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NOW LIVE! Into the Woods--new character species, eerie monsters, and haunting villains to populate the woodlands of your D&D games.
how do you make your overland maps?
- Thread starter GlassJaw
- Start date
MonsterMash
First Post
Pencil and Hex or graph paper for me.
Pbartender
First Post
Chalk me up as one of the Sketch-Scan-Photoshop bunch.
Though I'm looking for a better way to do it all by computer... I just really prefer the hand-drawn look for player handouts, and that's so hard to do well on a computer.
I did recently run across this product... MapmakerPLUS. It a font pack for use in Photoshop, Paintshop, or any other image editing program. Each font consists of a bunch of map elements that you can cut and paste together to make a medieval or renaissance style map. Looks pretty neat. The tutorial shows a good example of a simple finished map.
Though I'm looking for a better way to do it all by computer... I just really prefer the hand-drawn look for player handouts, and that's so hard to do well on a computer.
I did recently run across this product... MapmakerPLUS. It a font pack for use in Photoshop, Paintshop, or any other image editing program. Each font consists of a bunch of map elements that you can cut and paste together to make a medieval or renaissance style map. Looks pretty neat. The tutorial shows a good example of a simple finished map.
Profantasy's CC2-Pro
Plane Sailing
Astral Admin - Mwahahaha!
Initial sketches by hand to get a feel for things, then use a drawing program (I still use CorelXara 1.5). I like the ability to use layers so that I can keep national boundaries, major roades, places of interest etc. etc. on different layers - making it easy to print appropriate maps for PCs without including all the information they don't need at the moment.
Just got to get around to producing a hex overlay layer
Just got to get around to producing a hex overlay layer
Vraille Darkfang
First Post
Since I have acess to it & know how to use it,
I use AutoCAD 2000. Lots of Polylines & layers. Plus I can set up my drawing units & then measures distances in "real time". Big time saver. I admit, I could really "pretty them up" in photoshop, but I've had years of training as a CAD drafter & that is the software I know best.
To repeat what others have said. Tried to use CC2, found it way too frustrating, gave up and went back to AutoCAD.
As for software for you. Go with what you know or are willing to learn. Professionally, I've used AutoCAD, Photoshop, and ArcGIS. All of which can be used to make fine maps. AutoCAD & ArcGIS have additional features so you can use your map as more of a resource than just a thing to look at.
Finally, look at your budget & computer power. If you happen to have several thousand dollars sitting around, you can pick up all of these. I'd start with the free stuff and work my way up.
Vraille Darkfang
I use AutoCAD 2000. Lots of Polylines & layers. Plus I can set up my drawing units & then measures distances in "real time". Big time saver. I admit, I could really "pretty them up" in photoshop, but I've had years of training as a CAD drafter & that is the software I know best.
To repeat what others have said. Tried to use CC2, found it way too frustrating, gave up and went back to AutoCAD.
As for software for you. Go with what you know or are willing to learn. Professionally, I've used AutoCAD, Photoshop, and ArcGIS. All of which can be used to make fine maps. AutoCAD & ArcGIS have additional features so you can use your map as more of a resource than just a thing to look at.
Finally, look at your budget & computer power. If you happen to have several thousand dollars sitting around, you can pick up all of these. I'd start with the free stuff and work my way up.
Vraille Darkfang
The Cardinal
First Post
PaintShop Pro, CC2, Fractal Terrains,...
...and the Fractal Mapper 7.0 is on order
...and the Fractal Mapper 7.0 is on order
GlassJaw
Hero
Hmm, the sketch-scan-Photoshop route isn't one I had considered. For those that use this method, some questions:
What type of scanner do you have? Do you use any particular settings or scanning methods?
How would you rate your Photoshop ability? I have Photoshop but rarely use it. I've played around with it a little but never had the time to really learn enough about it to be effective.
What type of scanner do you have? Do you use any particular settings or scanning methods?
How would you rate your Photoshop ability? I have Photoshop but rarely use it. I've played around with it a little but never had the time to really learn enough about it to be effective.
DragonLancer
Hero
I draw maps freehand. I have yet to find a mapping software package that does what I want it to do easily enough for my tastes.
der_kluge
Adventurer
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