how do you make your overland maps?

[GlassJaw]

I'm getting to the point in my homebrew design that I need to start thinking about making an overland map of the region. I'm tossing around the idea of investing in some software but I've also made maps by hand in the past. So without further adieu, bring forth the poll!!

(mention the software you use, if any - thanks!)

 

[Crothian]

I have no artistic ability what so ever.....I draw free hand

 

[Laundreu]

AutoREALM, 'cos it's free, yo.

http://www.gryc.ws/autorealm.htm

 

[jaerdaph]

Map making software: Profantasy's CC2 Pro

 

[maddman75]

I'm very disappointed in the state of RPG mapmaking software. Personally I just sketch something up in Photoshop and go with that. The Cartography software I've used is all too hard to use and overly complicated. I'm a major computer geek, and learning new software is part of my job. In the past I've worked as a draftsman using AutoCAD. And *I* find CC2 too hard to use. The number of steps required to do the simplest tasks is ridiculous. I tried the free download for Dundjeeni and didn't find it any better.

What I want is something about like the Aurora toolset for Neverwinter Nights. Just simple tilesets and items you can drop in, no problem. I don't even mind giving up fine control over the placement of every last item if I can quickly produce good looking maps. But to my knowledge no such products exist.

 

[psyekl]

Freehand artist here! Computer programs make cartography faster and easier, but I prefer to use my own style: very time consuming but the final product is so much more rewarding I think.

I will always rather see a hand-drawn map than a computer-generated one, regardless of the map-maker's artistic ability.

 

[Galethorn]

I draw the major features--that come in the form of lines--by hand (coastlines, rivers, etc.), then scan it and add color, texture, and text with Photoshop (It's amazing what a little shading with the burn/dodge tools can do, along with the mottling you can make with the brushes in CS). So far, I've done two 'world' maps that way, and both came out quite well.

Now, that said, a lot of people don't have access to photoshop, and in their case, I recomend just drawing the map by hand in black and white (pencil first, then a nice, wide ball-point pen).

 

[pogre]

I draw the major features--that come in the form of lines--by hand (coastlines, rivers, etc.), then scan it and add color, texture, and text with Photoshop (It's amazing what a little shading with the burn/dodge tools can do, along with the mottling you can make with the brushes in CS). So far, I've done two 'world' maps that way, and both came out quite well.

My method these days as well.

 

[Dr_Draco]

I usually find that I get more creative drawing freehand. Using software to start from scratch just doesn't work for me. I often transplant my hand drawn maps into Campaign Cartographer though.

 

[Angel Tarragon]

I draw all my maps by freehand, then scan em into my comp.