Battlemat or Descriptive Encounters ?

[Desertpuma]

Same with FC then, Alex?

[Goodlun]

I am curious for you folks that do use the battle map how detailed do you make it?  A lot of the time for mook battles and random encounters we just throw down a map with a few things that you may expect to see in the type of terrain we are playing in.  Such as in a swamp may throw down a few trees but not too much.  For bigger more important stuff we may have a lot more detail.

[Catodon]

Like Alex I've played a lot of games since the early 80's and never used figures except as a player in a couple of sessions in 2009. However, during those session I saw how whether combat or not it made it much easier for players to keep positions straight etc.
In my current group they distain mini's but make extensive use of a white board for mud maps, lists, plans, etc
If I was to have my way I'd use a mix of whiteboard and minis but the spoken word would still be king.

[@stroVal]

On the other hand there's also the matter of mentality and immersion in regards to a game.

(albeit it being different for each player/gm)  I find narrative methods help a lot in getting into your character shoes.
For example I remember when I first started out I would think:''If I move the distance towards that tree and tie my shield on my back unsheathing my extra sword then ...etc" whereas in recent more strategic/mat oriented games the fact that I see the action above the mat sort of brings a computer-game reasoning"if I move 10 squares to the right and use that feat then ..."

It depends on your own imagination and 'discipline'; but if imaginative and experienced players are affected once in a while, what about the new recruits? Is that the generation of roleplayers we want to prepare? Ones with war-gaming envy?
 

PS: mats help a lot when you are a GM though...

[Sletchman]

I prefer not using battlemats [as both a player and GM] and find that I have had no problems as long as the encounters are described properly.  I do, however, have one player who almost demands a battlemat be drawn as soon as a fight breaks out - ironically he either never uses them in his own games, or uses elaborate maps of entire castles and runs the entire game round by round, despite having minimal combat [he's an odd duck].

[@stroVal]

[he's an odd duck].

I would forgive that from a talking-roleplaying duck 

[@stroVal]

that I have had no problems as long as the encounters are described properly. 

>>That there;that's it.
Description people...Description is law.

[@stroVal]

Hey,
sorry for being the necromancer for this thread,
 but I found another approach proposal that might interest some of you: http://robertsongames.com/dnd/law-chaos-battlemats-dnd/comment-page-1/#comment-2180

[EloiseCartwright]

I like a battlemat, and frankly the people I play with have used them since 1st Edition D&D, so weaning them off would be an exercise in futility.
What does slightly annoy is when people use a battlemat but just use it as a very vague representation so things zip around without any consideration of speed (which makes some sense in 1E as your combat round was a minute so you could move a fair ways).
But seriously, when I GC I have enough on my hands keeping track of monsters statistics, helping out a couple of players who don't really know what they're doing and keeping various other bits and pieces in mind, I like to have a clear map so I can at least tell where everyone is and what they can reach.

As to detail we just throw a couple of board sections down (usually the old 1E-time card sections as there's plenty of them around) or sketch it out on a sheet of A4, If I know there's going to be lots of odd shaped rooms etc I might dig out my old Crystal Caste battlemat, but it's usually a bit of a pain to carry down to where we play.

[Morfedel]

For battles in FC, I don't see how you can play without a mat... at least, if you are using blasts and such, what with the blast reduction per mathematics.

I suppose if it wasn't for that, it wouldn't be so necessary.

I prefer battle mats for any game that talks about ranges, movement, area effects, by such minute details, such as D&D and FC, and I honestly don't see how you could do it otherwise, without great difficulty.

Games that are more narrative, such as the FATE system ala Dresden Files RPG, etc, is another story entirely.

For those of you who run FC without mats, how do you deal with things like blast and their reduction reduction mathematics?

[Krensky]

Case by case. GM fiat really, but that term's been made into a bad word by certain groups.

[Sletchman]

For those of you who run FC without mats, how do you deal with things like blast and their reduction reduction mathematics?

I give clear descriptions of the terrain and how far people are from each other [individual range to enemies, how close the enemies are to each other], as well as tracking it in my Excel initiative sheet or on a small piece of paper.  Had no real complaints from the group.  I'm also good with numbers so working out damage doesn't take any time at all.

[Crafty_Pat]

For those of you who run FC without mats, how do you deal with things like blast and their reduction reduction mathematics?

I give clear descriptions of the terrain and how far people are from each other [individual range to enemies, how close the enemies are to each other], as well as tracking it in my Excel initiative sheet or on a small piece of paper.  Had no real complaints from the group.  I'm also good with numbers so working out damage doesn't take any time at all.

For what it's worth, I handle blasts descriptively all the time. So long as you're (roughly) clear about where everyone is ("you're in the second ring and he's in the first"), and careful not to abuse the format, it works out fine.

[jolt]

For those of you who run FC without mats, how do you deal with things like blast and their reduction reduction mathematics?

I give clear descriptions of the terrain and how far people are from each other [individual range to enemies, how close the enemies are to each other], as well as tracking it in my Excel initiative sheet or on a small piece of paper.  Had no real complaints from the group.  I'm also good with numbers so working out damage doesn't take any time at all.

For what it's worth, I handle blasts descriptively all the time. So long as you're (roughly) clear about where everyone is ("you're in the second ring and he's in the first"), and careful not to abuse the format, it works out fine.

Agreed.  I've only used a battlemat when the system has forced it upon me.  Shadowrun, Hero system, certain editions of Gamma World etc. and we've never used a battlemat even though all of those games have AoE's and whatnot.  I've never had any problems.  My main concern with using battlemats is that once combat begins, every player suddenly thinks they're Kasparov trying to beat Deep Blue and the game slows down.

jolt

[@stroVal]

 [...]thinks they're Kasparov trying to beat Deep Blue and the game slows down.

jolt

Horrible chess jokes flashing through my head..not again!!!