Any good free mapping apps? [Archive] - Wizards Community

Any good free mapping apps? [Archive] - Wizards Community

Post/Author/DateTime Post
Ikyotojin
03-08-07, 07:16 PM I'm tired of doing maps in Photoshop and I want maps that look aged and drawn on parchment.

Any leads or links?
Solaris
03-08-07, 07:26 PM Pretty sure you can do that in Photoshop. GIMP is a free Photoshop-like program, and you can do it in that too.
Grod_The_Giant
03-08-07, 07:34 PM Print it out normally, cut a few little pieces out of the edges (optional), crumpel it up and unfold it a few times, then, and this is the improtant part, wet the paper. Water works ok, but I've heard that this is best with tea. Leave it to dry on topf a radiator.

should look nice and old.
Ikyotojin
03-08-07, 07:38 PM Those are things I've been doing for years. I was just hoping to do soemthing that isn't going to make my wife try to kill me for spilling ink all over the table again - a little hand done calligraphy goes a long way, but the ink just never seems to come ALL the way out of the white table cloth! Go figure!
Micah
03-08-07, 09:16 PM I'm tired of doing maps in Photoshop and I want maps that look aged and drawn on parchment.

Any leads or links?

I tip my hat to any DM who goes the extra mile (or 1,000) to create such realistic props.

I use AutoRealm, but it's more of a straight-up GIS mapping tool. Great for making a map, but probably not so great at making a Dead Sea Scroll. :D
Pandaemoni
03-08-07, 09:19 PM I'd rather buy colored paper than use up the ink needed to make white paper look old...
Ikyotojin
03-08-07, 10:21 PM Actually there are outlets and art stores where you can buy BIG sheets of parchment colored paper that are 17"x11". Start out with light pencil sketches and then use a thin brush to do the final lines. Even a heavy gel pen works (I still like brushes).

Calligraphy is easy - and if you are a whack job like me and do the maps in an app like Photoshop or GIMP, this type of paper WILL go through a printer. You just have to set it for the custom size.

I've done maps and hand outs both ways. It does add to the fun.
heruca
03-11-07, 02:53 PM Campaign Cartographer 3 can do what you want, but it has a fairly steep learning curve.

Dundjinni with a little Photoshop post-processing can also do this.

There are some nice parchment backgrounds that you can download from WotC's map pages.

Post/Author/DateTime	Post
Ikyotojin 03-08-07, 07:16 PM	I'm tired of doing maps in Photoshop and I want maps that look aged and drawn on parchment. Any leads or links?
Solaris 03-08-07, 07:26 PM	Pretty sure you can do that in Photoshop. GIMP is a free Photoshop-like program, and you can do it in that too.
Grod_The_Giant 03-08-07, 07:34 PM	Print it out normally, cut a few little pieces out of the edges (optional), crumpel it up and unfold it a few times, then, and this is the improtant part, wet the paper. Water works ok, but I've heard that this is best with tea. Leave it to dry on topf a radiator. should look nice and old.
Ikyotojin 03-08-07, 07:38 PM	Those are things I've been doing for years. I was just hoping to do soemthing that isn't going to make my wife try to kill me for spilling ink all over the table again - a little hand done calligraphy goes a long way, but the ink just never seems to come ALL the way out of the white table cloth! Go figure!
Micah 03-08-07, 09:16 PM	I'm tired of doing maps in Photoshop and I want maps that look aged and drawn on parchment. Any leads or links? I tip my hat to any DM who goes the extra mile (or 1,000) to create such realistic props. I use AutoRealm, but it's more of a straight-up GIS mapping tool. Great for making a map, but probably not so great at making a Dead Sea Scroll. :D
Pandaemoni 03-08-07, 09:19 PM	I'd rather buy colored paper than use up the ink needed to make white paper look old...
Ikyotojin 03-08-07, 10:21 PM	Actually there are outlets and art stores where you can buy BIG sheets of parchment colored paper that are 17"x11". Start out with light pencil sketches and then use a thin brush to do the final lines. Even a heavy gel pen works (I still like brushes). Calligraphy is easy - and if you are a whack job like me and do the maps in an app like Photoshop or GIMP, this type of paper WILL go through a printer. You just have to set it for the custom size. I've done maps and hand outs both ways. It does add to the fun.
heruca 03-11-07, 02:53 PM	Campaign Cartographer 3 can do what you want, but it has a fairly steep learning curve. Dundjinni with a little Photoshop post-processing can also do this. There are some nice parchment backgrounds that you can download from WotC's map pages.