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GenPol
2010-05-08, 02:32 PM
I was wondering what all of the DMs and cartographers in the playground use to create maps? I don't mean dungeon maps, but world maps. I myself have always drawn them by hand, but I was wondering if there were any online map generators/creators that anybody knew about.

PS, how does Inkscape work for this sort of thing?

Thanks in advance! :smalltongue:

gallagher
2010-05-08, 02:40 PM
a guy in my party is actually an artist, and is quite talented at drawing. so we have little use for an online method.

however, if there were a map creator, it would allow our DM to make the map without tempting the player to metagame the map...

this thread has my interest

Reynard
2010-05-08, 02:41 PM
With regards to Inkscape, these are some maps I knocked up in Ai, which is like Inkscape, only stupid expensive.

http://farm5.static.flickr.com/4033/4535432210_85855a7270_o.png

And the same bar, five rounds (or 30 seconds) later.

http://farm5.static.flickr.com/4046/4545483746_bd1d9d1264_o.png

Zexion
2010-05-08, 02:59 PM
MapMage has a free trial, although it's basically useless.
I often use the Civilization III scenario creator to create my campaign maps.

Zeta Kai
2010-05-08, 03:12 PM
The Cartographers Guild (http://www.cartographersguild.com/)

Starscream
2010-05-08, 03:36 PM
Photoshop. There are plenty of free programs that are probably better suited for this sort of thing, but I was lucky enough to get a legit copy through work, so I use it when I can.

Behold!
http://i41.tinypic.com/o73y1d.jpg

Haven't named most of the places in the south portion yet, but overall I am pleased.

Coming up with the general shapes for the landmasses was the hardest part, because I can't draw worth diddly. But I found that if you do Render:Clouds and then apply a Cutout filter, you get lots of nice shapes to play around with. I just selected some I liked, arranged them on the map, and then messed with the edges to look more like a coastline.

pinwiz
2010-05-08, 03:48 PM
For those of you who do use a computer program, how do you display it to the party? Do you have them crowd around the screen, or are the pictures big enough to see for everyone? Do you maybe use projectors?

I'm a visual person and I would love to get my group going with visual aides like a map, and i'm just curious as to what you all do with the programs.

Zexion
2010-05-08, 03:53 PM
For those of you who do use a computer program, how do you display it to the party? Do you have them crowd around the screen, or are the pictures big enough to see for everyone? Do you maybe use projectors?

I'm a visual person and I would love to get my group going with visual aides like a map, and i'm just curious as to what you all do with the programs.
My entire group is from school, and we all have computers. So I use the other computers as a display, and everyone can look at what's happening on their screens.

Shademan
2010-05-08, 04:21 PM
I tend to draw world and city maps and just messily sketch dungeons. we dont even use squares...

GenPol
2010-05-08, 04:43 PM
Wow, thanks for all the responses.

Another question that vaguely concerns maps, this time concerning dungeon/combat maps: my group and I were thinking of abandoning squares/tiles all together, and instead just measure each square as an inch. So if I can normally move 30ft or 6 squares, I instead move six inches in any direction. Has anybody else tried this?

Thanks again in advance.

Shademan
2010-05-08, 05:13 PM
Wow, thanks for all the responses.

Another question that vaguely concerns maps, this time concerning dungeon/combat maps: my group and I were thinking of abandoning squares/tiles all together, and instead just measure each square as an inch. So if I can normally move 30ft or 6 squares, I instead move six inches in any direction. Has anybody else tried this?

Thanks again in advance.

yes I have. and it WORKS!
8D

Altair_the_Vexed
2010-05-08, 05:41 PM
I use a piece of paper, and a pencil.

Then I ink in the pencil once I'm happy with the layout.

Then, if I want to make it presentable, I scan it and treat it with textures in Photoshop or similar.

Malificus
2010-05-08, 05:49 PM
I use graph paper and a pencil to make maps. I annotate traps and other key locations right on the paper.