Need help with a map [Archive] - Wizards Community

Need help with a map [Archive] - Wizards Community

Post/Author/DateTime Post
Windspear
02-26-08, 12:17 PM I need a map for a world I'm currently creating.
The world has 3 big continets:
Craivia: Just above a equaitor, the biggest of all three. Divides into 4 regions:
·Alomen (The north-eastern part. Plains)
·Merion (North-west and west. Plains/hills)
·Bown (All the south. Plains/high hills/a few mountains)
·Elanore (Peninsula stretching to the south-east. Big forest [elves])
Standard D&D campaign. Pretty much a circle-ish shape.
Mesa: South-east of Craivia, the second biggest. Divides into 2 regions:
·Nezumi (North. Plains)
·Kitsune (South, Plains/forests)
A strait divides the continent in half. Oriental campaign setting. Resembles a cresent shape.
Morpork: (no pun intended) West of Craivia. Roughly the same size as Mesa. Savage lands. Vast planes with a big lake in the middle and small forests. Similar shape to that of Cravia.

Aside from those three, there is a small groupe of 5 islands to the south of the equaitor (roughly 100 miles). They inhabit pirates, and from north to south, their names are: Pegleg, Patch, Deadbolt, Mermaide and Sparrow. (They align in a groupe, when there is one at the north side, one at north-north-west and another at north-north-east. The other 2 are at south-west and south-east.

And that’s pretty much it. Two cookies to the best map (three if it’s really good), 1 for the second best.
Windspear
02-27-08, 09:58 AM No comments?
Etarnon
02-28-08, 04:44 AM Sure, Start Drawing.

No offense, but you've got the thing described well enough so get to sketchin'.
menmelnjourney
02-28-08, 12:23 PM Sure, Start Drawing.

No offense, but you've got the thing described well enough so get to sketchin'.

He's right. I created my own world and my art skill level is on par with most preschool classes (no offense to preschool artist). The beauty of an overview map, is that there aren't any details. Start with a circle ish shape, note the equator, and just freehand the continents you want. Since you are creating them, they CAN'T be wrong.

Once you've got the basic overview, there are plenty of map making programs out there you can use to fill in the details. Can't think of any right now, but just Google DnD map makers.
Windspear
02-28-08, 02:28 PM And you think I haven't tried? I never get something I'm satysfied with. Even with program (tried using GIMP, didn't come out to well). Any help at least with names of programs, or even better help at using GIMP (it does look nice).
afromonkey
02-28-08, 02:54 PM i'll make a little map if you send me a rough sketch of where everything goes, alternatively, download some old paper textures after googling it, then use some photoshopping to do the map, it's real fun.
Etarnon
02-29-08, 09:59 AM And you think I haven't tried? I never get something I'm satysfied with.

So, your problem is that you are too critical of yourself. The best way to fix it is to draw and draw and draw again, till you get better.

Then you won't need to rely on anyone else, and you'll have a new skill.

When I started drawing maps in 1977, they were horrifically amateur. But I was all of 11 years old, playing D&D Blue Book.

I got better, over time, so that I do custom map work for US$.

Programs:

Paint Shop Pro / Photoshop

By Profantasy:
Campaign Cartographer 2
City Designer Pro for CC2
Fractal Terrains (I know the author / main programmer, a great guy named Joe Slayton, taught me a lot about making planetary maps. He'sa got a yahoo group.)

Joe Slayton's WILBUR - Makes fractal planetary maps.

Campaign Cartographer 3 (better symbols)

Paper & Pencil and a Scanner, just scan it in. By far the cheapest method.

Triumph Studios, "Age of Wonders" Terrain Map Editor.
(Simply amazing little tool to make nice medieval maps with symbols, if you are into that.)

All it takes is time and practice. Like most things.

Oh yeah, and WOTC / TSR has some online maps and such in their old adventures online archive if that is still around, use those for ideas or just use their maps.

Good luck.
new_fashion_guy
02-29-08, 04:25 PM Go to http://incompetech.com/graphpaper/ and generate a hex paper PDF. Open this in GIMP. Draw (or find images of) icons for mountains, trees, etc. Use GIMP lasso tool to copy your icons and paste them into hexes as you see fit. Use GIMP pencil or brush tool to outline your continents.

Post/Author/DateTime	Post
Windspear 02-26-08, 12:17 PM	I need a map for a world I'm currently creating. The world has 3 big continets: Craivia: Just above a equaitor, the biggest of all three. Divides into 4 regions: ·Alomen (The north-eastern part. Plains) ·Merion (North-west and west. Plains/hills) ·Bown (All the south. Plains/high hills/a few mountains) ·Elanore (Peninsula stretching to the south-east. Big forest [elves]) Standard D&D campaign. Pretty much a circle-ish shape. Mesa: South-east of Craivia, the second biggest. Divides into 2 regions: ·Nezumi (North. Plains) ·Kitsune (South, Plains/forests) A strait divides the continent in half. Oriental campaign setting. Resembles a cresent shape. Morpork: (no pun intended) West of Craivia. Roughly the same size as Mesa. Savage lands. Vast planes with a big lake in the middle and small forests. Similar shape to that of Cravia. Aside from those three, there is a small groupe of 5 islands to the south of the equaitor (roughly 100 miles). They inhabit pirates, and from north to south, their names are: Pegleg, Patch, Deadbolt, Mermaide and Sparrow. (They align in a groupe, when there is one at the north side, one at north-north-west and another at north-north-east. The other 2 are at south-west and south-east. And that’s pretty much it. Two cookies to the best map (three if it’s really good), 1 for the second best.
Windspear 02-27-08, 09:58 AM	No comments?
Etarnon 02-28-08, 04:44 AM	Sure, Start Drawing. No offense, but you've got the thing described well enough so get to sketchin'.
menmelnjourney 02-28-08, 12:23 PM	Sure, Start Drawing. No offense, but you've got the thing described well enough so get to sketchin'. He's right. I created my own world and my art skill level is on par with most preschool classes (no offense to preschool artist). The beauty of an overview map, is that there aren't any details. Start with a circle ish shape, note the equator, and just freehand the continents you want. Since you are creating them, they CAN'T be wrong. Once you've got the basic overview, there are plenty of map making programs out there you can use to fill in the details. Can't think of any right now, but just Google DnD map makers.
Windspear 02-28-08, 02:28 PM	And you think I haven't tried? I never get something I'm satysfied with. Even with program (tried using GIMP, didn't come out to well). Any help at least with names of programs, or even better help at using GIMP (it does look nice).
afromonkey 02-28-08, 02:54 PM	i'll make a little map if you send me a rough sketch of where everything goes, alternatively, download some old paper textures after googling it, then use some photoshopping to do the map, it's real fun.
Etarnon 02-29-08, 09:59 AM	And you think I haven't tried? I never get something I'm satysfied with. So, your problem is that you are too critical of yourself. The best way to fix it is to draw and draw and draw again, till you get better. Then you won't need to rely on anyone else, and you'll have a new skill. When I started drawing maps in 1977, they were horrifically amateur. But I was all of 11 years old, playing D&D Blue Book. I got better, over time, so that I do custom map work for US$. Programs: Paint Shop Pro / Photoshop By Profantasy: Campaign Cartographer 2 City Designer Pro for CC2 Fractal Terrains (I know the author / main programmer, a great guy named Joe Slayton, taught me a lot about making planetary maps. He'sa got a yahoo group.) Joe Slayton's WILBUR - Makes fractal planetary maps. Campaign Cartographer 3 (better symbols) Paper & Pencil and a Scanner, just scan it in. By far the cheapest method. Triumph Studios, "Age of Wonders" Terrain Map Editor. (Simply amazing little tool to make nice medieval maps with symbols, if you are into that.) All it takes is time and practice. Like most things. Oh yeah, and WOTC / TSR has some online maps and such in their old adventures online archive if that is still around, use those for ideas or just use their maps. Good luck.
new_fashion_guy 02-29-08, 04:25 PM	Go to http://incompetech.com/graphpaper/ and generate a hex paper PDF. Open this in GIMP. Draw (or find images of) icons for mountains, trees, etc. Use GIMP lasso tool to copy your icons and paste them into hexes as you see fit. Use GIMP pencil or brush tool to outline your continents.