This is the Travel Simulator. This tool is ideal for solving the scenes that occur when a group of characters travels from one place to another. With this simulator you can quickly find out how far it is, how long it will take to get there, how much supplies will cost and what possible unforeseen events will arise along the way. The most experienced Game Masters do not narrate every trip that is made, because unless something special happens on the roads, the important thing is the story and not the boring hours of travel. Therefore, this simulator helps to resolve it quickly and impartially.
The first thing you need to know is the distance between where the players are and where they want to go. Here are some approximations:
Farmhouse | Every 2 miles |
Lettle Village | Every 5 miles |
Village | Every 9 miles |
Small Town | Every 18 miles |
Town | Every 75 miles |
City | Every 186 miles |
Metropoli | Every 800 miles |
The distances by sea, making cabotage (coastal navigation whenever possible) are as follows so that you can make a rough estimate in:
Distance between world ports (miles) |
|||||||||
Cadiz |
America |
Japan |
Madagascar |
Philippines |
England |
Cuba |
Italy |
South Africa |
|
Cadiz |
- |
17980 |
18290 |
8680 |
16120 |
1860 |
4650 |
2170 |
6820 |
America |
17980 |
- |
1240 |
13020 |
14260 |
3410 |
1488 |
20150 |
11160 |
Japan |
18290 |
1240 |
- |
9920 |
1736 |
20336 |
13950 |
20460 |
12152 |
Madagascar |
8680 |
13020 |
9920 |
- |
8184 |
10540 |
11160 |
10850 |
2108 |
Philippines |
16120 |
14260 |
1736 |
8184 |
- |
18290 |
12710 |
18290 |
10075 |
England |
1860 |
3410 |
20336 |
10540 |
18290 |
- |
5890 |
4030 |
8618 |
Cuba |
4650 |
1488 |
13950 |
11160 |
12710 |
5890 |
- |
6820 |
9610 |
Italy |
2170 |
20150 |
20460 |
10850 |
18290 |
4030 |
6820 |
- |
7750 |
South Africa |
6820 |
11160 |
12152 |
2108 |
10075 |
8618 |
9610 |
7750 |
- |
To calculate the distance from a character to its destination, the Game Master can make several ways of estimation:
In addition, if the characters want to go to a more distant place, the Game Master can consider how far that urban center is from them by "counting" the number of cities they have to pass before. So, to go for example to a nearby city it will be 180 miles, to a city far away from the kingdom 372 miles (distance x2), a city far away in the kingdom 559 miles (distance x3), the first city of the next kingdom 745 miles (distance x4), and so on.
For estimating river crossings, the average dimensions are as follows:
Local river | 6-12 miles in length |
Provincial river | 62-180 miles in length |
National river | 370-500 miles in length |
International river | 1200 - 4300 miles long |
Ecosystems | 6-9 Miles |
Biomes | 310 Miles |
Climatology | 620 Miles |
To use this module, simply enter the distance you have estimated, choose the parameters of the trip and click on "Simulate". The parameters to be chosen are shown below:
- Distance: If it is already known, it is enough to insert it in this field. Otherwise you will have to estimate it. As a general rule, the hexagons of a role-playing map are usually around 8-9 miles long, although you can look at the tables above and estimate distances. It is very important to give the world some dimensions, since this way it gains realism and improves immersion.
- Transport: Depending on the form of travel adopted, it will take more or less time, in addition to the costs of one or the other, which vary.
- Type of road: Below we show the types of paths that may be available. The road types apply to travel on foot. However, they can also be used for sea or air travel, representing what the environment is like. A sea or air journey during a day of rain and high winds may be impractical or wild. As a general rule the roads will be:
- Normal: which means that they are not cared for, but thanks to the fact that they are frequently used, they remain stable. These are the roads that connect villages with other villages.
- Very comfortable: means that it is well maintained and well traveled. (hundreds of people a day) are the roads from a city to a metropolis in the same kingdom.
- Comfortable: is one that is well maintained or that its traffic is so regular that it is kept in good condition. They are usually the direct roads that lead from a village to a city.
- Uncomfortable: is the one that is left and is not much traveled, usually the roads leading to villages, hamlets or hamlets.
- Impracticable: They are abandoned roads. They were once used but nowadays they have to be done on foot and make the transport of goods very difficult. They are roads that lead from one hamlet to another, for example.
- Savages: There is no path, the characters have to open them themselves by following the clearings.
- Type of trip: This is the danger that the path has with respect to the characters and will represent the probability of events or unforeseen events occurring along the way. There are different types:
- Free Lands: are journeys that take place within the same realm. As a general rule, the inhabitants share cultures, customs and popular knowledge.
- Borderlands: are routes that, without leaving the kingdom, do have a strong influence from the neighboring kingdom. They are less guarded intermediate zones where you have to travel with caution.
- Wildlands: these journeys occur either outside the kingdom or in areas within the kingdom that are not monitored by the authorities. These are dangerous areas to avoid.
- Dark Lands: travel in places where the law of the strongest rules. Even well escorted travelers with companies of guards will have problems in these evil areas ruled by tyrants.
- Duration of the trip: Normal pace trips are those where you rest between 12-10 hours, with breaks to eat and regain strength. Light pace trips eat on the road and rest breaks are only 4-6 hours, which can affect the characters at the Game Master's discretion if they are long trips. If you want to know how far it is at an "Urgent" or "No rest" pace you should subtract from the normal total time 12 hours per day or 6 hours per day at a light pace.
- Additional costs: Players can choose to sleep in a backpack and eat what they hunt. Alternatively, they can buy provisions, sleep in planned inns along routes or pay a guide to help them along the way. Prices vary and are represented in silver pieces (about 3.3€ each) and copper pieces (about 0.3€ each). 1 gold piece equals 10 silver pieces and 1 silver piece equals 10 copper pieces. This is called the monetary decimal system and is the most common in role-playing games. (in D&D 1 gold coin is equivalent to 33€ approximately). If you want to know more about currencies in RPG worlds click here.
- Events: Depending on the distance of the journey and the type of travel, unexpected events may occur. These should be resolved optionally at the Game Master's discretion. When "Leader" is mentioned it refers to the character who leads the company or the most powerful one, when it refers to Difficulty Checks or Difficulty Tests, it will be at the Game Master's discretion depending on the Game system. These are usually attribute or skill checks that test the players by means of a dice roll. Events only apply to land journeys. For sea journeys you should go to the Ships module and see the possible events.
Events can be resolved one at a time, depending on which leg they are in, as the first may affect subsequent events. For example: a group encounters an herb that they confuse and use as ingredients in their food, making them sick and penalizing them in their rolls. In the last stretch they are assaulted by thieves, and being low in strength, it will cost them more than usual to defeat them.