Can I get some advice on drawing maps?

[KLightningflik]

I'm not really liking a lot of the mapping tools available on the internet. At this point I'm almost thinking of going "old school" and just using some graph paper. I picked some up from the store along with some colored pens.

My biggest concern is the maps going beyond the borders of the pages. Where do you start drawing, and how do you keep your map within the limits of the pages?

[DVX]

I'd recommend keeping separate maps for the different discrete areas (Orkogre castle, New City, Munkharama, etc). I usually start mapping in the middle of a sheet of graph paper and then include extra sheets at the edges if they spill over using a X and Y axis (X+1 or Y-3, for example) or organisation. You can use standard AD&D mapping notation (easy to find online) if you want to record things like locked doors, traps, or NPCs in the dungeon.

The wilderness is sprawling and very difficult to map. I believe that it was programmed as separate sections, so there are a few areas that won't align exactly to a grid map. I just kept a rough flow chart of the roads between the major areas rather than mapping them precisely. You can make notes for yourself along with more detailed maps in areas where you went off the trail and found something important.

[KLightningflik]

Yeah I was looking at maps and some areas like the ocean definitely wouldn't fit on a single graph page. Some of the larger dungeons(one like Dragon mountain) barely fit on one page unless I drawed it vertically, with the page turned horizontally.

If I started drawing in the middle and the map extends off the page, what would I do? :\
Seems like I'd need to plan ahead by looking at some official maps and counting the number of spaces needed, so I can start drawing in the right spot.

[DVX]

I use an X/Y grid to number maps when they extend beyond a single page. So, for example, if the map of Dragon mountain goes off the page to the East/Left, I'll continue it onto a second piece of paper at the edge and label the map X+1 (it would be X-1 if it went off the page to the West/Right). The same thing goes for North and South on the Y axis.

[KLightningflik]

Originally posted by DVX:

I use an X/Y grid to number maps when they extend beyond a single page. So, for example, if the map of Dragon mountain goes off the page to the East/Left, I'll continue it onto a second piece of paper at the edge and label the map X+1 (it would be X-1 if it went off the page to the West/Right). The same thing goes for North and South on the Y axis.

That's a pretty smart way to handle it, thanks.