mapping on the computer? [Archive] - Wizards Community

mapping on the computer? [Archive] - Wizards Community

Post/Author/DateTime Post
A_Fatter_MaN
03-02-08, 06:38 PM is there any way to do it? i have a piece of crap PC and dial up (DSL doesnt come to my area :( ) so are there any free mapping programs?

any help is good help :)
Cravin
03-03-08, 06:31 PM To my knowledge? None.

However, I have in the past been known to make quite a large MSpaint map. It's painstaking and annoying to do, but it worked out wonderfully. I made an entire city (it had a 600 mile s radius, every block I made was about an 5 inches, and every block was noted as being I forget exactly but I think it was like 2.5 miles.)

Sorry I couldn't provide any better input. Google.com always helps though.
yellowdingo
03-03-08, 06:45 PM Yeah its a ***** but I can only suggest CAD. Yes you must buy it but CAD 12? might be your best option. Its a bit old and you might be able to pick it up cheap.

Alternatively free is MICROSOFT WORD. Activate the drawing toolbox and a descent grid, and practice. The more skill you have with MICROSOFT WORD the better.
Red_Crawler
03-03-08, 07:08 PM MapX is free, but has a limited tileset. For ease of use among the pay products, Dundjinni is best, but its very finicky and doesn't work on some pc installs.
A_Fatter_MaN
03-03-08, 08:39 PM LOL

i spent some time looking and found Zmapper, it comes with a 30 day trial and so far it seems very useful =)
Anodai
03-03-08, 09:07 PM Adobe Photoshop/Illustrator works great for me, but it is a bit expensive if that is your only application for it...
indyjoe
03-03-08, 10:12 PM Look for the freeware product GIMP. It isn't as good as the $x00 photoshop, but it is infinitely better than MSPaint or anything else I've seen that's free. You'll probably need to invest a day or so to learn it, but free tutorials for it should be easy to find.

Then, if you like the style of maps at my site, download the brushes and creating maps like it is almost as easy as just stamping the hexes out. If you don't like that map style, GIMP is still a very rich image editing/drawing program that will let you create whatever you want.

Here's the link (http://inkwellideas.com/?page_id=9).

Or go to inkwellideas.com and look for the "Hex map GIMP brushes" link on the left sidebar.

Good luck!
maghana
03-04-08, 07:04 AM ... or Paint.net (http://www.getpaint.net/) :)
Etarnon
03-12-08, 03:13 AM Core rules on CD-ROm can be had on ebay pretty cheap, some months.

Comes bundled with CC2 light and a pretty decent graphical map editor, that TSR wrote.

I use both.
Naderion
03-14-08, 11:19 AM A bit of showing off, but I just finished this one with Photoshop:

http://img181.imageshack.us/my.php?image=neithansweltrx7.jpg
Sure, it's huge, but I'll use this one to mark the position of every important location in the setting. And with just the major cities, it still looks allready cramped. :D
ombre101
03-15-08, 09:41 AM Naderion,
Could i use that as a continent for a homebrew world if i give u full credit? I really like it. Nice job.
thanx,
ombre
Ace_of_time
03-18-08, 06:09 PM WotC has a few area maps also you could see if any of them will work for you first.
CryoSilver
03-18-08, 10:25 PM Inkscape is a decent free vector-based program.
GM_Syndicate
03-18-08, 10:30 PM Recommendation:

Use GIMP as your painting program--it was already recommended earlier in this thread.

Then use some of the tools at hand for making your maps. The brushes mentioned earlier should help with campaign maps (I'm going to check them out shortly), and on the Dundjinni forums you can find plenty of "user-art" that can be stamped down. These are PNGs that can be used in a variety of programs, and are not restricted to DJ. To date, there is over 6 GB of artwork available for mappers.

Post/Author/DateTime	Post
A_Fatter_MaN 03-02-08, 06:38 PM	is there any way to do it? i have a piece of crap PC and dial up (DSL doesnt come to my area :( ) so are there any free mapping programs? any help is good help :)
Cravin 03-03-08, 06:31 PM	To my knowledge? None. However, I have in the past been known to make quite a large MSpaint map. It's painstaking and annoying to do, but it worked out wonderfully. I made an entire city (it had a 600 mile s radius, every block I made was about an 5 inches, and every block was noted as being I forget exactly but I think it was like 2.5 miles.) Sorry I couldn't provide any better input. Google.com always helps though.
yellowdingo 03-03-08, 06:45 PM	Yeah its a ***** but I can only suggest CAD. Yes you must buy it but CAD 12? might be your best option. Its a bit old and you might be able to pick it up cheap. Alternatively free is MICROSOFT WORD. Activate the drawing toolbox and a descent grid, and practice. The more skill you have with MICROSOFT WORD the better.
Red_Crawler 03-03-08, 07:08 PM	MapX is free, but has a limited tileset. For ease of use among the pay products, Dundjinni is best, but its very finicky and doesn't work on some pc installs.
A_Fatter_MaN 03-03-08, 08:39 PM	LOL i spent some time looking and found Zmapper, it comes with a 30 day trial and so far it seems very useful =)
Anodai 03-03-08, 09:07 PM	Adobe Photoshop/Illustrator works great for me, but it is a bit expensive if that is your only application for it...
indyjoe 03-03-08, 10:12 PM	Look for the freeware product GIMP. It isn't as good as the $x00 photoshop, but it is infinitely better than MSPaint or anything else I've seen that's free. You'll probably need to invest a day or so to learn it, but free tutorials for it should be easy to find. Then, if you like the style of maps at my site, download the brushes and creating maps like it is almost as easy as just stamping the hexes out. If you don't like that map style, GIMP is still a very rich image editing/drawing program that will let you create whatever you want. Here's the link (http://inkwellideas.com/?page_id=9). Or go to inkwellideas.com and look for the "Hex map GIMP brushes" link on the left sidebar. Good luck!
maghana 03-04-08, 07:04 AM	... or Paint.net (http://www.getpaint.net/) :)
Etarnon 03-12-08, 03:13 AM	Core rules on CD-ROm can be had on ebay pretty cheap, some months. Comes bundled with CC2 light and a pretty decent graphical map editor, that TSR wrote. I use both.
Naderion 03-14-08, 11:19 AM	A bit of showing off, but I just finished this one with Photoshop: http://img181.imageshack.us/my.php?image=neithansweltrx7.jpg Sure, it's huge, but I'll use this one to mark the position of every important location in the setting. And with just the major cities, it still looks allready cramped. :D
ombre101 03-15-08, 09:41 AM	Naderion, Could i use that as a continent for a homebrew world if i give u full credit? I really like it. Nice job. thanx, ombre
Ace_of_time 03-18-08, 06:09 PM	WotC has a few area maps also you could see if any of them will work for you first.
CryoSilver 03-18-08, 10:25 PM	Inkscape is a decent free vector-based program.
GM_Syndicate 03-18-08, 10:30 PM	Recommendation: Use GIMP as your painting program--it was already recommended earlier in this thread. Then use some of the tools at hand for making your maps. The brushes mentioned earlier should help with campaign maps (I'm going to check them out shortly), and on the Dundjinni forums you can find plenty of "user-art" that can be stamped down. These are PNGs that can be used in a variety of programs, and are not restricted to DJ. To date, there is over 6 GB of artwork available for mappers.