How to Build a Better Dungeon
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- Опубликовано: 30 июн 2024
- In this tutorial, I show you how to design a location based adventure by drawing a top down dungeon map! This method can work with DnD 5e or your favorite Old School TTRPGs! I share my DM tips to help you prep your next game session with an urgent, distinct, telegraphed, evocative, and situation dungeon!
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0:00 - Intro
0:35 - Step 0: Pick Your Game
1:51 - Step 1: Starting Notes
6:35 - Step 2: Dungeon Layout
12:39 - Step 3: Encounter Design
23:37 - Step 4: Just Run It
-- Awesome Old School Style Games --
Shadowdark by Kelsey Dionne: www.thearcanelibrary.com/prod...
Errant by Ava Islam: killjestergames.itch.io/errant
Knave by Ben Milton: questingbeast.itch.io/knave-2...
-- My Videos about Dungeon Design --
Reversed 5 Room Dungeon: • 5 Room Dungeon Design ...
Jaquaysing the Dungeon: • Jaquaysing the Dungeon
-- Great GM Prep and Encounter Design Videos! --
@mcolville Prep Can Be Literally Easy and Actually Fun: • Prep Can Be Literally ...
@TheArcaneLibrary How to Design Excellent Encounters: • Part 4: How To Design ...
@DUNGEONCRAFT1 Stop Flipping Through the Rulebook: • D&D Prep: Stop Flippin...
@Bastionland Preparing for an RPG Session: • Preparing for an RPG S...
@SlyFlourish Strong Start: • 4. Lazy DM Prep Step 2...
@DysonLogos incredible map website: dysonlogos.blog/
I often draw with Foam Grip Tubes from Impresa to ease my hand strain. You can buy them here: amzn.to/3KgpDXs
Download the grids I use: drive.google.com/drive/folder...
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Podcast: thesplatbook.com/episodes
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Animation by Onesleepybeetle: www.haileesmith.com/
Music by Ivan Formin: ivan-fomin.itch.io/
Additional Music by Alex Ansaldi: www.epidemicsound.com/artists... 
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Howdy folks! I added some chapter headings on the timeline for this video to help you navigate the video if you need to reference it again later! Cheers!!
A good video is never long, nor is it short. It ends precisely when it needs to.
HAha!! This really got me!!
After not posting for awhile we got a 9 minute video which was excellent. THE GOD MAP CROW HAS BLESSED US WITH A 30 minutes video AHHHHHH. I’m getting a good breakfast today
Haha! This one almost didn’t come out! There was an exporting error that took a bit to fix!! Cheers!!
@@mapcrowso we are lucky that all went well!
I was literally thinking "man id be cool if the party could help the skeletons" not two minutes later my mans brings that up. Love the video!
One of my favorite moves as a GM is to put in some "monsters" that need some help. Skeletons and ghosts are real easy, because they can just be dead again after you help them!!
yes to longer videos. would love more creature redesigns, would also be cool to see old topics revisted to bring the production value up. adore your work.
Thank you so much!! Bunch of monster redesign stuff coming up!!
@@mapcrow Lets goooooooo!!! That's exciting to hear! ❤️
@@mapcrow 20-30 minutes seems to be the sweet spot for your particular flavour of content; you have such a great mix of clear conceptual approach to game design, as well as flavourful, inspirational storytelling that that time frame seems to allow a good mix of both while staying on track!
Thanks for posting this video. As ever, I feel so inspired after watching this for my next session! I feel like my group and I have allowed our game to meander a little the last couple of sessions, so this video has really helped me bring back into focus what my priorities are as a GM. Thank you!
@@mapcrow I agree with all of these comments
would love to see more 'making the dungeon' or 'preparing the session' videos
I love the idea to fill the dungeon with primarily good secrets in order to encourage exploration!
I'm always a little weird about exploration. Generally you're there for a purpose - in this case finding and stopping the bandit prince. It feels narratively weird to be deliberately delaying stopping the ritual in order to find all the cool stuff in the dungeon.
@@jeffmacdonald9863I can understand this as well. Adventures or campaigns that have a quick timeline (ritual is happening, world will end next Tuesday, the dragon is on the wing, etc.)
But perhaps there can be exploration AFTER the ritual is stopped. There can also be the tension of giving the party a choice: explore or stop the ritual, there are consequences and rewards based on how they choose.
@@matthewwhelehan5185 Exploring afterward makes sense, I also think a neat idea if they don't initially have time to explore the dungeon fully is to later throw them a bone to return, such as to recover the magic whatsit or find a rumoured treasure, or any other list of things that will have them poking at walls looking for hidden switches and such. It would also let you get more mileage out of a dungeon which is always a win in my book lmao.
As for the choice of whether to explore or stop the ritual, I feel like in the overwhelming majority of situations players aren't going to choose material goods or whatever over potential narrative consequences, although I can certainly imagine parties that would do that haha.
Me too!
These are not only maps; they are works of art! Thank you for the inspiration!
"Curiosity should not always kill the cat" is such a good advice.
My own DM has a tendency to put in traps or other negative consequences and while I happen to RP a character in our DnD-Game, that is very much "no risk no fun",
I also find it rather disappointing because curiosity doesn't only kill the cat, it isn't rewarded.
Also I dunno if you do longer campaigns, but what I struggle with is connecting the dots (kinda like you did for this dungeon. Got a start, got a boss, not too sure about the inbetweens).
Basically struggling with the sub-adventures for the campaign. (I'm a somewhat new DM so also lackin experience there), so if you feel like that could be something you could make a video about or something, that would be appreciated. :)
The sub adventures can be the personal goals of the party members. Or they can be side quests e.g. mysteries to solve, local villages under attack from undead, a bandit prince trying to summon a spirit to his service. :)
the DM I used to have soured me on OSR because of that kind of stuff, EVERYTHING was just there to kill you. To the point where I hear people like Map Crow talk about this style of game rewarding player creativity and imagination it just confuses me because my experiences were all playing "Mother May I?" while trying to read the DM's mind for the one and only solution they would accept and every "wrong" answer caused you to take crippling damage. like a Pen and Paper version of those old point and click adventure games that would only let you progress if you clicked the exact right pixel at the exact right time.
Set up alignment cards or events which make your players choose good neutral or evil decisions. Possibly inner battles if your players have different alignments or beliefs
For example you stubble upon a chained old man with a coin purse and a unique ring . His hand is so swollen you cannot see the full ring. Save the old man? Take his coin purse? Cut off his finger and take the ring? Each had its own outcome and will affect the parties alignment
I love the voice you go into when describing the scenes and such! the passion really translates.
Thank you! You would probably enjoy my Rangers of shadow deep videos then!!
@@mapcrow I'll check em out!
I like this longer format, it’s full length without being repetitive. I also enjoy the smaller videos because I can watch on a break from work or between tasks.
No other creator inspires me to create stories and everything else for TTRPGs quite like you! Another excellent video!
Wow, thanks! That means a lot to me!!
26:27 One thing that gets me into a writing flow (I'm too much of a baby to draw) is to put on some scenario-fitting music. I have a whole backlog on my spotify of different playlists for combat, grief, horror, or even character specific ones I slapped together by looking at titles that fit the arc my player and I have in mind for their PC! I also have a separate modern music playlist with lyrics and all that gobbledygook to really paint a picture of what their character entails story-wise. Worked great thus far, so I recommend other GMs dabble in a bit of fantano reviewing for your next party.
I love this approach. It's holistic, and gives a more coherent feel and a sense of living history to a dungeon.
Some topics really do merit longer treatment. I really enjoy longform videos. It comes with a downside, that I can only watch them when I have time, which can lead to me not seeing them for weeks after they are uploaded, but when I do sit down to watch them, I love them. This one was great, and I think you could do really well with more like this.
I think a huge difference in the way you design dungeons versus how I've tried to make them, is that you start with creativity and never stop. Even while solving the space, in what I might consider the "logical phases" you're still being creative. I think I tend to do a little bit of creativity then spend a lot of time making sure everything fits together reasonably, perhaps to a detrimental extent and not enough time on creativity. So I think I need to spend more time being creative. As always, your videos are very inspiring.
Bro do not apologize for excellence. Your videos could be an hour and i would like them. Your knowledge, skill, and passion about something i am very interested in has won my follow. 👍🏻
Thank you for sharing all these ideas, guides, and principles for DMs! Incredible collation of content
Extremely useful! Always love tuning in.
Love the longer videos. Love the detail. The quality is fine, so don’t be hard on yourself. Your work has really helped me with my own ideas. Thank you!!
Great video! I felt the longer format felt very natural. Also, I totally want to run this adventure now. Great job!
This and your other dungeon map building videos really helped me grt my ideas onto paper in a coherent way. Looking forward to running this amall dungeon with my friends!
I really like your videos! Great advice! Especially the implementation of sensory triggers from the next room. It´s something i kinda have in mind but never really implemented that strongly into my note or into the description unless asked.
Thanks a lot and i hope you continue making these Videos :)
This is amazing, I really struggle with dungeon design for my games and this is just perfect. Every single one of your videos manages to get my creative juices flowing, keep up the magnificent work. The longer video is also really great, I think it be really cool idea for a video covering how to use a villain over the course of a larger campaign, see how they grow and change as the players grow and change. : )
Love your videos brother, I'm currently having a bit of a dry spell on the dungeon front for the campaign I'm running and your creativity has restored my enthusiasm :)
I really enjoyed the longer timeframe - gives ideas room to breathe. It's also helpfully s I'm getting closer to having my first RPG ready for play testing.
Lovely video. I have a dungeon I'm running next week and I "redid" it from memory alongside you, and then compared them. Found a couple of improvements.
So yeah, I love longer videos because I can mirror the person instead of watching it and then trying to remember everything after.
Thanks as always for making such a great and inspiring video! Your enthusiasm is infectious 😄
These videos never fail to get me excited about DMing and designing encounters.
Love this! So happy this is given the time it deserves. Longer videos are a win for me.
Thanks for the shout-out! Love the map and energy!
You bet!! Love your work!! There is another shoutout in the next video too! Haha!!
This was perfect timing for me! I just did character creation last night and needed some guidance for making the dungeon. Thanks!
it's fun to see people's different processes. Thanks for sharing.
8 minutes in and I’m inspired enough to keep my creative DM brain busy for months… Thank you!!!
Loved this, incredibly helpful. Length is awesome.
Revisiting old video topics feels like a great idea, showing how your own ideas are in flux and that its ok to to change your mind (also logistically i assume it will be easier to respond to your own content than come up with something out of whole cloth)
Again I'm glad you're back!
Loved the stream!👍💖
Great video! One of your bests; with actionable advice and a impactful closer
Wow! Thank you!!!
Really great video. I love your style! Thanks a lot.
Another great video as always :)
This video caused me to set notifications to all. Good stuff. Bringing it alive. Every DM needs to think about this.
Your videos are amazing! Thank you for your content
Re: vid length --
Agreeing with most of the comments i see here!
I really like this longer format for your deliberate and thoughtful style.
It feels like you have a little room to breath and for us to see more of your art process, which is always fun.
I feel the shorter ones (10 min or less) often feel like such a tease, while the 15-30 min range is enough time to explore a topic while still leaving me wanting more (but in the good way)
Well thought out video. I thank you for the new ideas for my players......Semper Fi....
Great stuff! I've just mapped out an adventure for my Palladium Fantasy group inspired by this video! Garden of the Gods and the border war with the Wolfen Empire!
Fantastic video! Map, art, scenario, and advice are all top notch!
Thank you so much!!
Your advice, art style, and attitude all create this really beautiful sense of achievability that leads to infectious passion. There are so many videos and resources out there, but when I watch your videos I find myself thinking "how didn't i realize it was that simple!" all the time, and your art and tips that embrace the process and imperfections that lead to a final project make everything seem so accessible compared to those who give dozens of specific tips that while useful to a degree often overcomplicate and overstress.
Heck yeah! There is this façade of perfection that products and influencers can put up, sometimes without even meaning to. So I try to talk about the complicated emotions and uncertainty of my creative projects! Cheers!!
True, I really appreciate showing the process of “scratch maps” while working it out, and admitting that you had thought about what you wanted to include beforehand.
@@thrasherftw Oh for sure! I want to be helpful above all! I also recognize that editing really alters some perceptions of the process! Cheers!!
AWESOME! Love this
Fantastic video!
the kefka laugh was an instant sub from me
Awesome map dude.
I really, really love longer videos.
I mean, every topic has its individual requirement in time. Some are faster but some can profit a lot when giving a bit more space.
And again, I really like longer videos. 😊
This video is awesome, more of this, _PLEASE_ !
I love that this showed up on my feed right when I sat down to get started on some dungeons for my ttrpg group!
Heck yeah! Hope you've been having a good year, pal!
@@mapcrow I have! Let's catch up sometime, I've been doing a massive project I think you'll get a kick out of.
Heck yeah!!
Very helpful thank you.
From the language and techniques you are using I am guessing you are another fan of The Alexandrian blog. Great to see someone building on the excellent advice there and giving practical examples of it, not to mention gorgeous mapwork. You've got another subscriber in me.
Ha! Wonderful! Yes, I mention the Alexandrian and the Jaquaysing the Dungeon article in the original video that I linked the description. The Alexandrian has contributed much to the conversations we are having about TTRPGS and GM Prep!
Damn, another amazingly inspiring video!
The longer videos are great!
legendary video. legendary channel.
I like the longer form videos. Even if it’s not something I’m going to *use* I appreciate more detail and consideration being put into things.
great advice, map crow. looks like a fun lil dungeon too!
I haven't even watched the video yet but that map looked so good I clicked like right away :-)
I am going to run my son his first ever rpg, and am inspired to make my own simple dungeon for him, including things he likes (dinosaurs!)
Wow good video thank you bro
Fantastic video! Always exciting to watch the process! Any word on your monster book coming out?
Thank you!! The crowdfunding campaign launches in Sept! And the prelauch page should go live this month!
Good stuff Map Crow! Would love to meet you at Gen Con!
Wonderful video, it has been saved for later revisiting.
I'm all for longer videos and the shorter format of some of your other videos is really focused. You convey the thesis, so to speak, really neatly and then bid farewell. The pro there is it clearly accents your point. The con is you can't effectively say more than just a single main point/vibe. For this longer video there was 'a bit' less of a tight "thesis" however you were able to engage more concepts in and around what you were discussing. I think this works better for things with broader concepts or more angles of approach.
Contrasting this with your better monster videos is a good example. The better monster videos are perfect in the 10-15 min range because you're offering one new angle to a monster (Building Better Nothics is my selfish mid comment suggestion). You effectively demonstrate that angle and end. For this and other videos there is more to touch on so the shorter format might not be most optimal.
Anyway, your content is great and you seem like a neat human who's doing his best. Keep it up, I look forward to your next video (long or short 😉)!!!
This was already making my gears turn early, You mentioned the factions and my mind jumped to the room before the boss where the bandits general's are fighting off hordes of vengeful undead spirits who are trying to break through to stop the ritual. As the Heros enter the wrath of the Undead appears to be open to all living beings in this holy place despite intention.
I would also add that sometimes if the monsters aren’t smart just put them in a place that’s plausible but maybe not their natural habitat then flesh out that place. I didn’t even put the two and two together when I put my werewolves in a silver mine! My players greatly enjoyed that “eureka moment” when they realized they were surrounded by the werewolves weakness.
Very nice map. Love the old school style, plus your plugs for the other content creators!
😎😎😎😎
If you can find the time, longer videos allowing you to go into a bit more detail sounds good to me!
😊😊😊😊
By the way, how did GenCon go for you? Hope you had fun.
👍👍👍👍
Nice , I like to use the Advanced fighting fantasy way of doing it , where to throw a bunch of D6 were they land is were the room is and the number gives you how many entrances are to th room ,1 to 4 with 5 and 6 being specials using a small chart.
Great video. I'll probably use this adventure in my ShadowDark group. As for time/length of video. How long is less of a factor than ensuring the content remains engaging and useful throughout. Much like a dungeon, each room needs to be engaging throughout the video. Also, a fast start is a good idea. I can't stand videos that take minutes to start getting to the content.
If Ralphy from a Christmas story got into DND. 😂 love your videos, nostalgic and inspiring.
was listening to random dnd tips and tricks videos until this auto played. the kefka laugh in the intro certainly got my attention XD
Lol my players literally flipped a coin to decide what direction to go last time we played. The advice about having some sensory input is a really great idea!
Haha!! Flipping a coin sounds pretty fun on occasion, I'll bet!! Hahaha
good stuff. I need more map art practice, of course.
This was great! I'd add Runehammer's channel as an awesome source of DM advice. The basics of encounter design and creating campaigns without over prepping.
Tiktok and twitter and doom scrolling and endless flipping between media is ruining our brains and attention. Thanks for the longer, quality video!
If you haven't already seen it, theres a wonderful OSR ttrpg called mausritter with a lot of similar ideas to what you're talking about here. The general premise is reframing fantasy ttrpgs as our real world through the eyes of mouse adventurers
Heck yeah!! Love that game! I probably have a video about it coming up soon!
Glad I could munch on some french fries and listen to you talk about your dungeon design process, very inspirational! I've always been confused about the implication of the term "location-based" when talking about adventures, as opposed to event-based or a mystery/intrigue adventure. How do I know what is best used to describe my adventure? And what do you think the benefit of location-based is vs the other kinds mainly event-based?
Oh thank you for the kind words!! To me, Location-based means that the adventure and story are conveyed primarily through a single location, like a dungeon, small town, haunted mansion etc. It's designed to get you to interact with the location and discover things about it more than move you between plot point or big exposition dialog scenes. To me, location-based adventures are easier to prep because I'm a visual thinker and I have the basic structure of what needs to happen written over the map. It not really about better or worse than other kinds of structures to me, just what structure is useful for what kinds of story and also what time I have to plan a session.
@@mapcrow Thanks, that helps clear things up a little
Some of the best DnD content on RUclips imho
Thank you so much!!
@@mapcrow Nah, man. Thank you! You actually inspire me to get off my lazy arse and do things :D
This is the type of content that becomes cheat sheets in my binder. 🔥
Heck yeah! That's what it's here for!
More longer videos = more good :)
If it's too long to view in one sitting there's nothing preventing you from watching it over several days.
(I think I might have liked seeing the second pass of the drawing, making the video even longer!)
I love that you are using a number 2 pencil.
For a rough sketch, there really isn't a point to using a different kind. Plus, I like a normal HB pencil. I know exactly what they will do when I use them.
This is awesome. I’ve actually seen all of your video references. 😅 But I really like the Between two Cairns podcast with Yochai Gal and Brad Kerr. I’d love to hear a Splatbook/B2C crossover. 🤩
Also longer vids are cool. Your videos are already pretty tight. I think the longer format is great.
Oh! What a fun idea!! Got a lot of love for Yochai Gal!!
If the bandit prince recruits gnolls. They get corpses, and the prince gets the loot. Maybe. a flynd makes an appearance to contest or replace the prince. In his efforts during the ritual.
I like longer videos AND shorter videos for different reasons! It's definitely easier to settle in to a drawing while listening during your longer videos though, haha.
The idea that you are drawing while playing my videos makes me very happy!!
@@mapcrow Of course I am! Everything you say makes me want to keep drawing!!
I’m probably in the minority, but a full hour would be just fine for videos on these subjects.
Good video, I think 30 min vids is fine, considering the quality of your content.
But maybe longer vids could scare people off, maybe make two episodes if you need to go beyond 30 minutes for a subject.
Don't hesitate to redo some of the old vids, especially if you make new drawing :).
Heck yeah! Thanks for the feed back!!
Been feeling in a rut when it comes to dungeon and encounter design; this provided some great tips and inspiration, so thank you! Also, I somehow feel like I could watch you filling in the dead space on the map for hours. Maybe throw together a video of just that with a playlist of some of your favorite royalty-free dungeon music ¯\_(ツ)_/¯
Thank you so much for the kind words! I'm so glad this video is helping to get you fired up! And that dungeon synth drawing hour video sounds kinda fun too!!
WOWZA
Sounds like we've got pretty similar DMing styles.
Alright. Youve convinced me to try to set up some dnd. I don't have a friend group to do it with, but. I dunno. Maybe i can find some people
Heck yeah! Asking folks you know, even if they’ve never played games like that can be real scary but real fun sometimes too!!
More longer vids!
This was a great video, and a great map. Could we download it somehow?
I've added the download link to the description! Cheers!
Dudes like a mad scientist haha.
This video was better than finding banana bread at work! Hell yeah!
Haha!! Thank you!! That's an awesome compliment!!
On revisiting older topics: it's good that you have pride in your work and want things to be perfect, but most of us or here for the content. Rather than revisiting old stuff, well, maybe we could have something new to try? And some of us do try; I've been sitting here, pencil in hand, following along.
Of course if you have something new to say about some previously addressed topic, that would be great, too.
The chapter titles just beg the question of when you're going to collect all this wisdom into a tome and kickstart the best dungeon map making book of all time.
Not until Monstrous ships! Haha!! But we ARE talking about maybe doing a zine on this subject at least!
If be down for a revisit of old videos