Printing Large Maps

[Easy_Lee]

Running a game soon for which I'll be using lots of maps. Like a ton of them. Ideally, I'd like to print out really large maps on paper I can spread across the table, then roll up later.

Does anyone have experience with this? Are there relatively cheap options others in the community have used for similar projects?

[JumboWheat01]

While it would certainly require a lot more work than simply printing things out, drafting paper (the one with all the little squares, ya know,) is excellent for making large maps. Sure, most things are rather square than rounded, but home-made maps give a certain sense of accomplishment. Plus you can get them in some rather large sheets that are great for table covering.

Also, I saw a suggestion a long while back, and if you got them, Lego blocks work perfectly, and allow you to build up 3D maps, instead of flat ones. Just use the table as a base floor, and you're good to go. Plus you can smash down the maps and build up new ones using the same materials. Recycling at its best.

[MrStabby]

Is A0 big enough? If so Google A0 printing and name of your town. If not find a friend that works in architecture or engineering and use their office plotter.

[gfishfunk]

FedEx Office can print black and white large prints, up to 48" wide (last I checked) for relatively cheap.

Its the same printers used for blueprints, which are rarely blue these days.

[Zman]

You can use a local print shop and get some large stuff done, but not certain how cheap it will be.

If you are looking at homemade maps most Christmas wrapping paper has a 1" grid on the back and is obviously rollable.

[indrabar]

I've used OfficeMax for printing maps, but lately I've just been drawing them on large sheets of grid paper. Takes a while, especially if you want to be really detailed or add color and whatnot, but it's fun and relaxing :D

[gfishfunk]

Alternatively, you can run a two laptop system, and project one laptop onto a television using Chromecast. This way, you can use roll20 poor another preferred online system.

[NNescio]

Running a game soon for which I'll be using lots of maps. Like a ton of them. Ideally, I'd like to print out really large maps on paper I can spread across the table, then roll up later.

Does anyone have experience with this? Are there relatively cheap options others in the community have used for similar projects?

Use a poster-printing software like PosteRazor. It'll chop up your maps automatically into letter-sized/A4 (and some other dimensions) sizes. Print them out, cut away the blank edges (unless your printer is the sort that can print to the edges) and tape them together via the back, or glue them on a large sheet of sack kraft paper (the kind the Chinese use to cover Mahjong tables) if you want additional durability.

If you need grids, you can overlay them on top using Photoshop (or GIMP, which is free), before you feed the map image into PosteRazor.

That said, for really colorful maps, home printing is not going to be worth it unless you have one of those Asian aftermarket tank reservoir systems hooked up to your printer (using cheap third party ink). I mostly only print B&W maps using this method, and it's the mostly untextured sort (textured maps look horrible when turn into B&W, and eat up too much black ink), with minimal crosshatching. If you want colorful maps, it's cheaper to do it at a print shop.

Edit: Shouldn't this thread be moved to the generic Roleplaying Games section instead of 5e/Next?

[Plaguescarred]

I usually print JPEGs of maps into 4 sheet posters using printers options in properties. The scale is usually good enought to use with miniature figurines.


https://files.support.epson.com/htmldocs/sc777_/sc777_u1/IMAGES/621MPL3.GIF

[Shining Wrath]

If you really want to be able to print big maps, you'll need a professional printer. Use the Legendary Lore Master Google.

[N810]

you could use an online service like Photobucket.
They usually offer a printing service. (18"sq poster for like $10)

[Easy_Lee]

Thanks for the advice, guys. I think I have what I need.

[Laserlight]

Get a gridded easel pad and draw it directly.