Ars Magica Creating a Detailed map of Europe
From: Crystal000 Posted on: 10/19/2002 3:49 pm
To: ALL
Message: 105.1
Just wondering if Atlas games would be interested in compiling a new map of Mythic Europe, an expanded more detailed map than seen in 3rd Edition. with similarities to what's seen in the Dragon and the Bear?
From: SirParn Posted on: 10/19/2002 4:01 pm
To: Crystal000
Message: 105.2
in reply to: 105.1
That’s something that i would really love to get my hands on, as the old map from 3rd Ed, is not detailed enough to really let you explore Mythic Europe, it's good for a quick reference, but i think one of the current weak points at the moment is the lack of maps.

Also I liked how Jeremiah pointed out on the Gaming Outpost Ars Forum, it is hard to work out where the boundaries for the Tribunals are via landmarks. And on a map as we have to work from at the moment, it's a hard task to do!

Maybe a possibility in any new books that may be in the works, or even the new 5th Ed being discussed at the moment on this forum??

From: Al3xWhite Posted on: 10/19/2002 8:49 pm
To: SirParn
Message: 105.3
in reply to: 105.2
Getting new maps would be great. Perhaps the upcoming Living Legends (?) will have some maps, showing where all the jazz takes place.

~Alex

From: Ed9C Posted on: 10/21/2002 4:53 pm
To: Al3xWhite
Message: 105.4
in reply to: 105.3
Sign me up!
Maps would be a wonderful resource.

Ed C.

From: marklawford Posted on: 11/18/2002 9:08 am
To: Ed9C
Message: 105.6
in reply to: 105.4
Add my vote for maps.

Atlas Guys! Revolutionary Announcement... I'll give you money if you give me maps. Sounds like a fair exchange. The better the quality of the maps, the more money I'm willing to part with.

Lets see if we can spec out what we'd like to see.

I would like to see a sheaf of loose maps; one large Mythic Europe map showing major cities, rivers, Covenants even Roman roads I guess, plus smaller regional maps, perhaps Tribunal based maps.

The supplement might contain a small booklet of resources such as a brief overview of medieval cartography, map and navigation based Hermetic spells, sample characters (and if recent works are anything to go by 3 brand new map-making magical traditions).

It would be good to have more detail on just what it takes to travel around mythic europe, perhaps an example of what accomodation would be available, conditions, food etc on land and sea.

Anyways, those are just some thoughts on what a maps supplement might contain.

Anyone else got any ideas?

From: Ed9C Posted on: 11/18/2002 10:51 am
To: marklawford
Message: 105.7
in reply to: 105.6
I like the idea of a travel guide.
Typical road conditions, etc. is information I do not currently have at my fingertips.
(Just limit it to one map making mystery, maybe in house Mercere, who would have the most use of such information) ;)

Ed

From: marklawford Posted on: 11/18/2002 11:21 am
To: Ed9C
Message: 105.8
in reply to: 105.7
I was joking about the map oriented traditions but I can see that there may be one set of useful map/travel related virtues (new target, or range or something) out there.

I would like to see House Mercere take the spotlight for a while and this (theoretical) supplement would do just that.

But yes, travel conditions including example encounters, hints for using travel as a story element and not just a means of getting from A to B.

Sample guides and/or translators. Moving money from place to place. Taxes travelers can expect to pay.

Example village, town, city... actually, not this one. I fancy having a go at this myself sometime.

This is actually turning into a bigger supplement than initially thought.

From: Ed9C Posted on: 11/18/2002 2:35 pm
To: marklawford
Message: 105.9
in reply to: 105.8
A detailed map supplement, in and of itself would be a monumental undertaking.
The travel information, would be very useful, but may have to be its own supplement, due to production costs.

(Mmmm! more supplements to buy!)
Ed

From: Jeremiah Genest Posted on: 11/19/2002 11:06 am
To: Ed9C
Message: 105.10
in reply to: 105.9
The travel information is the easy part. As far as the maps go. probably just better buying an already exisitng medieval Atlas.
From: marklawford Posted on: 11/20/2002 4:37 am
To: Jeremiah Genest
Message: 105.11
in reply to: 105.10
Any suggestions on the medieval atlas? I have done some looking but usually end up with renaissance.
From: Ed9C Posted on: 11/20/2002 10:04 am
To: Jeremiah Genest
Message: 105.12
in reply to: 105.10
Where would you find such an atlas? To my knowledge, there isn't one.
Also, what existing atlas would have the major covenants marked on it.
Ed
From: Jeremiah Genest Posted on: 11/20/2002 11:21 am
To: Ed9C
Message: 105.13
in reply to: 105.12
There are several very good ones. I can recommend:

Cambridge Illustrated Atlas: Warfare: The Middle Ages 768-1487
The New Penguin Atlas of Medieval History
Atlas of Medieval Europe edited by Angus MacKay

There are a few other good ones. Any of these should do you for the scale any book Atlas would publish would cover.

As far as the covenants go. That is harder. But I don't think the ease of having covenants overcomes the price of the product. And the major ones can easily be represented in a nice large scale map.

Jere

Edited 11/20/2002 11:27:55 AM ET by Jeremiah Genest (JERE_GENEST)
From: John Nephew Posted on: 11/20/2002 3:29 pm
To: Jeremiah Genest
Message: 105.14
in reply to: 105.13
Jere is spot on.

The fact is, general-interest books of maps (I have a bunch on my shelf, including the "Facts on File" ones of the "Atlas of the Crusades," for example) offer value that we can't compete with (huge size, tons of interior color, at lower prices than we could possibly offer), especially when you get them at remaindered prices. Any serious ArM player should own a stack of goodies like that -- take advantage of the great prices you get because of how many NON-gamers those books appeal to.

There is some need for a Hermetic map of Mythic Europe, perhaps, but it's not the most pressing need. Maybe it would work as a feature of a post-5th edition remake of Mythic Europe. (I'd guess that would be at least 3 years from now, though.) Or maybe something of the sort will be done in 5th edition, whenever that happens.

From: Jeremiah Genest Posted on: 11/20/2002 4:10 pm
To: John Nephew
Message: 105.15
in reply to: 105.14
[[Any serious ArM player should own a stack of goodies like that -- take advantage of the great prices you get because of how many NON-gamers those books appeal to.]]

Which is why Osprey books are some of the ebst books an Ars Magcia player can buy.

Jeremiah