What things should NOT be on a VTT map?

[Badger]

How do you approach adding secret doors to a VTT map?

[RPMiller]

There are a several methods there as well and can really only be answered specific to the VTT that is being used. For example, in MapTool, Fog of War would be in place to cover up the 'secret passage' and on the GM map there might be a note or something stating that there is a secret door there, but the players wouldn't be able to see this as it would be invisible to the players on their screen. Once the secret has been discovered the GM would "open" the door and reveal part of the passage beyond to the players dependent on their light sources and vision distance.

So, on the player's view of the map there would be no secret door icon or the like. On the GM's view of the map there would be a stamp or object placed on the map with the pertinent information. Therefore, you as the map creator would treat the secret passage as simply part of the wall/cavern/whatever and draw it as such and then indicate in the adventure text somewhere that there is a secret passage there.

An alternate method that I have seen is that the passage is actually drawn in as part of the map and then the GM places a stamp/object that looks just like the wall over the opening and then removes it when the door is discovered.

[Redrobes]

How do you approach adding secret doors to a VTT map?

As said, theres several methods. Also it matters whether you think your group tries to cheat. The preferred way to do it in VDale is to have the map made of lots of bits and have a GM map which is a blank map with all the bits already on it. Now simply the secret door is just a bit that hasnt been added until you search for it instead of being able to see it. Until you addd that section the players do not have that bit of the map anywhere on their system.

If your group is adult enough not to cheat then its easier to map the wall to a certain thickness and have the corridor, or passage behind it. Cover the passage with the fog of war like the rest of the unknown map and reveal it. You can see tho that when the players have the map before secret that it is possible to look at the images on the HDD and see that there is a passage there.

If the secret merely goes to a room or otherwise disjoint part of the map then you could put a jump token down to the new secret bit of map when they find it and then jump through it.

[Naryt]

We use a mix of maps:

Overview (classic stained parchment or a slice of a modern globe depending on setting) to show where the party is generally.
Detailed combat maps for, well, combat!

For overview maps, throw everything on the map you'd expect to see on an actual map.

For combat maps, make it more immersive using the suggestions already given.

[meleeguy]

We've talked about secret doors, how about regular doors?

Thanks,
-meleeguy

[RPMiller]

Hehe, just replied on your other thread, but it is worth mentioning here as well. Doors can be included as part of the base map. There is a minority of GMs that like to have them as separate objects so that they can actually rotate them "open" when the PCs state that they are opening the door but if you aren't going to offer a "door stamp" then I wouldn't worry about it and just put them in.

[RobA]

What about dead bodies?

-Rob A>

[RPMiller]

What about dead bodies?

-Rob A>

What about them? Unless they are going to animate and attack the PCs or disappear from the location they are in, or be moved about they can be made part of the base map.