Best Free Mapper

[Khorod]

What is the best free mapping program?
Particularly for world maps.

 

[rounser]

If you like hex maps for the world as I do, Arr-Kelaan Software's Hexmapper (search for it on Google). It's just point and click to paint your world.

If you prefer a more standard map for your world, Autorealm is very powerful and easy to figure out.

 

[Emiricol]

I agree, autorealm is good, for a free mapper. I don't much care for hexmapper, but that is strictly an issue of personal preference.

 

[Krael]

Autorealm is good for a more freeform type of map (essentially it's a CAD program).

If you're looking for tile-based maps, Dungeoncrafter is very good as well.

http://www.dungeoncrafter.com/


Krael

 

[Greatwyrm]

Can anyone post a couple of small demo shots of maps they've made with Autorealm? I can't download it while I'm at work and all the demo stuff on the Yahoo group is in their own file format.

Thanks.

 

[Eben]

Bump that last request. (I'm curious too.)

 

[MadScientist]

I have some on my campaign site. The site link is here.

Here are a couple direct maps links made with autorealm.

Kingdom of Durandor

Halen's Vale Area

A small map of the "known world" can be found on the main site under "The World" in the Introduction link of the nav bar. (That map is in a webpage and my site uses a frame for the nav bar and I can't remember the direct link right now.)

Anyway I heartily recomend AutoRealm.

Edit: Aargh I'm a horrible typist. Post should be okay now.

 

[dagger]

Do you think Autorealm is easier to get up an running (creating maps) than CC2?

 

[Emiricol]

Do you think Autorealm is easier to get up an running (creating maps) than CC2?

Absolutely. But it isn't even close to being as powerful as CC2. (Or FractalMapper for that matter).

 

[MerakSpielman]

CC2 ain't free though, last time I checked.

I'm using Interactive Dungeon along with a picture editor program to make the dungeon maps I use in my Play by Post game (link in my sig).

For wilderness/world maps, I'm messed around with autorealm, but honestly I find just sketching the maps by hand to be easier and faster. If I want them on a computer I'll just scan them in.