Old School v Cutting Edge

[JFJohnny5]

Hey all. So I recently posted a finished map, here:

http://www.cartographersguild.com/showthread.php?t=2013

And the two comments I've gotten so far both refer to it as having an "old school" feel. Now I'm not taking that as a bad thing at all. I like the comments and I like the map. It's a simple map mostly just for DM reference, so function outweighs form in this case. I guess I just didn't think of it as old school when I was working on it. So I just wanted to get a dialogue going.

What makes a map Old School in this day and age of digital everything? And on the flip side, what are some more Cutting Edge techniques?

I think the old school maps are much more utilitarian. Again, function over form. While the more cutting edge stuff maybe has a more photorealistic quality. But at the same time, I think a lot of people today try to get a hand drawn, almost painterly quality to a lot of their maps. So I guess cutting edge to me means more artistic. Well that's my (admittedly brief) 2 cents, anyway. I would love to know what other guild members think.

[Valarian]

Maybe "Classic" would be a better term than "Old School". It's a term that describes the sort of map that we gushed over from TSR and the like. Ruins of Undermountain etc. The look of being drawn on graph paper. The more "cutting edge" maps around now tend to try for a "hand-drawn", "artistic" or realistic (actual map) look. Then, there's the 3D lot, who model the dungeons.

[RPMiller]

I think Valarian's definition works well, and I would add that VTTs are really making a change to mapping as well since they are "forcing" a more immersive feel to the gaming experience the map makers are trying for something more realistic in their maps since a lot of the function is handled by the software itself such as the movement and whatnot.

[NeonKnight]

To me, Old school is usually monochrome or simple 16 color map with little attempt to be photo realistic. Think the classic 'BLUE' maps that appeared on the inside cover of every single TSR produced module in the 80's.

That to me is old school, and apparently an sentiment accepted by another publisher as they publish d20 modules with that premise/style.

[Chgowiz]

To me, Old school is usually monochrome or simple 16 color map with little attempt to be photo realistic. Think the classic 'BLUE' maps that appeared on the inside cover of every single TSR produced module in the 80's.

That to me is old school, and apparently an sentiment accepted by another publisher as they publish d20 modules with that premise/style.

What do you think about Maliszewski's 'quest' to merge Old School concepts with more modern looks?

Chgowiz