Do people want hand-drawn maps anymore?

[Kaleon Moonshae]

I'm of a mixed opinion here (except bout your maps which are gorgeous). As an artist I do like to sit down and do most of my maps by hand (maybe because it is the only time I get to use those skills elarned in college now) but I also really enjoy computer maps. It doesn't really matter what system either. I like both for fantasy and modern maps. As a drafter I tend to prefer very exacting maps and so it takes me ages to do them right and am never completely satisfied. I like to do a rough sketch then scan it in and work on cleaning the major lines and such on the computer then print it out and combination trace/modify for the final product. I also hate repitition in mapping and think that is where many cgi mappers fail. For my own setting I use a combination of 'tech' maps and 'mood maps.' The islands that have been explored and that are populated are mostly all mapped out in detail and there is not much room to negotiate. This is due to the fact that the islands are very small and that is the only land in my world. For islands that are not populated I either have a very rough sketch of the outline and coast or maybe even just a poem/passage that describes it. There are air ships and technology in my world (of varying degrees), so I think it would be lax on my part not to make maps that are of the same quality as modern maps fr places where people live (even so far as creating a grid structure similar to township range).

A little info on my world that might affect the way I do maps: It is formed from an orbit of asteroids caught in a tube of elemental air rotating around a small glowing sun that is actually an idiot god (ala azathoth). The islands are very small and the populated ones are very densely inhabited.

 

[psyekl]

Sunaj2k3: Thank you for the compliment, and I'm glad my style is appreciated. Most gamer's seem to respond positively to my maps, I guess it's just the perfectionist in me that wishes they were more authentic-looking.

I'm working with a couple of friends to get a website up and running, but they're busy and I'm computer illiterate, so you know how that goes. I am planning on releasing some maps on this forum (following the "map of the week" thread's example...good stuff BTW), and am currently working on compiling a book of maps. As for seeing more of the city of Diodet: it's from a book that I was published in, and while I can show a portion of it as an example, I'm not able to show the whole thing (sorry). The game was a diceless system called Maelstrom Storytelling by a small gaming company called Hubris Games. The book was their second release titled "Tales from the Empire, A Guide to the City of Diodet". I actually have 4 drawings in the book including a world map, a detail map, the city map and the floorplans to the Diodet Oprerahouse.

As for other good cartographers: I love Shawn Brown's style, and I've attempted to contact him to get some pointers...no response though Here's a link to his site: http://www.shawnbrown.com/
I'm not familiar with the other artists, but I'll look them up!

I was actually referred to this site by another cartographer: Anna M. Dobritt. She was one of the cartographers who worked on the Forgotten Realms Interactive Atlas, a very cool lady (and she responded to my e-mail)!

Kaleon Moonshae: A fellow draftsman! Welcome! I know what you mean about not being able to use your skills, nobody uses manual drafting anymore I've always loved the sensation of putting pen to paper, and I'll never give up my drafting desk ...but AutoCAD definitley makes it go quicker! To be honest, I'd like to see your world; it sounds cool as hell!

 

[psyekl]

abc

 

[Sunaj2k3]

Cartographics links methinks.....

Psyekl,

Clayton Bunce is a cartographer and all around nice fellow who definitely does answer his emails (although given the crush of work for Trolllord Games he's under at the moment, you may have to wait a few days). His site can be found at www.morningstarillustration.com. Craig Zipse is another cartographer whose done maps for Dungeon Magazine, Monkeygod Enterprises, and Kenzerco (a lot of the world of Tellene city maps are his). His work can be found at www.craigzipse.com. One cartographer who makes heavy use of computer assistance (I know he's using photoshop at least, I don't know about cad programs) is Christopher West. He's done a LOT of maps for Dungeon--the most immediate that comes to mind is the City of Cauldron Adventure Path Series. His site can be found at www.velocity.net/~westwinds/. Although West's maps have that computer finished gleam to them, there are few who would call them either uninteresting or uninspired.

Some other artists and cartographers whose sites you may want to take a look at: Eric Hotz, illustrator and cartographer extraordinaire at www.erichotz.com. William McAusland at www.artmotive.com/rpg-art.html. Stephen Daniele at www.stephendaniele.com/main/. Jeremy Simmons at www.dungeonartist.com.

Although some of the above artists styles may not be to your liking, I'd be surprised if you did not find something to inspire amongst all of them.

I look forward seeing your map site when it does get up. If you only put online a small fraction compared to what Phineas has managed (and all of his maps start in CC2 no less , that will still be very helpful.

I tried checking out Hubris Games website, but they seem to have vanished into the internet ether and had their site (www.hubrisgames.com) hijacked by a pesky cybersquatter.

Good luck and good drafting.

 

[Kaleon Moonshae]

Sunaj2k3: Thank you for the compliment, and I'm glad my style is appreciated. Most gamer's seem to respond positively to my maps, I guess it's just the perfectionist in me that wishes they were more authentic-looking.

I'm working with a couple of friends to get a website up and running, but they're busy and I'm computer illiterate, so you know how that goes. I am planning on releasing some maps on this forum (following the "map of the week" thread's example...good stuff BTW), and am currently working on compiling a book of maps. As for seeing more of the city of Diodet: it's from a book that I was published in, and while I can show a portion of it as an example, I'm not able to show the whole thing (sorry). The game was a diceless system called Maelstrom Storytelling by a small gaming company called Hubris Games. The book was their second release titled "Tales from the Empire, A Guide to the City of Diodet". I actually have 4 drawings in the book including a world map, a detail map, the city map and the floorplans to the Diodet Oprerahouse.

As for other good cartographers: I love Shawn Brown's style, and I've attempted to contact him to get some pointers...no response though Here's a link to his site: http://www.shawnbrown.com/
I'm not familiar with the other artists, but I'll look them up!

I was actually referred to this site by another cartographer: Anna M. Dobritt. She was one of the cartographers who worked on the Forgotten Realms Interactive Atlas, a very cool lady (and she responded to my e-mail)!

Kaleon Moonshae: A fellow draftsman! Welcome! I know what you mean about not being able to use your skills, nobody uses manual drafting anymore I've always loved the sensation of putting pen to paper, and I'll never give up my drafting desk ...but AutoCAD definitley makes it go quicker! To be honest, I'd like to see your world; it sounds cool as hell!

I just trounced a lot of my old stuff, reworked the world a month or so ago, hope to have some new stuff scanned by next week, I'll post a couple of the images in here and see what you think.

 

[Vidden Szantovich]

Resolution

To commiserate with the Psyekl's initial question, I was also unsure of whether or not players would want "Hand-crafted" or computer designed maps. I was actually searching the web for a software I would like to use when I came across this site. I understand your plight, I felt obsolete, still cranking out hand made maps though so many that I see online today are generated on some program. Hearing the responses that you received has settled my search. Ill probably buy some software, but there has to be something better than CC2, im sorry but those maps look awful, too perfect. I do like the layers that you can use to label crops, alignments of regions and such but to me they are only useful to the DM. The players should never possess such a thing.

So I am resolved to buy a product, then hand sketch handouts for players. From the responses I've seen it seems the best way to go. btw, your maps are very nice.

 

[Kaleon Moonshae]

To commiserate with the Psyekl's initial question, I was also unsure of whether or not players would want "Hand-crafted" or computer designed maps. I was actually searching the web for a software I would like to use when I came across this site. I understand your plight, I felt obsolete, still cranking out hand made maps though so many that I see online today are generated on some program. Hearing the responses that you received has settled my search. Ill probably buy some software, but there has to be something better than CC2, im sorry but those maps look awful, too perfect. I do like the layers that you can use to label crops, alignments of regions and such but to me they are only useful to the DM. The players should never possess such a thing.

So I am resolved to buy a product, then hand sketch handouts for players. From the responses I've seen it seems the best way to go. btw, your maps are very nice.

If you don't mind java, check out dunjinni. It makes some nice looking maps I feel, although they work better for battle tiles. Their actual software is supposed to have more large scale map options.

 

[Turanil]

Computer generated maps of high quality, such as those of Dundjinni are certainly cool. In fact I plan to use them to make battlemattes for minis. HOWEVER, this cannot replace and kill well hand-drawn black and white maps. Especially to be hand-outs given to players, that simulate maps and drawings made in a medieval age with someone with ink and parchment. Furthermore, in many instance, having a printed black and white floor plan to use for minis is cool, because it is way more printer friendly, plus if well drawn, it can well convey a good feel for the adventure.

 

[Cecil]

Great maps! I would be proud to host any you would like to make available to the public.

I think my preference depends upon the intent of the map.

Battlemaps--go computer, particularly Dundjinni. The ability to use the same map for the GM, but at a much larger scale (ie, the entire map on one page) is very useful.

Player handouts--I prefer hand-drawn, for the reasons stated earlier: to evoke a mood. Unfortunately, my artistic talents are not that good when I draw by hand (or more specifically, I have only one style--and it doesn't involve color!) so some of my handouts tend to be constructed on a computer--but I do my best to emulate maps of old as much as possible. I also tend to try and develop several cartographer's styles--a map made by one fictional cartographer will always look a certain way. It's accuracy can be predicted if the players are familiar with said cartographer.

 

[Kaleon Moonshae]

see if these attachments uploaded or not.