D&D 5E Increasing my map-fu for Out of the Abyss

[CanadienneBacon]

I will be running OotA. I will also be purchasing digital copies of the maps, and will somehow figure out how to use either Excel or some other mapping tool to create a grid overlay and combat tokens on snippets of combat maps. My digital mapping skill, however, leaves a lot to be desired.

I could use help in the form of suggestions for good youtube videos for how to create fantasy maps. What are your favorite resources? Got any suggestions for me? What products do you use and like?

My priorities, in order, are: 1) ease of use (seriously, I need something for mapping dummies that doesn't have a big learning curve; I want to spend the little free time I have on prepping the adventure, not mapping); 2) cost; 3) a polished finished product. If one product costs something but is super wasy to use, I prize it over a free product with a clunky interface or a free product that has a steep learning curve.

Thanks!

 

[designbot]

I will also be purchasing digital copies of the maps, and will somehow figure out how to use either Excel or some other mapping tool to create a grid overlay and combat tokens on snippets of combat maps.

Most of the digital maps already have grids on them—what are you trying to do, exactly?

 

[Paraxis]

I use the freeware www.getpaint.net/index.html for all my image editing needs.

If you plan on using the images in a VTT like Roll20 you should just be able to use the built in grid to make the 5'x5' sections you want.

If this is for printing and you want a 5' grid for those areas that have the 10' or 20' grid I would find an overlay .png file that is a grid and use an image editing program like the one I linked above to overlay the grid onto the map.

 

[SkidAce]

I use the freeware www.getpaint.net/index.html for all my image editing needs.

How is getpaint versus the Gimp?

/tangent

 

[Rod Staffwand]

I use Paint.NET (the getpaint one) for my mapmaking, mainly because it was the first free software I tried out and I have the most experience with it. I can create simple maps (such cavern outlines with textures) in less than 5 minutes. The software requires a few plugins to really shine for mapmaking. Gridmaker is essential for grids (I use a 50 pixel by 50 pixel grid for most 5ft square battlegrids). I use FillFromFile which can add textures to selected areas. The textures you will need to find online. Both of these plugins are from a designer named BoltBait and are easy to install.

I have a library of textures, overlays, objects and other resources that I can drop into my maps. Most can be found online or, depending on your skill set, created yourself.

Gimp is also a solid program. It comes with stronger tools out of the box, but I find the interface counter-intuitive. Lots of users swear by it and create awesome maps with it, so it's all a matter of taste.

If you really want to go big and shiny, I think Adobe might still be offering the old Photoshop CS2 free of charge. It may be an older version of Photoshop, but it will have everything you need to create professional quality maps. If you want to really put the time into mastering it, you can work up some wonderful Mike Schley-level stuff (okay, you might need natural artistic talent too...).

For VTT tokens, TokenTool from the MapTool site is the easiest solution I've found. Drag and drop images (even right off the internet) into a pre-selected token frame and save. It literally takes less than a minute...or exactly a minute if you want to get it 'just right'.

 

[Paraxis]

How is getpaint versus the Gimp?

/tangent

All I can say is I tried both and liked getpaint better. I am not even close to being fully proficient with either and wouldn't be able to properly compare the two.

 

[CanadienneBacon]

Most of the digital maps already have grids on them—what are you trying to do, exactly?

I want a map with a grid overlay that is also labeled alphabetically across the top and numerically across an edge so that during combat rounds players can specify movement. The finished map will also need to accommodate small .jpg tokens of each player that I insert. When I last looked at the maps for sale online (and they were, indeed, lovely quality), the grid was not alphanumerically labeled. Has this changed? I'll have to go look.

 

[CanadienneBacon]

I use Paint.NET (the getpaint one) for my mapmaking, mainly because it was the first free software I tried out and I have the most experience with it. I can create simple maps (such cavern outlines with textures) in less than 5 minutes.

How long did it take you to get to the point where you can create a simple map in less than 5 minutes? That's kind of the crux of it, for me. I'm willing to spend a week or two tinkering off and on with mapping software, but after that I want to be able to produce a map on the fly in as little time as possible. I'm certainly not looking for anything I produce to be anywhere near the level produced by a professional mapper. I have enough of an artistic streak that I can get by, but neither time nor inclination for more at this point. My goal is to make a decent-looking map that my players can enjoy looking at (using some of the graphics from OotA, and that isn't the pure chicken scratch I'd normally produce on MS Paint), and use during combat.

Ease of use is my primary goal. After that, cost and production quality are tied for a distant second.

 

[designbot]

I want a map with a grid overlay that is also labeled alphabetically across the top and numerically across an edge so that during combat rounds players can specify movement. The finished map will also need to accommodate small .jpg tokens of each player that I insert. When I last looked at the maps for sale online (and they were, indeed, lovely quality), the grid was not alphanumerically labeled. Has this changed? I'll have to go look.

No, they're not alphanumerically labeled. I've never heard of that before, except maybe for a large area map. Is this for play-by-post or something? Just curious.

 

[CanadienneBacon]

I haven't decided yet whether it'll be for projection screen at my tabletop, or PbP.