Publius - fantastic point and well said. I don't feel that your post was a rant or drivel. (I merely find myself wishing that I was also making maps for an RPG.)

I think that in any aspect of game design, map making, or whatnot, the artist needs to keep in mind the purpose and his/her audience. By understanding and fully respecting those two key aspects of any project, the cartographer can't go wrong.