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View Full Version : Where do you turn for overworld maps?



overduegalaxy
2009-02-17, 03:24 PM
I usually find what I need in Wizard's map archive, but they've let me down several times recently, so I suppose it's time to widen my search.

I wouldn't object to using a mapping program, as long as it's freeware (except I don't know any good ones), but I'd much rather a site with a large number of (fantasy-appropriate) world maps to browse. Bonus points if they're blank or mostly-blank.

Flickerdart
2009-02-17, 04:50 PM
Adobe Illustrator. The best kind of map is the one you make yourself.

But that's not the optimal choice by any means...who has a better solution?

tsuuga
2009-02-17, 06:18 PM
I, too, make my own campaign maps. GIMP is a freeware program, and there are several tutorials for using it to make a world map here (http://forum.cartographersguild.com/forumdisplay.php?f=48). The photoshop tutorials can all be accomplished in GIMP as well; but it would take some hunting for functions, and maybe some tinkering to convert them.

For premade maps; RPGLife (http://www.rpglife.com/maps/world/index.php) has a number of them, though most are already labeled. You can also find a variety of maps here (http://forum.cartographersguild.com/forumdisplay.php?f=36), although the world maps aren't sorted out from the regional and encounter maps. If a regional map is all you need, NASA (http://rapidfire.sci.gsfc.nasa.gov/) could be your friend - Find an interesting piece of South America or Asia or something, maybe flip it ninety or 180 degrees, and slap labels on it.

Mikeavelli
2009-02-19, 01:46 AM
It may or may not apply to your situation, but I used to go play a game of Master of Magic (http://www.abandonia.com/en/games/189), and scout out the entire map.

Usually by the time I got done with that, all the computer players had built empires that you could check over on the nifty map screen it gave you. From there, I'd turn that into a real overland map, with cities placed where cities were built in game, mountain ranges, oceans, forests, even dungeons(!) were all randomly generated in a fairly convincing way.

I made two whole worlds this way.

overduegalaxy
2009-02-22, 03:17 PM
As far as making my own goes, I frankly just don't have the time to start from scratch.