I've been having an ongoing discussion on the RPGNet forums discussing what is the difference between 3e/Pathfinder and 4e as far as maps go. In my mind maps are generally game system neutral, but the members on that board have been educating me otherwise.

Basically, since many of my maps reflect a realism in style (whether hand-drawn or digitally created), the folks at RPGNet have been trying to tell me, throw realism out the window. The kind of maps 4e players really want have lots of open space for fights that move around, and for bad guy minions to maneuver for more exciting battles. Plus there must be plenty of hazards, places to hide, cliffs and pits to fall off or into. While some of my maps seem appropriate. I will be making an effort to create more that fit this line of thinking. Then I will post them to my Gamer Printshop Ecommerce site for printing and shipping. I plan to create a 4e specific catalog within my online sales site just for these new map designs.

I plan to create generic terrain maps - cliffs, canyons, caverns, etc. Some bizzare landscapes - volcanic lava pools, broken ice fields over water, winter landscape maps, and more exotic arcane scenes as well.

The folks at RPGNet have basically challenged me to do so - so I will. Of course I need to fit doing this while working on three different publication projects: Kaidan: a Japanese Ghost Story setting, my monthly project with Johnn Four and Mike Bourke, as well as the map series being developed for use with the new Apple iPad for RPGNet developers.

So though my hands are already full, I need to make time for this project too.

What are your thoughts on making maps more specifically designed for 4e versus any other kind of map?

GP