best computer mapping software

[jfaller]

I just got a new set of mapmaking tools in the mail called Mapmaker Plus from Fontcraft.com. Here's my first creation:

This is a map of the area in which my current D&D 3.5 campaign is taking place.

Mapmaker Plus is just a pack of fonts and image samples from old medieval and renaissance maps. In the map above, all the labelling, coastlines, rivers and town icons are fonts. The Mountains and forest are cut & paste images. I put it all together in Paint Shop.

Yes... that is nice. Has a very rustic feel to it... It's a bit more than I was looking to spend though. Seems that for $79 I could get CC2pro and a couple of "bundles" or whatever they're calling them for around the same price...

Call me skin flint...

BTW, my campaign is also taking place in the exact same area... RttToEE... ooooh what fun! Let me know how yours is progressing Pbartender.

Thanks for all the wonderful feeback you guys.

Later,

__________________
"I've done so much with so little for so long now that... Well, I can do anything with nothing."

Denver area gamers? Email me at: jeff_faller@hotmail.com

 

[pogre]

Thanks pogre,

I've seen some of your stuff and am impressed... nice. My intention is to use it on Fantasy Grounds (the tabletop emulator software) and while I do enjoy hand drawing things it's actually a matter of saving time. i.e. I'd like to "skip a step" if you see my meaning.

I'm well aquainted w/ most image editing software via my 'day job' (photoshop, fireworks, etc.). Do you think that could possibly give me the proverbial leg up?

Thanks again,

You know what - I am anxiously watching this thread myself for tips. My methods are slow and painful and not nearly as nice as some of the maps on here.

If you are familiar with CAD CCPro would be the way to go. Some say it is easy. I did not find it easy, but that is probably my problem not the program! I can make CC maps, they just take longer than drawing stuff by hand for me. YMMV

 

[pogre]

If you are accomplished with photoshop check out this tutorial!

 

[Pbartender]

Yes... that is nice. Has a very rustic feel to it... It's a bit more than I was looking to spend though.

Yeah... It's a bit pricey. It took a look, hard decision to fork over the cash and buy it, but after using it the once, I think it'll be worth it. I was just never satisfied with the complicated interfaces of other mapmakers, and the look of the maps never impressed me. I already know how to use Photoshop and Paintshop. With this pack, it's just point, click, cut, paste and drag.

BTW, my campaign is also taking place in the exact same area... RttToEE... ooooh what fun! Let me know how yours is progressing Pbartender.

Oh, no... You've got it wrong. I'm converting old classic Basic and AD&D modules to 3.5 for my players. They've all started gaming within the last 5 years, you see, and have never played the likes of The Village of Hommlet, Keep on the Borderlands, The Sinister Secret of Saltmarsh, or Against the Cult of the Reptile God.

Our old DM tried running RttToEE a while back. We mutinied about a third of the way through.

 

[Nathal]

I use Hexmapper for outdoor maps. The maps look like the ones you'd find in the Mystara setting, and the program is extremely fast and easy to use. It exports as bitmap.

Just type "hexmapper" into google.

 

[Kid Charlemagne]

Incidentally, KC... How do you get the 'speckly' texture on the boreders of your seas? As you can see, I can get the colored version around the edges, but It'd be nice to do something spotted when I make a B&W 'printable' version of the map.

I'd have to go back and check to make sure, but if I'm remembering correctly, I created a border of the correct width (Using the magic wand to select the area to be bordered) , and did a fill using the shade of gray you see, but using the "dissolve" blending option and setting transparency to 50% or so (play around with the % to get the result you're looking for).

And thanks for the info on the Mapmaker Plus thing, that might be something I could use with Photoshop to spice up my maps.

 

[jfaller]

Oh, no... You've got it wrong. I'm converting old classic Basic and AD&D modules to 3.5 for my players. They've all started gaming within the last 5 years, you see, and have never played the likes of The Village of Hommlet, Keep on the Borderlands, The Sinister Secret of Saltmarsh, or Against the Cult of the Reptile God.

Our old DM tried running RttToEE a while back. We mutinied about a third of the way through.

Now wouldn't that be fun...Those old modules certainly bring back some very fond memories.

So what was the issue w/ RttToEE? Why the mutinee? DM or Module?

Pogre - Thanks for the link. Wow.. that guy certainly can create a map eh?

Funny thing.. after looking at that sight I'm starting to lean towards creating it in an image editing application and then saving it out so that you could overlay a hex grid w/ Hexmapper or some other app.

Still though.... I'm thinking of doing that for the larger scaled maps... I'll need to figure out the most versatile software for mapping buildings, dungeons and other smaller scale areas.

Toss up between Dunjinni and Fractal mapper 7 I think.

Opinions?

Thanks,
__________________
"I've done so much with so little for so long now that... Well, I can do anything with nothing."

Denver area gamers? Email me at: jeff_faller@hotmail.com

 

[Pbartender]

Now wouldn't that be fun...Those old modules certainly bring back some very fond memories.

So what was the issue w/ RttToEE? Why the mutinee? DM or Module?

Simply put, we got a third of the way through the total adventure, when we realized... After nearly 8 months of gameplay, the average party level had stayed the same, due to loss of levels from character deaths. We're fighting tougher and tougher monsters with a party that hadn't increased in power, and far, far fewer material resources than when we started.

It has ceased being fun.

I'll need to figure out the most versatile software for mapping buildings, dungeons and other smaller scale areas.

A pencil and a sheet of graph paper.

 

[nyrfherdr]

A pencil and graph paper really are the most versatile. If you have a scanner and some image editing, then you can really do a lot.

With that said, I own Dundjinni and it is a very nice tool.
You create tactical maps (both inside and outside) in 1 square = 5 ft.

The printouts are awesome, either for you to print and keep or for use on the tabletop.
It does use quite a bit of ink if you are printing for a game tabletop.

You can also use it to create adventures since you can store information at locations using the tool.

All in all it is good for adventure creation/map making.
Not good for campaign mapping.

I hope that helps.
Game ON!
Nyrfherdr

 

[Xath]

I use Dundjinni. My angle on it goes towards more interior mapping, but there's plenty of Cartography capability on it. Plus, the Dundjinni website has free updates and user art available for the yoinking. If you need something and you don't see it, someone will make it for you within a few days.