I just read not even Keepers may even read the face of Event cards until revealed (which coincidentally I have been doing correctly but instead for the amusement of my own surprise); however, nothing is said about face-down Exploration cards. In the new Forbidden Alchemy map of "Lost in Time and Space", there are Locks and Obstacle cards that are not revealed to players but only read aloud particular text affecting their presence in each respective time-period that they occupy. Because of this and the simple action of changing from one time period to the next every given round for the wielder of the "Time Machine", I was beginning to be tempted to check those lock cards so I could plan ahead, as losing my threat by jumping monsters back into the game was becoming expensive. I decided against that in the spirit of the mystery of the game even for the Keeper, but theoretically I should be able to look at those cards anyways simply because the Keeper sets up the game anyways to know what cards go where to begin with.

Does anyone know if the Keeper is always allowed to look at face-down cards on the map or is he prohibited from that too like the face-sides of the Event deck?

Also, does face-up or face-down Lock, Obstacle, and/or Exploration cards count as said cards whether they are face-up or face-down? The reason I ask is for two map specific reasons:

1). Lost in Time and Space has some Lock cards that when turned face-up stay in play, whether because they require a puzzle to complete or some other situation that continues to commit them to stay on the board. Does this mean no matter what Lock card it is and whether it is face-up or down that I may use it as a spawn point for Hounds of Tindalos?

2). The new PoD House of Fears uses Lost Soul cards, which our Exploration cards that move around the map using a Keeper Action card and threat (very neat idea, btw). The FA expansion character Dexter Drake has a once per game ability called "Disappearing Act". Can he use that ability to jump into a room that has one of these face-up Exploration cards? In fact, if even someone had dropped a face-up Shotgun and failed to retrieve it, would that prohibit Dexter Drake from entering?

Hello, ive read the same as you, and i belive the majority follows that rule of not sneaking at the cards. However i consider the keeper as a storyteller, and i personaly read everything in advance to be prepared and to bring the players the maximum fun they could have. It have been more than once that wile i playing a scenario as keeper realised how that setting works, just too late, and for that everyone had a boring time, or at least not enthusiastic as one can expect.

Some might say i have an advantage and i will win the game more often than its normal. I also disagree since the group i play with win most of the times, so i dont consider this game to be unbalanced favoring the keeper at all, like some also sugests. In the end, even if all looses we have more fun if we play a nice story, than if someone win a crap game with dice rolling.

Yeah, we play for the experience of seeing Investigators ruthlessly killed lol

Does anyone know about my other question though? About face-up cards still counting as cards of their type?