Hey guys (and any gals out there)!

I'm an old AD&D v1.5 DM that also ran a TMNT free-for-all and a modern day GURPS campaign. Fast forward a few years and here I am again with a few new tools in the toolbox such as MapTools, Gimp/PSP/Photoshop and this thing we call the "internet". It's great to see an active community on my favorite part of AD&D... MAPS! I've decided to leave the days of graph paper behind and update with some graphics programs and MapTools. I'm working on determining some proper scales for hex maps (I have another thread going for that) and will be meshing some published rules together with some old house rules to get a campaign going in an AD&D setting. I plan on using MapTools strictly for player movement/vision so I don't have to explain the physical features of the maps and have honed my skills enough over the years that I think they'll have some decent eye-candy.

A few of the ol' house rules:

* STR, DEX, INT, WIS, CON, CHA, and... PERCEPTION! You have to have perception! I think it was Dragon Magazine that came out with this attribute IIRC.

* No magic weapons for you. Not at your low level:
LVL 1-5 = +1 items
LVL 6-10 = +2 items
LVL 11-15 = +3 items
LVL 15-20 = +4 items
LVL Above 20 = +5 items
Once they got something, they really appreciated it.

* "Go to the basement. You split from the group and are not allowed to see/hear/gesture/etc to the other players." This was effective in keeping players together in a group because nobody wanted to go sit in the unfinished basement alone.

* "Draw your character and spend more than 30 seconds doing it. No, you can't reuse your old drawing." This kept people from doing exceptionally stupid things. If you spent 5 minutes drawing your guy, you don't go running into that room full of enemies without waiting for your group to join you.

Anyhow, thanks in advance for any help you give me and hopefully I help a few of you as well.
CC