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T O P I C    R E V I E W
Kaladorm Posted - 20 Feb 2006 : 15:35:47
I've been having a chat with Lysander (and also looking at various maps) about travelling times for our party, and it seems the distances of maps keep changing

For example the FRCS map of the Dalelands shows the distance between shadowdale and ashabenford (along the river) to be roughly 45 miles. However other maps show it to be around 80 or so.

Recently checking out the map (stamped with the official wotc) displayed on the wikipedia site brought up in another scroll, this agrees with Lysanders estimates of around 80 miles.

Even more of a problem comes when using volos guide to the dalelands to estimate travelling time between two towns, espcially when they cross a dale border, where the maps don't seem to join up correctly.

Currently I'm quite lost and don't know what to believe, can anyone suggest which is the 'most' official maps to use
22   L A T E S T    R E P L I E S    (Newest First)
Kuje Posted - 25 Feb 2006 : 21:30:16
quote:
Originally posted by Chosen of Bane

I would also like to point out discrepency within 3rd Edition in the same book! The FRCS fold out map and the maps within the book (page 117 specifically) are drawn to show different distances between various cities.

I think my party noticed this when they were traveling from Sembia to Shadowdale and the two maps, from the same book, were not even close in regards to distance.

It's really quite pathetic in my opinion that something like that can happen. From edition to edition and book to book is one thing, but screwing printing contradictions within the same book is inexcusable.



Furthermore the compass rose in the FRCS is upside down. :) North points south, and vice versa. I'm talking about the map on page 231.
Chosen of Bane Posted - 25 Feb 2006 : 20:07:19
I would also like to point out discrepency within 3rd Edition in the same book! The FRCS fold out map and the maps within the book (page 117 specifically) are drawn to show different distances between various cities.

I think my party noticed this when they were traveling from Sembia to Shadowdale and the two maps, from the same book, were not even close in regards to distance.

It's really quite pathetic in my opinion that something like that can happen. From edition to edition and book to book is one thing, but screwing printing contradictions within the same book is inexcusable.
KnightErrantJR Posted - 24 Feb 2006 : 21:59:02
Its hard to say if the current "version" of the maps will survive if there are indeed future editions. My main concern is that nothing major as far as cities or the like are gotten rid of. I think Erlkazar is the closest thing we had to the map contraction actually eliminating Realmslore.

I keep using the maps from the old products like the Volo's Guides, and there have only been a few times that my players have whipped out the 3rd edition map to make their plans. I haven't specifically told them that they are wrong for doing it, since I kinda figure its a representation of what the PCs, not experts in cartography, might actually know.

But boy would they have been surprised at how long a walk they would have had getting back from Silverymoon to Ashabenford if they had actually trusted the map and not hired a mage to teleport them to the Marsh of Tun.
KnightErrantJR Posted - 24 Feb 2006 : 21:54:52
Well, if it was an attack, your profane bonus would stack with your base attack bonus . . .
Kaladorm Posted - 24 Feb 2006 : 21:43:09
So all this nonsense was for the sake of an attractive poster?
I'm going to stop here before i write something profane
GungHo Posted - 24 Feb 2006 : 20:37:23
quote:
Originally posted by RodOdom

Why did they do that?


http://www.candlekeep.com/fr_faq.htm#_Toc16090533
Rinonalyrna Fathomlin Posted - 23 Feb 2006 : 23:05:15
quote:
Originally posted by Faraer

I would use the pre-3E maps, Kaladorm, which are more plentiful and truer to the Realms. The VGD maps do match up with only minor discrepancies (I've played with assembling them in Photoshop).



Agreed, I decided I like the older maps better. :)
Lysander Posted - 23 Feb 2006 : 22:15:00
quote:
Originally posted by Kuje

The Forgotten Realms Interactive Atlus, but good luck finding it for less then 50 bucks since it's long out of print software. :)


I believe this is a good point to say: I got the Atlas, I got the Atlas.

The last time I DM'ed, someone invested heavily (as they could try to, later, when they realized what the gig was) in Profession (mapmaker). Y'see, I DM off of the 1E/2E maps, and when players buy or ask me for maps, most of the time they'll get a 3E map.

Player: "Are we there yet?"
Me: "No."
PL: "..."
Me: "Hm?"

PL: "Are we there yet?"
Me: "No."
PL: Grumbles

PL: "Are we there yet?"
Me: "No."
PL: More Grumbles

PL: "Are we there yet?!?!"
Me: "No."
PL2: "Dammit, this map is *%#@ED!"
lowtech Posted - 23 Feb 2006 : 11:10:15
They even have a road passing through the Misty Vale, where the wild elves supposedly kill all tresspassers.
Wooly Rupert Posted - 21 Feb 2006 : 01:07:44
quote:
Originally posted by Firhyanda

Greetings

I think that it is long past time for a new full size color map of the Realm’s to be printed for those of us who do not own the one from dragon magazine printed all those years ago would surly buy it. Some parts of that map are no longer available, and the interactive atlas can be difficult to find, and frankly I prefer a good paper map. I have many of the previously published maps of the realm’s both electronic and otherwise and I think a new large map of the Realms would be nice. The new fans need this.



While I do agree with you, the FRCS, with its full-color map, should still be readily available.
The Sage Posted - 21 Feb 2006 : 01:06:16
quote:
Originally posted by Kuje

They also shifted the continent northwest when they changed the map, and so some places switched rivers, some other lands features just up and disappeared, etc.

Indeed. We saw that a lot of the "unrequired" regions suffered a cut from the new maps in 3e .
The Sage Posted - 21 Feb 2006 : 01:05:03
quote:
Originally posted by KnightErrantJR

Erlkazar was seriously squished during the contraction. (The region referred to in Canticle)
I prefer using the older maps also... as they have a sense of "Forgotten-ness" about them.

As for the 3e maps... Erlkazar was one of the "realms" to experience changes in location between editions. I'll let Steven explain -

"Re: places: a novel free zone erlkazar
No, it's still there, whether or not it gets acknowledged on the map or in the Lands of Intrigue listing in the FRCS.
At least it's still there in my mind. ;) They just crunched it all into smaller space (and I wasn't around or paying attention when they did this with the main maps of Faerun, so I don't even know the logic or explanation behind the changes).
Just remember that world maps for our own world changed multitudinous times over the centuries, so I'd say use whatever maps make you happiest with the Realms and be done with the rest.
Steven It is never too late to be what you might have been. (George Elliot/Mary Ann Evans)"

When I do have to use 3e maps though... I always recall these words from Steven (again ) about their "poor" detailing -

"Chalk it up to Sembian mapmakers or something to overlook their existence, that's all."
Firhyanda Posted - 21 Feb 2006 : 00:09:41
Greetings

I think that it is long past time for a new full size color map of the Realm’s to be printed for those of us who do not own the one from dragon magazine printed all those years ago would surly buy it. Some parts of that map are no longer available, and the interactive atlas can be difficult to find, and frankly I prefer a good paper map. I have many of the previously published maps of the realm’s both electronic and otherwise and I think a new large map of the Realms would be nice. The new fans need this.
Kuje Posted - 20 Feb 2006 : 20:04:37
The Forgotten Realms Interactive Atlus, but good luck finding it for less then 50 bucks since it's long out of print software. :)
Kaladorm Posted - 20 Feb 2006 : 19:06:07
In that case I hear there is some sort of program with all the detailed maps of faerun on? If someone knows of it I'd greatly appreciate if they could tell me about it, since I'd prefer my map of the realms to be as consistent as possible :)
Faraer Posted - 20 Feb 2006 : 18:00:07
I would use the pre-3E maps, Kaladorm, which are more plentiful and truer to the Realms. The VGD maps do match up with only minor discrepancies (I've played with assembling them in Photoshop).
Kuje Posted - 20 Feb 2006 : 17:54:40
quote:
Originally posted by RodOdom

Why did they do that?



They felt that there was to much open space, plus removing those spaces allowed them to fit it onto a single paper map. :)
RodOdom Posted - 20 Feb 2006 : 17:32:19
Why did they do that?
Kuje Posted - 20 Feb 2006 : 17:05:41
They also shifted the continent northwest when they changed the map, and so some places switched rivers, some other lands features just up and disappeared, etc.
Kaladorm Posted - 20 Feb 2006 : 15:54:43
Thats pretty stupid , thanks for the info though, guess I'll just have to stick to 3rd ed stuff, although it means so far that my party has been travelling around a seriously warped Dalelands
KnightErrantJR Posted - 20 Feb 2006 : 15:46:15
When the FRCS came out, WOTC contracted the continent down, by about a 1/3 or perhaps more. This may be the issue that you are having right now, because if you are looking at maps from before 3rd edition, the continent was much larger.

Erlkazar was seriously squished during the contraction. (The region referred to in Canticle)
Beirnadri Magranth Posted - 20 Feb 2006 : 15:43:33
One major map problem is the map in the beginning of Canticle compared to the that region on the FRCS poster map

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