XCali,

Thank you for posting this for review. I find the idea behind the map to be quite wonderful. I can see it providing a lot of immersion for players and GMs alike! It is also quite reusable, as most battles I run (in D&D) only deal with a 10x10 grid. This would allow for random encounters and most trivial combat to have a bit more 'umph' so to say.

I do, however, share in the opinion that the colors are a bit dark, but not for all the same reasons. When I am running a game (on a tan dry erase battlemap), I like to use bright colors to note different effects and whatnot so that I can see (at a glance) what is where. I have enough to do on my end of things as a GM (monster stats, adjudicating, initiative, etc.), that I need things to be clear and easy to read. My problem with the colors has to do with the grid most of all. For me, it blends in with the rest of your work, and makes it hard to see where one ends and the other begins.

As a player, I find the more the GM offers me on the map, the more I will use. By this I am referring to the 'hills' and 'ridges' on your map. If I was to see those in game I would think "Boy oh boy! I'm going to climb up one of those and peg baddies with my bow!". I as a GM would also like to use such wonderful terrain to exploit the benefit of enemies with flight. So, in addition to a grid with more contrast, I would recommend the grid also overlaps the map entirely.

In conclusion, I find your work quite wonderful, and given the above mentioned changes (and the cash to burn) I would buy a dry erase mat with your print on it!