Above, I have the original concept for my map. I created this concept using an online program with pre-made assets to help myself get an idea of how I wanted the map to flow. Unfortunately, when we play tested our maps, I did not take a picture of the players testing mine. Speaking of which, the players testing my map were Alex Peters and Marc Kiel Billones, who played a ranger and a mage respectively.
When we tested the maps, we used a dungeons and dragons play mat with expo markers, so I modified the original design a little bit to fit the board we had. I have included a picture below of the design I used for reference. This design had a grid, which helped scale it correctly to the play mat.
So, what went right?
The players expressed how much they enjoyed secret rooms I included in the map, and the organic ways they could find them. For example, when Marc played a mage and hit an enemy with and especially powerful attack, he pushed that enemy through the thin secret wall, leading to the players finding a magical ring.
The players said the encounters were well-spaced and allowed for both moments of action and moments of exploration, along with all of the usual dungeon-delving fun. They enjoyed the enemy variety, and even gave me a dirty look once spiders were introduced. The spacing of the level was well done too, according to the player. Each encounter area felt free and open, but also guided the action well.
Speaking of guides, the players also enjoyed the torch placement throughout the map. They said that not only did the torches feel natural and organic, helping their immersion, but they also helped in guiding the player forwards, while not revealing any of the secrets directly.
The players said that, in conclusion, this map would be great for teaching players the basic rules, as it utilizes most of the rules fairly well, and is both forgiving and fun. They also expressed that they enjoyed the many interesting decisions they made throughout the test, such as who gets what magical item and what direction to go.
So, what went wrong?
The players first expressed a need for more incentive to diverge from their initial path. In the path, the players have the choice to either fight a group of spiders or attempt to jump over a 10 foot chasm. Originally, this was designed as the faster alternative. In practice, however, it was placed on the longer route, meaning that the players had no incentive to take the alternate path.
The players also felt a need for more diverging paths in the map, as the map felt somewhat linear. This is due in part to my attempt to make the map an easily guided map. Now, I know that my concept is sound, I can experiment and improve my map more.
Finally, the players and myself noticed that the Goblin King, the boss of the dungeon, was a total pushover, and was the easiest enemy of the dungeon. This was a major overlook on my part, and I know what I need to do to fix it.
So, how will I improve the map?
First, I am going to expand the map to include more diverging paths. Now that I know my method of guiding the players with smart torch placement works, I can go bigger and better with my map experimentation.
Next, I am going to add one or two more magic items. My players thoroughly enjoyed the magic items in the previous iteration, and expressed interest in more. However, I need to be sure not to flood the map with magic items, so as to not destroy the balance of combat and difficulty.
Next, I am going to switch the placement of the spiders and the chasm. This should hopefully create another interesting decision for the players, rather than an awkward arena to fight in with a random pointless chasm hallway.
Finally, I am going to increase the power of the Goblin King. With increased stats, and possibly some minions in the boss room, I believe I can turn the Goblin King from a nobody to a incredible threat.
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