One of the ways I work is with pen and graph paper - I watch TV, and work on rough layouts and scale (my wife calls it diddle bopping).

The recent annual - Handdrawn Fantasy, is quick and easy enough that I have started using C3 to explore overland layouts.

Question - is it possible to create a similar simple style for Dungeons ? The idea would be to keep it simple, with just a few symbols to help scale rooms and identify their uses. I'm not a really sophisticated user - I haven't looked into creating scripts or drawing tools. What I'm thinking of would be kinda like:

Yes! Starting at the top level at each lower level you slightly increase the symbol size, while reducing the overall map size --so they see less outdoor space. I used this to add a teaser on the next game - a burning house could be seen in the distance from the top level.

Awhile back when I tried my hand on a tower, I created a base file that I used to ensure that all the exterior layouts matched. I started with the top floor of the tower; for the next floor down, I slightly shrank the file size and adjusted the overall transparency to make the ground slightly clearer. Repeated this process to the ground level where the transparency was totally removed. My attempt at conveying the broadened horizon you get as you move higher in a structure.

I cant find the images anymore.....but the players complimented it at the time.