Editable world map for gaming?

[NewJeffCT]

Many years ago, I started creating my own gaming world for use with D&D. It was based on Earth, but had some changes to it - maybe lower sea levels or similar to account for a land bridge linking Canada to Greenland to continental Europe, Alaska to Siberia, and similarly linking southeast Asia and all the islands of Indonesia to Australia. (With a few notable exceptions, I wanted almost the entire world walkable - you can walk from Australia up to Siberia across to Alaska and Canada and then on into Greenland and Europe, etc...)

Are there any mapping software programs - or even something in PowerPoint I can use - that would allow me to create a world map like this, make a few changes, and then print it out?

I'd obviously not want a political map showing all the various countries of the world as they are now. This would be Earth with fantasy races and all the trappings. (I was even toying with using Pangaea as a model, and then explaining continental drift with powerful era-ending magic that wiped out all traces of life and then started the ages before the dinosaurs millions of years later as life came back...)

Thanks

 

[SkidAce]

I have used real world terrain maps from google or national geographic in the past, screenshots if need be, and then adjusted in photoshop (or gimp). Had the Puerto Rico and Bermuda done at one time.

Used the Himalayas for The Great Barrier Mountains etc.

 

[D'karr]

Are there any mapping software programs - or even something in PowerPoint I can use - that would allow me to create a world map like this, make a few changes, and then print it out?

Campaign Cartographer with Fractal Terrains, both by Profantasy, are able to do what you are talking about. Fractal Terrains includes geological data that will map earth as it currently stands, and from what I understand of it you can lower and raise the level of the seas so that underwater land bridges would appear. You can then take the resultant and import it into Campaign Cartographer to modify to your heart's content. You can also export it to a regular image and modify with a paint program. Fractal Terrains is designed to allow the user to rapidly create a realistic looking world with "real-world" elevations, etc. You can tweak settings and pretty much generate a world in seconds. Keep tweaking and the world changes. I have only used a friend's laptop with Fractal Terrains once, and it was very interesting. Campaign Cartographer (CC3) is a very detailed mapping program, and I've been using it for years. I love the software, though I had some rough spots when I first got it.

Be forewarned, the software (CC3) has a steep learning curve as it is designed off a CAD engine, not a painting program. So the usual paradigm of windows-based software is turned on its ear and it can become very frustrating. When I first bought the software I almost returned it because I could not get it to do anything I wanted. Someone very wise suggested that I go through the tutorials. After I did so, I was getting the software to do amazing things. I personally have not used Fractal Terrains but you can get a lot of information from their site and their forums.

Hope that helps.

 

[Rakusia]

autoREALM its not campaign cartographer but then again its free

 

[NewJeffCT]

Campaign Cartographer with Fractal Terrains, both by Profantasy, are able to do what you are talking about. Fractal Terrains includes geological data that will map earth as it currently stands, and from what I understand of it you can lower and raise the level of the seas so that underwater land bridges would appear. You can then take the resultant and import it into Campaign Cartographer to modify to your heart's content. You can also export it to a regular image and modify with a paint program. Fractal Terrains is designed to allow the user to rapidly create a realistic looking world with "real-world" elevations, etc. You can tweak settings and pretty much generate a world in seconds. Keep tweaking and the world changes. I have only used a friend's laptop with Fractal Terrains once, and it was very interesting. Campaign Cartographer (CC3) is a very detailed mapping program, and I've been using it for years. I love the software, though I had some rough spots when I first got it.

Be forewarned, the software (CC3) has a steep learning curve as it is designed off a CAD engine, not a painting program. So the usual paradigm of windows-based software is turned on its ear and it can become very frustrating. When I first bought the software I almost returned it because I could not get it to do anything I wanted. Someone very wise suggested that I go through the tutorials. After I did so, I was getting the software to do amazing things. I personally have not used Fractal Terrains but you can get a lot of information from their site and their forums.

Hope that helps.

Definitely a big help - not sure how lazy I want to be in terms of learning a new software.

 

[Ferghis]

I don't know if this is suggestion is more or less work (I guess it depends on the scale you're waiting with), but I like using Hexographer. The large scale maps allow me to define minute details later. Also, you can superimpose any image you want as a transparency while you make the map, which makes map-making really easy.

 

[Jester David]

I tend to just use Photoshop. Any free photo software might work just as well.But there are a large number of dedicated fantasy mapping software out there.

Although, if it's for your homegame, you can get a lot of mileage out if just using Google and looking up pictures of the Earth in different geological eras. Some cheap photo manipulation software and you can drag continents about use a clone tool to add more land.

Do you need an entire globe though? Most campaigns barely see all of a couple kingdoms, let alone a small continent.

 

[NewJeffCT]

I tend to just use Photoshop. Any free photo software might work just as well.But there are a large number of dedicated fantasy mapping software out there.

Although, if it's for your homegame, you can get a lot of mileage out if just using Google and looking up pictures of the Earth in different geological eras. Some cheap photo manipulation software and you can drag continents about use a clone tool to add more land.

Do you need an entire globe though? Most campaigns barely see all of a couple kingdoms, let alone a small continent.

True, most gaming worlds tend to start small and build out from that first small village or hamlet. I've had this idea in my head for years, though, so wanted to see where it leads me down the road.