[3.5] Maps!

[Cardea]

Howdy. I'm Cardea.

So I'm looking to start a campaign, but I find myself in need of two maps: a world and city one. And here's what I'm requesting:

Where do you normally get your maps?
Do you use any program for map-making?
Where have you gotten free-to-use maps?
Anyone have any map-making tips? If it comes down to it, I'm just going to hunker down and draw it out in Photoshop.

[inexorabletruth]

Mapmaking software is easy enough to find by typing "D&D mapmaking software" in google.

However, have you thought about what setting you want to use? I play D&D 3.5, and the standard setting for it is Greyhawk, which takes place on Oerth:
http://dl.dropbox.com/u/50887717/oerth.jpg
But the details of the region are not well documented. It assumes your going to make most of it up as you go, and is build around following town generation rules in the DMG.

However, for richly detailed maps (including topography and scale), regional biographies and notable NPCs, try the Forgotten Realms setting. I use it more often than Greyhawk, because it's just so well mapped out. Seriously, they'll tell you what the average annual rainfall is in each region. In accordance with forum rules, I don't believe I'm allowed to link to it though, because you are supposed to by the source books for FR setting in order to access its maps, but I can tell you what books to look for:

First off, look for Forgotten Realms: Campaign Setting

This will cover the basics of Faerun, the meat and potatoes of FR. It's also a good idea to look up the Atlas of Faerun. Talk to a game shop cs rep. I think they just sell atlases... atlas's... atlai... :smallconfused: they will sell maps there.

And for a nice little supplement, and pleasant read, pick up Volo's Guide to the Dalelands. 99% of your adventures could take place right there in the Dalelands without your campaigns getting stale. There are that many plot hooks built right into that region alone.

[Cardea]

Mapmaking software is easy enough to find by typing "D&D mapmaking software" in google.

However, have you thought about what setting you want to use? I play D&D 3.5, and the standard setting for it is Greyhawk, which takes place on Oerth:
http://dl.dropbox.com/u/50887717/oerth.jpg
But the details of the region are not well documented. It assumes your going to make most of it up as you go, and is build around following town generation rules in the DMG.

However, for richly detailed maps (including topography and scale), regional biographies and notable NPCs, try the Forgotten Realms setting. I use it more often than Greyhawk, because it's just so well mapped out. Seriously, they'll tell you what the average annual rainfall is in each region. In accordance with forum rules, I don't believe I'm allowed to link to it though, because you are supposed to by the source books for FR setting in order to access its maps, but I can tell you what books to look for:

First off, look for Forgotten Realms: Campaign Setting

This will cover the basics of Faerun, the meat and potatoes of FR. It's also a good idea to look up the Atlas of Faerun. Talk to a game shop cs rep. I think they just sell atlases... atlas's... atlai... :smallconfused: they will sell maps there.

And for a nice little supplement, and pleasant read, pick up Volo's Guide to the Dalelands. 99% of your adventures could take place right there in the Dalelands without your campaigns getting stale. There are that many plot hooks built right into that region alone.
I actually have the things you're referencing. And while yes, I can, and have, just simply googled [D&D mapmaking software] and any variation thereof, I was looking for people's responses for what they personally do.

That said, this doesn't really answer any of my questions. :smallfrown:

[inexorabletruth]

Personally, I go to wizards.com. They have all sorts of nifty dungeon and village maps. Here are a few links for battle grids and other such maps that I use.

http://aginsinn.yeoldeinn.com/index.html

and

http://aginsinn.yeoldeinn.com/index.html

in a pinch, I just make one up in NeoOffice Spreadsheet, or draw one out on a wet erase map.

[Ravens_cry]

I use MS-Paint for original stuff, and ArtGem if I want it to look snazzy.
But perusing the Map-a-Week archives (http://www.wizards.com/default.asp?x=dnd/mwa/archiveall) is a great resource for general stuff, inspiration, and stuff you can snag and make small changes to and call your own.

[TheThan]

I typically use random a nifty random generation method, using Adobe photoshop (elements might work, i haven't used that version myself).

[dsmiles]

Umm...I still use a pencil and graph paper...:smallredface:

[--Lime--]

I design cities and their districts using a hexagon layout. It makes it easier to spiral out from a city centre, and doesn't give that modern "organised grid" feel to the overall city development.

This is an often-overlooked resource (http://www.wizards.com/default.asp?x=dnd/we/20030719a) which provides a solid starting point.

[DigoDragon]

I tend to draw my own maps. They're pretty basic and such, but with some yellowed paper and a decent fountain pen I can make it look pretty relevant to the fantasy time frame. :smallsmile:

[Dr Bwaa]

I usually draw them up in photoshop. I've got a couple of custom grids (various hexes, etc) that I use occasionally for city-building, and a bunch of brushes for larger-scale stuff (for faster mountains, forests, etc). I prefer to do it this way because (A) it makes it really easy to print off new maps when the PCs inevitably lose theirs, and (B) I can easily turn off layers so the PCs don't have access to information they shouldn't, without it seeming contrived or obvious that I'm hiding things from them.

[EccentricCircle]

I draw all of my maps by hand using a pencil and graph paper. but then scan and colour them digitally to make them look a bit more professional.
by using a digital watercolour brush in Corel Painter, with a stylus and tablet I apply colours and textures, then use a woodcut effect to bring out the grid from the graph paper which still underlies the colour.

[valadil]

I like drawing maps, but it takes too long. If time's a factor, the most efficient way for me to get maps is to google for them. I actually kinda like getting the structure for a city or building and then filling in the details myself. Left to my own devices, the noble's manor will have a grand hall, some kitchens, and a bedroom. When I look at the layout of some actual mansion, there are tons more rooms to fill in and figure out what purpose they could possibly have served. It's just an added bonus that the map looks better than anything I could have created in the amount of time it took to find.

[Techsmart]

Howdy. I'm Cardea.

So I'm looking to start a campaign, but I find myself in need of two maps: a world and city one. And here's what I'm requesting:

Where do you normally get your maps?
Do you use any program for map-making?
Where have you gotten free-to-use maps?
Anyone have any map-making tips? If it comes down to it, I'm just going to hunker down and draw it out in Photoshop.


To first question: I usually make maps myself. I like to do custom settings and all.
To Second question: http://autorealm.sourceforge.net/
to third question: no, since I make em all myself
to final question: photoshop is not your best choice for this kinda thing. Autorealm is specifically designed for DND maps, and allows for a lot of useful things (gridlocking so the lines are nice and straight, simple color-coding, etc.).
For the world map, it really depends on how much you already have planned out for your campaign. if you already have most of that map planned, then I got nothing to offer. if you are just starting on it, look at your factions and design the world around them (got an isolated nation of dwarves who may kill outsiders on sight? They will probably live in a mountain-range separated by a desert or sea.
With the city map (again, depends on how far you already are), I would try to generate a full history of the city before building it. If the city started as a hovel and grew out, the city is going to have a radically different layout than one that was planned to be a big city before it even became one.
I hope this helped, at least a little.

[Savannah]

The Cartographers' Guild (http://www.cartographersguild.com/forum.php)

You can find all sorts of information on programs to make maps, tutorials of how to make maps, advice on your map making attempts, awesome maps for reference/inspiration, and you can even request maps (I believe there may be some free to use maps there as well, but I haven't gone looking for them, so I'm not sure). Seriously, if it's fantasy map related, go to the Cartographers' Guild.

[TARDIS]

Where do you normally get your maps?
Do you use any program for map-making?
Where have you gotten free-to-use maps?
Anyone have any map-making tips? If it comes down to it, I'm just going to hunker down and draw it out in Photoshop.


1) I normally either make my own using Inkscape and GIMP, or I grab them from the various sourcebooks I have. At the moment, I must heartily endorse Paizo's Golarion for quality maps of cities, nations, continents and dungeons that are made of win and awesome. Of course I'm busy refurbishing Golarion for my next campaign because some things with the setting don't quite fit right with me - I'M LOOKING AT YOU DURMA AND RAHADOUM - but there's still a number of quality maps that you can use regardless. If you're willing to pay.
2) When I do my mapmaking, I use GIMP and Inkscape - I used to use AutoREALM, but I've found Inkscape to be a smidgen better for the way I draw. And you can make some pretty awesome maps with just those two programs (sameless (http://dassovietcanuck.deviantart.com/art/Map-Cirundi-Global-Geography-243967950?q=gallery%3Adassovietcanuck%2F3701099&qo=4)self (http://dassovietcanuck.deviantart.com/art/Map-Kentdown-119744444?q=gallery%3Adassovietcanuck%2F3701099&qo=41)promotion (http://dassovietcanuck.deviantart.com/art/Civilized-Nations-of-Novia-109850526?q=gallery%3Adassovietcanuck%2F3701099&qo=46))
3)I've gotten free-to-use maps mostly from the old 3.5 D&D map archives - which were awesome - and from tidbits posted up a number of other sites (Paizo posts some great maps up on their blog on occasion, Fraternity of Shadows has some excellent Ravenloft maps, etc.) Check the fan sites for the major campaign settings - Fraternity of Shadows, Candlekeep, Dragonlance Nexus, Planewalker, etc. for maps of their setting. Then shamelessly rip off those maps and use them in your own setting :smallwink: Remember, so long as your players aren't familiar with the official settings, changing them or ripping them off can go unobserved. And it saves you time and effort, so bonus!
Another great place is to check deviantArt. The Cartography Guild (http://cartography-guild.deviantart.com/)has some great pieces that, again, you can use without worrying about your players knowing where you got it from. Just get the original mapmaker's okay if you're going to edit it and post the edit on the net :smallwink:
4) Here. (http://www.cartographersguild.com/forumdisplay.php?48-Tutorials-How-To) The folks at the Cartographer's Guild have better tutorials and demonstrations than I could give you in the space of this single post.

Hope I helped!

[rgrekejin]

I draw them freehand. Pencils first, followed by inking and colored pencils. Then I scan them and upload them to our campaign wiki for general player consumption.