Yes, it has automapping, and yes, you will need to take notes. There are a couple of things in the game which you need to beware of. First, there is a daily charge for hirelings. The ones in Fountain Head (the town where you start) can be very useful in the very early stages of the game, but don't promote them, and don't keep them too long. Second, if any stat drops to zero, your character goes unconscious. This is important if your party gets cursed and all the characters' Luck starts to drop. You can lose the game that way.You may want to play the game twice, because there are some features that you can't use properly unless you know precisely what you're doing. Notable among these are the four chairs in the Tomb of Terror. I can give you a walk-through on those if you like, because you certainly won't find the way to tackle these by accident.
Good luck, and enjoy the game! 
