @ 1":80' scale) for printing, and these maps will also be used to generate small DM overview maps (500 pixels) and hundreds of high resolution battle maps optimized for VTT use. I expect to accomplish this within a reasonable amount of effort, vector based mapping will be needed (I have started doing some of this with CC3+), but I am open to other solutions.
Questions about the project can be discussed here. Any specifics on how we might work the partnership can be addressed to me by email if desired; lordentrails@gmail.com
I've come to the conclusion (perhaps I should have reached this conclusion months ago) that in order to meet my expected time goals I'm not going to be able to do this alone. One of the best ways to divide up this project is to bring a cartographer on board to do the maps (while I continue with the writing and other development).
So, I'm looking for someone to partner with me for this commercial project.
This project will need 15-20 poster maps (24x36" @ 1":80' scale) for printing, and these maps will also be used to generate small DM overview maps (500 pixels) and hundreds of high resolution battle maps optimized for VTT use. I expect to accomplish this within a reasonable amount of effort, vector based mapping will be needed (I have started doing some of this with CC3+), but I am open to other solutions.
Questions about the project can be discussed here. Any specifics on how we might work the partnership can be addressed to me by email if desired; lordentrails@gmail.com
Comments
The project is to re-do of a large multi-level dungeon complex and underground cave areas. It is an update to 5E and will be release through the DMsGuild. Many/most of the levels/areas have already been mapped to some degree, though the quality is exceptionally poor and we don't have to follow what was previously done 100%. There are two phases to the project, (1) a Fantasy Grounds version, and (2) a PDF/print on demand version.
- Almost all of the maps will be full color dungeon maps. Will want/need an elevation or cross section type of map and maybe an isometric/perspective of one or two areas if time etc permits. (Top down dungeon maps for battlemaps will be required for all areas.)
- Each level will be used for several things;
a) A poster sized map that is print ready or we setup a print on demand arrangement for (so 24x36"@300+dpi)
b) A low detail DM overview map of the level for VTT use. Need to show rooms, doors, hallways, secret doors, and major features at probably 500 pixels wide
c) A player version of the above (no secrets) even though it will be recommended not to use such, some people will insist.
d) VTT battle maps of each room or area that are high detail (i.e. rubbish, furniture and other room features) and probably 100 pixels/5 foot square resolution with no grids.
e) PDF/Print versions of b & c (DM overview maps) for the second phase of the project (PDF/POD version), maybe POD versions of d as well
- Non-poster maps size are probably going to be no larger than 4000x4000 pixels (at 100pixels per 5 feet) and usually 1-2k pixels. But these won't be all the same, it will be dependent upon the room or rooms. This allows the DM to not show the players the level map, and just the area they are in (that way they can get lost etc).
- I'm not sold on any one style. Given the project, I'm willing to let the cartographer have fairly significant reign. There are a few cartographic elements that I would like you to use as inspiration (I've done up a logo and a border concepts). In short we would come up on something we both think works.
- There is currently no set deadline. There is the intention to tie this in with some related product releases from one of the major publishers, but they have not announced any firm dates yet and the project it not yet in active development. I think it's safe to assume 18+ months. But, I will need the upper level maps much sooner than that since I have to put the stories to them etc. (and re-do what I have done to date).
- License to the maps is negotiable, it will really depend upon the partnership agreement.
- I think vector maps would be easier to create the various resolutions and use case maps than raster, but it is not a requirement. (I honestly think this need for multiple use cases and resolutions is one place CC shines).
As you can tell, this is a massive project and I'm not a publishing house etc. And I know the effort needed for this from the cartography side. That's why I'm looking for a partner where we can come up with revenue sharing of some sort. From an RPG adventure it's too big of a project for a print product, who would buy a 2-3000 page adventure? But, that's why I'm doing it in a VTT. Those thousands of rooms can be detailed and linked in a database, but not in a book format.
What I'm looking at are the following products:
- Poster Maps for gamers to hang in their game room
- VTT adventure modules for each level, that would not include the poster size maps, but the overview maps and all the VTT battlemaps.
- A PDF adventure for each level (this is harder to do, but I have been working with some software guys on how to get the content out of Fantasy Grounds into formatted text entries). [Note, this is phase 2]
- Might also do battle map packs for home printing or other VTT use if FG remains the only one licensed to sell on the DMsGuild.