How large is the typical kingdom you map out?

[Ariddrake]

I was wondering how large of an area people map out (ex. 500 x 400 miles) for kingdoms in their campaigns. Also how large do you make your campaign map (ex. 3000 x 4000 miles). Maybe 13 to 20 kingdoms or city states? I just wanted to know comparing what I am doing to other people along with Greyhawk or Forgotten Realms.

 

[NoOneofConsequence]

My best map was a continent formed by two massive island masses (actually Australia with an inland sea that was connected to the other oceans). It was 4000km x 2500km. It had one major empire and three confederacies, plus numerous other kingdoms. It was great, but the party never tumbled to how I had developed the map.

I did in CC2 - it was beautiful.

The current campaign setting was just a part of one continent which has been colonised by a sea power far to the east - lots of jungle, very few colonial settlements scattered about. It's about 1600kmx1600km.

You can view a .gif version here, http://www.andycollins.net/Projects/Spelljammer/fanmap.htm

The resolution sucks, but you get the idea.

 

[Ariddrake]

Do you use the mountain range to kind of frame where the action is happening. I like your map.

 

[Bagpuss]

About A4 in size. Occasionally A3 but really its two A4's taped together.

 

[NoOneofConsequence]

Do you use the mountain range to kind of frame where the action is happening. I like your map.

Thanks.

As far as the action is concerned - sort of - I think I was basically doing a fantasy reworking of the Amazon basin in my mind, hence the mountains. The campaign is also based on the notion that the region is a forgotten backwater with sea travel being virtually the only mode for trade. Mountains help close all that up.

Glad you liked it!

 

[Ariddrake]

Bagpuss when you say A4 ( I know that is paper size) is that scaled to 50 miles to the inch. I just wanted to say that I just did a pretty detailed map of an area 100 x 125 miles in cc2. For some reason when I saved it as a jpeg and open it in photoshop it is about 7k and the size of a postage stamp.

 

[Painfully]

I make mine "as large as it needs to be." Probably sounds fuzzy to you, but not all campaigns need maps as broad as Forgotten Realms or Greyhawk. Why overwork yourself?

I try to map the local town as much as possible, with preferences for smaller towns for obvious reasons. Not all cities require maps, but if you'll be adventuring in them, it's a good idea to have a copy for your players.

 

[Bagpuss]

I generally sketch them on paper. Not really to a particular scale working on the principle that the players will be unlikely to have access to decent maps of an area. I usually just work on puting places within an a few days horse/wagon ride apart. With popular routes having an inn about every days journey on foot.

My maps a rarely elabourate and tend only to be accurate when I steal them from published adventures or dungeon. I don't tend to use computer programs except occasionally for 'dungeons'.

 

[Ariddrake]

I didn't know how other dm's did this and I thought I was a slacker for not having where the crater of doom was some 2500 miles away. Thanks for the replies. (Even though something ugly inside likes knowing where it is even though my group will probally have dissolved by the time they get there.)