Pyramid Review
GameMastery Map Packs
Published by Paizo Publishing
Cartography by Corey Macourek
18 8"×5" map sections, sandwiched between ad sheets; $12.95 (Haunted Mansion, Fortress, Dungeon Chambers, Countryside, or City); $9.95 (Village or Graveyard)
Everyone wants in on the game-map market these days. Some are reusable, some redrawable, some flippable, and some interchangeable. It's Paizo Publishing's turn at bat, and GameMastery Map Packs boast geomorphic maps at affordable prices. Here are some generic notes, followed by a few specifics about particular sets, then some more generalization.
Each set contains 18 map pieces, 8"×5", for five square feet per package (though none are just one big map). A grid is superimposed over each panel to aid in moving miniatures. Glare from overhead lights can hamper visibility, so indirect lighting is a plus in the game room. The advertising insert briefly names each supplement's content.
At this point there's a handy selection of sites and scenes in the line. Haunted Mansion doesn't have Eddie Murphy, but it's still pretty scary. Too dark to appreciate the detail in many cases, actually, but mood is established with fine points like creepy nursery dolls and a grand entry hall worthy of the term "mansion." More location-specific items (like cribs) could better solidify each place's identity, but overall these well-appointed rooms represent one of the most tightly focused sets.
The Village's sites, . . .
This article originally appeared in the second volume of Pyramid. See the current Pyramid website for more information.
Article publication date: September 28, 2007
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