2000 Map reviews

I'm going to start with some of the maps since the link to the modules
isn't working on the WotC site.


2000 Map-A-Week Archive Review for SJ

Link: http://wizards.com/dnd/article.asp?x=dnd/mw/mw20020725x2000

8/10 Village 1:  A simple map of a village that's probably been
attacked.  Good for placing on any asteroid in a dangerous area.  The
map is uninspiring with squarish buildings and is only an overhead
view.  The DM will have to do all the other work.

8/10 Village 2:  Village 2's map has the same usefulness as Village 1.
Neither is inspiring.

8/17 Typical dwelling:  This presents an interesting square building
for SJ.  The dwelling is semi-fortified in design and has three levels,
all aboveground.  It is apparently a communal dwelling of some sort,
possibly for an extended family.  It even includes storage areas,
perfect for communities that see traffic rarely and rely on seasonal
farming.  Its apparent stone construction makes even more ideal in a
setting where wood is at a premium and harvested primarily for ships.
It answers the age old fantasy world question of how do you build
fortifications in a world where creatures fly by adding a covered
awning over the upper walkway.  The steep, solid, sloped walls suggest
it is meant to be able to hold off ground attackers.  The eaves make it
difficult for attackers to attempt to enter from the roof, especially
if the DM adds grease, spikes, or some other deterrent that would keep
ships from simply dropping their marines onto the roof.  The building
has an oriental style and is particularly suitable for oriental
settlements.  The suggestion that this building be used with the
previous 2 village maps that is on the site is not compelling.  This
building does not seem to be designed to fit in a fortified, walled
settlement as those maps depict.  Instead it is probably its own
homestead (possibly with a walled compound for animals) or part of a
village of similarly designed buildings where each can support the
others with missile fire.  On a final note the map key exists but the
symbols have not been identified.  Some are obvious (e.g., stairs)
while others DMs can make represent whatever they want.

8/24 City:  Despite the description this depicts no more than a
town-sized dwelling.  As with the village dwellings this was obviously
made with some sort of square map design technique and the layout is
not only uninspiring, but the placement of trees, while order, lacks
logic.  The town has once again apparently been attacked and suffered
some damage.

8/31 Ruins:  I believe these build-your-own-map sections came from the
2nd Edition Dungeon Builder's Guide Book.  The map sections are generic
enough for their purpose but generally detail too large a section each
for extensive reusability (not all your ruins should have the same
floorplans).  Apparently each is underground also, not a surface ruin,
and the places they cut off leave DMs with the task of adjusting or
adding to them.  They are useful enough for a subterranean area,
possibly part of a damaged or in construction dwarven citadel whose
asteroid included some natural caves and caverns before the dwarves
began to delve.  The lack of apparent waterways and wells makes them
particularly well adapted to SJ.

9/7 Castle:  I believe these came from the same source as the Ruins map
sections.  They have the same positive and negative qualities for the
SJ DM and can be used in similar places (a fortress or a dwarven
citadel).  Using the two sets of maps in conjunction  might help a DM
better flesh out a large citadel.

9/14 Ruins 2:  These map sections have the same usefulness as the Ruins
map sections reviewed above.  The size of one of the section makes it
even less reusable and harder to place, however.

9/21 Undersea Caverns:  I believe the undersea caverns come from the
same source as the previous ruins and castle map sections.  These
sections are a little smaller, making reuse easier.  These are ideal
for a water world with some submerged stone sections or even an earth
world asteroid that's covered by water.  The broken galleon hull is
particularly SJ inspiring.

9/28 Volcanic Fortress:  The volcanic building is actually a river
(presumably of lava) crossing with a building on each end.  One
building has suffered some slight damage while the other is enclosed.
In SJ, with ships able to fly, the premise of the bridge as an internal
fortress defense is less compelling.  DMs can add permanent walls of
force if they wish to maintain this idea, however.  Those not wishing
to use this with lava (unlikely to be naturally present on an asteroid)
can easily make the stream an empty chasm or water filled (or oil,
green slime, etc.).  The map given may even be better suited for a
subterranean structure than a surface one.

10/5 The Journey:  A small map perfect for DMs to use when PCs land on
the shore of a lake, either on a wooded asteroid with streams or on a
planet.

10/12 The Secret Graveyard:  While the description on the site says
this is a close-up of an area on the Journey map, it doesn't fit any of
locations 2, 3, or 4.  Still, it's ideal for a simple wooded asteroid
with a farming or wood cutting colony.  Perhaps gnomes or halflings
live here (the humanistic style doesn't really suggest elves).  The
makeshift (and probably mobile) barricades around the town indicate
there may also be danger in the surrounding woods…

10/19 The Old Tower:  Once more the description suggests this tower is
a location on the Journey map but the terrain doesn't fit location 2,
3, or 4 thereon.  This is an ideal map for a simple tower or a hut on a
nice asteroid (the map shows an underground area and stairs going
up-either to a second level or the roof) and can be plunked down
anywhere.

10/26 Haunted Temple:  This map is extremely confusing when trying to
figure out exactly what terrain it's set in (in looks to be built on
top of trees?) but otherwise is a very nice map of a small, fortified
dwelling (it needn't be a shrine).  While the description suggests and
inventors workshop (perfect for tinker gnomes) the orderliness and
design suggest dwarves to me.  There's no sign of any haunting (or
requirement for it to be haunted) on the map so put it anywhere you
want it, it'll work great.

10/31 Halloween Bonus Haunted House:  Other than ignoring the 3 small
people (two adults and a child-possibly dolls?) in area 20 this is
perfect for a spacious manner, whether in a city or on its own.  Again,
there is no sign of haunting on the map but whoever built it definitely
had wealth.

11/2 Surface level, 11/9 Catacombs, & 11/16 Side View:  Despite the
descriptions (I have to wonder if the writer even looked at the maps)
these are all obviously modern time period maps, not
Medieval/Renaissance fantasy period maps.  Probably the only possibly
salvageable one is the catacombs map, if you want a sewer system.  Even
then, I suggest designing your own or using some other set of sewer
maps as these are still obviously much more modern (and busy-what's
with so many rooms?).

11/23 Arena:  While linked to the previous 3 maps by the description,
this one is so generic it could be placed anywhere.  This is perfect
for a scro arena or even a slave selling area used by a Chainmen
enclave.  With a little work DMs could make this part of a spacestation
that's grown up from various ships being put together over time (like
the human station in Titan AE).  In this case neogi spider ships were
probably used for this section.

12/7 Master Key:  A handy key for all dungeon maps.  Print it out and
give it to your players (and keep a copy for yourself) for those times
when they get a map lacking a key (like most of the maps reviewed
above).  People with creative cut and paste skills might even be able
to use this to add some of the symbols to other maps they've made.

12/7 Two maps in one!:  Both these maps make for excellent complexes
built into a cliff-face next to a body of water.  Perfect for SJ!  The
smaller one even has siege weapon defenses (ballistae) for uninvited
guests while the upper apparently has a submerged ramp.  Perhaps ships
can be hauled up it and hidden from aerial view once they've landed in
the water.  The bars are undoubtedly removable or retractable in such
an event.

12/14 Deeper levels:  Supposed to be deeper levels for the Two Maps in
One maps, the upper map could easily be its own stand-alone complex
(what is that to the right?).

12/21 Complex:  While the description says this is part of a dwarven
city this level obviously isn't the general living or even mining level
(though there are some areas that might be quarters and barracks).  A
more public level, such as one containing shrines, workshops, shops,
and public areas (note the theater) is more likely.  Good for any
subterranean port or possibly a section of dwarven citadel.

12/28 Sacred Caverns:  This area looks more like a general living area
though there area apparently some shrines and even mining/natural cave
areas.  Again, quite useful for any subterranean complex.

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