Mapping in 3D?

[Drakevarg]

My plans for tomorrow's DnD session involve navigating a massive cavern, with lots of Climb/Balance/Jump checks. Some of the most enjoyable campaigns I've ever been in involved lots of terrain navigation, so this could be fun.

Only problem is, I don't have a bloody clue how to map it out on paper. At the moment, I'm thinking of just winging the whole thing, but if somebody knows a good way to map out a room in 3D using a 2D medium, I'm all ears. Any suggestions?

[Analytica]

Multiple levels with cutouts?

Paper clearly divided into squares so you can map one layer to the next by coordinates.

[Science Officer]

Lego?

Make topographical drawings?

[Drakevarg]

Multiple levels with cutouts?

Sounds like it would require my entire graph paper notebook.

Paper clearly divided into squares so you can map one layer to the next by coordinates.

Tried this. Turned out to be too confusing to read.

Lego?

Hard to carry to my game, and I gave all my LEGOs to charity years ago.

Make topographical drawings?

Doesn't really work with overhangs and the like in the mix. I'm not talking about a couple of hills or things like that. I'm talking a full-out, God of War-esque platforming dungeon.

[Jjeinn-tae]

Velium paper, when a light is shined through it, you can see through many sheets. Pen work on lower sheets could easily give the effect of mapping at multiple layers, then you just need to have each sheet be 5 or 10 feet of altitude, and you can have a pretty effective map.

Edit: Derp, serves me right for starting a post then going for a walk before I finish. Not something you want then.

You could try and replicate CAD or programs with similar systems, three different angles mapped out. Probably difficult to read in a sheet of paper though.

[Drakevarg]

You could try and replicate CAD or programs with similar systems, three different angles mapped out. Probably difficult to read in a sheet of paper though.

CAD? So like a schematic, only of a cave.

Hm. Might work.

[mathemagician]

You can use colored pencils to sketch out an altitude gradient. A cool blue is the lowest altitude they will attain, a hot red is the highest. Then when mapping it out, you can clearly show where altitude changes occur, and this gives you a non-confusing (ok, maybe less confusing) way to indicate overlapping passages / rooms.

[Jjeinn-tae]

You can use colored pencils to sketch out an altitude gradient. A cool blue is the lowest altitude they will attain, a hot red is the highest. Then when mapping it out, you can clearly show where altitude changes occur, and this gives you a non-confusing (ok, maybe less confusing) way to indicate overlapping passages / rooms.

Yeah, if you do CAD, you need to do something like this, won't be able to make heads or tails of it after distancing yourself from it otherwise.

[Epsilon Rose]

I'd suggest scetchup since its fairly easy to work with and has built in markers you can use and exploration modes. I'd also recommend leaving it in a digital form so you can change viewing angles and stuff.

[Xyk]

I'd suggest scetchup since its fairly easy to work with and has built in markers you can use and exploration modes. I'd also recommend leaving it in a digital form so you can change viewing angles and stuff.

Yeah, google sketch-up is a fine free 3d drawing tool. Alternatively, use your imagination.

[panaikhan]

I've seen '3D' maps on isometric-lined graph paper before. if the areas don't overlap, it's great. If they do, then it might require several sheets for different 'cut-trough sections' of the map. Just make sure you note the relevant height of each cave or whatever on the map somewhere.

[Anxe]

Mod Builder for one of the Elder Scrolls games? That'd probably be far too time consuming, but hella epic.

When I map out 3D spaces in my campaign I map out as much as I can on one piece of graph paper. Whatever goes under/over/off the paper I do on another piece of paper. The connecting rooms or passages I mark with letters. So passage A on Paper 1 continues into Passage A on Paper 2. If you want to be sure about the locations of stuff on your papers you can overlay them in the way they would actually be.

If it's just one cavern (I think that's what your description says), then topographic lines is the way to go.