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The way the map is meant to work in the game is that general features such as forests, mountains, rivers etc are known, as well as where there are castles, villages etc. However, exactly what a particular village och castle is - what the village/castle/dungeon symbol on the map represents - will be known only once the PCs go there and discover it.

The way the map is meant to work in the game is that general features such as forests, mountains, rivers etc are known, as well as where there are castles, villages etc. However, exactly what a particular village och castle is - what the village/castle/dungeon symbol on the map represents - will be known only once the PCs go there and discover it.

That's cool, I like this.  A very general map with physical features marked, but no idea where the interesting things lie.  I actually prefer this approach in MY:Z (though I've only done it once) - rather than providing my players with all the interesting items already filled in.  They can see the physical landmarks and work out where they are, then fill them out as they go.

I think this will work quite well here in conjunction with the hexmap stickers.

I agree that the setting does not require a fully hidden map for reasons detailed in Thomas post above. However, if one wants to do a totally secret map where tiles are revealed as players discover them and one does not want to bother with computers or beamers, I think the easiest way would be to print the map on A4 and laminate it in plastic. Then cover the plastic map completely in black dry-erase marker, like the markers used for whiteboards. If left for a few days the dry-erase ink becomes very dry and does not rub off too easily. The marker has to be very fresh, if it's old the ink is not opaque enough. I just tried this for fun and it seems to work pretty good! You would not be able to distinguish the hexgrid underneath the black ink though.

I agree that the setting does not require a fully hidden map for reasons detailed in Thomas post above. However, if one wants to do a totally secret map where tiles are revealed as players discover them and one does not want to bother with computers or beamers, I think the easiest way would be to print the map on A4 and laminate it in plastic. Then cover the plastic map completely in black dry-erase marker, like the markers used for whiteboards. If left for a few days the dry-erase ink becomes very dry and does not rub off too easily. The marker has to be very fresh, if it's old the ink is not opaque enough. I just tried this for fun and it seems to work pretty good! You would not be able to distinguish the hexgrid underneath the black ink though.

Great low-tech solution!

yes, that's a great idea

My assumption will be that the game map represents a copy of a map made hundreds of years ago.  Mountain hexes will still be mountain hexes.  Grasslands will still be grasslands.  Castles and settlements are another matter.  What was depicted on the map as a city might now be ruins.  Fortified towns may exist where the map shows nothing.  My view of exploration in this game involves discovering what is in this swamp hex now, rather than discovering that this is a swamp hex.

This is a WONDERFULL idea! I wanted to do a open-world campaign (like Pathfinder's Kingmaker campaign) with a map for me with all informations and a map for my players (using hexographer). Your idea is genius! I love it and I will use it right now. It is giving a real discovery feeling in a game.

This is exactly how the map will work in the game.

Will you ship a digital version of the map? I am probably not the only one with access to large format color printers. A PDF would let me put in my own little extras AND use some or all of the suggested techniques. Many of them are really neat :)

Will you ship a digital version of the map? I am probably not the only one with access to large format color printers. A PDF would let me put in my own little extras AND use some or all of the suggested techniques. Many of them are really neat

Yes, we will supply a PDF version of the map!

Would love to see Photoshop brushes (for key map points, villages, dungeons, temples, etc) released along side a jpg or png version so we can layer these things on and mark up digital maps.