Whether it be playing in person or online, one of the main decisions for a Dungeon Master is:

“Do I give my players a map?”

I started DMing long enough to remember drawing my maps on blue graph paper. I then alternated between showing the players the full map or drawing it in front of players as they explored. Although drawing the map in front of players felt more realistic, I wasn’t sure if the players enjoyed it more. The map drawn in real time was rougher, I missed items, and players missed areas as they couldn’t see and analyze the entirety I intended. One could argue that all of those shortcomings are more realistic.

Even when more and more people moved to online Virtual Table Tops and the line of sight technology allowed for more graceful revealing of maps, there still was the danger of missing areas or not being able to analyze the entire map. I often thought are VTTs trying to model real life adventuring or video game experience?

I think that is one of the reasons I have stayed with Fantasy Grounds as my VTT of choice. In my opinion, Fantasy Grounds is automating the table top experience and not attempting to deliver a Video Game experience.

One thing I couldn’t get out of my mind is the absolutely giddiness, joy, and wonder when a party is able to see an entire map. Suddenly the whole table is filled with competing ideas:

• Oooo, look at that
• I wonder what that is?
• Let’s go there first!
• That looks like a choke point.

Now the one real downside that I have seen with sharing an entire map is that it sometimes encourages the party to split as people have different opinions on where they want to go first. I think that can be managed though with some well placed consequences. 🙂

I have settled more into the camp of sharing maps. I’ve even used some devices like the party finding maps of locations in treasure chests or from NPCs they meet. This seems to me to be a way to have the best of both worlds.

I have even been known use magic items like a Scroll of Mapping that can be used in a pinch.

I think this will be an ongoing debate and style choice for Dungeon Masters as there is no one correct choice. It depends on the campaign, party, and the Dungeon Masters. I also think I have been swayed by all the gorgeous maps that are available from Mike Schley and others.